2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on September 2, 2009, at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
in Washington, D.C. The match determined the winner of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation
. This was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in United States soccer. The match was won by Seattle Sounders FC
, who defeated D.C. United
2–1. Clyde Simms
scored D.C. United's only goal. Fredy Montero and Roger Levesque
scored Seattle's two goals as the club became the second expansion team
in Major League Soccer
(MLS) history to win the tournament in their inaugural season.
D.C. United entered the tournament as the competition's defending champions. They had previously won the tournament in 1996
as well. Both Sounders FC and D.C. United had to play through two qualification rounds
for MLS teams before entering the official tournament. Prior to the final, there was a public dispute between the owners of the two clubs regarding the selection of D.C. United to host it at their home field, RFK Stadium.
As the tournament champions, Sounders FC earned a berth in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
. The club also received a $100,000 cash prize, while D.C. United received $50,000 as the runner-up.
affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League Soccer
(MLS). Each year, Major League Soccer, which has teams that play in both the United States and Canada, is allowed to enter eight of its U.S.-based teams in the tournament. The top six MLS teams from the previous season qualify automatically, and the remaining two spots are determined by preliminary qualification matches
. The eight MLS entries begin play in the third round of the tournament.
In 2009, MLS expanded into the Seattle market adding a new team to the league, Seattle Sounders FC
. As an expansion team
, they had to play through the qualification matches before entering the tournament. Likewise, D.C. United
did not finish among the top six 2008 MLS teams
, and therefore had to play through qualification rounds before entering the official tournament.
, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid asserted that the U.S. Open Cup was important to the club and that they were playing to win. Sounders FC played U.S. Open Cup home games at the Starfire Sports Complex
in Tukwila, Washington
. The facility is smaller than the club's home stadium for league matches, Qwest Field
, but Sounders FC representatives preferred the atmosphere at Starfire for smaller cup matches.
On April 28, 2009, Sounders FC defeated Real Salt Lake 4–1 in their first qualification match. Sebastian Le Toux scored two goals, and Roger Levesque
had three assists
in front of a sold-out crowd at Starfire. Sounders FC hosted their second qualification match on May 26, 2009, also at Starfire, this time against the Colorado Rapids
. Reserve player Kevin Forrest
scored the only goal in the match as Seattle defeated the Rapids 1–0, securing their entry into the third round of the official cup competition as one of the eight teams representing MLS.
On July 1, 2009, Sounders FC traveled to Portland and defeated the Timbers
of the USL First Division
2–1 in front of a sold-out crowd. Roger Levesque and Nate Jaqua
both scored for Seattle. The following week, in a quarterfinal match at Starfire, Sounders FC defeated visiting Kansas City
1–0 on a penalty kick
in the 89th minute scored by Sebastien Le Toux
. Three weeks later, on July 21, Sounders FC won their semifinal match 2–1 over the Houston Dynamo
at Starfire. Seattle took the lead for good when Stephen King
scored a goal five minutes into extra time, sending Sounders FC to the cup final.
In their first qualifying match on March 28, 2009, they hosted FC Dallas
at RFK Stadium
in Washington, D.C.
They defeated Dallas 2–0, with Fred
and Brandon Barklage
scoring in the 21st and 66th minutes, respectively. D.C. United's second qualification match was also played at RFK Stadium, on May 20, 2009. In a high-scoring match against the New York Red Bulls, D.C. won 5–3. Chris Pontius
scored two of United's five goals, qualifying D.C. for the third round of the official tournament.
On June 30, 2009, D.C. United began official cup competition against the Ocean City Barons
of the USL Premier Development League
. The match, hosted by United at Maryland SoccerPlex
in Boyds, Maryland
, ended with D.C. on top 2–0. As a fourth-tier club, the Barons lineup had featured amateur players while United's included only three regular starters. The match remained scoreless for 74 minutes before D.C. took the lead on a penalty kick by late substitution Christian Gomez
. One week later, on July 7, D.C. United hosted their quarterfinal match at the SoccerPlex again and defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders
of the USL Second Division
2–1. On July 21, 2009, D.C. United hosted another lower tier team in their semifinal match at the SoccerPlex. This time they defeated the Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division
2–1. The match was tied 1–1 until the 82nd minute when Boyzzz Khumalo
's goal propelled D.C. into the cup final.
Both Seattle Sounders FC and D.C. United submitted bids to U.S. Soccer
to host the final. D.C. United's bid included a proposal to host the match at RFK Stadium, their home stadium in Washington, D.C. with a capacity of 45,596. Sounders FC's bid proposed to host the match at Qwest Field, their home stadium in Seattle, with a capacity of 32,400 for soccer matches. The procedure for selecting the winning bid was kept private. When D.C. United's bid was chosen, Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer
expressed skepticism that it had been better than the Seattle bid. He further noted that if Seattle had hosted the match, it likely would have sold out. This prompted a reply from D.C. United president Kevin Payne
, who argued that D.C. United had won the bidding process fairly, and said that he was offended by Hanauer's comments. Following this public disagreement, D.C. United launched a marketing campaign to sell more match tickets, which included a new web site, WeWinTrophies.com, which chronicled the club's history of titles as an original MLS franchise. The campaign also included an open letter in local newspapers stating that Sounders FC and its fans did not think D.C. deserved to host the match and declared D.C. fans as "the standard" for support in the league. Videos from local celebrities were posted on the team's official blog urging fans to attend the final. Ticket discounts and special pricing on concessions
for the match were also announced as part of the special marketing effort for the cup final.
Since 1996, when MLS teams were first included in the tournament, the home team had won nine times and lost only twice in the final match. Commenting on what his team brings to the game, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid
stated, "We bring a clean slate. We haven’t had any negative experiences in championship games, so we want to just build up a positive legacy for our team and we know we have a chance to make some history for our team. Every player knows that and that’s something we want to try and do." D.C. United had previously won the U.S. Open Cup twice in 1996 and 2008 and this was their fourth appearance ever in the tournament final. D.C. United president Kevin Payne simply stated, "We want to win anything we enter."
Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer commented on his club's desire to win the cup and a berth into the CONCACAF Champions League
, "That's one step towards our stated goal of competing in the world club championships, because the winner of the CONCACAF Champions League wins a spot in the World Club Championships
."
.
Five minutes into the match, D.C. United first-year player Chris Pontius had the first chance of the evening as he pushed past Sounders FC defender Leonardo González
to receive a diagonal pass from Clyde Simms
. However, due to the difficult shooting angle, Pontius' shot was wide of the far post. In the 10th minute, Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero had a close range shot on goal, but D.C. goalkeeper Josh Wicks
parried the shot away. Seven minutes later, Christian Gomez had a goal scoring opportunity with a direct free kick
from 28 yards, but his low kick curled just wide of the target. In the 18th minute, Seattle midfielder
Sebastian Le Toux played a ball in to teammate Freddie Ljungberg
, whose shot on goal was barely saved by Wicks, who kicked out a foot to block the shot. Just before halftime, Le Toux crossed to an unmarked Montero, whose direct header on goal was just in reach of Wicks, who again made the save to keep the score level, 0–0. Seattle outshot D.C. 9–6 in the first half.
decided to replace Fred
, who had been a non-factor in the first half, with Santino Quaranta
. In the 60th minute, Gomez, Pontius and Luciano Emilio
combined inside Seattle's 18-yard box
for a United opportunity, but Pontius mishit the shot, which resulted in an easy save for Seattle's goalkeeper, Kasey Keller
. Seven minutes later, another failed D.C. United opportunity resulted in a Sounders FC counter attack, where Freddie Ljungberg's shot was saved by Wicks. The rebound rolled in front of Fredy Montero, who dove feet first and kicked the ball into the goal, giving Sounders FC a 1–0 lead. Following the goal, frustrated D.C. United goalkeeper Josh Wicks stomped on Montero's leg while he was still on the ground. After consulting with the fourth official, referee Alex Prus showed Wicks a red card for his behavior, dismissing him from the match. United's backup goalkeeper, Milos Kocic
, was substituted for Christian Gomez after the incident, and D.C. played with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite being down a man, D.C. United controlled possession of the ball as the match progressed towards full time. Just four minutes before full time, Seattle's Sebastian Le Toux pushed D.C. defender Dejan Jakovic
off the ball, dribbled in towards goal, and then provided a centering pass to teammate Roger Levesque who scored, extending the Seattle lead to 2–0. With time ticking away, United desperately threw every man forward and managed to narrow the scoring difference to one in the 89th minute when Simms kicked home a loose ball after a Quaranta free kick. During the five minutes of stoppage time, D.C. continued with repeated crosses and shots attempting to get an equalizer.
In the end, Sounders FC was able to withstand D.C.'s late push for a 2–1 victory, becoming the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago Fire
was the first) to win the U.S. Open Cup in their inaugural season. Players and coaches ran onto the field after the final whistle, jumped up and down together and hurried to a corner of the field to acknowledge the Sounders FC fans cheering in the upper deck.
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
Seattle Sounders FC:
|
GK
18
Kasey Keller
(c)
DF
7
James Riley
DF
4
Patrick Ianni
DF
5
Tyson Wahl
DF
19
Leonardo González
MF
10
Freddie Ljungberg
MF
6
Osvaldo Alonso
MF
8
Peter Vagenas
MF
11
Steve Zakuani
FW
9
Sebastien Le Toux
FW
17
Fredy Montero
Substitutes:
GK
28
Terry Boss
MF
3
Brad Evans
DF
12
Nathan Sturgis
DF
20
Zach Scott
FW
21
Nate Jaqua
FW
24
Roger Levesque
MF
27
Lamar Neagle
Manager:
Sigi Schmid
After the victory, many Sounders FC fans gathered at King County International Airport to greet the team as they returned to Seattle. The trophy was put on display at several events around Seattle in the weeks following Sounders FC's victory. On September 19, the cup was presented to Sounders FC fans to carry in the March to the Match prior to a Sounders FC league game at Qwest Field against Chivas USA
.
By winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, Sounders FC earned a berth in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
. Seattle also received the winner's $100,000 cash prize, while D.C. United received $50,000 as the tournament runner-up. Kevin Forrest, whose game-winning goal against Colorado allowed Sounders FC to qualify for the tournament, received a share of the prize money and a medal, despite being released by the team before the final.
In January 2010, the club's success in the U.S. Open Cup tournament was listed among the many reasons the Washington State Senate
passed a resolution honoring Sounders FC.
On October 5, 2010, Seattle returned to the final
and defeated the Columbus Crew
2–1 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champion. This time Sounders FC hosted the final at Qwest Field, drawing an attendance of 31,311 which broke the 81-year-old record for the event.
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
in Washington, D.C. The match determined the winner of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early September.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
. This was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in United States soccer. The match was won by Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
, who defeated D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
2–1. Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College:...
scored D.C. United's only goal. Fredy Montero and Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
scored Seattle's two goals as the club became the second expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) history to win the tournament in their inaugural season.
D.C. United entered the tournament as the competition's defending champions. They had previously won the tournament in 1996
1996 U.S. Open Cup
- First Round :* El Paso Patriots 3-0 RWB Adria * Carolina Dynamo 5-0 Mo's Sport Shop * Fort Myers Manatees 6-0 St...
as well. Both Sounders FC and D.C. United had to play through two qualification rounds
2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualification
This page details the qualification process for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
for MLS teams before entering the official tournament. Prior to the final, there was a public dispute between the owners of the two clubs regarding the selection of D.C. United to host it at their home field, RFK Stadium.
As the tournament champions, Sounders FC earned a berth in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League was the 3rd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 27, 2010 and ended on April 27, 2011. Monterrey of Mexico won their first title, defeating Real Salt Lake of the United States 3-2 on aggregate in the...
. The club also received a $100,000 cash prize, while D.C. United received $50,000 as the runner-up.
Route to the final
The U.S. Open Cup is an annual American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer FederationUnited States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS). Each year, Major League Soccer, which has teams that play in both the United States and Canada, is allowed to enter eight of its U.S.-based teams in the tournament. The top six MLS teams from the previous season qualify automatically, and the remaining two spots are determined by preliminary qualification matches
2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualification
This page details the qualification process for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
. The eight MLS entries begin play in the third round of the tournament.
In 2009, MLS expanded into the Seattle market adding a new team to the league, Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
. As an expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
, they had to play through the qualification matches before entering the tournament. Likewise, D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
did not finish among the top six 2008 MLS teams
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...
, and therefore had to play through qualification rounds before entering the official tournament.
Sounders FC
Prior to their first qualification match against Real Salt LakeReal Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid asserted that the U.S. Open Cup was important to the club and that they were playing to win. Sounders FC played U.S. Open Cup home games at the Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex is a sporting facility in Tukwila, Washington, on the banks of the Green River, near Seattle. It is operated by the non-profit corporation Starfire Sports. At the time of its opening, CEO Chris Slatt believed it to be "the largest synthetic-turf soccer complex in the...
in Tukwila, Washington
Tukwila, Washington
Tukwila is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The northern edge of Tukwila borders the city of Seattle. The population was 19,107 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The facility is smaller than the club's home stadium for league matches, Qwest Field
Qwest Field
CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer...
, but Sounders FC representatives preferred the atmosphere at Starfire for smaller cup matches.
On April 28, 2009, Sounders FC defeated Real Salt Lake 4–1 in their first qualification match. Sebastian Le Toux scored two goals, and Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
had three assists
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
in front of a sold-out crowd at Starfire. Sounders FC hosted their second qualification match on May 26, 2009, also at Starfire, this time against the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
. Reserve player Kevin Forrest
Kevin Forrest
Kevin Forrest is an American soccer player, currently playing for Washington Crossfire in the USL Premier Development League.-Youth and College:...
scored the only goal in the match as Seattle defeated the Rapids 1–0, securing their entry into the third round of the official cup competition as one of the eight teams representing MLS.
On July 1, 2009, Sounders FC traveled to Portland and defeated the Timbers
Portland Timbers (USL)
Portland Timbers was an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 2001, the team played in various leagues at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, including the USL First Division and the USSF Division 2 Professional League, until the end of...
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
2–1 in front of a sold-out crowd. Roger Levesque and Nate Jaqua
Nate Jaqua
Jonathan "Nate" Jaqua is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School:...
both scored for Seattle. The following week, in a quarterfinal match at Starfire, Sounders FC defeated visiting Kansas City
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
1–0 on a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
in the 89th minute scored by Sebastien Le Toux
Sébastien Le Toux
Sébastien Le Toux is a French-American footballer who currently plays for the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.-Professional:Le Toux was part of the youth setup at Rennes, and briefly played for Lorient in Ligue 2, prior to moving to the United States.Le Toux unsuccessfully tried out for...
. Three weeks later, on July 21, Sounders FC won their semifinal match 2–1 over the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
at Starfire. Seattle took the lead for good when Stephen King
Stephen King (soccer)
Stephen King is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and High School:...
scored a goal five minutes into extra time, sending Sounders FC to the cup final.
D.C. United
MLS clubs were first included in the U.S. Open Cup tournament in 1996. D.C. United won the tournament that year, and repeated their success in 2008. In 2009, the club began its title defense in the MLS qualification rounds. This meant that they had to win six games instead of the four needed to obtain the cup in 2008.In their first qualifying match on March 28, 2009, they hosted FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
at RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
They defeated Dallas 2–0, with Fred
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva, commonly known as Fred is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Heart, and is also the team captain.-Brazil:...
and Brandon Barklage
Brandon Barklage
Brandon Barklage is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scoring in the 21st and 66th minutes, respectively. D.C. United's second qualification match was also played at RFK Stadium, on May 20, 2009. In a high-scoring match against the New York Red Bulls, D.C. won 5–3. Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius
Christopher Andrew "Chris" Pontius is an American entertainer and daredevil. Pontius is a member of Jackass, and along with Steve-O, was the co-host of Wildboyz.-Life and career:...
scored two of United's five goals, qualifying D.C. for the third round of the official tournament.
On June 30, 2009, D.C. United began official cup competition against the Ocean City Barons
Ocean City Barons
Ocean City Nor'easters is an American soccer team based in Ocean City, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
of the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
. The match, hosted by United at Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland Soccerplex is a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland, United States . There are nineteen natural grass fields, three artificial fields, and eight indoor courts...
in Boyds, Maryland
Boyds, Maryland
Boyds, Maryland is an unincorporated community in rural Montgomery County, Maryland, located north of Washington, DC. Its ZIP Code is 20841.According to the United States 2000 Census, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for the town of Boyds covers an area of and has a population of 2,025...
, ended with D.C. on top 2–0. As a fourth-tier club, the Barons lineup had featured amateur players while United's included only three regular starters. The match remained scoreless for 74 minutes before D.C. took the lead on a penalty kick by late substitution Christian Gomez
Christian Gómez
Christian Gómez is an Argentine footballer currently playing for Nueva Chicago.-Argentina:Gómez began playing professional soccer at the age of 17 with Argentine club Nueva Chicago, which was at the time playing in the second division. He played with the team from 1991 to 1996, appearing in 155...
. One week later, on July 7, D.C. United hosted their quarterfinal match at the SoccerPlex again and defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
2–1. On July 21, 2009, D.C. United hosted another lower tier team in their semifinal match at the SoccerPlex. This time they defeated the Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
2–1. The match was tied 1–1 until the 82nd minute when Boyzzz Khumalo
Thabiso Khumalo
Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo is a South African footballer currently playing for Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL Professional Division.-Early Life and College:...
's goal propelled D.C. into the cup final.
Venue selection
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
to host the final. D.C. United's bid included a proposal to host the match at RFK Stadium, their home stadium in Washington, D.C. with a capacity of 45,596. Sounders FC's bid proposed to host the match at Qwest Field, their home stadium in Seattle, with a capacity of 32,400 for soccer matches. The procedure for selecting the winning bid was kept private. When D.C. United's bid was chosen, Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer
Adrian Hanauer
Adrian Hanauer is an American businessman and minority owner and general manager of the Seattle Sounders FC.- Business history :Hanauer's family owns Pacific Coast Feather Co., a down pillow, feather bed, and high-end bedding products manufacturer that was originally founded in 1884 in Germany, but...
expressed skepticism that it had been better than the Seattle bid. He further noted that if Seattle had hosted the match, it likely would have sold out. This prompted a reply from D.C. United president Kevin Payne
Kevin Payne (soccer)
Kevin J. Payne , is a U.S. soccer executive. He is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of D.C. United, Chairman of the Technical Committee and board member for the U.S. Soccer Federation, Vice Chairman of the U.S...
, who argued that D.C. United had won the bidding process fairly, and said that he was offended by Hanauer's comments. Following this public disagreement, D.C. United launched a marketing campaign to sell more match tickets, which included a new web site, WeWinTrophies.com, which chronicled the club's history of titles as an original MLS franchise. The campaign also included an open letter in local newspapers stating that Sounders FC and its fans did not think D.C. deserved to host the match and declared D.C. fans as "the standard" for support in the league. Videos from local celebrities were posted on the team's official blog urging fans to attend the final. Ticket discounts and special pricing on concessions
Concession stand
A concession stand , snack kiosk or snack bar is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties...
for the match were also announced as part of the special marketing effort for the cup final.
Analysis
Prior to meeting in the U.S. Open Cup final, Sounders FC and D.C. United had met only once, on June 17 at Qwest Field in Seattle. In that meeting, Sounders FC squandered a 3–1 second half lead by allowing D.C. United to score two goals late in the match. It ended in a 3–3 tie.Since 1996, when MLS teams were first included in the tournament, the home team had won nine times and lost only twice in the final match. Commenting on what his team brings to the game, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid
Sigi Schmid
Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...
stated, "We bring a clean slate. We haven’t had any negative experiences in championship games, so we want to just build up a positive legacy for our team and we know we have a chance to make some history for our team. Every player knows that and that’s something we want to try and do." D.C. United had previously won the U.S. Open Cup twice in 1996 and 2008 and this was their fourth appearance ever in the tournament final. D.C. United president Kevin Payne simply stated, "We want to win anything we enter."
Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer commented on his club's desire to win the cup and a berth into the CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
, "That's one step towards our stated goal of competing in the world club championships, because the winner of the CONCACAF Champions League wins a spot in the World Club Championships
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
."
Match
The 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final was played on September 2 at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. A total of 17,329 fans attended the match, 38% of the stadium's available capacity. Approximately 200 Sounders FC fans sat together in the upper deck. Both the travel distance and the mid-week scheduling made it difficult for Seattle fans to attend. Live television coverage was provided nationally by Fox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
.
First half
Both clubs had used a mix of reserve players and starting (first choice) players in previous tournament matches, but for the final neither team used reserve players in their starting lineups. Seattle took the field in a 4-4-2 formation while D.C United was in a 3-4-3 formation. The match kicked off at 7:37 pm local time.Five minutes into the match, D.C. United first-year player Chris Pontius had the first chance of the evening as he pushed past Sounders FC defender Leonardo González
Leonardo González
Leonardo González Arce is a Costa Rican footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:...
to receive a diagonal pass from Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College:...
. However, due to the difficult shooting angle, Pontius' shot was wide of the far post. In the 10th minute, Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero had a close range shot on goal, but D.C. goalkeeper Josh Wicks
Josh Wicks
Josh Wicks is an American soccer player who currently plays for IFK Mariehamn.-Early Life and Amateur:Wicks was born on a US Army base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, Germany, but grew up in San Bernardino, California...
parried the shot away. Seven minutes later, Christian Gomez had a goal scoring opportunity with a direct free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
from 28 yards, but his low kick curled just wide of the target. In the 18th minute, Seattle midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Sebastian Le Toux played a ball in to teammate Freddie Ljungberg
Fredrik Ljungberg
Karl Fredrik "Freddie" Ljungberg is a Swedish footballer who currently plays as a right winger for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan. Ljungberg was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.Ljungberg was a model for Calvin Klein underwear...
, whose shot on goal was barely saved by Wicks, who kicked out a foot to block the shot. Just before halftime, Le Toux crossed to an unmarked Montero, whose direct header on goal was just in reach of Wicks, who again made the save to keep the score level, 0–0. Seattle outshot D.C. 9–6 in the first half.
Second half
As the players took the field for the second half, D.C. coach Tom SoehnTom Soehn
Tom Soehn is an American former soccer player and manager, who is currently the Director of Soccer Operations for the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
decided to replace Fred
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva, commonly known as Fred is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Heart, and is also the team captain.-Brazil:...
, who had been a non-factor in the first half, with Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state...
. In the 60th minute, Gomez, Pontius and Luciano Emilio
Luciano Emilio
Luciano Emílio is a Brazilian footballer, currently playing for Toros Neza in the Liga de Ascenso.-Early career:...
combined inside Seattle's 18-yard box
Penalty area
The penalty area , is an area of an association football pitch. It is rectangular and extends to each side of the goal and in front of it. Within the penalty area is the penalty spot , which is from the goal line, directly in-line with the centre of the goal...
for a United opportunity, but Pontius mishit the shot, which resulted in an easy save for Seattle's goalkeeper, Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
. Seven minutes later, another failed D.C. United opportunity resulted in a Sounders FC counter attack, where Freddie Ljungberg's shot was saved by Wicks. The rebound rolled in front of Fredy Montero, who dove feet first and kicked the ball into the goal, giving Sounders FC a 1–0 lead. Following the goal, frustrated D.C. United goalkeeper Josh Wicks stomped on Montero's leg while he was still on the ground. After consulting with the fourth official, referee Alex Prus showed Wicks a red card for his behavior, dismissing him from the match. United's backup goalkeeper, Milos Kocic
Miloš Kočić
Miloš Kocić is a Serbian footballer who plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
, was substituted for Christian Gomez after the incident, and D.C. played with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite being down a man, D.C. United controlled possession of the ball as the match progressed towards full time. Just four minutes before full time, Seattle's Sebastian Le Toux pushed D.C. defender Dejan Jakovic
Dejan Jakovic
Dejan Jakovic is a Canadian international soccer player who currently plays for D.C...
off the ball, dribbled in towards goal, and then provided a centering pass to teammate Roger Levesque who scored, extending the Seattle lead to 2–0. With time ticking away, United desperately threw every man forward and managed to narrow the scoring difference to one in the 89th minute when Simms kicked home a loose ball after a Quaranta free kick. During the five minutes of stoppage time, D.C. continued with repeated crosses and shots attempting to get an equalizer.
In the end, Sounders FC was able to withstand D.C.'s late push for a 2–1 victory, becoming the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire (soccer)
Chicago Fire Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top soccer league in the United States and Canada...
was the first) to win the U.S. Open Cup in their inaugural season. Players and coaches ran onto the field after the final whistle, jumped up and down together and hurried to a corner of the field to acknowledge the Sounders FC fans cheering in the upper deck.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | D.C. United: | |||
| GK | 31 | Josh Wicks Josh Wicks Josh Wicks is an American soccer player who currently plays for IFK Mariehamn.-Early Life and Amateur:Wicks was born on a US Army base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, Germany, but grew up in San Bernardino, California... |
||
| DF | 26 | Bryan Namoff Bryan Namoff Bryan Namoff is a retired American soccer player who last played for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:... |
||
| DF | 5 | Dejan Jakovic Dejan Jakovic Dejan Jakovic is a Canadian international soccer player who currently plays for D.C... |
||
| DF | 4 | Marc Burch Marc Burch Marc Burch is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:... |
||
| MF | 10 | Christian Gomez Christian Gómez Christian Gómez is an Argentine footballer currently playing for Nueva Chicago.-Argentina:Gómez began playing professional soccer at the age of 17 with Argentine club Nueva Chicago, which was at the time playing in the second division. He played with the team from 1991 to 1996, appearing in 155... |
||
| MF | 14 | Ben Olsen Ben Olsen Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia... |
||
| MF | 19 | Clyde Simms Clyde Simms Clyde Simms is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College:... |
||
| MF | 7 | Fred Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva, commonly known as Fred is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Heart, and is also the team captain.-Brazil:... |
||
| MF | 13 | Chris Pontius Chris Pontius Christopher Andrew "Chris" Pontius is an American entertainer and daredevil. Pontius is a member of Jackass, and along with Steve-O, was the co-host of Wildboyz.-Life and career:... |
||
| FW | 11 | Luciano Emilio Luciano Emilio Luciano Emílio is a Brazilian footballer, currently playing for Toros Neza in the Liga de Ascenso.-Early career:... |
||
| FW | 99 | Jaime Moreno Jaime Moreno Jaime Moreno Morales is a former Bolivian footballer now serving as Youth Academy Technical Training Coach for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and as the head coach of D.C. United's U-23 side.... (c) |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| GK | 1 | Milos Kocic Miloš Kočić Miloš Kocić is a Serbian footballer who plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:... |
||
| DF | 3 | Avery John Avery John Avery John is a Trinidadian soccer player.-Youth and College:John attended Vessigny [Antilles] Government Secondary School and then Presentation College, and played college soccer for Yavapai College in Arizona and American University in Washington, DC... |
||
| MF | 8 | Andrew Jacobson Andrew Jacobson Andrew Jacobson is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:... |
||
| MF | 12 | Danny Szetela Danny Szetela Daniel "Danny" Szetela is a former American soccer player.-Club:In 2002, Szetela entered USSF's Bradenton Academy, graduating in May 2004. He then signed with Major League Soccer. His desire to play for his hometown club, the MetroStars, went unfulfilled... |
||
| DF | 18 | Devon McTavish Devon McTavish Devon McTavish is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:... |
||
| MF | 22 | Rodney Wallace Rodney Wallace (soccer) Rodney Wallace is an Costa Rican footballer who currently plays for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Wallace's family moved to the United States when he was 9... |
||
| MF | 25 | Santino Quaranta Santino Quaranta Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| Tom Soehn Tom Soehn Tom Soehn is an American former soccer player and manager, who is currently the Director of Soccer Operations for the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:... |
||||
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
(c)
Patrick Ianni
Patrick Edward Joseph Ianni is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
Tyson Wahl
Tyson Wahl is an American soccer player who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Leonardo González
Leonardo González Arce is a Costa Rican footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:...
Fredrik Ljungberg
Karl Fredrik "Freddie" Ljungberg is a Swedish footballer who currently plays as a right winger for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan. Ljungberg was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.Ljungberg was a model for Calvin Klein underwear...
Osvaldo Alonso
Osvaldo Alonso Moreno is a Cuban footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
Peter Vagenas
Panayiotis Alexiou "Peter" Vagenas born February 6, 1978 in Pasadena, California is an American soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship...
Sébastien Le Toux
Sébastien Le Toux is a French-American footballer who currently plays for the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.-Professional:Le Toux was part of the youth setup at Rennes, and briefly played for Lorient in Ligue 2, prior to moving to the United States.Le Toux unsuccessfully tried out for...
Terry Boss
Terrence "Terry" Boss is a former American-born Puerto Rican international soccer goalkeeper.-College and Amateur:...
Brad Evans
Brad Evans is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
Nathan Sturgis
Nathan Sturgis is an American soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Zach Scott
Zach Scott is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Nate Jaqua
Jonathan "Nate" Jaqua is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School:...
Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
Lamar Neagle
Lamar Justin Neagle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
Sigi Schmid
Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...
Man of the Match: Fredy Montero Referee: Alex Prus Assistant referees: Greg Barkey Rob Fereday Fourth official: Andrew Chapin |
Statistics
Overall| D.C. United | Sounders FC | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 1 | 2 |
| Total shots | 18 | 15 |
| Shots on target | 7 | 7 |
| Saves | 5 | 6 |
| Corner kicks | 5 | 5 |
| Fouls committed | 4 | 13 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 3 |
| Red cards | 1 | 0 |
Post match
In the post-game press conference, Josh Wicks discussed his ejection, saying: "It was a mistake on my part and I've got to learn my lesson. The fourth official made a call and the ref made the final decision. That was it. I've got no excuses for it. Tremendously, very, very disappointing." One month after the stomping incident, U.S. Soccer announced that Wicks would be suspended from the U.S. Open Cup tournament for five matches.After the victory, many Sounders FC fans gathered at King County International Airport to greet the team as they returned to Seattle. The trophy was put on display at several events around Seattle in the weeks following Sounders FC's victory. On September 19, the cup was presented to Sounders FC fans to carry in the March to the Match prior to a Sounders FC league game at Qwest Field against Chivas USA
C.D. Chivas USA
Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
.
By winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, Sounders FC earned a berth in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League was the 3rd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 27, 2010 and ended on April 27, 2011. Monterrey of Mexico won their first title, defeating Real Salt Lake of the United States 3-2 on aggregate in the...
. Seattle also received the winner's $100,000 cash prize, while D.C. United received $50,000 as the tournament runner-up. Kevin Forrest, whose game-winning goal against Colorado allowed Sounders FC to qualify for the tournament, received a share of the prize money and a medal, despite being released by the team before the final.
In January 2010, the club's success in the U.S. Open Cup tournament was listed among the many reasons the Washington State Senate
Washington State Senate
The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 senators, each representing a district with a population of nearly 120,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia....
passed a resolution honoring Sounders FC.
On October 5, 2010, Seattle returned to the final
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on October 5, 2010, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. The match determined the winner of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. This...
and defeated the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
2–1 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champion. This time Sounders FC hosted the final at Qwest Field, drawing an attendance of 31,311 which broke the 81-year-old record for the event.