Richmond Plays Carolina Dynamo In U.S. Open Cup

The Richmond Kickers will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina to face the Carolina Dynamo of the Premier Development League in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 28th. The winner will advance to the Third Round to host the defending USL First Division Champion Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, July 12th.

Undefeated in the regular season (8-0-0), the Dynamo defeated the Cape Cod Crusader, 4-3, after postponing the match due to severe weather. Leading the PDL in scoring with 25 goals, the Dynamo features three players in the top six in the league scoring table.

For the second consecutive year, a total of 42 (26 professional and 16 amateur) teams will compete in the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The league-leading Richmond Kickers (6-1-2, 20 points) join three USL Second Division teams and four USL First Division teams in the Second Round of play.

The Kickers first six regular season games (April 22nd through May 27th) doubled as U.S. Open Cup qualifiers. The top six of the nine teams in the USL Second Division, including defending league champion Charlotte Eagles, qualified for Cup play based on point percentage* from regular season games played through May 28th. The Richmond Kickers (.72), New Hampshire Phantoms (.58) and Cincinnati Kings (.56) join the Eagles in the Second Round on Wednesday, June 28th (opponent and site to be determined), along with First Division sides Charleston Battery, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder and Virginia Beach Mariners, based on last year’s standings.

Wilmington and Pittsburgh, as the bottom two USL-2 qualifiers, entered the First Round of competition on Wednesday, June 14th, joining six teams from the PDL, six USASA regional qualifiers and the Des Moines Menace and Cape Cod Crusaders, winners of the two Qualifying Round matches between PDL and USASA teams.

Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in the United States and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated and professional teams in the United States, the 91-year old, single-elimination domestic cup competition gives any affiliated team in the United States a chance at winning the title of “United States Club Champions.”

USL Entrants By Round

Qualifying Round
PDL: Cape Cod Crusaders, Des Moines Menace

First Round

USL-2: Wilmington Hammerheads, Pittsburgh Riverhounds
PDL: Michigan Bucks, Virginia Beach Submariners, Carolina Dynamo, Laredo Heat, BYU Cougars, Ogden Outlaws

Second Round

USL-1: Charleston Battery, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Virginia Beach Mariners
USL-2: Charlotte Eagles, Richmond Kickers, New Hampshire Phantoms, Cincinnati Kings

Third Round

USL-1: Atlanta Silverbacks, Portland Timbers, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders
MLS: CD Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wizards, Real Salt Lake

Fourth Round

Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls