Monday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup draw yielded a classic David vs. Goliath matchup when the defending A-League national champion Minnesota Thunder pro soccer team was paired against Mexico S.C., an amateur club from Fresno, Calif. The site of the June 14 game, either the National Sports Center in Blaine or Macalester College in St. Paul, will be announced Tuesday.
Mexico S.C., the U.S. Amateur Soccer Association (USASA) Region IV champion, advanced to meet Minnesota by defeating the San Gabriel Highlanders of the Premier Development League (PDL) 3-2 Sunday in a first round game at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Calif. The Thunder lost their 1999 Open Cup opener to the amateur Mid-Michigan Bucks of the Premier Development League (PDL).
"This is what the Open Cup is all about," said Thunder coach Buzz Lagos. "We can't take Mexico S.C. lightly, especially after what happened last season."
Mexico S.C., which plays in the Madera Soccer League in central California, advanced to last year's USASA national semifinals before losing to the Bavarian Leinenkugel Soccer Club of Milwaukee. Mexico S.C. defeated Real Colo of Arizona 3-2 to earn a return trip to the USASA semifinals July 21-23 in Philadelphia.
The winner of the Minnesota-Mexico S.C. match will advance to meet the winner between the Dallas Burn of MLS and the A-League's Tennessee Rhythm in late July. Teams from five divisions - MLS, A-League, D3 Pro League, PDL and USASA - are among the 32 that advanced to the second round.
