MLS trio coming to town in March

If recent history is any indication, every team in Major League Soccer should be vying for a spot in this year's Carolina Challenge Cup.

The Battery will host the fifth annual Carolina Challenge Cup during the third week in March at Blackbaud Stadium. This year's field includes three teams from MLS -- the New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes. The tournament, which will feature six matches, will run from March 15-22.

The last three teams to win the Carolina Challenge Cup have gone on to highly successful seasons in the MLS. Houston, which won the tournament in 2005 and 2006, went on the capture the MLS Cup in both seasons. In 2005, San Jose won the tournament and finished with the best record in the MLS during the regular season.

"You'd think that all the MLS teams would be beating down our doors to get into the tournament," said Charleston Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "The teams that have done well in the tournament have gone on to be pretty successful during the regular season. I know most of the MLS teams really enjoy coming here and use the tournament as their final tune-up before the regular season starts."

Anhaeuser said that Houston and DC United both wanted to play in this year's event, but were unable to because of scheduling conflicts with the opening round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

"I know Houston really wanted to come back here, but just couldn't fit it into their schedule," Anhaeuser said. "The MLS season is starting a little earlier than last year and that was part of the problem."

The Battery finished with a 0-2-1 mark in last year's tournament, which included a 0-0 draw against the Dynamo.

"For us, it's a chance to see how we match-up against a very high level of competition," Anhaeuser said. "It's a great experience for our players and our fans. From a coaching standpoint it gives us a chance to evaluate the players in a game situation. Playing against MLS teams certainly exposes your strengths and weaknesses."

The Red Bulls return to the tournament for a second straight year. New York finished in third place in the MLS' Eastern Conference in 2007, but were bounced out of the playoffs by eventual MLS Cup runner's-up, the New England Revolution, in the Conference semifinals.

New York recently hired former Chicago Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio as their 11th head coach in the team's 13-year history. Osorio served as an assistant coach with Manchester City of the English Premier League from 2001-2006 and as an assistant with the MetroStars from 2000-2001.

In 2007, The Red Bulls signed international star Juan Pablo Angel. Angel led New York in scoring with 19 goals and five assists in 24 games.

Despite strong home attendance, which included 15 straight sellouts, Toronto struggled during its inaugural season in the MLS. Toronto FC finished in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-17-7 mark.

Toronto defenders Marvell Wynne and Todd Dunivant, and midfielder Maurice Edu were all named to the U.S. National Team, which will train in preparation for the team's match with Sweden later this month.

The San Jose Earthquakes return to Charleston to compete in the Carolina Challenge Cup after a three year hiatus. San Jose won the tournament in 2004 then went on to win the MLS Commissioners Cup. However, the Earthquakes relocated to Houston at the end of the 2005 MLS season.

The Earthquakes signed former Charleston Battery striker Gavin Glinton last month.