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Silver Spring, MD ? Real Maryland FC will start the First Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup next Tuesday, June 9th at their home stadium at Richard Montgomery High School.? The Monarchs will open the tournament against the Dulles SportsPlex Aegean Hawks FC with a kick-off slated for 6 p.m.

In their inaugural 2008 Season, Real Maryland FC qualified for the U.S. Open Cup where they were paired up with the New York Pancyprian Freedoms from the N.Y. Cosmopolitan League.? The Monarchs beat the Freedoms 3-2 in a game where the play was dictated mostly by Real Maryland FC.

In the Second Round, the Monarchs travelled down to Cary, NC where they had to face the Carolina RailHawks of the United Soccer Leagues? First Division.? After a back and forth contest, the monarchs left Wake Med Soccer Park with a 1-0 heartbreaking loss from a goal in the final minute of play after leaving everything they had on the pitch.

The Monarchs will look to continue the positive start of play in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup when they open up at home this upcoming Tuesday, June 9th against the Aegean Hawks FC.? As a Region I Finalist, the Aegean Hawks have qualified for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the second time in three years.? The winner of this match up will face the winner of Crystal Palace Baltimore/Ocean City Barons in the second round.

Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is entering its 96th tournament in 2009.

In a nutshell, the U.S. Open Cup is very similar to domestic cup competitions popular throughout Europe, South America and the rest of the world. Cup competitions, which usually run concurrent with a country?s league season, are open in the early stages to any club that can qualify, giving local amateur teams a chance to compete against the best teams a country has to offer.

Real Maryland FC participates in the Second Division of the United Soccer Leagues. All 2009 Regular Season Home Games will be played at Lester Stadium at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD. For more information or tickets, please visit realmaryland.us or contact General Manager David Noyes at (301) 933-6460.