There's plenty at stake for both sides when the 109th U.S. Open Cup final kicks off.
The oldest soccer competition in the history of the United States is coming to a close Wednesday night, with LAFC hosting Sporting Kansas City in the final of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Ninety-six teams started the competition across all levels of American soccer, but we’re now down to two. This cup final features a showdown between two MLS Western Conference rivals: Sporting Kansas City, a storied franchise with multiple Open Cup titles, and LAFC, a recent powerhouse that has reached the MLS Cup finals in the past two years, winning one of them.
Sporting KC's Peter Vermes is a manager who knows how to win the Open Cup – he's done it three times in fact, claiming the cup in 2012, 2015 and 2017 with Sporting. Meanwhile, this is LAFC's first-ever appearance in the USOC final.
Sporting's MLS campaign hasn't quite gone to plan in 2024, as they were eliminated from the MLS Playoffs, but they've been lights out in the Open Cup. Can they pull off a stunning upset against Olivier Giroud and LAFC? Or will Cherundolo and Co. claim their first silverware of the campaign?
GOAL takes a look at the match ahead.
USA Today ImagesHow did LAFC get here?
Since joining MLS in 2018, LAFC will be making an impressive seventh final appearance, and their second of 2024. They previously reached the Leagues Cup final, where they narrowly lost to the Columbus Crew.
They won all four of their matches in the buildup to reaching this stage of the competition, including a thrilling 1-0 semifinal victory over the Seattle Sounders. An 83rd minute penalty kick from Denis Bouanga sealed their fate, and now they have a chance to earn their first silverware of the campaign ahead of their push for a playoff spot, and a potential run towards MLS Cup.
"The group right now is hungry. To taste these finals a couple of times in a row now, and get this close, I'll just leave it that we're a very hungry group," defender Aaron Long said. "We know what's at stake, we know what's on the line, we know what it feels like to win and we know what it feels like to lose. We're going to give everything."
Their Open Cup journey has also consisted of victories over New Mexico United in the quarterfinals, a win over Loudon United in the Round of 16 and a 3-1 victory over Las Vegas Lights FC in the Round of 32. They've kept clean-sheets in three of their four Open Cup matches this season, and will look to lock out a Sporting attack that could surprise.
AdvertisementUSA Today Sports How did Sporting get here?
Sporting are surprise finalists at this stage of the competition to most, but for Vermes, they're right where they belong. Four-time winners, they're looking to become the first-ever MLS side to five Open Cup titles after their 2-0 semifinal victory over USL Championship side Indi Eleven.
"It would be fantastic for the organization to not only be in that place where we've won five, but also where we win a trophy this year. That would be tremendous," Vermes said. "Winning a trophy at any time should never go unnoticed, nor should it ever be taken for granted because it's not very easy to do that in any professional sport."
In the quarterfinals, SKC narrowly beat FC Dallas 2-1 in a thrilling extra-time victory, with goals from Willy Agada and Daniel Rosero. In the Round of 16, they defeated USL side FC Tulsa and in the Round of 32 when they entered the competition, they knocked off USL side Union Omaha 2-1.
Now, they'll look to pull off their biggest result yet against LAFC, a match that could see them make Open Cup history.
Getty Images SportStorylines to watch
The two sides have only met once this season, an early spring match that saw them clash in 0-0 stalemate draw. Since, LAFC have largely flourished in regular season play, sitting in fourth, while Sporting have faltered and are 12th. However, in Cup competitions, anything can happen. Here are the two major storylines to watch.
1.) Can Johnny Russell and Alan Pulido light up LAFC's defense?
Sporting KC's leading forwards Russell and Pulido haven't met expectations this year, combining for just 11 goals in their 27 outings together.
Yet Sporting can be encouraged by Russell finally bagging his first goal of the competition in their semifinal victory over Indy Eleven on Aug. 27. Can he replicate his heroics and test an impressive LAFC defense? Pulido could also be potentially counted on to make a difference.
In a game where Sporting have nothing lose, if either forward gets going, it could be enough to power a potential upset.
2.) Can LAFC end their post-Leagues Cup slump?
Cherundolo's squad are in poor form. Their last victory across all competitions was their semifinal victory over Seattle on Aug. 28, and they're winless in five-straight since.
Giroud has yet to score during the regular season, and Bouanga has only bagged one effort during their slump. Both men are proven, prolific goalscorers when in form. Can Wednesday night be a turning point?
Getty Images SportHistory and facts behind the Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is U.S. Soccer's Club Championship and has annually crowned a winner since 1914, with the lone exceptions being 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The competition consists of single-match knockout competition, with clubs of all levels affiliated with U.S. Soccer able to participate. From amateur to semi-professional to professional, clubs of all nature can compete. It's the oldest national soccer competition in the United States, and the third-longest run national cup tournament in the world.
2024 is the 109th edition of the tournament, and the winner of the competition will receive $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup and their name engraved on the Dewar Challenge trophy that is on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, TX. Runner-up receives $100,000.
