U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Pairings, Schedule Announced

by Brian Floyd on Jul 7, 2011 1:18 PM PDT in Sounders: US Open Cup

We're getting ahead of ourselves with this, but the semifinal pairings and schedule for the 2011 U.S. Open Cup were announced on Thursday. On the side of the bracket that concerns the Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake outbid the competition and will host either the Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle, should they win their quarterfinal match with FC Dallas. Both semifinals will take place on Aug. 30, and the Sounders have just one scenario in which they can host a match at Starfire: If both they and FC Dallas win in the quarterfinals.

It's clear Real Salt Lake has placed a heavy emphasis on the U.S. Open Cup and are taking full advantage of the opportunity to make a return to the CONCACAF Champions League after falling just short in the finals this year. Last week, head coach Jason Kreis had the following to say when discussing the competition and what it means for his squad.

"We’re a team that wants to win trophies," coach Jason Kreis said. "It doesn’t matter what kind. We’re three games away from a championship and three games away from being back" into Champions League. "So we’re putting a tremendous amount of focus on it."

His statement jibes with the bid RSL put in for the rights to host an Open Cup semifinal -- Salt Lake likely put in a significant bid and will play a semifinal match at Rio Tinto, should they advance past the quarterfinal. The Sounders clearly take the competition seriously, as well, but will have to take the show on the road in an effort to defend their back-to-back Open Cups, should Seattle top the Galaxy in the quarterfinals. It's an obstacle, but Seattle did come away with a 2-1 win at Rio Tinto early this season in MLS play.

Full schedule after the jump, courtesy of WV Hooligan.

No.	Date	Match	Time	Venue
37	Aug. 30	Chicago Fire (MLS) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	7:30 p.m. CT	LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
	-or-	New York Red Bulls (MLS) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	7:30 p.m. CT	LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
	-or-	Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at Chicago Fire (MLS)	7:30 p.m. CT	Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.
	-or-	Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at New York Red Bulls (MLS)	8 p.m. ET	Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.
38	Aug. 30	FC Dallas (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS)	7 p.m. PT	Starfire Sports Stadium; Tukwila, Wash.
	-or-	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS)	8 p.m. CT	Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas
	-or-	Seattle Sounders (MLS) at Real Salt Lake (MLS)	7 p.m. MT	Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
	-or-	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) at Real Salt Lake (MLS)	7 p.m. MT	Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah

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Comments

Guess the days of sneaking under the radar in the Open Cup are behind us

That’s good for the Cup, although I was hoping to continue to catch MLS teams sleeping through this competition ;)

RSL is a team you want representing MLS at CONCACAF, however, so no arguments from me. Looking forward to Kreis giving CCL teams the stink eye too

by ABTsportsline on Jul 7, 2011 1:23 PM PDT reply actions

I blame Dave...

For coming up with #trophiesnotfriendlies and getting RSL all excited about side competitions like Open Cup and CCL. No more taking advantage of teams that don’t care i guess.

"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."

by DarthGreedo on Jul 7, 2011 1:27 PM PDT reply actions

Excellent Signature! Harkes is less annoying when used ironically...

by Sobchak on Jul 9, 2011 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Jibes, not Jives

“His statement jives with the bid RSL put in for the rights to host an Open Cup semifinal "

you mean jibes

by Spencer King on Jul 7, 2011 1:37 PM PDT reply actions

'Nuff a yo' Jibba Jabba.

"But who would listen to Little Old Me anyway?"
-by -Dave Clark
and -thehemogoblin

by Little old me on Jul 7, 2011 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Huh, this side of the bracket is essentially a rematch of last year's MLS Cup Western bracket

Which is kind of cool and kind of boring. All the more reason to randomly seed the tournament and put the MLS teams in for earlier rounds.

by ubelmann on Jul 7, 2011 1:39 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

If it's still up to bidding for host

It’s it’s still up to bidding it appears both SKC and RSL bid the most in their respective divisions from the look of it….not surprised at RSL bidding high, surprised our sounders didn’t outbid them…Guess as long as we host the final, we’ll be ok :).

by Toxtr3m34u on Jul 7, 2011 1:45 PM PDT reply actions

In general, it seems like the team with the biggest home-field advantage should bid the most money

Provided that all teams care equally about winning the tournament. And RSL has a very big home-field advantage. The Sounders could have outbid Salt Lake, but then they would have been over-paying in the case that Salt Lake doesn’t win, which is a possibility. Salt Lake isn’t really overpaying either way because they get their advantage regardless of their opponent.

by ubelmann on Jul 7, 2011 1:45 PM PDT reply actions

Actually glad to see RSL outbid us

Shows that the stakes are rising and that the Sounders will have to start playing later-round games outside of Starfire. I love that place all the up to the quarters, but semis and finals deserve to played at Qwest.

Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter

by Jeremiah Oshan on Jul 7, 2011 1:48 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs

Scheduling may be an issue

I know that there is a game on August 20th at Dallas and August 27th against the Crew, but what about CCL? The Sounders may play the week of August 23rd to August 25th (and thereby three games in one week).
This might be the most difficult test the Sounders have faced in Open Cup play during their three years in MLS. At Portland (USL) and at D.C. (a declining team who later fired Tom Soehn that year) in 2009, at Portland (USL) last year and if the Sounders win against L.A. on Tuesday, at RSL. Glad to see RSL and Sporting KC show this competition the proper respect (not just Chicago, D.C. and Seattle).

by James Bray on Jul 7, 2011 2:13 PM PDT reply actions