Major League Soccer announced Monday the matchups for the ten teams who will play in qualifying contests to earn spots in the field for the 2011 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tournament.
Six teams, based on best record, earned automatic berths into the 2011 tournament and will not see action against other amateur and/or professional teams until the tournament's third round -- the Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake and the two-time, back-to-back defending champion Seattle Sounders.
The expansion Vancouver Whitecaps are not eligible to compete in this tournament because it is open only to American-based teams.
The remaining ten teams will battle in a series of matches to determine the two teams that will join the other six in third round play.
In the first round of play-in games, Chivas USA will host the Portland Timbers and DC United, a former LHUSOC champion, will host the Philadelphia Union.
The Chivas-Portland winner will head to the San Jose Earthquakes in round two and the DC-Philadelphia winner hosts the New England Revolution.
Other second round matchups will feature the Chicago Fire, another LHUSOC champion, hosting the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids and the Houston Dynamo hosting Sporting Kansas City.
The Chicago-Colorado winner meets the winner of the San Jose-Chivas/Portland winner in the final round of play with the DC-Philadelphia winner traveling to meet either Kansas City or Houston.
Dates, times and locations for all games will be announced at a later date.
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