For the second year in succession, the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division bounced Chivas USA out of the U.S. Open Cup.
Goals from Taylor Graham in the 43rd minute and Sebastian LeToux in the 80th minute gave the Sounders a 2-0 victory Tuesday night at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.
A year ago, the Sounders defeated Chivas USA 3-1 in a third-round match at Qwest Field in Seattle. Just before halftime, they were on their way again.
Kenji Treschuk sent a long through ball downfield, where LeToux got behind his defender and corralled it. He went in alone on Brad Guzan, but the Chivas goalkeeper made a sliding save, conceding a corner kick.
Josh Gardner took the kick from the right side and Graham slashed through the box, meeting the ball at the near post and sending a glancing header back across goal into the opposite corner.
Chivas went close in the 80th minute. On a free kick from a dangerous area, some 20 yards out to the right of goal, Sacha Kljestan blasted a shot through that Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander went to his knees to save at the right post.
From the stop, Eylander punted the ball downfield and LeToux caught up with it. He played it on a bounce off the turf, and with Guzan also having come out to play the ball, he sent it toward the unguarded goal. Before Guzan could retreat and recover, the ball bounced into the goal for a 2-0 Seattle lead.
The Sounders will be aiming for a fourth MLS victim in two years when they take on the Kansas City Wizards in the Open Cup quarterfinals on Tues., July 8 at Qwest Field in Seattle. A year ago, after knocking off Chivas, the Sounders defeated the Colorado Rapids 5-0 in the quarterfinals before losing in extra time to FC Dallas in the semifinals.
"Because we beat (Chivas) last year, expectations were a little different," Graham said. "We feel we're a good team and can compete against any team in this country. We relish the opportunity to do that against an MLS team."
