RICHMOND, VA - (Monday, June 23, 2008) – The Richmond Kickers are slated to enter the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tomorrow, Tuesday, June 24th against the Western Mass Pioneers. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Massachusetts. The winner of this Second Round match-up will face the defending U.S. Open Cup Champions, New England Revolution of Major League Soccer, on the road Tuesday, July 1st.
The Kickers received an automatic berth into this year’s tournament as the defending USL-2 Regular Season Champions. They enter the round of 16 after cruising by the Fredericksburg Gunners (PDL) on Tuesday, June 10th with a 3-0, First Round victory. Meanwhile, the Pioneers ousted the Boston Olympiakos (USASA) in their Open Cup match by a 2-0 scoreline. In total, forty teams participate in this year’s tournament, with eight entries per league across Major League Soccer, USL First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League (PDL) and United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The 2008 tournament marks the first time each league has the same number of teams participating.
In other USL-2 action, the Real Maryland Monarchs are set to face the Carolina RailHawks (USL-1), Cleveland City Stars take on Minnesota Thunder (USL-1), Pittsburgh Riverhounds face Rochester Raging Rhinos (USL-1), Charlotte Eagles travel to Charleston Battery (USL-1) and the Harrisburg City Islanders host Crystal Palace Baltimore.
Kickers vs. Pioneers
The Richmond Kickers lead the series 5-0-1 over the Pioneers and last blanked Western Mass 1-0 in a road win on May 17th. Previously, the Kickers handed the Pioneers a 3-0 loss to open the 2008 season at home. Kickers defender Anthony Catalano registered his first goal in a Kickers uniform while 2007 USL MVP Mike Burke and forward David Bulow each converted a goal apiece in Richmond’s opening victory. Leading scorer Stanley Nyazamba (three goals, six points), tallied the lone goal during the Kickers second win over Western Mass later in the season.
The Pioneers boast a 5-5-3 record and 18 points, good for fourth place in the league standings. The Kickers trail by just two points, with two games in hand, after battling the Harrisburg City Islanders to a scoreless stalemate last weekend. Meanwhile, the Pioneers are coming off a two-game split in Bermuda, first topping the Hogges 1-0 on Saturday before falling 3-1 on Sunday. Jay Willis notched his first goal of the season with the Pioneers only tally to start the series while Bryan Zobre prevented the shutout with a late goal yesterday.
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 94 consecutive years dating back to 1914.
The U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, with games tied after regulation being decided in two 15-minute overtime halves. If neither team scores during the overtime period, the winner is decided on penalty kicks. The team that advances the furthest from each level except Division I earns a $10,000 cash prize. The Open Cup runner-up takes home $50,000, while the champion collects $100,000. The winner will have their team’s name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, the oldest trophy in American team sports that is housed in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y.
Richmond Kickers U.S. Open Cup History
The 2008 season marks the 10th time the Richmond Kickers have qualified for the U.S. Open Cup over the past 14 seasons and hold an overall record of 15-8 during tournament play. The Kickers claimed the U.S. Open Cup title the first year of the “Professional Era” in 1995 and have since made it to the quarterfinal round four times (1995, 2001, 2004, 2007), ousting three Major League Soccer teams along the way (Colorado Rapids 2000, DC United 2004, LA Galaxy 2007). With 54 total goals scored during the Open Cup, the Kickers set several franchise records as well as a Professional Era U.S. Open Cup record for most goals (12) during the 8-4 rout over the Ocean City Barons in 2005. For all of the up-to-the-minute action, visit www.USOpenCup.com.
Next Home Game
Following Tuesday’s US Open Cup fixture, the Kickers head back on the road for back-to-back matches in Cleveland and Pittsburgh on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th, respectively. The Kickers return home on Saturday, July 12th to host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Gifts For Gulu Night at 7:00 pm, at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Kickers will be collecting new and gently used soccer and sports equipment to benefit the children of Northern Uganda. Visit RichmondKickers.com for more information.
