Sporting KC wins the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Let the light-blue confetti fly. Kansas City’s championship drought is over. Sporting KC defeated the Seattle Sounders last night at Livestrong Sporting Park to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Tied 1-1 after two overtime periods, the game went to penalty kicks, and hearts stopped all over Kansas City. After Kei Kamara converted, Seattle made its next two shots and held a 2-1 advantage going into the third round. This is when you knew it was Sporting’s night. (If you needed another sign, perhaps the double rainbow before kickoff would suffice.)

Matt Besler tied it up when his shot bounced in off the underside of the crossbar. Paulo Nagamura then converted his second chance (Sounders’ goalie Brad Evans was whistled for moving off his line early after saving his first shot) before the Sounders’ Eddie Johnson (who played for the Wizards in 2006 and 2007) sent one high in the fifth and final round. Sporting denied Seattle its fourth straight U.S. Open Cup and won the trophy for the first time since 2004, when the team was the Wizards. Sporting’s victory also qualifies the team for the CONCACAF Champions League set to begin next January.