The 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on September 30, 2015, at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The match determined the winner of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. It was the 102nd edition of the oldest competition in United States soccer. This edition of the final was contested between Sporting Kansas City and Philadelphia Union, both of Major League Soccer. The winning club will qualify for the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League.
Philadelphia and Kansas City both compete in the top tier of American soccer, Major League Soccer (MLS), and bypassed the initial stages of the tournament with entries into the fourth round of play. Sporting is currently in the mix for winning the Supporters' Shield while Philadelphia Union is in the hunt for a berth in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Philadelphia secured its berth in the final by defeating the Rochester Rhinos, D.C. United, the New York Red Bulls, and Chicago Fire. Kansas City's road to the final involved victories over Saint Louis FC, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake.
The match was broadcast in English on ESPN2 and in Spanish on Univision Deportes Network, making it the first time since 1999 the cup final was aired on one of the ESPN networks.
Sporting Kansas City won the game 7-6 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation and in overtime.[4][5]
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 2015 competition was the 102nd edition of the oldest soccer tournament in the United States.[6]
Philadelphia Union
Teams from Philadelphia and the surrounding region have had a successful history in the Open Cup: Bethlehem Steel F.C. won five trophies between 1915 and 1926, the Uhrik Truckers won in 1936, and the Philadelphia Ukrainians won four times during the 1960s. The Union's alternative jersey, worn throughout the competition, featured a large letter "B" in the lower left corner to honor Bethlehem.[7][8][9]
Previously, the Union made a run to the final of the 2014 edition of the cup, the club's first cup final of any competition, but lost in extra time to Seattle Sounders FC.
Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City have previously appeared in two US Open Cup finals, winning both the 2004 and 2012 editions, and to date, are the only Kansan club to have ever won the honor. Sporting went into the Final hoping to win their third trophy in four years.
To reach the final, Kansas City hosted all four of the cup fixture heading to the final, which included wins over Saint Louis FC, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake.
Match details
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Assistant referees:
Ian Anderson[2]
James Conlee[2]
Fourth official:
Chris Penso[2] |
Match rules
- 90 minutes.
- 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
- Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
- Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used.
- Maximum five foreign players (all citizens and legal permanent residents are considered domestic, regardless of FIFA country affiliation)[10]
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References
- ↑ Gartland, Ben; Donakowski, Jough; Bell, Thad; Bradley, Cody; Starritt, James. "The Blue Testament's US Open Cup Final MVP: Tim Melia". thebluetestament.com. The Blue Testament. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final crew announced". proreferees.com. Professional Referee Organization. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ↑ "Sporting Kansas City Sinks Philadelphia Union in Sudden Death PKs to Win 2015 U.S. Open Cup Title". ussoccer.com. US Soccer. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- ↑ "US Open Cup final 2015: Philadelphia Union v Sporting Kansas City – as it happened". ESPN. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- ↑ "Sporting Kansas City win US Open Cup final over Philadelphia Union after Jordi Quintilla's winning penalty in shootout". Daily Mail. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
- ↑ Nelson, Mark (March 28, 2011). "MLS 101: A primer on the 2011 tournament structure". Portland Timbers. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ↑ Zeitlin, Dave (August 16, 2014). "Ghosts of Bethlehem Steel still linger in Philadelphia soccer lore". MLS Soccer. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
- ↑ Clark, Dave (September 15, 2014). "Sounders at Philadelphia Union US Open Cup Final – Four Questions". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
- ↑ Straus, Brian (August 16, 2014). "Philadelphia Union seek their elusive first trophy in U.S. Open Cup final". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
- ↑ "2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Handbook (Finalists' Edition)" (PDF). ussoccer.com. US Soccer. March 23, 2015. sec. 203, para. a. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
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