June Open Cup Date for Pioneers

Western Mass. Will PLay Local Team Emigrantes Das Ilhas

May 28, 2009

The Western Mass. Pioneers will open the 2009 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a June 9 match against Emigrantes Das Ilhas at Luistano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass., at 7 p.m.

The game is one of many first-round matches on that start that Tuesday, June 9, around the country. The Emingrantes are a U.S. Adult Soccer Association team based in Massachusetts.

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.

The 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 tournament has crowned a champion for 95 consecutive years dating back to 1914.

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