The 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on August 8, 2012 at Livestrong Sporting Park, now known as Children's Mercy Park, in Kansas City, Kansas. The match was the culmination of the 2012 U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. This was the 99th edition of the oldest ongoing competition in American soccer. Sporting Kansas City won their second U.S. Open Cup title, their first since 2004, by defeating Seattle Sounders FC, 3–2 in a penalty shootout following a 1–1 draw through extra time.
The Seattle Sounders FC were in their fourth-consecutive U.S. Open Cup Final, a feat that had not been accomplished since 1937. Seattle won the cup in its previous three appearances and was attempting to win a fourth consecutive championship.
As Open Cup champions, Kansas City earned a $100,000 cash prize and a berth into the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League, marking the club's first Champions League-era appearance in the tournament, and their third overall appearance in a CONCACAF competition.
Road 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.
In contrast to previous years, for the 2012 edition of the tournament, all US-based MLS teams qualified automatically for the tournament. Previously, only 8 teams from MLS could qualify for the tournament, six automatically based on the previous year's league results, and two more via a play-in tournament. Both Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting Kansas City were automatically entered in the tournament for 2012.
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC won the 2009, 2010, and 2011 U.S. Open Cup championships becoming the first team since 1968 to win three championships consecutively. As they had done in previous years, Sounders FC played 2012 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 their title defense against the Atlanta Silverbacks in the third round of the tournament. Atlanta's bid won the coin flip to host the match, but Seattle was allowed to buy the rights from them and the game was played at Starfire on May 30, 2012. Sounders FC striker Sammy Ochoa scored two goals with midfielders Andy Rose, Osvaldo Alonso and Alex Caskey each contributing a goal as Seattle routed the Silverbacks 5–1. Atlanta's goal was provided by Reinaldo Navia.
In the fourth round, Seattle faced amateur side Cal FC, coached by former U.S. national team star Eric Wynalda. Cal FC had qualified for the tournament through the USASA regional qualification process. In the tournament they upset several teams, including the Portland Timbers of MLS–shutting them out 1-0–prior to facing Sounders FC. The fourth round match was played on June 5, 2012 at Starfire in front of a crowd of 3,894. Because of the uniqueness of an amateur team making it so deep in the tournament and then facing the 3-time defending champion Seattle, the match was televised nationally on Fox Soccer. Cal FC kept the game close during the first half keeping the score 0–0 at halftime. However, Seattle would not be denied in the second half finally taking the lead in the 50th minute on a penalty kick by Osvaldo Alonso. Sounders FC went on to score 4 more goals with forward Fredy Montero scoring two, Andy Rose with one, and Osvaldo Alonso with his second of the game. The match ended with a final score of 5–0.
In the quarterfinals, Sounders FC went on the road to face MLS side San Jose Earthquakes at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California on June 26, 2012. Seattle had to play the Tuesday night match on one day's rest after losing a league match to the Portland Timbers on the prior Sunday. Seattle's Cordell Cato scored the only goal of the match which was very physical having five yellow cards issued (three to Seattle, two to San Jose) and one red card (to San Jose's Alan Gordon late in the match). The match ended with a bench clearing brawl between both teams. The final score was 1–0.