Charleston, SC. The Charleston Battery continues its quest for the 2006 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup this Wednesday night, July 12 at Blackbaud Stadium with a 7:30 PM third round match versus the Portland Timbers. The Battery defeated the Sonoma County Sol 1-0 to advance to the third round; if Charleston defeats Portland the Battery will host Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas in a fourth round fixture on Wednesday, August 2.

This is the first of two games against Portland that Charleston will play this week. Friday night the Battery takes on the Timbers in a USL First Division match. Portland did not have to play a second round game; they qualified for entry into the third round due to their USL First Division record in the 2005 season.

The Charleston Battery has seen considerable success in the US Open Cup in the past. The Battery has twice reached the semi-final stage of the competition (1999 & 2004); in 2005 Charleston was knocked out of the competition by the Des Moines Menace (PDL).

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history and among the oldest soccer tournaments of its type in the world. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

At stake in the tournament is $180,000 in prize money broken down as follows: $100,000 to the champion, $50,000 to the runner up and $10,000 to the team which advances deepest in the tournament from each of the Division II, Division III and amateur levels.

US Open Cup Tickets
Tickets for the Charleston Battery’s US Open Cup third round match versus the Portland Timbers are on sale now priced at $15 (Club) & $8 (bleacher). To purchase tickets or for more information, please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625).

2006 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Dates
Fourth Round Aug. 2 Third Round winners vs. 8 MLS
Quarterfinals Aug. 23 Fourth Round winners
Semifinals Sept. 6 Quarterfinal winners
Final Sept. 27 Semifinal winners