Thursday, June 6, 2013

Sporting KC to hit the road for potential U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match

SportingKC.com

U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday the potential pairings and match times for the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal round.

If Sporting Kansas City advances past Orlando City (USL Pro) on June 12 in the U.S. Open Cup fourth round, then Sporting KC will travel to face the winner between the Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew on Wednesday, June 26.

The potential quarterfinal match would be Sporting Kansas City's first away match of the 2013 U.S. Open Cup. If Sporting Kansas City face Chicago the match would take place at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois at 7:30 p.m. CT and if they face Columbus it would be take place at 6:30 p.m. CT at Crew Stadium.

Sporting Kansas City has faced Chicago three times in the competition, including a 1-0 victory in the 2004 final. The lone meeting against Columbus was in the 2002 semifinals, with Kansas City falling 3-2 at Crew Stadium.

Sporting Kansas City will play USL Pro affiliate Orlando City in the fourth round of the tournament at 7:30 p.m. CT on June 12 at Sporting Park. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster or at the Sporting Park Box Offices.

The 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the 100th edition of the tournament, began on May 7 with the largest field in the modern era featuring 68 teams. The oldest annual team tournament in American sports history, the U.S. Open Cup has origins in 1914 and is named after Lamar Hunt, the original founder of Sporting Kansas City.

The tournament continues after the fifth round with the semifinals to take place on August 7 or 21 and the final on October 1 or 2. The winner will receive $250,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League and their name on the Dewar Challenge Trophy.

Sporting Kansas City won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2004 and 2012, prevailing over the Seattle Sounders FC in last year's final at Sporting Park.