Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2011 US Open Cup Final

Osvaldo Alonso leads Seattle Sounders to 2011 US Open Cup title, earns TheCup.us Player of the Round honor

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Osvaldo Alonso (center) celebrates his third straight US Open Cup trophy with Seattle Sounders teammates Lamar Neagle (left) and Fredy Montero (right). Photo: Gerald Barnhart | TheCup.us

The American Dream. That is something that most Americans whose families have been in the United States for generations take for granted. In 2007, Osvaldo Alonso defected while playing for the Cuban National Team during the CONCACAF Gold Cup. On Tuesday, he helped lead the Seattle Sounders to a historic third consecutive US Open Cup trophy, setting an American soccer record as an individual player and earning TheCup.us Player of the Round honors.

The award is voted on by the staff of the definitive US Open Cup site TheCup.us and a selected panel of members of the North American Soccer Reporters, which also selects the MLS Player of the Week. Alonso was challenged for the award by teammates Fredy Montero and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.

With the Sounders leading and running out the clock in stoppage time, Alonso put the cap on the match with a fantastic goal six minutes into the additional play, driving through the Fire defense at the edge of the box and creating an open goal for a euphoric conclusion for a record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field.

It was a perfect finish for a record-setting night for Alonso, who became the first player in the modern professional era of the tournament (1995-present) to play in four consecutive US Open Cup championship games. He has yet to miss the tournament final since his career in US soccer began with the Charleston Battery in 2008.

In fact, in order to get to his first US Open Cup Final, Alonso helped lead the Battery past the USL-1 Sounders in the 2008 Semifinals. It was a quixotic start to the historic run as Seattle’s goal in the 1-1 draw came courtesy of an Alonso own goal in the 20th minute with Charleston’s Randi Patterson equalizing in the 32nd. Alonso would redeem himself by converting his penalty kick in the tiebreaker as the Battery advanced 4-3 to the Final, where they fell in a close contest to DC United, 2-1.

Alonso is one of a dozen players that have played in four US Open Cup championships, a list led by Andy Williams, Tyrone Marshall and Peter Vagenas with five appearances. He tops the list though in consecutive finals played, a ledger where behind him are six players that have played in three straight championships. With their third appearances, his Seattle teammates Kasey Keller, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero and James Riley joined former Richmond Kickers 1995 champions Brian Kamler and Richie Williams, who both went on to play in the next two finals with DC United.

As a defensive midfielder Alonso often goes unheralded. When his American career began in 2008 his compatriot Maykel Galindo, who defected during the 2005 Gold Cup, was the more talked about Cuban in MLS courtesy of his goal scoring exploits.

The path of the two players, not surprising due to their backgrounds, intertwines and has coincidences. Both were forced to begin their careers in the USL First Division. Despite a trial and developmental contract offer with Galindo’s Chivas USA, Alonso opted for the potential for more playing time with the Battery. The move proved wise as he was named the team MVP as well as the league’s Rookie of the Year. Even better, his performance was seen up close in the Open Cup Semifinal meeting and league campaign by the then USL-1 Seattle Sounders, the club that gave Galindo his professional start for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. That led to a transfer that sent Alonso to the northwest in January of 2009.

At the time, Battery coach Mike Anhseuser wished his player well in the future, perhaps underestimating exactly how well he would do. “This is a fantastic opportunity for Osvaldo to expand his career at the next level. We would have loved to keep him but understand the economics for both parties. We wish him all the best and are hopeful that he will bring success to Seattle Sounders F.C.”

That hope was not only realized, but one could argue that the Cuban international and American soccer record holder Osvaldo Alonso has achieved the American Dream.

2011 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners

Round 1: Zach Lubin – Kitsap Pumas
Round 2: David Bulow – Richmond Kickers
Round 3: Michael Fucito – Seattle Sounders
Quarterfinals: Ronnie Pascale – Richmond Kickers
Semifinals: Dominic Oduro – Chicago Fire
Final: Osvaldo Alonso – Seattle Sounders

Player of the Tournament: TBA

2011 US Open Cup Final: Seattle Sounders smother Fire, earn historic three-peat in front of record crowd

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Three-peat. That special status is something new in Major League Soccer circles. The Seattle Sounders Tuesday night at CenturyLink Field defeated the Chicago Fire 2-0 on a pair of late goals from Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso to become the first team since 1969 to conclude a third straight US Open Cup championship. They also became the first team in MLS history to win three consecutive titles in any event, including MLS Cup.

A year ago Seattle became the first MLS club to defend a championship in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, an event named after one of the league’s founders, downing the Columbus Crew, 2-1, in front of a then record crowd of 31,311 fans. They topped themselves for a new record attendance by opening more of the stadium, reaching 35,615 – a total that also surpasses eight of the 15 MLS Cup Finals.

In MLS play there has been two Supporters’ Shield repeats and only two teams have won back-to-back MLS Cups. Like MLS newcomers Seattle, DC United famously won the first two MLS Cup trophies in league history in 1996 and 1997 before falling to the Chicago Fire in the third consecutive championship appearance in 1998. DC is also one of the two clubs to win two Shields in a row, claiming the league’s regular season title in 2006 and 2007. Columbus followed them with the next two. The Houston Dynamo won two MLS Cups in a row in 2005-06.

“We always wanted to be the first. Sigi talked about it a lot,” said General Manager Adrian Hanauer after the match before a jubilant crowd about becoming the first MLS side to win three straight Open Cup titles.

“Three in a row is a tremendous accomplishment, and to have two of them here at home – unbelievable. Another record crowd here at CenturyLink Field, which we are kind of getting used to that,” said Kasey Keller, who is retiring after the season with a historic finish to his career.

But after the game tonight, history did not seem to be enough for a Sounders squad that still has three regular season games, the MLS Cup playoffs and CONCACAF Champions League, which resumes with Quarterfinals next spring after one more group contest, remaining.

“We still got more to come. You know, we got one more cup to win this year,” added Keller, who has missed out on winning the league championship since returning to the United States to play.

Defender Jeff Parke picked up on that sentiment. “We’re here and we are ready to go,” he said in reference to other MLS playoff teams looking their way. We still have some things to work on. Tonight is just a great night,” he said, adding that after a day off Wednesday the team will be right back at preparing for the postseason.

“This is my second year here. The team now has been knocked out in the first round the past two years and we want to do something special here. We want to win the cup and make it past the first round obviously. These guys are finding it inside them and they are willing to do whatever it takes and it’s starting to show on the field. We are gearing up for the MLS Cup hopefully.”

An MLS Cup title would further the team’s history-making campaign as only three other clubs have captured the double in the MLS era. DC accomplished the feat in the inaugural MLS season, Chicago won both in its expansion 1998 outing and the Galaxy were the last to do so in 2005.

History took quite some time to make though. Despite a frenzied start, both teams had good free kick chances in the first two minutes, starting a back-and-forth affair with many eye-opening moments. There was certainly no typical feeling out period that often comes in the sport, especially in momentous occasions.

After a frenetic first 10 minutes, the match began to turn physical, resulting in a Patrick Nyarko yellow card for a tough tackle along the touchline on Alonso. After the first half-hour though, the balance of play swayed in favor of the home club, as the Sounders began to take control of possession and slow the match down slightly.

The first moment that those in attendance will remember on the historic night came just as the first half was coming to a close. Montero, who scored the lone g

Fredy Montero raises the Open Cup trophy amidst the post-game celebrations

oal in the Semifinal win versus FC Dallas, acquired the ball and beat Parvel Pardo while driving in toward the penalty arc. He would let loose a 20-yard effort that whispered past the fingertips of a diving Sean Johnson, only to smack squarely into the left post. The immense crowd was still in disbelief moments later when the whistle sounded for the break.

Eight minutes into the second half it looked again as though history was about to happen when Erik Friberg, on the left side, headed the ball in to Mike Fucito, who flicked the ball over Johnson on an acute angle. The ball bounced several times along the goalline with defenders chasing, bouncing off the inside of the far post and out.

The on-field silence – since there was still plenty of noise from a stadium filled with a raucous crowd – was broken in the 78th minute. Friberg delivered a corner into the box that found the head of Parke, who nodded it straight down and forced Johnson to drop to the ground to make the save. The instant play prevented the keeper from holding the ball, allowing it to rebound out directly to an awaiting Montero, who buried it for his fifth game-winning goal in all competitions dating back to the Semifinal victory. It was his second tally in Open Cup Final, history having scored the opening goal in the 2009 championship as well, a 2-1 victory over DC United.

The strike was the latest opening goal in the modern professional era for a game decided in regulation. Two contests went to overtime scoreless, with the 1997 Final finishing in a scoreless stalemate taken in penalties by DC, and the 2004 Final finishing with a dramatic golden goal from Kansas City against the Fire (the last FIFA championship decided in that fashion).

The match came to a fitting finish, as Alonso dribbled through the Fire defense at the edge of the box, creating an open goal for a euphoric conclusion. Alonso, a refugee from the Cuban national team in June of 2007, was playing in his fourth consecutive Open Cup Final, having played for the Charleston Battery in the 2008 championship against DC United. He has yet to miss the tournament’s championship contest in his professional career in the United States.

 

2011 – Chicago Fire (MLS) 0:2 Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
10/4/11 | CenturyLink Field – Seattle, Washington

Scoring Summary
Seattle: Fredy Montero (Jeff Parke) – 77th min.
Seattle: Osvaldo Alonso (Unassisted) – 90th+ min.

Seattle Sounders: GK Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jeff Parke, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez, Alvaro Fernandez (Erik Freiberg 46th), Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Lamar Neagle, Michael Fucito (Roger Levesque 90th+1), Fredy Montero

Cautions – Alonso 90th, Montero 90th

Chicago Fire: GK Sean Johnson; Gonzalo Segares, Cory Gibbs, Josip Mikulic (Jalil Anibaba 61st), Dan Gargan (Sebastien Grazzini 84th); Marco Pappa, Pavel Pardo, Logan Pause, Daniel Paladini (Diego Chaves 80th); Dominic Oduro, Patrick Nyarko

Cautions – Nyarko 27th, Paladini 39th, Anibaba 90th

Match Stats
Shots – Seattle 27:8 Chicago
On Goal – Seattle 7:4 Chicago
Saves – Seattle 4:5 Chicago
Fouls – Seattle 12:17 Chicago
Corners – Seattle 10:6 Chicago
Offsides – Seattle 0:3 Chicago

Attendance: 35,615 | Referee – Alex Prus | Linesmen – Steven Taylor; Eric Boria  | 4th Official – Josh Wilkens
Weather: Rain, 58 degrees

The “High-Five” US Open Cup winners

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UPDATE: Since this article was published, further historical research by TheCup.us has revealed that there is a third club that has won five US Open Cup titles. The Fall River Marksmen won four titles under that name (1924, 1927, 1930, 1931), but then won a fifth under the name New Bedford Whalers in 1932. Read the full explanation here.

Nearly 100 years into the history of the tournament, there have been a number of clubs that have been dominant forces in the United States Open Cup, but two stand as the Kings of the Cup with a record five championships. On Tuesday, the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer hope to join that elite list with the Bethlehem Steel and Maccabi Los Angeles.

While attempting to make history, the Fire will be looking to stave off a league rival aiming to push Chicago off the stage as the tournament’s greatest MLS club. Relative newcomer Seattle is on the verge of becoming the fourth team ever to three-peat.

The Fire’s connection with the Open Cup began right from the start, as the team captured the tournament title in their expansion season in 1998. They went on to win it three more times (2000, 2003 and 2006).

Similarly, Bethlehem Steel were the dominant club in the early years of the US Open Cup, previously known as National Challenge Cup. A Third Round 1-0 exit to eventual inaugural NCC champion Brooklyn FC in 1914 was quickly forgotten a year later as the club, founded in 1911, returned to capture the championship in its second running. Bethlehem Steel dominated the tournament on defense from the Third Round on, never allowing more than one goal against. They knocked off fellow Pennsylvania side Victor FC in the Third Round, 1-0, the closest contest of the campaign. They downed New Jersey’s Scottish Americans, 3-1 in the Quarterfinals, and dropped another state rival, Homestead FC, 4-1 in the semifinals. They met up with another Brooklyn side in the Final, winning their first championship 3-1, against Brooklyn Celtic.

The second title a year later was a little harder. Another Pennsylvania rival gave them a tough test early on again, as Disston A.A. forced a replay in the second round with a 1-1 draw. Bethlehem Steel would advance with a 3-0 win in the second leg. Philadelphia Hibernian were no match in the Third Round though, falling 6-0. Bethlehem Steel then began to face out of state competition, blanking New Jersey’s West Hudson A.A. 1-0 in the Quarterfinals. Pullman FC of Illinois forced another replay with a scoreless draw in the Semifinals, but Bethlehem Steel kept the run alive with a 2-1 victory. They moved on to win their second consecutive title, 1-0 against Fall River Rovers of Massachusetts in 1916. For the second year in a row they did not allow more than a goal in any game.

The 1916 Final marked the first of three consecutive championship meetings between the two clubs. For the third straight year, Bethlehem Steel went through the tournament without allowing more than a goal in a game, downing familiar faces in Brooklyn Celtic (Second Round, 3-1), West Hudson A.A. (Third Round, 3-0) and Homestead FC (Quarterfinals, 2-1) to reach the Semifinals. They then topped Joliet Steel Works of Illinois 6-0. Fall River, however, copied that playbook in their run and bested Bethlehem Steel, 1-0 in the 1917 championship, spoiling the three-peat bid.

1921 Bethlehem Steel team photo. Photo: BethlehemSteelSoccer.org

Though the tournament shrank with the military enlistment of players in the First World War, things remained the same on the pitch for Bethlehem Steel, as they swept through the tournament with an aggregate tally of 11-1 against their three opponents heading into the championship game against those Fall River Rovers. For the first time in four tournaments though, the club allowed two goals as the pair played to a 2-2 draw. Bethlehem Steel would claim their third title with a 3-0 victory in the replay two weeks later.

Bethlehem Steel made it four championships in five years with another dominant run a year later. Again, an early round contest proved the most difficult, as state foe Merchant Ship “A” battled the three-time champs in high scoring Second Round affair, becoming the first to score three goals against Bethlehem Steel in six editions of the tournament. It was not enough, as the favorites won out 4-3 and proceeded to not allow another goal in the tournament, topping New Jersey’s Paterson FC, 2-0, in the 1919 Final.

The run of consecutive championship appearances would come to an end in 1920 for Bethlehem Steel, exiting in the Quarterfinals at the hands of Robins Dry Dock 1-0, after 1-0 and 10-0 wins in the previous two rounds. Robins Dry Dock would go on to win the tournament a year later.

Bethlehem Steel began to make noise again in 1924, with a trip to the Semifinals before being knocked out by Fall River Marksmen, who went on to win the first of their four championships between 1924 and 1931. After taking the 1925 tournament off, Bethlehem came back in familiar form to capture their fifth championship in 1926. They dominated the Eastern Division portion of the bracket with a 12-4 aggregate over four games, again not allowing more than a goal in any game. This set up a meeting with Missouri’s Ben Millers in the Final. Archie Stark scored three goals to help lead the club to a 7-2 victory before a reported crowd of 18,000 at Ebbets Field, home of baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers.

1918 Bethlehem Steel team photo. Photo: BethlehemSteelSoccer.org

The club would go on to reach the final four again the following year, the quarterfinals in 1929 and the semifinals in 1930 before folding due to the Great Depression.

While Fall River Marksmen came close to equaling their mark after the team dissolved, it would take nearly 50 years for another club to begin its run for five, despite other challenges from Philadelphia Ukrainians (4 titles in 1960, 61, 63, 66) and New York’s Greek American AA (4 titles in  1967, 68, 69, 74) as well.

A group formed by a group of Israeli expatriates for a simple Sunday recreation team turned competitive in the seventies, when a number of former Israeli national team players immigrated to the area and joined Maccabee AC (Los Angeles).

Much like Bethlehem Steel, defense was key in the Maccabee’s first title run as they swept through the Western Bracket of the tournament without allowing a goal in four rounds. They would defeat Cleveland’s Inter Italian 5-3 in the 1973 Championship.

The club returned to the Final two years later, downing New York City’s Inter-Giuliana, 1-0, for their second title. Maccabee AC would win its third two years later again, with a lopsided 5-1 victory against United German Hungarians of Philadelphia in the 1977 Championship.

The elusive repeat would finally come in 1978, with a 2-0 overtime victory against Connecticut’s Bridgeport Vasco de Gama for the Maccabees’ fourth championship. The club nearly won number five in 1980, falling 3-2 to New York Pancyprian Freedoms in New York, but would break through a year later against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with another 5-1 victory in the 1981 Final. A shot at holding the record alone at six was again spoiled by the Freedoms in 1982, as Maccabee AC were edged out in a 4-3 overtime affair in Chicago.

Bethlehem Steel’s status as the only five-time champion, however, could have easily been untouched until today. All five titles won by Maccabee AC from 1973-81 came during the era of the North American Soccer League, which existed from 1968-84. Perhaps the most famous and arguably most-talented professional league prior to Major League Soccer’s 1996 launch, the NASL did not compete in the US Open Cup, opening the door for the history-making run of the Israeli club.

Though overshadowed by the NASL at the time, one of highlight moments for the tournament and Maccabee AC during the era came in the 1978 Final. The match was held at Giants Stadium (The Meadowlands) in front of a crowd of over 30,000, as part of a doubleheader with the NASL’s New York Cosmos and Tampa Bay Rowdies – a game with a reported crowd of around 70,000.

On Tuesday, over 30,000 fans are expected to come out for a second consecutive year to see who will come out on top in the Battle for Open Cup History.

2011 US Open Cup Semifinal Preview: Champions League sides Seattle Sounders & FC Dallas square off in ‘Super Semifinal’

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Historically, Major League Soccer teams are not supposed to win in Mexico. In the past few weeks, however, both FC Dallas and the Seattle Sounders have etched their names in history with victories south of the border in the CONCACAF Champions League. On Tuesday, the two clubs, both also in contention for the regular season and MLS Cup titles, look to book a spot in US Open Cup Final.

The game will be held at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash. and will kickoff at 10 p.m. EST.

A power couple, Seattle and Dallas were both in Finals a year ago. The Sounders captured a second consecutive Open Cup title while Dallas came up short in the MLS Cup Final against Colorado. As if that were not enough, both are in contention for 2011-12 to vie for four championships – the United States Soccer Majors. Both are within five points of current league-leader Los Angeles in the chase for the Supporters’ Shield and are therefore firmly in position to reach the playoffs for the MLS Cup. In addition, an unprecedented start for MLS in the CCL has seen both sides take control of their fate two games into the group phase.

And not much separates the two clubs either as witnessed by a 1-0 decision in favor of Seattle just over a week ago in Texas. A rare mistake from defender Ugo Ihemelu, who scored a CCL game-winner earlier this month, allowed Lamar Neagle to take possession and set up the winning score. He found Fredy Montero, who led a flying Mauro Rosales down the right side where he fired a low 18-yard shot past Kevin Hartman, who has been perfect in the CCL with four shutouts in as many games. The win was Seattle’s first at Pizza Hut Park and gave the club sole possession of second place.

FINAL SCENARIOS

If the Seattle Sounders defeat FC Dallas on Tuesday, they will host the 2011 US Open Cup Final. If FC Dallas win, the only way they can host the championship game is if they are victorious against Seattle and the Richmond Kickers upset the Chicago Fire.

BROADCASTING

The game will have an online video broadcast through SoundersFC.com with Arlo White providing the commentary.  TheCup.us, as always, will have a live blog during both Semifinal matches beginning at 8 p.m. EST.

FC Dallas

Since the Quarterfinals: Dallas has been by far the busiest of the four semifinal sides since the quarterfinals, playing a dozen games in MLS and Champions League play. The club has kept its form with only two losses, the recent loss to Seattle and a 3-1 defeat in LA to the Galaxy, with a record of 7-2-3 overall (3-2-3 in MLS, 4-0-0 in CCL). Seattle has played the second most with 10 games, Richmond nine and Chicago seven. The Dallas defense has been impressive over the past 12 games, allowing only 10 goals with four consecutive shutouts in Champions League play among them. Including the 2-0 quarterfinal win, Dallas has posted seven shutouts in all competitions over the last 13 games and have yet to allow a goal in the Champions League where they are making history defensively. The biggest victory came August 17 when they edged Pumas in Mexico on a strike from Marvin Chavez in the 66th minute, making Dallas the first MLS club to win in Mexico. On Saturday, the club found themselves down two goals in Kansas City, but rebounded with three unanswered strikes, including two in the final five minutes, to win 3-2. Two minutes after Omar Bravo made it 2-0, Daniel Hernandez scored in the 70th to keep Dallas in the contest. Maicon Santos then leveled the score in the 89th minute on an assist from Brek Shea, who also found Bobby Warshaw in the second minute of stoppage time for the winner.

Quarterfinal: Real Salt Lake (MLS) 0:2 FC Dallas (MLS)
Trends won out as first-time Quarterfinalists RSL remained winless at Pizza Hut Park, falling to all-time leading Quarterfinalist (12 appearances) FC Dallas. Jair Benitez gave the home side the lead 18 minutes in and Jackson provided some insurance in the 54th. Recap [+]

Third Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 2:3 FC Dallas (MLS)
The hosts had to work for the victory against the lower division visitors as Orlando City got the surprising lead 24 minutes in. Jackson, on an assist from Ricardo Villar, would score in the 39th minute to make it 1-1 at the break. Villar would tally himself five minutes into the second half for what looked increasingly like the winner until Orlando found an equalizer in stoppage time. But less than a minute later the stunned home crowd were sent into a frenzy when Jackson found Milton Rodriguez for the winner.  Full Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

The Dallas Burn defeated DC United in penalty kicks to win the 1997 US Open Cup title. Photo courtesy of FC Dallas.

Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. This is Dallas’ 12th Quarterfinals appearance, which is more than any MLS team in the Pro Era (1995-present). After last round’s victory, they improved their all-time quarterfinal record to 5-5-1 (1-0 in PKs). They are 3-3-0 all-time in semifinal matches, including a 2-1 extra time win over the Sounders in 2007 when they were a USL First Division side. In fact, the last time Dallas played a road game in the Open Cup was in that 2007 game at Qwest Field (now called CenturyLink Field).

While this is the first time the two have met as MLS franchises in Open Cup play, this will mark the third time Dallas has played the Sounders in the tournament. Before their 2007 encounter, Dallas’ first Open Cup game in franchise history was a quarterfinal meeting in 1996 against the Sounders of the A-League. The Burn (as they were known then) won the game 3-2 at the Cotton Bowl. (More details below)

As a side note, Dallas’ worst loss in the tournament came in 2001 at the hands of a PDL side by the name of the Seattle Sounders Select. In the Second Round that year, the young Sounders saw a one-goal lead disappear twice, with the last equalizer coming from Ariel Gaziani in the 78th minute for the Burn. In extra time, Kurt Ness would score the golden goal in the 97th minute to complete one of the biggest upsets of the Professional Era.

PRO ERA RECORDS: 21-12-4 (4-0 in PKs) | 6-8-2 vs. MLS teams

MORE: FC Dallas: Road warriors at the end of a long path in Seattle

Seattle Sounders

Since the Quarterfinals: The Sounders hit a mini rough patch after advancing from the quarterfinals. A wild 4-3 victory over reigning MLS champion Colorado was followed by a pair of losses as they dropped a 1-0 decision in Panama against San Francisco in their Champions League Preliminary Round opener and then fell 3-1 in Houston. The Sounders rebounded to advance via series overtime at home against San Francisco in the next match, sparking a seven-game unbeaten streak in all competitions heading into Tuesday. The current run of 6-0-1 includes the victories in Monterrey and Dallas as well as an impressive 4-1 Champions League win against Guatemalan power Comunicaciones. The Sounders were the second MLS club to win in Mexico, avenging a pair of defeats to the same Monterrey side they also played in the group phase a year ago. Alvaro Fernandez provided the 1-0 winner in the 38th minute avenge a heartbreaking road loss from the year before in which they saw a two-goal lead not hold up en route to a 3-2 loss to Monterrey. Seattle comes into the semifinal contest off an impressive 6-2 victory against the Columbus Crew Saturday in which they led 4-0 before the break. Lamar Neagle had a hat-trick on the day and Mike Fucito, TheCup.us Player of the Third Round, had a goal and an assist.

Quarterfinal: Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 1:3 Seattle Sounders (MLS)
A year later it was Nate Jaqua again in the spotlight as Seattle downed the visiting Galaxy in the Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. Jaqua notched a goal and an assist in the first 25 minutes as Seattle advanced to the Semifinals. If you include the Sounders’ USL history, it marked the fifth time in a row the club has reached the final four. No Professional Era team has accomplished that feat. Recap [+]

Third Round: Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 1:2 Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Mike Fucito put the Sounders up two goals, but the finish was not easy as the PDL side fought back with a goal from former number one MLS draft pick Nik Besagno. Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

The Seattle Sounders won their second straight US Open Cup title last year. Photo: Seattle Sounders

Open Cup History: Sounders FC set out to become a force in the Open Cup during their 2009 inaugural year, and did just that. They became the first expansion team since Chicago Fire in 1998 to take the Cup, winning 2-1 against DC United at RFK Stadium. They then turned around and made more history in 2010, as they became the first team since the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in 1982 and 1983 to win back-to-back Open Cup titles. Their victims this time were the Columbus Crew, by the score of 2-1 in front of the largest Final crowd ever (31,311). Used to going against MLS teams, this will be the second consecutive year Seattle and Los Angeles have played in the Open Cup, with Seattle notching a 2-0 win last year at Starfire.

Officially, the Sounders MLS franchise does not recognize the club’s USL history, but if they did … the Seattle Sounders have been competing in the Open Cup since 1995 and have reached the Semifinals three times (1995, 2007, 2008). The USL club’s all-time Open Cup record was 15-11-2 (1-1 in PKs) with an impressive 11-2-1 (1-0 in PKs) record at home and they eliminated five MLS teams (2003 – San Jose; 2007 – Chivas USA & Colorado Rapids; 2008 – Chivas USA & Kansas City Wizards).

PRO ERA RECORDS: 9-0-1 (1-0 in PKs) overall | 7-0-0 vs. MLS Teams

HEAD-TO-HEAD (Including Seattle’s USL history)

1996 US Open Cup Quarterfinals
Dallas Burn (MLS) 3:2 Seattle Sounders (A-League)
Cotton Bowl – Dallas, TX

The Sounders reached the Semifinals the year before, but with MLS entering the competition, the defending A-League champions had a much tougher road. They traveled to the Cotton Bowl to take on the Dallas Burn and three minutes into the game they had the lead when Joey Leonetti five-holed Mark Dodd to put the visitors up 1-0. The Sounders would take that lead into halftime, but the Burn came out firing in second half. Lawrence Lozzano tied the game in the 58th minute on an assist by Gerell Elliott. 12 minutes later, Mark Santel sent a through ball to Elliott in behind the Seattle defense and he tucked away the Burn’s second goal of the night. In the 79th minute, Dallas added an insurance goal as Elliott assisted on Ted Eck’s goal, beating Seattle’s promising young goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. Seattle’s David Hoggan would convert a penalty kick in second half stoppage time, but the Burn would emerge victorious 3-2. (Fun fact: Jeff Cassar and Tom Soehn entered the game in the second half for Dallas, with both players making their respective MLS debuts)

2007 US Open Cup Semifinals
FC Dallas (MLS) 2:1 Seattle Sounders (USL-1)
Qwest Field – Seattle, WA

Dallas returned to the Semifinals for the second time in three years with a 2-1 extra time win over the Seattle Sounders. All the scoring came in extra time when Carlos Ruiz put the visitors up 1-0 in the 91st minute. In the final minutes of extra time, Abe Thompson was brought down in the penalty area by Zach Scott and was awarded a penalty kick. After Noah Merl was sent off for something that occurred away from the play, the Sounders would have to play with 10 men in the final minutes. Leighton O’Brien did manage to cut the lead in half at the end, but it was too little, too late.

Hosting scenarios for 2011 US Open Cup Final announced

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The United States Soccer Federation has unveiled the hosting possibilities for the 2011 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The match will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 4, regardless of the location. The combination of winners of the Semifinal match-ups, which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 30, will determine where the championship will be decided.

The defending two-time champion Seattle Sounders are in the driver’s seat as potential hosts. The club was selected to host the tournament final against the other semifinal winner should they defeat 2010 MLS Cup finalist FC Dallas, a fellow participant in the ongoing CONCACAF Champions League. Should Seattle falter, the location will be determined by the result of the semifinal featuring the Chicago Fire and Richmond Kickers, members of the third-division USL Pro.

Championship Host Scenarios

Chicago Fire / Richmond Kickers at Seattle Sounders
CenturyLink Field – Seattle, Wash. – Time TBA
OR
FC Dallas at Chicago Fire
Toyota Park – Bridgeview, Ill. – Time TBA
OR
Richmond Kickers at FC Dallas
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, Texas – Time TBA

The tournament resumes Tuesday evening after a month break in play with semifinal contests hosted by Chicago and Seattle.

In the first game, the four-time tournament champion Chicago Fire welcomes this year’s lower division surprise, the Richmond Kickers of USL Pro (3rd Division) into Toyota Park at 8:30 p.m. EST. The second game will feature the defending Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders as they host FC Dallas at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash starting at 10:00 pm EST.

The Sounders, who are looking to become the fourth club in US Open Cup history to three-peat, will host the final for the second year in a row if they are victorious. Seattle has yet to lose a championship game in their brief MLS history (2-0-0).

The Chicago Fire are attempting to make history with their record-tying fifth Open Cup title this year. If they win their final four match against Richmond, they need FC Dallas to beat Seattle in order for the Fire to host. Historically, this would be a boost to the Fire because they have never lost a championship game on their home field, winning the 1998, 2000 and 2006 titles. They won the 2003 tournament at Giants Stadium against the Metrostars, but they suffered their only championship game loss at Kansas City in 2004. They have not reached a final since beating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 at Toyota Park in 2006.

The only time FC Dallas has ever hosted an Open Cup Final was when they lost to the New England Revolution in 2007, but this year they will be attempting to lift their second Dewar Cup. Their only title came in the 1997 tournament when they beat DC United in penalty kicks after a scoreless draw at Carroll Track and Field Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. (Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis).

The Richmond Kickers, who have made history by becoming the first lower division club to upset back-to-back MLS teams on the road, will have to win a third (at Chicago) and then a fourth (at either FC Dallas or Seattle) in order to win their second Open Cup championship. The Kickers won the 1995 Open Cup as a member of the USISL Premier League (now USL Premier Development League). They defeated two professional teams before upsetting a third pro team, the El Paso Patriots, in penalty kicks 4-2 to claim the championship after a 1-1 draw.

The home team is 10-3-1 (0-1 in PKs) in Open Cup Finals in the Professional Era (1995-present) with two games (1997, 1999) being played at neutral venues.

Hosts are determined via a blind bid process by the USSF that takes into account numerous factors such as facilities, potential or guaranteed revenue, fans and media.

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