Extreme Makeover
Under new format, it's all in for MLS teams in 99th edition of USOC


Get ready for a US Open Cup like you’ve never seen it before.

The US Soccer Federation on Wednesday unveiled an expanded version of the domestic cup competition which will see all 16 US-based MLS clubs participating, a random selection process for home teams in select rounds and a champion crowned by the first week of August.

The MLS qualifying system employed in recent years has been scrapped and all 16 MLS teams eligible for participation – the three Canadian teams play in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship – will join the competition in the third round.

A total of 64 teams – a record number in the modern era of the USOC – will feature 32 professional teams, including all six NASL teams and all 10 USL PRO teams, as well as another 32 from the amateur ranks of the USASA (nine qualifiers), PDL (16 qualifiers), NPSL (6.5 qualifiers) and US Club Soccer (0.5 qualifiers).

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... -announced

2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule:

April 29: Qualifying deadline
May 15: First Round
May 22: Second Round
May 29: Third Round
June 5: Fourth Round
June 26: Quarterfinals
July 10: Semifinals
Aug. 7 or 8: Final

Participating Professional Teams (32 total)

Major League Soccer (Division I – 16 teams): Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City.

North American Soccer League (Division II – 6 teams): Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, NSC Minnesota Stars, San Antonio Scorpions, Tampa Bay Rowdies.

USL PRO (Division III – 10 teams): Charleston Battery, Charlotte Eagles, Dayton Dutch Lions, Harrisburg City Islanders, Los Angeles Blues, Orlando City, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Wilmington Hammerheads.

Distribution of Amateur-Level Places (32 total):
U.S. Adult Soccer Association Regional Qualifiers – 9 places: USASA regional qualifiers will increase their number of places in the tournament by one compared to 2011.

United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League – 16 places: The PDL will have the largest increase in representation among the amateur leagues since 2011, growing from nine slots.

National Premier Soccer League – 6.5 places: The NPSL is a national amateur league affiliated with the USASA. In previous years, its teams participated via USASA regional qualifying.

US Club Soccer – 0.5 place: U.S. Club Soccer is an organization member of U.S. Soccer.
Note: One team from the National Premier Soccer League will face a US Club Soccer representative for the final place in the tournament

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=1634

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup:
MLS clubs learn 3rd-round pairings set for next week

All 16 US-based MLS clubs learned their opening match-ups in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after Tuesday night's second round was played.

The third-round single-elimination matches will be played between Tuesday, May 29 and Wednesday, May 30.

Half the MLS teams will be hosting matches, while another half will take to the road with the longest trips set to be logged by the MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy, who travel to North Carolina, while the Colorado Rapids go all the way to St. Petersburg, Fla.

US OPEN CUP 3RD ROUND

Tuesday, May 29
7 pm ET: D.C. United at Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) -- Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va.
7 pm ET: NE Revolution at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) -- Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa.
7 pm ET: LA Galaxy at Carolina RailHawks (NASL) -- WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
7:30 pm ET: Chicago Fire at Michigan Bucks (PDL) -- Ultimate Soccer; Pontiac, Mich.
7:30 pm ET: Colorado Rapids at Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) -- Al Lang Stadium; St. Petersburg, Fla.
7:30 pm ET: Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) at Columbus Crew -- Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio
7:30 pm ET: New York Red Bulls at Charleston Battery (USL PRO) -- Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.
7:30 pm ET: Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO) at Philadelphia Union -- PPL Park; Chester, Pa.
8:30 pm ET: Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) at FC Dallas -- FC Dallas Stadium; Frisco, Texas
8:30 pm ET: Houston Dynamo at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) -- Heroes Stadium; San Antonio, Texas
8:30 pm ET: Orlando City (USL PRO) at Sporting KC -- LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
9 pm ET: Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) at Real Salt Lake -- Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
10 pm ET: Chivas USA at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) -- Ventura College; Ventura, Calif.
10:30 pm ET: Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) at SJ Earthquakes -- Cagan Stadium; Stanford, Calif.

Wednesday, May 30
10 pm ET: Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Seattle Sounders -- Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash.
10:30 pm ET: Cal FC (USASA) at Portland Timbers -- JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/23/usoc-mls-clubs-learn-third-round-pairings-set-next-week

I never knew Lamar Hunt had anything to do with soccer. I thought he was just a football guy.
He a football guy and a soccer guy - at his death he actually owned two soccer teams (Columbus and Dallas)

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