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MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids to Face USL-1 Seattle Sounders Tuesday in Open Cup Quarterfinals

August 2, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


COMMERCE CITY, CO (Aug. 2, 2007) - The Colorado Rapids, one of only three MLS teams still alive in the 2007 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup competition, will travel to Qwest Field in Seattle this Tuesday, August 7, to take on the USL-1 Seattle Sounders in the quarterfinals of the nation's oldest and most storied sporting tournament. Kickoff is at 8:00pm MT on Tuesday.

The winner of Tuesday's Rapids vs. Sounders match will advance to face the winner of the MLS FC Dallas vs. USL-1 Charleston Battery match. If the Rapids win Tuesday night, regardless of who wins the Dallas/Charleston match-up, they will be forced to travel for a road game in the Semifinals at their opponent's home stadium on Tuesday, Sept 4.

The complete bracket for the 2007 US Open Cup can be found online at: http://www.usopencup.com/2005bracket/index_E.html

The Colorado Rapids are riding a 2-game win streak in their drive to the Open Cup championship this year. The Rapids joined the U.S. Open Cup in the third round after defeating arch-rivals Real Salt Lake 2-1 in an MLS qualification match to be eligible to enter the tournament. They then defeated the California Victory (USL-1) on July 10 by the score of 3-1 behind goals from Jose Cancela, Herculez Gomez and Omar Cummings at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Sounders advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. They defeated amateur side Banat Arsenal 4-1 in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup. Seattle then faced fellow USL-1 rivals the Portland Timbers in the second round and defeated them 2-1 to set up a third round match-up with MLS side Chivas USA. Chivas were the fifth and final MLS team to fall in the third round as Seattle defeated them 3-1 at home in Seattle.

Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest sports competition in the United States and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an 87-year-old single-elimination tournament.

In a nutshell, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is very similar to domestic cup competitions popular throughout Europe, South America, and the rest of the world. Cup competitions, which usually run simultaneously with a country's league season, are open in the early stages to any club that can qualify, giving local amateur teams a chance to compete against the best teams a country has to offer.

In 1996, D.C. United became the first MLS team to capture the title, defeating the Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-0 in the final. The Dallas Burn followed suit in 1997, denying United back-to-back titles with a 1-0 win over D.C. in penalty kicks in the championship game. In 1998, it was the expansion Chicago Fire capturing the trophy, defeating the Columbus Crew 2-1 in extra time. Since then, a variety of teams have conquered the Cup, including A-League teams.

The 87-year-old Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament was renamed in 1999 to honor Lamar Hunt, the long-time soccer pioneer and former owner of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards who passed away in 2006.

Colorado Rapids All-Time Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup history and results:

1996: Advanced to semifinal round

Defeated: Kansas City Wizards (3-2)

Lost to: Rochester Raging Rhinos (0-3)

1997: Lost in third round

Lost to: Chicago Stingers (1-2)

1998: Lost in qualification round

Lost to Miami Fusion (2-3)

1999: Advanced to championship game

Defeated: Seattle Sounders (1-0), Tampa Bay Mutiny (1-0), Charleston Battery (3-0)

Lost to: Rochester Raging Rhinos (0-2)

2000: Lost in third round

Lost to: Richmond Kickers (0-3)

2001: Lost in third round

Lost to: Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-2)

2002: Advanced to quarterfinal round

Defeated: Charleston Battery (1-0)

Lost to: Dallas Burn (0-1)

2003: Advance to quarterfinal round

Defeated: Kansas City Wizards (3-2)

Lost to: Chicago Fire (1-2)

2004: Lost in fourth round

Lost to: Dallas Burn (0-3)

2005: Lost in fourth round

Lost to: Minnesota Thunder (1-4)

2006: Advanced to quarterfinal round

Defeated: Real Salt Lake (1-0)

Lost to: LA Galaxy (3-1)

2007: (in progress)

Defeated: Real Salt Lake (2-1 [MLS qualifying match]), California Victory (3-1)

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