PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that the club will play host to the San Jose Earthquakes in a second-round, U.S. Open Cup play-in match on Tuesday, May 3, at JELD-WEN Field; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Season ticket holders will have the first right to purchase their seats during an exclusive pre-sale period, beginning Wednesday, April 13, at 10 a.m. through April 18, at 5 p.m.; an email with purchasing information will be distributed April 12.
Tickets go on sale to the public Tuesday, April 19, at 10 a.m. through the JELD-WEN Field box office, area Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.
The Timbers face the Earthquakes in the second of three rounds of MLS play-in matches in order to qualify for the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament. The winner of the Portland-San Jose matchup will advance to a third-round qualification match, playing host to the Chicago Fire in May for the opportunity to compete in the tournament proper.
Portland defeated Chivas USA 2-0 in a first-round, play-in match on March 29 to advance to play San Jose. The Earthquakes enter tournament qualification in the second round based upon their finish in the 2010 MLS regular season.
The Timbers are competing for one of two remaining spots in MLS’s eight-team field in the 2011 U.S. Open Cup; six MLS teams have earned automatic berths by way of their overall regular-season finishes in 2010.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer’s club national championship, enters its 98th edition in 2011. Founded in 1914, the U.S. Open Cup is an annual, single-elimination competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer.
