The Los Angeles Galaxy and Colorado Rapids will kick off the 2009 MLS Lamar Hunt Open Cup Play-in tournament on April 7 at the Home Depot Center, the first of four opening round matches for MLS qualifying. Red Bull New York, last year’s MLS Cup runners-up, will travel to Santa Clara, California to face the San Jose Earthquakes on April 29 at Buck Shaw Stadium
As reported earlier by Steven Goff in his Soccer Insider blog on the Washington Post website, D.C. United will face FC Dallas in another MLS play-in game, which has been set for April 22 at D.C. United, with the winner facing the San Jose-New York winner. This would leave Real Salt Lake and the expansion Seattle Sounders FC in the fourth play-in game, with the winner facing the Los Angeles-Colorado victor. The Sounders will host RSL at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, WA on April 28.
The six clubs with the most points at the end of the 2008 MLS regular season (Columbus, Chicago, Houston, New England, Chivas USA, Kansas City), automatically earn a spot in the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The remaining U.S. based clubs (New York, D.C. United, Real Salt Lake, Colorado, Dallas, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Seattle), will play elimination matches to determine who will claim the remaining two MLS spots.
The LA Galaxy and Red Bull New York sent out the following press releases concerning their play-in matches.
Courtesy New York Red Bulls:
SECAUCUS, NJ (February 23, 2009) – Red Bull New York announced today that it will kick off its 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign on April 29, when it plays the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium at 10:30 PM ET (7:30 PM PT). The match is a play-in game as part of the first stage of MLS U.S. Open Cup qualifying. The winner of the game will face a to be determined MLS opponent later this year for the right to compete in this year’s Open Cup tournament. New York is one of eight MLS teams battling for two spots in the full tournament field.
Created in 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the United States. The single elimination tournament, which is similar to the prestigious English FA Cup, is open to all amateur and professional teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation.
Last year, the Red Bulls entered in the third round of the Open Cup after being one of the top six teams to qualify for the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs. Their run ended early, when they lost to United Soccer League Second Division side, Crystal Palace Baltimore, 2-0, on July 1 in Annapolis, MD. New York has never won the U.S. Open Cup, but reached the 2003 U.S. Open Cup Final before falling to the Chicago Fire, 1-0.
Despite earning their first trip to the MLS Cup Final in 2008, the Red Bulls are forced to go through MLS Open Cup qualifying since they were not one of the top six playoff teams at the end of last year’s regular season. The Red Bulls went 1-0-1 against San Jose last season, but have never played the Earthquakes in Open Cup competition.
The 2008 MLS Cup Finalist Red Bulls begin the 2009 MLS season on March 19 at Seattle against the expansion Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field. The game will be telecast nationally on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 9 PM ET and locally broadcast live on WADO 1280 AM in Spanish.
Courtesy Los Angeles Galaxy:
CARSON, Calif. (Friday, February 27, 2009) – The LA Galaxy’s quest for the third Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title in club history will begin on Tuesday, April 7 when they host the Colorado Rapids in an Open Cup Play-In Game at The Home Depot Center. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. and Galaxy season ticket holders will be able to use their Bonus Game 2 ticket.
This will be the second straight season in which the Galaxy host Colorado in an Open Cup Play-In Game. Last year, the Rapids claimed a 1-0 win, with the Rapids scoring the game’s only goal in the 82nd minute. The Galaxy, who won the Open Cup in 2001 and 2005, first participated in an Open Cup Play-In Game in 2007, when they defeated Columbus and New York to qualify for the Third Round of the Open Cup, where they were defeated by the Richmond Kickers.
The two sides are now scheduled to meet three times in the month of April, with the Galaxy also hosting the Rapids in league play on Saturday, April 4 and traveling to Colorado on Saturday, April 25.
Individual tickets for the Galaxy’s Open Cup Play-In Game and all regular season home games are on sale now at www.lagalaxy.com or by calling 1-877-3GALAXY.
The LA Galaxy are now accepting deposits for the 2009 season, which kicks off at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 22 when the club hosts D.C. United at The Home Depot Center. A non-refundable deposit of 75% per seat secures your place for each 2009 Galaxy regular season game, plus great benefits including exclusive events with the team, special season seat holder gifts, and much more. Call 1-877-3GALAXY or visit www.lagalaxy.com for more details or to purchase your 2009 Galaxy season seats.
