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This news is a tad dated, having been announced on Wednesday, but with the Portland Timbers' game barrelling down upon us we plum forgot! In any case, the Portland Timbers U-23s have begun their U.S. Open Cup run with the team taking on the Sacramento Gold of the National Premier Soccer League.
This marks the first round to the tournament where the lower leagues compete to see who will face off against the 16 MLS teams in the later part of the game. First though, these teams will eventually get paired up with division 2 and 3 teams, so expect the road to get far more difficult for the TImbers U-23s if they happen to beat the Sacramento Gold.
The match kicks off on May 14th at 7:30 pm right here in Portland at Jeld-Wen Field. Tickets are also on sale now for only $10. Should be a good chance to see that U-23s in action!
What do you think of the U-23s chances in this year's Open Cup?
Full press release:
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers U-23s will play host to the Sacramento Gold of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in the first round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, May 14, at JELD-WEN Field at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), it was announced today as U.S. Soccer unveiled the first-round pairings for the tournament.
Tickets, priced at $10, go on sale to the public on Thursday, May 2, and will be available for purchase through the JELD-WEN Field box office and online at www.portlandtimbers.com.
The Timbers U-23s are one of 16 teams from United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League (PDL) competing in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup. The team qualified for the tournament based upon their second-place finish in the PDL's Northwest Division in 2012.
The Timbers U-23s make their second appearance in the U.S. Open Cup in 2013. The team qualified for the tournament in 2012 and faced PSA Elite of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association in the first round of the tournament at JELD-WEN Field.
The Gold was formed in 2009 and won the NPSL national championship in its first competitive season in 2010. The team defeated the Sonoma County Sol 5-1 on March 23 to claim one of eight berths for the NPSL in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup.
Founded in 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup celebrates its 100th edition in 2013. A single-elimination tournament, the U.S. Open Cup will feature 68 total teams in 2013, marking the largest tournament field of the modern era (1995-present). The tournament will feature all U.S.-based clubs from Major League Soccer, North American Soccer League and USL PRO. The field also includes 34 amateur teams, including the Timbers U-23s.
The Timbers U-23s begin their fifth PDL season on Thursday, May 16, as they play host to Northwest Division-rival Seattle Sounders FC U-23 at JELD-WEN Field as part of a Providence Health & Fitness Day; kickoff is set for 11 a.m. (Pacific).