CREW MAKING THIRD APPEARANCE IN LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL
This marks the third time that the Crew has advanced to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, having finished as the tournament’s runner-up in 1998 and winning it in 2002. The Black & Gold fell to the Chicago Fire 2-1 in overtime at Soldier Field on Oct. 30, 1998, but parlayed a Fredy Garcia goal and Jon Busch shutout into victory four years later, on Oct. 24, 2002. Crew owner and tournament namesake Lamar Hunt was in attendance in 2002 to receive the club’s first major trophy. The club has gone on to add three Supporters’ Shields (2004, 2008, 2009) and an MLS Cup (2008) to its trophy case.
HOW THE CREW ADVANCED
Round of 16: d. Rochester Rhinos, 2- 1
Quarterfinals: d. Charleston Battery 3-0
Semifinals: d. D.C. United 2-1 (OT)
AS IN 2002, CREW ADVANCED WITH OT WIN IN SEMIS
Like this year, when it took overtime to defeat D.C. United in the semifinals , 2-1, the Crew advanced similarly in 2002 with a dramatic, 3-2 OT win over Kansas City.
WARZYCHA RETURNS TO OPEN CUP FINAL AFTER CAPPING CAREER WITH 2002 TITLE
In returning to the U.S. Open Cup Final for the first time since 2002, Crew head coach Robert Warzycha returns to the stage upon which he capped his brilliant playing career. As a player/assistant coach at the age of 39, Warzycha entered the 2002 final in the 90th minute and, fittingly, preserved the Crew’s 1-0 victory over L.A. – and its first major trophy – with a goal-line clearance of Galaxy rookie Alejandro Moreno’s stoppage-time shot. Current Crew assistant coach Mike Lapper retired midway through the 2002 campaign.
OUGHTON LONE REMAINING ACTIVE PLAYER FROM 2002 CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD
The Crew’s longest-tenured player, midfielder/defender Duncan Oughton, is the club’s lone remaining active player from its 2002 championship team. Now in his 10th season, Oughton was wrapping up his second season in October of 2002 by playing the full 90 minutes in the U.S. Open Cup Final.
SEATTLE COACH SIGI SCHMID WAS AT HELM OF CREW’S LAST OPEN CUP FINAL OPPONENT, AS WELL
Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid was also the head coach of the Crew’s opposition the last time the Black & Gold was in the Open Cup Final. Schmid brought his LA Galaxy team into Crew Stadium in 2002 fresh off of winning MLS Cup, but was denied a double by the Crew’s 1-0 victory. Coincidentally, between his stints in L.A. and Seattle, Schmid was the Crew’s head coach from 2006-08 and guided it to Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup titles in 2008. Sounders assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson, who also went on to play for the Crew (2006-08), appeared for the Galaxy in the ’02 final.
WARZYCHA, IRIBARREN APPEARED IN 1998 OPEN CUP FINAL
Crew head coach Robert Warzycha and assistant coach Ricardo Iribarren played in the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final for the Crew at Chicago. Both started the game, won by Chicago 2-1 in OT, with Iribarren going the distance and Warzycha the first 78 minutes. Another current Crew assistant coach, Mike Lapper, was also a member of that team, but he had suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier that season.
