Seattle 3-1 Chivas USA

A brace from Nate Jaqua was supplemented by a goal from Fredy Montero as the Seattle Sounders continued their unbeaten run in the U.S. Open Cup.

Next month, Seattle will defend its Open Cup trophy in the final against Columbus Crew, which will take place at Qwest Field.

GOALFLASH! Seattle 3-1 Chivas USA

Nate Jaqua scores yet again in the US Open Cup, taking his tally to five on the season and putting Seattle up 3-1.

Roger Levesque, subbed in for Alvaro Fernandez, on the assist.

Goalflash: Seattle 2-1 Chivas USA

Jesus Padilla scores for the goats, reminding me why I don’t count my chickens before they are hatched.

Come on, you Sounders!

GOALFLASH! Seattle 2-0 Chivas USA

Steve Zakuani, Seattle has missed you! Zakuani makes another run down the left side before passing the ball just in front of goal to Fredy Montero. Montero, while impressive from long range, just barely needed a touch to put this one into the goal.

Thirty minutes to go, but Seattle looks to be on its way to a final against Columbus Crew. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to knock on wood.

Halftime Report: Seattle 1-0 Chivas USA

Seattle maintained the lead it took in the 10th minute throughout the next 35 of the match against Chivas USA. Were it not for a couple great saves by Chivas keeper Zach Thornton, the Sounders would likely be up by two or three.

A few bits and bobs:

• Osvaldo Alonso is now taking the corner kicks, so perhaps someone listens to my rants about Nate Sturgis. Either that, or someone watched Nate Sturgis take a corner kick. Ozzie at least manages to clear the first defender, so Sounders fans just might see their team score off a corner kick more than once this season.
• Alvaro Fernandez looks much more dangerous on the right wing than on the left. I’m told he played on the right when he played for U.Chile, so my question remains—why is he ever on the left, particularly when he rarely receives the ball on that side? I know it has to do with Sanna Nyassi’s inability to play anywhere but the right side. Why not do something crazy and have James Riley move up to the left wing? He seems to enjoy the attack more than the defense, anyway.
• Starfire is sold out and it’s loud tonight. These fans want another trophy.

GOALFLASH!: Seattle 1-0 Chivas USA

Steve Zakuani fed a pass from the left in to Nate Jaqua, standing inside the six-yard box. All Jaqua needed to do was poke the ball in and—boom! Seattle takes the lead and Jaqua continues his wonderful U.S. Open Cup streak, now with four goals in the competition. In fact, Nate Jaqua is the only Sounder that has scored in the USOC this season.

Seattle Sounders Continue Their Defense Of The Open Cup Against Chivas USA

Tonight, the Seattle Sounders face Chivas USA in the semi-final round of the US Open Cup. The Sounders raised their first MLS trophy last year, when they beat DC United 2-1 in the final at RFK Stadium. Provided the Sounders find their way past a poorly-performing Goats team, history has the potential to repeat itself: As I type this, Columbus Crew and DC United are currently facing off in their semi-final, with United winning 1-0 at the half.

In these previews, I typically like to give a few of my thoughts about strategy. About the weaknesses in the opposing side. Even my ideas of who the starting XI might be. But considering last time I confidently announced that I felt Zach Scott would get the start over Taylor Graham, I think we'll leave the musings behind and tell a little story, instead.

We'll travel back in time to July 21, 2009, to a little sports complex known as Starfire. A friend was home for a couple weeks, a major Sounders fan who rarely got to see the lads considering he spends the majority of the year in North Carolina. Rather than work, I chose to peruse Craigslist that morning, searching for tickets to the sold-out Open Cup game. Possibly one of the best decisions I've ever made, as last year's semi-final remains the most exciting soccer match I've seen live.

Most Sounders fans fortunate enough to be in Tukwila that night--official reports say that there were less than five thousand of us--feel as I do. With a team determined to win trophies, even in its inaugural MLS season, that match in July was crucial. Beat Houston, and Seattle were in the final. But at just 32 minutes in, the Dynamo took the lead off a goal by Ade Akinbiy. 

That certainly had no effect on the singing, chanting, jumping supporters at Starfire. From the moment Nate Jaqua took an elbow to the head (sometime in the first five minutes, I believe) until the halftime whistle, the stadium was filled with noise. I thought my voice was already going--but before the second half, we moved over to the supporters section, joining two more friends, but trading away our right to remain silent.

From then on, the game is a blur. I remember giving inappropriate suggestions to the referee. I remember screaming at Houston for being dirty cheats (although the record shows 40 fouls and nine yellows, so I'm sure it wasn't just Houston). I remember jumping up and down for twenty minutes, and I remember that my legs started to hurt a lot, and I thought I would really need to get in shape if I wanted a GA season ticket.

But what I most remember is the goal. That glorious, glorious equalizer from Nate Jaqua in the 89th minute. The stadium seemed to pause--to breathe? To make sure it had really happened?--and then a wave of sound flew over everyone before I felt a sharp pain on the top of my head. Two of my friends had hugged me at the same time, but being short as I was, they'd gone over me, more or less embracing one another, and shattering my sunglasses in the process. A worthy sacrifice.

And then came the extra time, but Seattle didn't want to make its fans wait. After just five minutes, a Houston player gifted Seattle the ball, and Stephen King took advantage of the ball at his feet, firing it into the net to give the Sounders the lead. Still, with 25 minutes remain, it wasn't time to give up. Even with sweat pouring off our faces, throats raw, legs sore, the crowd at Starfire was determined to cheer their team into the final.

So tonight the question is, can they do it once more? The game commences at 7:30pm PT. Catch it streaming live on the Sounders website.