Tuesday’s US Open Cup Semifinal Results

2009 July 22

by Brian Quarstad

Seattle Sounders, D.C. United to meet in Open Cup Final
United will aim for back-to-back titles at RFK Stadium on September 2

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals
Rochester (USL-1) 1:2 D.C. United
Houston (MLS) 1:2 (aet) Seattle (MLS)

Regardless of the result of the 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final, history will be made.

D.C. United gets a battle from the Rochester Rhinos, but for the fourth time in as many tries in the tournament, the Rhinos fall short, losing 2-1 on a Boyzzz Khumalo goal in the 82nd minute. Jamie Moreno moved into a tie for first place on the all-time Professional Era goalscoring chart with his 12th career Open Cup goal on a 41st minute penalty kick.

United will face the Seattle Sounders in the championship game, which they will host at RFK Stadium on September 2. The game will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.

After a solid, hard-fought game between D.C. and Rochester, the Sounders and the Houston Dynamo managed to upstage them in front of a sold-out crowd at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash. Houston clung to a 1-0 lead for the majority of the game, thanks to a goal by Ade Akinbiyi in the 32nd minute, but the Seattle breakthrough would come in the 89th minute when Nate Jaqua fired a shot from close range which deflected off a defender and in. Stephen King’s third goal of the tournament would prove to be the game-winner, even after Seattle survived the final 10 minutes of extra time short a man when Jhon Kennedy Hurtado was shown his second yellow card. Sebastien Le Toux assisted on both goals.

If the Sounders win the championship game, they will be the first expansion team to win the Open Cup since the Chicago Fire did it in 1998. If D.C. repeat as champions, they will be the first back-to-back winner since the New York Pancyprian Freedoms won the 1982 and 1983 Open Cups.

The final will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel at 6:30 p.m. CT