US Open Cup Final Preview
Come Back During the Game for Our Live Blog
The day is here. A mere 5 months and 14 days after Seattle Sounders FC played their first match, they are playing for their first trophy.
DC United and RFK host Seattle this afternoon for the US Open Cup Final. The lead-up to the game has been terse from both ends with no need to recap.
The Match is upon us.
DC is coming off a 1-0 win over Chicago in league play returning to positive form after losing 4 of their last 5, and drawing the fifth. Seattle is 1-1-2 in their last four coming off two consecutive draws on the road at Houston and against Toronto FC at Qwest. They are looking to become the first repeat champions since 1983.
The Sounders find itself in the Championship by defeating the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake in the Play-In Rounds. Then by defeating the Portland Timbers on the road, Kansas City in the Quarterfinals and then the Houston Dynamo in the USOC Semifinals.
For the USOC Final, Seattle will be without their two normal starting central defenders; Jhon Kennedy Hurtado who will be serving an Open Cup suspension and Tyrone Marshall is out with a hamstring injury from this past weekend’s match. Patrick Ianni is a natural replacement for one, but Taylor Graham is suffering an ankle inuury and is not expected to play. With 3 of 4 central defenders out, Sigi Schmid will be creative in his defensive lineup for the Cup Championship.
Check out Sounder at Heart’s suggestion on today’s lineup.
It’s true that Seattle may be an expansion club, but some Sounders have USOC Final experience. Osvaldo Alonso, Nate Jaqua, James Riley, and Pete Vagenas have all appeared in the Trophy Match.
The USOC notes that only 5 “International” players are eligible to play in Cup matches. Since Alonso’s Cuban asylum status doesn’t count, Seattle will carry 6 foreigners to RFK: Leo Gonzalez, Sebastien LeToux, Freddie Ljungberg, Fredy Montero, Sanna Nyassi, and Steve Zakuani. One of those players will not be participating in today’s match.
The winning team will earn $100,000 (which has been historically divided by the captain) and a strong possibility of an automatic entry into the CONCACAF Champions’ League.
Arkadiusz Prus will be the referree in the center. He has officiated Seattle’s 2-0 loss at Chivas USA (4 yellows), Seattle’s 3-0 win over Colorado (5 yellows), and the Sounders’ 1-1 draw with Houston (2 yellows). Prus was also in the middle of DC’s 2-0 loss to Toronto FC where he issued 6 yellows.
Kickoff is slated for 430p. It will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel (FSC can be found on Comcast ch. 401). Max Bretos & Christopher Sullivan will be calling the game.
Check out our list of confirmed places airing the match.
Come back to GoSounders.com as we will be live-blogging the Final.
Joe Reply:
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:53 am
I’ve read comments elsewhere questioning the tournaments’ importance, but I know this: right now there are 13 other MLS teams and a whole host of USL and lower division teams who would love to be playing for a title tonight. And in the end, DC is going to count it in their case regardless of the significance. Except they won’t be b/c we’re gonna take it!