RSL Draws Wilmington Hammerheads in U.S. Open Cup 3rd Round

REAL SALT LAKE DRAWS WILMINGTON HAMMERHEADS FOR LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP THIRD ROUND CONTEST
MLS-USL PRO Showdown Set for 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium

SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, June 22, 2011) –Real Salt Lake has learned who the opposition will be for its return to Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play next Tuesday, June 28, as the Wilmington Hammerheads emerged Tuesday from its all-USL PRO Second Round match-up against the Charlotte Eagles.  Real Salt Lake will host next Tuesday's Third Round contest against Wilmington at Rio Tinto Stadium, with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. MT.

Tickets for RSL’s debut in the 98^th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup are now on sale, with tickets in all general seating areas at Rio Tinto Stadium costing just $5 for current Real Salt Lake Season Ticket Holders and only $10 for the general public. Real Salt Lake Season Ticket Holders are reminded that no U.S. Open Cup contests are included in their 2011 ticket package.

Wilmington stormed back in Tuesday's contest against Charlotte, coming from two goals down with less than a half hour remaining to force overtime before coming away with a 3-2 victory. Eleven games into its USL PRO season, Wilmington stands at 5-3-3, its 18 points placing the squad fifth in the six-team American Division.

Winning the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship tournament – would offer Real Salt Lake a road back to the CONCACAF Champions League tournament, the continental club championship the Utah side was on the cusp of winning this past spring. Participation in MLS Cup 2011 and claiming the MLS Supporters’ Shield (regular season) title would provide the other three routes for qualification into the 2012/13 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. Should RSL advance from next Tuesday's contest against the Hammerheads, RSL will move onto the Quarterfinals, to be held on either July 12th or 13th (site/date/time TBD). The U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Round will be played Aug. 30/31, followed by the Final on Oct. 4/5.

This year’s appearance in the U.S. Open Cup proper marks RSL’s first since 2006, the final season in which all MLS teams automatically entered the competition’s earlier rounds. For the last four consecutive years, RSL was forced to try and earn its spot in the domestic tournament as one of at least nine Major League Soccer sides fighting for the two “play-in” positions allocated to America’s top-flight division.

For more information on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, visit www.USsoccer.com or www.TheCup.us.

2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round