TUKWILA, Wash. - Seattle Sounders FC exploded for four second-half goals in a 6-0 win over the Chicago Fire in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals on Wednesday night at Starfire Stadium. Andy Rose and Kenny Cooper each scored twice as Seattle advanced to its fifth Open Cup Final in six years.
Sounders FC will visit the Philadelphia Union in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup Final on September 16. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT at PPL Park in Chester, Penn.
The six-goal margin of victory marks the largest across all competitions in club history and matched the club record for most goals scored in a single game.
Chad Barrett opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Cooper settled a long ball and sent a cross into the box, where Barrett slammed it past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson from close range. It was Barrett's first goal in Open Cup play for Sounders FC and his fifth goal across all competitions this season, ranking fourth on the team.
In the 33rd minute, Rose broke free in the box and headed a Marco Pappa corner kick into the net. Rose added a second tally in the 58th minute when Pappa found him in the box and he finished past Johnson.
With his brace, Rose has recorded four goals with one assists in seven Open Cup matches. Pappa has now recorded four assists across all competitions this season, ranking fifth on Sounders FC.
Five minutes after coming into the game, Obafemi Martins made it 4-0 in the 79th minute when he got behind the defense on a breakaway and slotted it past Johnson for his first career Open Cup goal.
Cooper added a pair late goals just minutes apart, first powerfully heading in a DeAndre Yedlin cross in the 82nd minute before knocking in a low ball from Martins in the 84th minute to make it 6-0, giving Cooper six goals in this year's tournament.
Stefan Frei led Sounders FC to its second shutout of the 2014 tournament, making three saves. In the 17th minute, Frei dived to push Quincy Amarikwa's shot wide of the post and made a pair of saves in the 22nd minute following a Chicago free kick.
Sounders FC resumes MLS play on Saturday against Real Salt Lake. Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
Scoring Summary:
SEA - Chad Barrett (Kenny Cooper) 6'
SEA - Andy Rose (Marco Pappa) 33'
SEA - Andy Rose (Marco Pappa) 58'
SEA - Obafemi Martins (Kenny Cooper) 79'
SEA - Kenny Cooper (DeAndre Yedlin) 82'
SEA - Kenny Cooper (Obafemi Martins) 84'
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei, DeAndre Yedlin, Jalil Anibaba, Zach Scott, Brad Evans, Lamar Neagle, Osvaldo Alonso (Micheal Azira 64), Andy Rose, Marco Pappa (Leo Gonzalez 85), Chad Barrett (Obafemi Martins 74), Kenny Cooper.
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann, Chad Marshall, Gonzalo Pineda, Cam Weaver.
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Cooper 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 12 (Cooper 6); FOULS: 10 (3 players, 2); OFFSIDE: 4 (Barrett, Cooper 2); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Pappa 4); SAVES: 3 (Frei 3).
Chicago Fire - Sean Johnson, Gonzalo Segares, Jeff Larentowicz, Bakary Soumare, Lovel Palmer, Alex, Razvan Cocis (Logan Pause 73), Matt Watson (Chris Ritter 73), Grant Ward (Matthew Fondy 62), Harry Shipp, Quincy Amarikwa.
Substitutes Not Used: Matthew Fondy, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Greg Cochrane, Bneji Joya.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Amarikwa 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (3 players, 1); FOULS: 12 (4 players, 2); OFFSIDE: 2 (Amarikwa, Cocis 1); CORNER KICKS: 2 (Shipp 2); SAVES: 6 (Johnson 6).
Misconduct Summary:
CHI - Razvan Cocis (caution) 18'
CHI - Lovel Palmer (caution) 55'
CHI - Bakary Soumare (caution) 70'
SEA - Lamar Neagle (caution) 73'
CHI - Gonzalo Segares (caution) 82'
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: Eric Boria; Corey E. Rockwell
4th Official: Jose Carlos Rivero
Attendance: 4,361
Time of Game: 1:49
Weather: Cloudy, 72 degrees
