Sanna Nyassi became the first MLS player to score multiple goals in a US Open Cup final. Photo: Jane Gershovich | Prost Amerika Soccer
Sanna Nyassi of the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders has been voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for his performance in the Open Cup final. Nyassi scored both goals in the Sounders’ 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Crew, giving Seattle their second consecutive Open Cup title. The club is the first team to repeat as champions since 1983 (New York Pancyprian Freedoms).
The Player of the Round award is voted on by the staff at TheCup.us and a select panel of members from the North American Soccer Reporters (www.soccerreporters.com).
After Kevin Burns put the Columbus Crew up 1-0 in the 24th minute, Nyassi equalized in the 38th minute on an assist by Nathan Sturgis. His second goal, which would prove to be the game-winner, came in the 66th minute when Steve Zakuani’s header struck the crossbar and fell to the feet of Nyassi who powered it into the back of the net.
The Gambian not only becomes the first player in the Professional Era to score multiple goals in an Open Cup final, but he is also the only Pro Era player to have multiple championship game goals in a career. The last player to score multiple goals in the Open Cup final was in 1994 when Mike Deleray of San Francisco’s Greek American AC bagged a pair of goals in his club’s 3-0 win over Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC.