2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on October 4, 2011 in Seattle, Washington for the second consecutive year. The match saw the Seattle Sounders FC
defeat the Chicago Fire 2-0 to be crowned champions in three consecutive years of the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation
. The final was the 98th edition of the oldest ongoing competition
in American soccer. The Chicago Fire, have won the most Open Cup titles of any MLS club and is their first appearance in the final since 2006.
The final was televised live on Fox Soccer.
The winner of the match earned a preliminary-round berth in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League
.
Each year, MLS, 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's league table qualify automatically for the tournament, while the remaining two spots are determined by preliminary qualification matches. The eight MLS entries begin play in the third round proper of the tournament. In 2010, the Seattle Sounders FC finished among the top six in the MLS overall league standings and therefore qualified automatically for the third round of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup. The Chicago Fire, however, did not finish in the top six in the overall standings, and therefore had to play a series of qualification matches against fellow MLS teams that finished outside of the top six in order to qualify for the Open Cup.
, 2003
, 2004
and 2006
tournaments, winning each final except in 2004. The Fire began their 2011 Open Cup campaign on March 30, 2011 in the MLS qualification semifinals, hosting fellow MLS side the Colorado Rapids
at Shea Stadium
in nearby Peoria, Illinois
. Chicago scored first with a goal from Gastón Puerari
right before half time. Immediately in the second half, the Rapids equalized off of a goal from Andre Akpan
. Following Akpan's goal, the match reminded gridlocked for 15 minutes until Chicago's Jalil Anibaba
netted the match-winner in the 61st minute of play. Chicago moved on to the next round of qualification with a final score of 2–1.
The Fire then turned their attention to their second and final qualification match, in Santa Clara, California
against the San Jose Earthquakes
at Buck Shaw Stadium
. Played on May 24, 2011 in front of 4,124 spectators, the hosts took a two-goal lead in the first half with goals from Ellis McLoughlin and Justin Morrow
in the 14th and 43rd minute, respectively. The Fire halved the score in the 61st minute thanks to a goal from Orr Barouch
. Fifteen minutes later the Fire leveled the score thanks to a strike from Yamith Cuesta
. The draw at the end of regulation led to extra time
, in which Chicago's Gonzalo Segares
was ejected for dissent. Despite the Earthquakes' man advantage, the two sides remained level during overtime, prompting a penalty shootout
. In the fifth round of penalties, with Chicago leading 5–4, San Jose's Scott Sealy
missed his shot as it deflected off of the crossbar, giving the Fire a second qualifier victory and a berth into the third round of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup tournament.
In the third round, Chicago faced the Rochester Rhinos of the USL Pro
division. Rochester hosted the match on June 28th at the Rhinos' Sahlen's Stadium in front of a crowd of 5,558. The Fire's Diego Cháves
netted the match's lone goal in the 37th minute of play earning the Fire a spot into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.
In the quarterfinals, held on July 12, 2011, the Fire hosted MLS Eastern Conference rival, the New York Red Bulls at Toyota Park
. Against mostly reserves from New York, the Fire won the match 4–0 with two goals from Orr Barouch
and a goal each scored by Dominic Oduro
and Yamith Cuesta
. Due to power outage in the area following a severe thunderstorm, the game's start time was moved up from 7:30 PM to 5:00 PM local time, resulting in a late-arriving attendance of about 2,000 at the match. Following the match, uproar from Red Bull fans prompted coach Hans Backe
to explain that fatigue was the reason for sending only his team's reserve players and an assistant coach to Chicago.
On August 31, 2011, the Fire played host to another USL Pro side, the Richmond Kickers
in the semifinal round. On their way to the semifinals, the Kickers defeated two MLS teams in consecutive rounds. They upset the Columbus Crew
and Sporting Kansas City in the third round and the quarterfinals, respectively. The semifinal was played at Toyota Park in front of a crowd of 8,909. In the 32nd minute, the Fire scored with a goal from Sebastián Grazzini
. In the 61st minute, Chicago doubled its lead on Richmond with a goal from Dominic Oduro
. Seven minutes following the 2–0 lead, the Kickers cut the lead in half, with a goal from Yomby William
. However, the late goal was not enough as the Fire won 2–1, earning their seventh trip to the U.S. Open Cup final.
and 2010
U.S. Open Cup tournaments. In 2009 they became the second ever MLS expansion club
to do so in its inaugural season after the Chicago Fire in 1998. In 2010 they successfully defended their title earning a second straight championship. Prior to the final, 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, CenturyLink Field, but Sounders FC representatives preferred the atmosphere at Starfire for smaller cup matches.
Sounders FC began the defense of its title on June 28, 2011 when they hosted the Kitsap Pumas
of the USL Premier Development League
from nearby Bremerton, Washington
. The match was played at Starfire in front of 3,811 fans. Seattle took an early lead in the 39th minute when Michael Fucito
scored off a headed pass from Nate Jaqua
. Early in the second half Fucito doubled the lead by taking a pass from Mike Seamon
and shooting past several defenders for the goal. Kitsap attempted their comeback in the 71st minute when Nikolas Besagno
finished a cross from Robert Christner. In the 83rd minute, Kitsap forward Warlen Silva nearly equalized on a breakaway run, but his shot went into the side netting. In the end Seattle was able to hold on for the 2–1 victory.
Seattle then hosted its quarterfinal match on July 13th against fellow MLS side, the Los Angeles Galaxy
. The match was again held at Starfire, with an attendance of 4,322. Seattle got off to an early start in the 4th minute when Nate Jaqua scored following a pass from Pat Noonan
. In the 25th minute, Jaqua provided a pass to Fredy Montero whose left footed shot found the back of the net giving Seattle a 2–0 lead. The Galaxy gained a goal back in the 40th minute when Adam Cristman
scored on a cross from Chris Birchall
. In the 74th minute, Seattle midfielder Lamar Neagle
scored from cross by Álvaro Fernández
, extending Seattle's lead to 2 and ensuring the win. Regarding the game, Seattle goalkeeper Terry Boss
stated, "From the opening kickoff I think it was evident to everybody how bad we wanted to win and how important the U.S. Open Cup is, not only to us but to the city and the whole organization."
On August 30, 2011, Sounders FC hosted its semifinal oppontent, FC Dallas
, in front of 4,593 at Starfire. Both teams started their first team players for the match. Seattle applied offensive pressure for most of the first half and finally broke through with a goal in the 40th minute. Fredy Montero, who had just missed a bicycle-kick moments earlier, took a curling left-footed shot in front of goal for the score. Dallas nearly equalized in the 49th minute when Marvin Chavez
had a shot bounce hard off of the goal post. Dallas continued to attack for most of the second half, and Chavez again had a chance to equalize just before the final whistle, but his shot went high over the goal. With a final score of 1–0, Seattle secured its third straight appearance in the U.S. Open Cup final match. Following the match, Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman
complained about how hosts are determined for U.S. Open Cup matches, "for me, this is one of the best events - the Lamar Hunt Open Cup - but I'd really like to see it into a structure where it's not a bid system. A bid system is where one team will buy the games because they're bidding higher." He continued, "it could go to the higher seeds, instead of a bid system where you're spending money, or it could be pre-determined. I think that brings out all the fairness to the event."
announced the potential sites for the final, depending on the outcome of the semifinals. It was determined that if Seattle qualified for the final, they would host it at CenturyLink Field regardless of the opponent, for the second straight year. If FC Dallas defeated Sounders FC in the semifinals, they would host the Richmond Kickers at Pizza Hut Park
in Frisco, Texas
, or visit Chicago Fire at Toyota Park
in Bridgeview, Illinois
, depending on the outcome of the other semifinal match.
The semifinals–with Seattle defeating Dallas and Chicago defeating Richmond–resulted in Seattle hosting Chicago in the 2011 Open Cup final. Seattle had hosted the previous final, in 2010, drawing a crowd of 31,311 and breaking the 81-year-old attendance record for the event set in 1929
when New York Hakoah
defeated the Madison Kennel Club of St. Louis
. Tickets for the 2011 final went on sale to the public on September 6. By September 19, it was announced that 27,000 tickets had already been sold. 9 days later ticket sales surpassed 30,000 and it was announced that the "Hawks Nest" seats in the north end of CenturyLink Field would be made available for the event in order to meet demand.
.
In 2011, prior to meeting in the Open Cup final, Seattle and Chicago had met twice in MLS regular season matches. The first meeting, on April 9, 2011, resulted in a 2–1 win for Sounders FC in front of their home crowd. It was Seattle's 5th game of the season, but only their first win after a slow start. The second meeting was hosted by Chicago on June 4, 2011, and resulted in a 0–0 draw. It was the first game for Chicago coach Frank Klopas
as he replaced Carlos de los Cobos
who was fired by the club the week prior. As a player, Klopas had scored the winning goal for Chicago in 1998. As a coach, he was credited with the team's successful shift in tactics since previously meeting Seattle.
Seattle had recently finished a long road trip while Chicago's schedule made the match its third in a week's time. In preparation for the final, the managers fielded weaker sides during their respective league matches two days before the game. The Sounders were in good form having already clinched a playoff
berth. Winning over the Revolution
gave the team a three-game winning streak. The Fire had unexpectedly defeated Real Salt Lake
on September 28, but their playoff chances were diminished after a tie against the Dynamo
.
(2 am UTC
). The attendance of 36,615 was a record crowd for the competition's final. Seattle's Emerald City Supporters
unveiled tifo
before kickoff depicting the Grim Reaper over the graves of D.C. United
, the Columbus Crew, and the Chicago Fire.
Seattle's Mauro Rosales
and Chicago's Grazzini were key players that were questionable due to injury. Grazzini started the match on the Fire's bench.
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
Chicago Fire:
|
GK
25
Sean Johnson
DF
3
Dan Gargan
DF
23
Josip Mikulic
DF
5
Cory Gibbs
DF
13
Gonzalo Segares
MF
12
Logan Pause
(c)
MF
17
Pavel Pardo
MF
11
Daniel Paladini
MF
16
Marco Pappa
FW
14
Patrick Nyarko
FW
8
Dominic Oduro
Substitutes:
GK
1
Jon Conway
DF
6
Jalil Anibaba
MF
9
Baggio Husidic
MF
10
Sebastián Grazzini
FW
99
Diego Chaves
FW
15
Orr Barouch
MF
21
Michael Videira
Manager:
Frank Klopas
in 1968
. Although some MLS teams do not consider the competition as important as others, Chicago and Seattle have combined for a total of seven wins since the inception of the league.
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...
defeat the Chicago Fire 2-0 to be crowned champions in three consecutive years of the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 98th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October. Seattle Sounders FC, who entered the competition as the two-time defending champions, successfully defended their title again. They became the third team in...
, 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...
. The final was the 98th edition of the oldest ongoing competition
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
in American soccer. The Chicago Fire, have won the most Open Cup titles of any MLS club and is their first appearance in the final since 2006.
The final was televised live on Fox Soccer.
The winner of the match earned a preliminary-round berth in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League
2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League will be the 5th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament is expected to begin in July 2012 and finish in April 2013...
.
Route to the Final
The U.S. Open Cup is an annual American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League Soccer (MLS). The 2011 tournament was the 98th edition of the oldest soccer tournament in the United States.Each year, MLS, 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's league table qualify automatically for the tournament, while the remaining two spots are determined by preliminary qualification matches. The eight MLS entries begin play in the third round proper of the tournament. In 2010, the Seattle Sounders FC finished among the top six in the MLS overall league standings and therefore qualified automatically for the third round of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup. The Chicago Fire, however, did not finish in the top six in the overall standings, and therefore had to play a series of qualification matches against fellow MLS teams that finished outside of the top six in order to qualify for the Open Cup.
Chicago Fire
Prior to reaching the 2011 final, the Chicago Fire had reached the U.S. Open Cup final on five separate occasions, the most of any MLS franchise. The Fire reached the finals of the 1998, 20002000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Four PDL and four USASA teams start.-----Second round:...
, 2003
2003 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Four PDL and four USASA teams start.------Second round:Six PSL and two PDL teams enter.-----...
, 2004
2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Eight PDL and eight USASA teams start.-----Second round:Six PSL and two A-League teams enter....
and 2006
2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-Qualifying round:Teams from USASA and PDL start.-----First round:Teams from USASA, PDL, and USL-2.----...
tournaments, winning each final except in 2004. The Fire began their 2011 Open Cup campaign on March 30, 2011 in the MLS qualification semifinals, hosting fellow MLS side 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...
at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (Peoria, Illinois)
Shea Stadium is a privately owned and managed facility located in Peoria, Illinois, less than a mile north of Bradley University and just to the west of the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research...
in nearby Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. Chicago scored first with a goal from Gastón Puerari
Gastón Puerari
Gastón Puerari is an Uruguayan footballer who currently plays for Atlas in the Mexican Primera División.-Uruguay:...
right before half time. Immediately in the second half, the Rapids equalized off of a goal from Andre Akpan
Andre Akpan
Andre Akpan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:Akpan was born in Grand Prairie, Texas to a Nigerian father and an American mother...
. Following Akpan's goal, the match reminded gridlocked for 15 minutes until Chicago's Jalil Anibaba
Jalil Anibaba
Jalil Anibaba is an American soccer player currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
netted the match-winner in the 61st minute of play. Chicago moved on to the next round of qualification with a final score of 2–1.
The Fire then turned their attention to their second and final qualification match, in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
against the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
at Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium is a 10,300-seat soccer stadium at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. The stadium is the current home of the Santa Clara Broncos soccer teams and was the former home of the now defunct Santa Clara football team as well as the Santa Clara baseball team. The baseball...
. Played on May 24, 2011 in front of 4,124 spectators, the hosts took a two-goal lead in the first half with goals from Ellis McLoughlin and Justin Morrow
Justin Morrow
Justin Morrow is an American soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
in the 14th and 43rd minute, respectively. The Fire halved the score in the 61st minute thanks to a goal from Orr Barouch
Orr Barouch
Orr Barouch is an Israeli footballer currently playing for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, on loan from Primera División de Mexico side Tigres.-Early life and career:...
. Fifteen minutes later the Fire leveled the score thanks to a strike from Yamith Cuesta
Yamith Cuesta
Yamith Cuesta is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Club:Cuesta made his debut in the Colombian First Division with Bogota club Santa Fe in 2007, playing 24 matches and scoring two goals.In 2008, he joined Expreso Rojo in the Colombian Second...
. The draw at the end of regulation led to extra time
Overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,*by legislation,...
, in which Chicago's Gonzalo Segares
Gonzalo Segares
Gonzalo Segares Gonzalez is a Costa Rican footballer who currently plays for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
was ejected for dissent. Despite the Earthquakes' man advantage, the two sides remained level during overtime, prompting a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
. In the fifth round of penalties, with Chicago leading 5–4, San Jose's Scott Sealy
Scott Sealy
Scott Ryan Sealy is a Trinidadian footballer who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.-College:Sealy played college soccer at Wake Forest from 2001 to 2004, where he played in 83 games, starting 73...
missed his shot as it deflected off of the crossbar, giving the Fire a second qualifier victory and a berth into the third round of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup tournament.
In the third round, Chicago faced the Rochester Rhinos of the USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
division. Rochester hosted the match on June 28th at the Rhinos' Sahlen's Stadium in front of a crowd of 5,558. The Fire's Diego Cháves
Diego Chaves
Diego Cháves is a Uruguayan professional footballer currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth:Diego was born in Uruguay, but spent most of his childhood in Argentina...
netted the match's lone goal in the 37th minute of play earning the Fire a spot into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.
In the quarterfinals, held on July 12, 2011, the Fire hosted MLS Eastern Conference rival, the New York Red Bulls at Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
. Against mostly reserves from New York, the Fire won the match 4–0 with two goals from Orr Barouch
Orr Barouch
Orr Barouch is an Israeli footballer currently playing for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, on loan from Primera División de Mexico side Tigres.-Early life and career:...
and a goal each scored by Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:Oduro started his playing career in Ghana, playing for both Prempeh College and the University of Ghana before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004...
and Yamith Cuesta
Yamith Cuesta
Yamith Cuesta is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Club:Cuesta made his debut in the Colombian First Division with Bogota club Santa Fe in 2007, playing 24 matches and scoring two goals.In 2008, he joined Expreso Rojo in the Colombian Second...
. Due to power outage in the area following a severe thunderstorm, the game's start time was moved up from 7:30 PM to 5:00 PM local time, resulting in a late-arriving attendance of about 2,000 at the match. Following the match, uproar from Red Bull fans prompted coach Hans Backe
Hans Backe
Hans Backe is a Swedish former soccer player. He is currently the head coach of New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer....
to explain that fatigue was the reason for sending only his team's reserve players and an assistant coach to Chicago.
On August 31, 2011, the Fire played host to another USL Pro side, the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in the semifinal round. On their way to the semifinals, the Kickers defeated two MLS teams in consecutive rounds. They upset 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...
and Sporting Kansas City in the third round and the quarterfinals, respectively. The semifinal was played at Toyota Park in front of a crowd of 8,909. In the 32nd minute, the Fire scored with a goal from Sebastián Grazzini
Sebastián Grazzini
Sebastián Hugo Grazzini is an Argentine footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.-Career:...
. In the 61st minute, Chicago doubled its lead on Richmond with a goal from Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:Oduro started his playing career in Ghana, playing for both Prempeh College and the University of Ghana before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004...
. Seven minutes following the 2–0 lead, the Kickers cut the lead in half, with a goal from Yomby William
Yomby William
Yomby William is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and College:...
. However, the late goal was not enough as the Fire won 2–1, earning their seventh trip to the U.S. Open Cup final.
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle won both the 20092009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
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...
and 2010
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...
U.S. Open Cup tournaments. In 2009 they became the second ever MLS expansion club
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...
to do so in its inaugural season after the Chicago Fire in 1998. In 2010 they successfully defended their title earning a second straight championship. Prior to the final, 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, CenturyLink Field, but Sounders FC representatives preferred the atmosphere at Starfire for smaller cup matches.
Sounders FC began the defense of its title on June 28, 2011 when they hosted the Kitsap Pumas
Kitsap Pumas
Kitsap Pumas is an American soccer team based in Bremerton, Washington, United States. Founded in 2008, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference.Kitsap are the reigning PDL champions,...
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...
from nearby Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
. The match was played at Starfire in front of 3,811 fans. Seattle took an early lead in the 39th minute when Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
scored off a headed pass from 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:...
. Early in the second half Fucito doubled the lead by taking a pass from Mike Seamon
Mike Seamon
Mike Seamon is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Seamon was born in New Jersey and attended Union Catholic Regional High School....
and shooting past several defenders for the goal. Kitsap attempted their comeback in the 71st minute when Nikolas Besagno
Nikolas Besagno
Nikolas Besagno is an American soccer player currently playing for Kitsap Pumas in the USL Premier Development League.-Professional:...
finished a cross from Robert Christner. In the 83rd minute, Kitsap forward Warlen Silva nearly equalized on a breakaway run, but his shot went into the side netting. In the end Seattle was able to hold on for the 2–1 victory.
Seattle then hosted its quarterfinal match on July 13th against fellow MLS side, the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, 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, and the league's second...
. The match was again held at Starfire, with an attendance of 4,322. Seattle got off to an early start in the 4th minute when Nate Jaqua scored following a pass from Pat Noonan
Pat Noonan
Pat Noonan is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
. In the 25th minute, Jaqua provided a pass to Fredy Montero whose left footed shot found the back of the net giving Seattle a 2–0 lead. The Galaxy gained a goal back in the 40th minute when Adam Cristman
Adam Cristman
Adam Cristman is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scored on a cross from Chris Birchall
Chris Birchall
Christopher "Chris" Birchall CM is an English-born Trinidadian footballer who currently plays in midfield for Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy....
. In the 74th minute, Seattle midfielder Lamar Neagle
Lamar Neagle
Lamar Justin Neagle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
scored from cross by Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:...
, extending Seattle's lead to 2 and ensuring the win. Regarding the game, Seattle goalkeeper Terry Boss
Terry Boss
Terrence "Terry" Boss is a former American-born Puerto Rican international soccer goalkeeper.-College and Amateur:...
stated, "From the opening kickoff I think it was evident to everybody how bad we wanted to win and how important the U.S. Open Cup is, not only to us but to the city and the whole organization."
On August 30, 2011, Sounders FC hosted its semifinal oppontent, 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...
, in front of 4,593 at Starfire. Both teams started their first team players for the match. Seattle applied offensive pressure for most of the first half and finally broke through with a goal in the 40th minute. Fredy Montero, who had just missed a bicycle-kick moments earlier, took a curling left-footed shot in front of goal for the score. Dallas nearly equalized in the 49th minute when Marvin Chavez
Marvin Chávez
Marvin Chávez is a Honduran footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, on loan from Marathón.-Club:...
had a shot bounce hard off of the goal post. Dallas continued to attack for most of the second half, and Chavez again had a chance to equalize just before the final whistle, but his shot went high over the goal. With a final score of 1–0, Seattle secured its third straight appearance in the U.S. Open Cup final match. Following the match, Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman
Schellas Hyndman
Schellas Hyndman is an American former soccer player. He is currently the head coach of FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.Despite having a limited career as a professional athlete, Hyndman is one of the most successful college soccer coaches in American sports history, compiling a 466-122-49 record...
complained about how hosts are determined for U.S. Open Cup matches, "for me, this is one of the best events - the Lamar Hunt Open Cup - but I'd really like to see it into a structure where it's not a bid system. A bid system is where one team will buy the games because they're bidding higher." He continued, "it could go to the higher seeds, instead of a bid system where you're spending money, or it could be pre-determined. I think that brings out all the fairness to the event."
Venue selection
On August 26, 2011, U.S. SoccerUnited 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...
announced the potential sites for the final, depending on the outcome of the semifinals. It was determined that if Seattle qualified for the final, they would host it at CenturyLink Field regardless of the opponent, for the second straight year. If FC Dallas defeated Sounders FC in the semifinals, they would host the Richmond Kickers at Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park is a soccer-specific stadium with a 21,193-seat capacity, built and owned by the city of Frisco, Texas. Its primary tenant is Major League Soccer team FC Dallas, which relocated from the Cotton Bowl in central Dallas to the fast-growing suburb...
in Frisco, Texas
Frisco, Texas
Frisco is an affluent city in Collin and Denton Counties in the U.S. state of Texas and a rapidly growing suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 Census, 116,989 people were living in Frisco up from 33,714 in the previous census. Frisco was the fastest growing city in the United States in 2009, and also...
, or visit Chicago Fire at Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
in Bridgeview, Illinois
Bridgeview, Illinois
Bridgeview is a village in Cook County, Illinois in the United States. It is located approximately from the Chicago Loop. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 16,446...
, depending on the outcome of the other semifinal match.
The semifinals–with Seattle defeating Dallas and Chicago defeating Richmond–resulted in Seattle hosting Chicago in the 2011 Open Cup final. Seattle had hosted the previous final, in 2010, drawing a crowd of 31,311 and breaking the 81-year-old attendance record for the event set in 1929
1929 National Challenge Cup
The 1928–29 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. This edition of the soccer tournament featured 100 entrants...
when New York Hakoah
New York Hakoah
New York Hakoah is a former United States soccer club based in New York City.-New York Hakoah I:Originally formed by former players from SC Hakoah Wien, including among others Béla Guttmann and Rudolph Nickolsburger, they initially played in the Eastern Soccer League in the fall of 1928. In 1929...
defeated the Madison Kennel Club of St. Louis
St. Louis Madison Kennel
St. Louis Madison Kennel was a U.S. soccer team established in 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. The team played in the St. Louis Soccer League for two seasons. Madison Kennel reached the final of the 1929 National Challenge Cup where they lost 5-0 on aggregate to New York Hakoah in a two game, home...
. Tickets for the 2011 final went on sale to the public on September 6. By September 19, it was announced that 27,000 tickets had already been sold. 9 days later ticket sales surpassed 30,000 and it was announced that the "Hawks Nest" seats in the north end of CenturyLink Field would be made available for the event in order to meet demand.
Analysis
Seattle was the favorite to win. However, Chicago had improved throughout the year through playing speedy wingers more up top and making key additions to the midfieldMidfielder
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...
.
In 2011, prior to meeting in the Open Cup final, Seattle and Chicago had met twice in MLS regular season matches. The first meeting, on April 9, 2011, resulted in a 2–1 win for Sounders FC in front of their home crowd. It was Seattle's 5th game of the season, but only their first win after a slow start. The second meeting was hosted by Chicago on June 4, 2011, and resulted in a 0–0 draw. It was the first game for Chicago coach Frank Klopas
Frank Klopas
Fotios "Frank" Klopas is a retired Greek-American soccer forward and midfielder. Klopas is currently the Head Coach for the Chicago Fire...
as he replaced Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos Martínez is a Mexican former football player. He last coached the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Playing career:...
who was fired by the club the week prior. As a player, Klopas had scored the winning goal for Chicago in 1998. As a coach, he was credited with the team's successful shift in tactics since previously meeting Seattle.
Seattle had recently finished a long road trip while Chicago's schedule made the match its third in a week's time. In preparation for the final, the managers fielded weaker sides during their respective league matches two days before the game. The Sounders were in good form having already clinched a playoff
2011 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs will be the sixteenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. The tournament began on October 26 with the play-in round and will conclude on November 20 with the championship match. It will be the first playoff-series to include ten...
berth. Winning over the Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
gave the team a three-game winning streak. The Fire had unexpectedly defeated Real Salt Lake
Real 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...
on September 28, but their playoff chances were diminished after a tie against the 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...
.
Match
The match was televised live on Fox Soccer with coverage starting at 7 pm PTPacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(2 am UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
). The attendance of 36,615 was a record crowd for the competition's final. Seattle's Emerald City Supporters
Emerald City Supporters
Emerald City Supporters is an independent supporters' group for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC.-History and name:Emerald City Supporters was founded in 2005 by the supporters of the now defunct Seattle Sounders soccer team that played in the United Soccer Leagues First Division...
unveiled tifo
Tifo
Tifo, originally the Italian word for the phenomenon of supporting a sport team, is mostly used as a name for any spectacular choreography displayed by supporters on the terraces of an arena or stadium in connection with a sport event, mostly a football match....
before kickoff depicting the Grim Reaper over the graves of 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...
, the Columbus Crew, and the Chicago Fire.
Seattle's Mauro Rosales
Mauro Rosales
Mauro Damián Rosales is an Argentine footballer who plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Rosales is a winger/forward best known for his pace and crossing ability.-Club:...
and Chicago's Grazzini were key players that were questionable due to injury. Grazzini started the match on the Fire's bench.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | Seattle Sounders FC: | |||
| GK | 18 | Kasey Keller Kasey Keller Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.... (c) |
||
| DF | 7 | James Riley | ||
| DF | 34 | Jhon Kennedy Hurtado Jhon Kennedy Hurtado Jhon Kennedy Hurtado is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional:... |
||
| DF | 31 | Jeff Parke Jeff Parke Jeff Parke is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Career:... |
||
| DF | 12 | Leonardo Gonzalez Leonardo González Leonardo González Arce is a Costa Rican footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:... |
||
| MF | 15 | Álvaro Fernández Álvaro Fernández Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:... |
||
| MF | 6 | Osvaldo Alonso Osvaldo Alonso Osvaldo Alonso Moreno is a Cuban footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional:... |
||
| MF | 3 | Brad Evans Brad Evans Brad Evans is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:... |
||
| MF | 27 | Lamar Neagle Lamar Neagle Lamar Justin Neagle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:... |
||
| FW | 17 | Fredy Montero | ||
| FW | 2 | Michael Fucito Michael Fucito Michael Fucito is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:... |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| GK | 29 | Josh Ford Josh Ford (soccer) Joshua Ford is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:... |
||
| DF | 5 | Tyson Wahl Tyson Wahl Tyson Wahl is an American soccer player who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:... |
||
| MF | 19 | Samuel Ochoa Samuel Ochoa Samuel Ochoa Oregel is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional career:... |
||
| DF | 20 | Zach Scott Zach Scott Zach Scott is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:... |
||
| MF | 21 | 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:... |
||
| MF | 8 | Erik Friberg Erik Friberg (footballer) Erik Friberg, is a Swedish footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.-Sweden:... |
||
| FW | 24 | Roger Levesque Roger Levesque Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| 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... |
||||
Sean Johnson (soccer)
Sean Johnson is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
Dan Gargan
Dan Gargan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:...
Josip Mikulic
Josip Mikulić is a Bosnian-born Croatian footballer who plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Europe:...
Cory Gibbs
Cory Gibbs is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College and amateur:...
Gonzalo Segares
Gonzalo Segares Gonzalez is a Costa Rican footballer who currently plays for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
Logan Pause
Logan Pause is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
(c)
Pavel Pardo
Pável Pardo Segura , is a Mexican international footballer, who currently plays for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.- Biography :...
Daniel Paladini
Daniel Paladini is an American soccer player currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Marco Pappa
Marco Pablo Pappa Ponce is a Guatemalan footballer who plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer since 2008 and is a member of the Guatemala national team.-Club career:...
Patrick Nyarko
Patrick Nyarko is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:...
Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:Oduro started his playing career in Ghana, playing for both Prempeh College and the University of Ghana before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004...
Jon Conway
Jon Conway is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
Jalil Anibaba
Jalil Anibaba is an American soccer player currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
Baggio Husidić
Adis "Baggio" Hušidić is a Bosnian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Early life:...
Sebastián Grazzini
Sebastián Hugo Grazzini is an Argentine footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.-Career:...
Diego Chaves
Diego Cháves is a Uruguayan professional footballer currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth:Diego was born in Uruguay, but spent most of his childhood in Argentina...
Orr Barouch
Orr Barouch is an Israeli footballer currently playing for the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, on loan from Primera División de Mexico side Tigres.-Early life and career:...
Michael Videira
Michael Videira is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Frank Klopas
Fotios "Frank" Klopas is a retired Greek-American soccer forward and midfielder. Klopas is currently the Head Coach for the Chicago Fire...
Man of the Match: Osvaldo Alonso Osvaldo Alonso Osvaldo Alonso Moreno is a Cuban footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Professional:... Referee: Alex Prus Assistant referees: Steven Taylor Eric Boria Fourth official: Josh Wilkens |
Statistics
Overall| Sounders FC | Chicago Fire | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 2 | 0 |
| Total shots | 10 | 5 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 3 |
| Saves | 3 | 3 |
| Corner kicks | 6 | 4 |
| Fouls committed | 12 | 18 |
| Offsides | 0 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
Post-match
By winning the match, the Seattle Sounders FC became the first MLS team to win the competition thrice in a row, and the first club in Open Cup history to three-peat in the competition since Greek American AtlasGreek American AA
Greek American Atlas Astoria, commonly known as New York Greek American, is a soccer team from New York City that formed in 1941 by Tom Laris and went on to win four U.S. Open Cups. The team plays in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. Their reserve team is the Greek-American Atlas Reserves FC. The...
in 1968
1968 U.S. Open Cup
The 1968 U.S. Open Cup was the 55th edition of the United States Soccer Football Association's annual open cup. No North American Soccer League teams played in the tournament because it was during the offseason and it was when National Professional Soccer League and United Soccer Association were...
. Although some MLS teams do not consider the competition as important as others, Chicago and Seattle have combined for a total of seven wins since the inception of the league.