Monday June 9, 2008
ATLANTA—The Atlanta Silverbacks take to the road for the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, taking on PDL club Austin Aztex Tuesday at Dragon Stadium.

(Photo Caption: Mac Kandji and the Atlanta Silverbacks take on PDL club Austin Aztex Tuesday in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup first round. Photo by Ron Holt) 

The Silverbacks earned one of the eight coveted USL-1 spots in the tournament with its fourth-place finish in the 2007 regular season standings. Austin—a first-year franchise which will play in the USL-1 in 2009—earned one of the 16 amateur spots in the tournament (eight go to PDL teams) thanks to an unbeaten record through the first four weeks of league play this season. Forty teams from the three professional divisions and numerous amateur leagues qualify for the storied knock-out tournament, known for upsets and deep runs by lower division clubs. A total of $180,000 is at stake: the winner receiving $100,000; the runner-up $50,000; the farthest progressing team from USL-1, USL-2, and the amateur divisions receives $10,000.

“The Open Cup is something we take very seriously. We've had success in it in the past, and look to go very far this year,” said head coach Jason Smith. “Austin plays in the toughest PDL region in the country. We don't really know a lot about them, but we are expecting a very talented team. But if we play like we did in the second half versus Puerto Rico on Friday, I don't think we should advance into the next round.”

The Silverbacks are 3-3-3 in league play, and coming off a difficult 1-1 home draw versus Puerto Rico last Friday. Anus Toure scored his second goal on the season to pull the Silverbacks level in the match. The Silverbacks will be at full strength for Tuesday's fixture. Defender Zach Kirby, who completed his three-game suspension Friday, is traveling with the side and will be available for selection.

The Silverbacks will be without the services of midfielder Ansu Toure, who will serve a suspension from an Open Cup ejection last season wile playing with Minnesota. USSF rules state that all suspensions accrued during Open Cup play carry over from year to year, despite a change in team or division.

Austin is 6-1-1 in PDL play and has only conceded two goals—both coming in the club's only loss at Mississippi. The Aztex feature several professional-caliber players including former Real Salt Lake player Jamie Watson, who had two goals in 35 appearances for RSL, was released from the MLS club over the offseason. To date, Watson has two goals and two assists for the Aztex. The club is coming off an impressive 4-0 drubbing of the Dallas/Fort Worth Tornados in Dallas. Andres Cuero tallied a hat trick for the Aztex in the win.

In 2007 the Silverbacks progressed through the third round, knocking off the Dallas based amateur club Azzurri F.C. 10-0 at Silverbacks Park in the first round of play. The win pitted the Silverbacks against USL-2's Charlotte Eagles 1-0, also at Silverbacks Park. The Silverbacks drew eventual champion Dallas F.C. for the third round, falling in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw. Dallas went on to host the final at Pizza Hut Park after quarterfinal and semifinal victories over USL-1 clubs Charleston Battery and Seattle Sounders, falling 3-2 to the New England Revolution.

The Silverbacks first qualified for Open Cup play in 2002, and have progressed to at least the third round in recent years.  The best result for any Silverbacks team in the tournament was in 2004, falling to MLS' Kansas City in the quarterfinals.

Following Tuesday's USOC match, the Silverbacks travel to face Portland on Thursday and Minnesota on Saturday in league play. Both league games can be seen live and on demand at www.USLLive.com.