Menace fans, here's your guide to the team's sixth appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup!

 

Game Time and Opponent

The Menace hosts the Chicago Fire’s Premier Development League team on Tuesday, June 14 in the 2011 Open Cup’s first round. All 2011 home matches start at 7:30 p.m. at Valley Stadium.

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets can be purchased online or bought at the match. You can book your tickets at a special discount before game day. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 4-12) when purchased before June 14, but are $9 each and $7 on game day. Click here to purchase tickets.

 

About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the country’s oldest soccer cup competition. It is open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States and this year marks the 98th running of the Open Cup.

 

In total, there are 40 teams that qualify for this year’s national tournament. The bracket includes eight teams from Major League Soccer, 11 from the United Soccer League-Pro, nine USL Premier Development League teams, four National Premier Soccer League teams and eight teams from the United States Adult Soccer Association.

  

The 32 non-MLS teams compete in head-to-head matches until the field whittles down to eight, when they are joined by the MLS teams to form a 16-team bracket. Head-to-head play continues until one team is left standing.

 

Visit http://thecup.us for up-to-date results.

 

Team Capsules

 

Des Moines Menace

The Menace’s 18-year history is highlighted by 10 playoff runs, six Open Cup berths and more than 50 alumni in the pros (including 22 in MLS).

Record: 6-3-0
Goals Scored: 22

Goals Allowed: 15

Coaches: Head coach Laurie Calloway, assistant coach Neathan Gibson, goalkeeping coach Kevin Schalk

Points Leaders: Deshorn Brown (13 points on six goals and one assist); John Sosa (11 points on nine assists and one goal); Bryan Perez (seven points on three goals and one assist)

Goalkeepers: Phil Boerger (5-2 in six appearances, with a 1.57 goals against average); Jordan Kadlec (1-0, 1.00 GAA); Johan Obando (0-1, 3.00 GAA)

How It Qualified: The Menace is back in the tournament, thanks to the organization’s entry in the United States Adult Soccer Association. The Iowa Menace USASA team clinched the first of 21 amateur spots, thanks to a 7-1 win over Kansas on April 30. The organization hoped to send two teams to this year’s Open Cup, and would have if the PDL team had won its final qualifier at Kansas City on May 25; the Brass won this pivotal match, 2-1, forcing Des Moines to settle for one team in the event.

 

Chicago Fire PDL

With the support of Chicago’s Major League Soccer team, the PDL side has enjoyed a successful decade. The team made the PDL playoffs each of its first nine seasons (2001-2009) and makes its fourth trip to the Open Cup (2004, 2005 and 2009). More than 50 alumni have gone on to play in the MLS.

Record: 4-1-1

Goals Scored: 10

Goals Against: 5

Head Coach: Mark Spooner

Leading Scorers: Chris Etridge (eight points on four goals); Joey Portillo (five points on two goals and an assist)
Goalkeepers: David Meves (3-1-1, 1.00 GAA); Jordan Godsey (1-0, 0.00 GAA)

How it qualified: The Fire edged Michigan for the PDL Great Lakes Division’s berth.

 

Series History

The teams’ all-time series is tied, 3-3-2, with the last two matchups coming in the first round of the PDL playoffs. The 2005 Menace opened its run to the league title with a 3-0 win over the Fire. Chicago got the upper hand the next year, ending the Menace’s repeat bid by winning on penalty kicks following a 3-3 draw.

 

The Menace last hosted the Fire in 2009 at Valley Stadium, though the teams did not go head to head. Chicago advanced to the league final, defeating Ocean City and Cary – the team that defeated the Menace in the Elite Eight on the previous night.

 

Des Moines and Chicago played each other in the 2001-2004 regular seasons. The Menace went 1-0-2 against the Fire in cross-division matches the first two years. The teams competed in the PDL Heartland Division the next two seasons; they split a pair in 2003 and the Fire won the teams’ only meeting in 2004.

 

What’s Next

The winner of this match advances to the second round, to face the Madison 56ers (National Premier Soccer League) or the Chicago-based AAC Eagles (USASA). These teams face off in Madison, Wis., at 7 p.m. on June 14.

 

The winners of the eight second-round games on June 21 get to play Major League Soccer teams on June 28.

 

The 2011 U.S. Open Cup bracket is available at http://thecup.us.

Menace's History in the Open Cup

This is the third time in the last 10 years that the Menace has made back-to-back appearances in the Cup.

 

All-time Record in Open Cup

Overall: 7-5

Home: 5-2

Away: 2-3

Against pro teams: 5-4

Against amateur teams: 2-1

 

2010

1st round: vs. AC St. Louis (USSF D-2) L, 0-1

 

2006

1st round: vs. Croatian Eagles (USASA) W, 4-1

2nd round: vs. Dallas Mustang Legends (USASA) W, 3-2

3rd round: at Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) W, 1-0

4th round: at Kansas City Wizards (MLS) L, 2-3

 

2005

Record: 3-1

1st round: vs. Pittsburgh RiverHounds (USL-2) W, 1-1 (4-2)

2nd round: vs. Charleston Battery (USL-2) W, 3-2

3rd round: at Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1) W, 5-1

4th round: at Kansas City Wizards (MLS) L, 1-6

2003

Record: 0-1

1st round: vs. Milwaukee Bavarians SC (USASA) L, 1-2

 

2002

Record: 1-1

1st round: vs. New Jersey Stallions (USL-2), W 3-1

2nd round: at Rochester Rhinos (USL-1), L 2-3