Sporting Kansas City will host the Dayton Dutch Lions in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Tickets are included for current Season Ticket Members or are available to purchase online at TicketMaster.com and at the LSP Box Offices.
The oldest annual team tournament in American sports, the U.S. Open Cup celebrates its 99th edition in 2012 and is named after the club’s original founder Lamar Hunt. After four rounds of single-elimination competition, five MLS teams and three USL PRO teams remain from the field of 64.
Sporting Kansas City will make their eighth appearance in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup having already moved past Orlando City SC with a 3-2 win in the third round and eliminating the Colorado Rapids with a 2-0 victory earlier this month.
Tuesday’s opponent, the Dayton Dutch Lions, were founded in 2009 and have competed in the United Soccer Leagues Professional Division each of the last two seasons. Beginning the tournament with a 2-1 victory at Chicago Fire PDL, the Dutch Lions pulled off a 2-1 upset at the Columbus Crew and were again 2-1 winners over the Michigan Bucks last round.
Led by Ivar van Dintern, the Dutch Lions are 1-7-5 in league play this season and feature former Kansas City draft pick Akeem Priestley, Austrian youth international Mettin Copier and Dutch first division veteran Nixon Dias. Goalkeeper Matt Williams, a University of Cincinnati product, has played every minute in net for Dayton, while Eli Garner and Gibson Bardsley are tied for the team lead in points with three goals and one assist.
Sporting Kansas City supporters can follow the game online via @SKCGameday on Twitter. This Week in Sporting on Sports Radio 810 WHB will air live from LIVESTRONG Sporting Park from 7-8 p.m. CT on Tuesday with hosts Dave Borchardt and Andy Edwards providing additional coverage from the match.
Should Sporting KC advance to the semifinals, the club will either host the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) or visit the Philadelphia Union (MLS) on July 10 or 11. Sporting Kansas City has appeared in the semifinals twice in club history, going on to lift the tournament trophy eight years ago in 2004.
