Sporting Kansas City fell to a heartbreaking 3-1 defeat in extra time against hosts Los Angeles FC in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night. After going toe-to-toe with LAFC throughout regulation, Sporting faltered in extra time as LAFC claimed their first-ever U.S. Open Cup title.
Manager Peter Vermes stuck with the 4-2-3-1 formation that has served the squad well over the second half of the 2024 campaign. Goalkeeper Tim Melia, playing in his third U.S. Open Cup Final (2015 & 2017), backstopped a defense featuring Khiry Shelton, Robert Castellanos, Robert Voloder and Logan Ndenbe.
Zorhan Bassong and Jake Davis patrolled midfield with captain Johnny Russell, Erik Thommy and Daniel Salloi – the club’s all-time top scorer in the U.S. Open Cup and match-winner in the 2017 final – ahead of them. Designated Player Alan Pulido rounded out the lineup as the lone striker.
Both sides created several chances in an evenly-matched opening 45 minutes. Salloi was the first to threaten when he latched onto Russell’s pin-point pass in the fifth minute but his effort was smuggled clear for a corner by a combination of Hugo Lloris and Eddie Segura.
Moments later, LAFC showed their teeth from a set piece as captain Aaron Long met Mateusz Bogusz’s corner but his tame header was comfortably cleared off the line by Ndenbe. A frantic opening 10 minutes continued when Salloi fed Pulido into the box and the Mexican controlled the ball expertly before seeing his volley tipped over by Lloris.
In the 23rd minute, Russell cut in from the right wing and, with no LAFC players closing him down, the Scotsman let fly from 30 yards and forced a sprawling stop from Lloris who palmed the powerful drive over the bar. It was LAFC star man Denis Bouanga who threatened next, taking aim from 20 yards and testing Melia but the longtime Sporting stopper pushed the ball away for a corner.
Melia’s best save of the half came in the 41st minute when Bouanga embarked on a trademark surge down the left wing before cutting the ball back to Olivier Giroud whose first-time effort was blocked by the outstretched foot of Melia at his near post, keeping the game scoreless at the interval.
LAFC found the breakthrough in the 53rd minute when Bogusz toed the line to remain onside before squaring the ball for Giroud to tap home the opener for the hosts.
Sporting responded in immediate fashion, finding the equalizing goal in the 60th minute through Thommy. After Pulido and Davis had hustled LAFC out of possession in their own half, Russell clipped a ball out to Salloi on the left wing who set up Thommy to strike first time into the top corner, leaving Lloris with no chance.
With the game finely poised heading into the closing stages, LAFC began to turn the screw as only a brilliant stop from Melia denied Bogusz on the doorstep in the 75th minute before Bouanga lashed an effort into the side-netting a minute later.
As the game entered second-half stoppage time, Sporting had an opportunity to snatch the title as Russell found himself with space in the box, cut to his right foot and sent a low shot toward the far post but Lloris got down quickly to smother.
LAFC took control of proceedings during a grueling extra-time period and retook the lead through substitute Omar Campos who received a pass from Cristian Olivera before driving toward goal and slotting into the bottom corner.
Former Sporting man Kei Kamara subbed into the match at the start of extra time and made his presence felt as he sealed LAFC’s first-ever U.S. Open Cup title with a towering header in the 109th minute to make the final score 3-1 and condemned Sporting to their first-ever loss in a final under Peter Vermes.
Sporting KC returns to MLS action this weekend with a road match against rivals St. Louis at Citypark on Saturday night. Kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as well as Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish) on the radio.
