As Los Angeles FC makes its first ever appearance in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, the city they represent has a rich history in the championship game. 25 times a team from L.A. has reached the grand stage. We selected some of the high, and low, moments of those 25 appearances.
1955 >> Danish American SC 0:2 Sport Club Eintracht
Super sub heroics dash Danish dreams
Los Angeles made its debut in the Open Cup Final in 1955, two years after teams from the city played their first matches in the tournament. It was also the first Final to be played in Southern California drawing 6,000 fans to Rancho Cienega Stadium, the largest Final attendance since the First Leg of the 1946 Final. Representing L.A. was the Danish American SC, somewhat of a rags to riches story. The Danes had just won promotion from the Greater Los Angeles Soccer League second division in 1954, and after a shaky start in 1955 the Danes caught fire, reeling off 12 straight wins heading into the Final.
Their opponents were the powerful Sport Club Eintracht from Queens, New York. Like many of the teams from the German American Soccer league, Eintracht saw its roster strengthened by an influx of players fleeing Europe after World War II. The underdog Danes held their own, keeping Eintracht off the scoreboard for much of the game. Near the end of the game Karl Heinz Ruetzel, Eintracht’s leading goal scorer, had to leave due to an injury. Normally, losing your top goal scorer late in the game would spell disaster, but subbing for Ruetzel was John Pinezich, a product of the Eintracht youth system. Pinezich, who had primarily been a sub all season, immediately turned the game on its head. In the 84th minute, Pinezich beat a pair of Danish defenders to give Eintracht a 1-0 lead. Just a minute later Pinezich struck again, beating Danes goalkeeper Sven Engedal to put Eintracht up 2-0.
The Danish Americans would make deep run in the Open Cup in 1956 and 1957, but would never reach the Final again.
1958 >> Los Angeles Kickers 2:1 (AET) Pompei
Kickers win LA’s first Open Cup title 2,600 miles away
Los Angeles’ first open Cup championship came three years after their debut in the Final and more than 2,600 miles from Southern California. The Los Angeles Kickers met Baltimore’s Pompei Soccer Club at Kirk Field in the first finals appearance for both clubs. Pompei had reached the National Amateur Cup semifinals in 1954, and earlier in the 1955 Open Cup defeated Sport Club Eintracht in an epic two-leg Quarterfinal. The Kickers emerged from Southern California qualifying, stopping the Danish American SC’s run of representing Southern California three years in a row. LA also had a bit of Open Cup history on their side, as legendary Fall River Marksmen owner Sam Mark lent a hand in starting the Kickers in 1951. The Marksmen were the second club to win five Open Cup championships.
Each team’s leading scorers (Al Zerhausen, Kickers, Larry Surock, Pompei) were quiet for most of the game, leaving the task of scoring to their teammates on the front line. With 4,500 fans looking on, the Kickers Willie Carson opened the scoring in the eighth minute by out maneuvering Pompei goalkeeper Cyril Hannaby to easily shoot the ball into the goal. Eight minutes later Joe DiFonso connected with a bicycle kick to level the score at 1-1. In the second half Zerhausen and Surock had opportunities to put their teams ahead, but the score remained 1-1 and extra time was needed. In the 110th minute, Carson struck again, swooping in to knock in the rebound of a shot saved by Hannaby. The Kickers saw out the final ten minutes to claim their first Open Cup title.
The Kickers would reach the Final again in 1960, losing to the Ukrainian Nationals, but won a second title in 1964 over the Uke Nats. The Kickers are still around as the Los Angeles Soccer Club.
1963 >> Armenian SC 0:1 (AET) Ukrainian Nationals
Hot tempers cost Armenians a championship
In 1963, Los Angeles’ Open Cup survivor, Armenian SC, made the cross-county trip in search of an Open Cup title, this time to Philadelphia to face the Ukrainian Nationals. The Uke Nats were making a return to the Final after winning in 1960 and 1961. Like the Danish American SC in 1955, the Armenians won promotion from the Greater Los Angeles Soccer League second division in 1962 and before 1963 they had never made it out of Southern California qualifying.
The Armenians encountered some controversy on their way to the 1963 Open Cup Final. In the Western Final against Kutis SC. Trailing 2-1 late in the game, Kutis thought they tied the game in the 78th minute, only to have the goal disallowed for offside. At first, referee John McFarland did not notice the linesman raise his flag, only correcting himself when the Armenian manager ran onto the field in protest. Afterwards the Kutis players swarmed McFarland in protest, but his call stood.
In the Final, the Ukrainians nearly took an early lead, but Walt Czyzowoych’s penalty in the 25th minute was saved by Armenian goalkeeper Frank Martinez. The scoreless game moved on to extra time, and in the 99th minute Mike Noha put the Uke Nats ahead. With about five minutes remaining, the game took a bad turn. After an unidentified Armenian player refused to leave the field after being ejected, he struck referee Ray Kraft. Kraft halted the game an officially awarded the contest to the Ukrainian Nationals. It is the only Open Cup title officially won via forfeit.
The Armenian’s temper was partly to blame for their elimination in the opening round of qualifying for the 1964 Open Cup the following year. Tied 1-1 with league rival St. Stephens, both clubs had players sent off in the second half. Late in the game the Armenians goalkeeper, Frank Martinez, was also sent off. St. Stephens scored soon after to eliminate the Armenian SC.
1971 >> Yugoslav American SC 4:6 (AET) New York Hota
Yugoslav Americans drop a 10-goal thriller to Hota
The 1971 Open Cup Final would be contested by two teams who had never been to the Final before, and what resulted was the highest scoring Final in Open Cup history.
The Yugoslavs took a 1-0 lead after three minutes on an own goal from Hota’s Rudy Pierce. Hota’s Paul Dellano evened the score in the 18th minute, but Manuel Brigida took the lead back for YASC seven minutes later. Hota made it 2-2 just before halftime, as Horst Kneissel sent a shot over the outstretched hand of the Yugo goalkeeper. Felipe Ruvalcaba put the Yugoslavs ahead once again in the 60th minute, sending a free kick over the heads of the Hota wall and past goalkeeper Juan Morales.
Hota took control of the game but could not crack the Yugoslav defense. Finally Hota’s attack broke through, and in the 90th minute Carl Minor headed a Rudy Pierce pass into the lower left corner of the goal, sending the game to extra time. Hota wasted no time in the extra session, as Minor scored his second goal just five minutes in. In the 100th minute Radi Mitrovic headed in a corner kick to make it 5-3 Hota. Jose Bergitas pulled one back for the Yugoslavs, but it was too little too late. Near the end of extra time Hota piled on a sixth goal through Kneissel. Then, in the final minute, Manuel Bergita netted a consolation goal to make it 6-4. It remains the most goals ever scored in a single Open Cup Final game.
The Yugoslav Americans would reach the Open Cup Final in 1972, but Hota would never make it this far again.
1981 >> Maccabee AC 5:1 Brooklyn Dodgers
Mighty Maccabees claim a historic fifth title
By 1981, Maccabee AC had established themselves as a dominant force in American soccer, winning the US Open Cup in 1973, 1975, 1977 and 1978. Their bid for title number five was stopped by the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in 1980. Their second attempt to become just the third team to win five Open Cup titles saw them cross paths with another New York club, the Brooklyn Dodgers (now known as the Brooklyn Italians), who were returning to the Open Cup Final after losing to Chicago’s Croatian SC 2-1 in 1979.
Playing at Daniels Field in San Pedro, Calif., where Maccabee played numerous league and Open Cup games, Brooklyn got on the board first when Jorge Titolo converted a penalty kick. After that, Maccabee AC dominated the rest of the game, led by 22-year old Israeli striker Ilan Ben Dror. Five minutes after Brooklyn’s opening goal Ben Dror scored the first of his three. Just after halftime Ben Dror scored his second, tapping a loose ball past Brooklyn goalkeeper Paul Maxi. Miguel Brigida made it 3-1 in the 72nd minute, and five minutes later Ben Dror finished his hat trick. Tony Douglas tallied number five in the 84th minute, seconds after coming on as a substitute.
The win was so dominant that Brooklyn did not record a shot on goal until the 72nd minute, and Maccabee goalkeeper Eddie Chantre did not record an official save until the 75th.
1982 >> Maccabee AC 3:4 (AET) New York Pancyprian Freedoms
Maccabees’ aim for history falls short in seven goal shootout
In 1982, Maccabee AC returned to the final for a showdown with the club who denied them the title in 1980, the New York Pancyprian Freedoms. On the line for Maccabee was a chance at winning a record breaking sixth open Cup title. The Freedoms had their bid for three straight finals interrupted by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1981, who beat them 3-1 in the final of the southern New York qualifying tournament. Like the game in 1980, which ended 3-2 in favor of the Freedoms, the 1982 meeting also saw plenty of goals scored.
New York opened the scoring in the 4th minute when K. Moraris tucked his shot past the right post. George Touros doubled the lead in the 24th minute, taking a pass from Moraris to beat Maccabee goalkeeper Eddie Chantre. Just before halftime, the Maccabees began their comeback when Tony Douglas drew out goalkeeper D. Myltiadous and passed to Igor Beyder who made it 2-1. Five minutes into the new half it was Douglas himself who pulled the Macs level by putting away a deflected shot from teammate Eyal Afgin. Extra time was only a minute old when Douglas struck again, heading in a cross from Afgin to make it 3-2.
Evagoras Christofi won the game for New York with a pair of goals in the span of ten minutes. The first came in the 98th minute on a cross from Paraskeva, and again ten minutes later when Christofi broke free and chipped a shot over the head of Chantre. The Freedoms would go on to win one more title in 1983, but for the Maccabees, 1982 would be their last season of competitive soccer.
2001 >> Los Angeles Galaxy 2:1 (AET) New England Revolution
Galaxy claims first Modern Era title
LA’s first Open Cup championship of the Modern Era came in 2001 when the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 in golden goal extra time. Early on, the Galaxy had established themselves as one of the top teams in MLS but had yet to bring home any domestic trophies.
The game opened with a pair of “accidental’ goals. In the 30th minute, New England’s Wolde Harris took a free kick that clattered off the Galaxy defensive wall and deflecting past Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. With 20 minutes remaining, LA’s Ezra Hendrickson sent a ball across the goalmouth that could be argued if it were meant as a pass or shot. Either way, it found itself in the back of the net and the game was level and eventually headed to golden goal extra time, where the first goal would win the game.
Just two minutes into the extra session the Galaxy grabbed the winner, as Cobi Jones sent in a corner kick that was slammed home by Danny Califf, giving Revs goalkeeper Jose Fernandez no chance. LA would go on to reach the Open Cup Final again in 2002, 2005 and 2006, winning in 2005. Little did anyone know at the time that 2006 would be the last appearance of an L.A. club in the Open Cup Final until 2024.
