PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers play host to the Sonoma County Sol of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association in the first round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tuesday at PGE Park; kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Tickets start at $8 in advance and are available for purchase through the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phoning (800) 745-3000.
The 2010 tournament marks Portland’s seventh appearance in the U.S. Open Cup since 2001. Last season, the Timbers defeated both the Kitsap Pumas and Sonoma County in early rounds to reach the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, and faced Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC at PGE Park.
The Timbers and Sol squared off in the second round of the 2009 tournament in California. Forward
Mandjou Keita
scored two goals and midfielder
Brian Farber
logged two assists to guide Portland to a 3-0 win over the Sol and advance in the U.S. Open Cup.
The winner of the first-round matchup between the Timbers and Sol will face either the Kitsap Pumas of the Premier Development League or Bay Area Ambassadors of the USASA in the second round slated for Tuesday, June 22.
Tuesday’s match will be broadcast live on 95.5 The Game, with a live video webcast available online at
www.portlandtimbers.com/live
.
Sonoma County is the defending champion of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), which is affiliated with the USASA. The Sol have competed in three of the last five U.S. Open Cup tournaments and have advanced as far as the second round. Their roster features two players with time in United Soccer Leagues – Shawn Percell (Seattle Sounders) and Lee Sandwina (Charleston Battery). Sonoma County defeated the Los Gatos Storm of U.S. Club Soccer in a play-in match to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup in 2010.
The Timbers are 5-6-0 all-time in U.S. Open Cup matches, and have reached as far as the fourth round in 2004 and 2005, facing the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS in both tournaments.
ABOUT 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 single-elimination tournament has crowned a champion for 95 consecutive years dating back to 1914. The team that advances the furthest from each level except Division I (MLS) will earn a $10,000 cash prize. The runner-up will take home $50,000, while the champion will collect $100,000. In addition, the winner will have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, the oldest trophy competed for nationally in American team sports. For more information, visit
www.ussoccer.com
or www.thecup.us.
