LAFC ends finals curse by lifting first U.S. Open Cup trophy

09/26/2024 08:24 AM

LAFC completed the domestic trophy gauntlet on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium by lifting the club's first-ever U.S. Open Cup with a 3-1 extra-time win over Sporting Kansas City.

The result rounded out a trophy cabinet which already contains two Supporters' Shields (2019, 2022) and one MLS Cup (2022).

After losing four consecutive finals in the past two years (CCL, Campeones Cup, MLS Cup, Leagues Cup), the mentality in the Black and Gold locker room was, "just to give ourselves an opportunity to celebrate together" according to Ryan Hollingshead — a task they fought hard to accomplish to end the club's finals skid.

"I arrived here last year after they won the MLS Cup final. They won Supporters' Shield. They won everything," Sergi Palencia said. "Last year, zero trophies, a lot of finals. This year, again [no trophy] with Leagues Cup so it's a joy to raise this trophy today. The first Open Cup of the club is so special. I'm so happy to be a part of it."

A tense but sloppy first half gave way to goals in the second half and extra time, kicked off by France's all-time leading goalscorer Olivier Giroud netting his second LAFC goal in his second LAFC final in the 57th minute despite admittedly being offside.

"As a striker, I always want to make the difference to help the team," Giroud said. "Tonight was a bit special. I was offside but I stayed as a fox-in-the-box…Two goals in two finals. I hope I will score more and more important goals for the team."

Mateusz Bogusz, who provided the assist, was also likely offside but without virtual offside line technology available in the competition, there was not enough visible evidence from the available camera angles to overturn the decision for either infraction.

Regardless, Sporting prepared a quick response on the hour as Daniel Salloi capitalized on a Timothy Tillman turnover to set up Erik Thommy for a perfectly placed finish at the near post to level the scoring. Despite continuous pressure from the home side, SKC held onto that 1-1 scoreline through regulation to force an extra 30 minutes of edge-of-your-seat soccer.

The LAFC bench was waiting for this moment.

In the 102nd minute, substitute Omar Campos saw an opportunity on his weaker right foot for an effort on goal and guided home his first LAFC goal to win the first USOC for the Black and Gold.

"I'm screaming at him like, 'Your right foot?! Tienes una derecha?!'," joked Hollingshead. "It's a testament to the depth that we've built this year. When we started this year back in March we didn't have that depth and it's been slowly adding and it proves why it's so important in a match like tonight when you need everyone to step up and do something special."

In the 109th minute, 40-year-old substitute Kei Kamara got the celebrations started with a soaring header, ironically in the only competition he's won in his 18-year professional career against the only team he ever won it with prior to Wednesday night.

"Every goal I score is against my old team in this league!" Kamara joked. "I have to be honest. I was a little nervous coming into this game because it's one of those where you look at your history and say, 'The only trophy I've won was the U.S. Open Cup.' Today was a special day to play against the team I won that trophy with and a bit nervous to feel like; is it gonna happen or is it gonna be one of those where you just get there and it doesn't happen? I'm just glad that we're able to finish the game and glad to say we won the cup."

As somebody who worked up the ranks of U.S. soccer throughout his career to ultimately become the second-highest goalscorer in MLS history, this trophy means a bit more to Kamara than other silverware would, and with only eight MLS teams competing in the 95-team competition this season, he wants to do everything in his power to ensure the continuing participating of the first division in the longest running tournament in American soccer (since 1914).

"[MLS Commissioner] Don [Garber] was here. I saw him. He was on the podium. He gave me a medal. Get him in here and make sure he don't take MLS away from this. Is that what he's doing?" Kamara balked at the idea of MLS not competing in USOC. "[He] better not take this away. This is amazing. This is American soccer right here.

"Listen, last I'll say, we go through the systems of everything that's happened. They told us to go to school, play soccer in school, go to college, play soccer in college, get drafted, go through the system, and that's what we've done. That's why I give so much credit to Chris Wondolowski because we've done the same things. That's the American dream that we wanted to do and we made it here so you can't take away from our history. That's just my opinion. Don't take away our history."

For now, LAFC continues to be the anomaly in that U.S. soccer landscape by becoming the first American team since their 2022 MLS Cup to win a domestic trophy without implementing possession-heavy tactics.

"I wouldn't consider us a transition team only," described head coach Steve Cherundolo. "There are phases in the season where it looks that way but we are actively trying to possess the ball too. For me, it's always about finding the right balance. I don't really care for labels.

"I'm constantly as a coach searching for the balance of this team to be able to control games. You can control games with the ball and you can control games without the ball but being in control of tempo, spaces, [and] chances is what this is about for me. It's my own personal philosophy and I feel we have been in control for a very long time. There's been a few bad games of course but when we are in control we are successful. That to me about keeping the balance is allowing us to be successful for a very long period of time."

Though he says he does not care — and does not understand why the media does not believe him about his indifference either — Cherundolo finally has the finals monkey off his back as he and LAFC chase their second MLS Cup together this season.

"I thought it would be more relief but it really is just joy," Cherundolo described the night's emotions. "This will only make us stronger down the stretch of the season. I'm convinced of that."

Tonight, the Black and Gold blood that runs through LAFC veins pumps adrenaline while the tears of joy are burning with champagne in the eyes of a squad who quieted all the noise to deliver history for their fans.

"It's the first U.S. Open Cup for the club so it means a lot for the club," Hugo Lloris said. "We celebrate it with the fans because they deserve it as well, like a family, all together."