Field of 40 Finalized from 150 Teams that Entered Qualifying; First Round Matches Kick Off on June 9

CHICAGO (May 27, 2009) U.S. Soccer has announced the groupings for the first two rounds of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup which will kick off with first-round matches on Tuesday, June 9, around the country.

All 32 lower division teams will enter the tournament in the first round and have been grouped geographically into eight groups of four teams. The first-round match ups were drawn randomly within the four-team groups, although match ups between teams in the same division were avoided when possible.

The two winners from each group will face off in the second round on June 16, with the winners then advancing to the third round to face the eight qualified Major League Soccer teams. The quarterfinals will be played July 7, the semifinals will be played July 21 or 22, and the final will be played on Sept. 2.

Of the 16 amateur division teams representing the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and the Premier Development League, only two are returning for their second consecutive U.S. Open Cup, with the St. Louis Lions (PDL) and the Arizona Sahuaros (USASA) in the field for a second straight year. The Sahuaros have qualified for three of the last four U.S. Open Cups, the best record of any amateur team during that span.

Continue...