Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2017 US Open Cup Preview

Tim Melia - Sporting KC - save vs. DC United

Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes
2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Semifinal Round
Children's Mercy Park - Kansas City, Kan.
Wednesday, Aug. 9 - 8:30 p.m. ET
WATCH: Sportingkc.com

Sporting Kansas City have made the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final three times – and each time, they won the title. The San Jose Earthquakes are still waiting for their first trip to the title game. Will Sporting make it back to the final for the third time this decade, or will San Jose finally get there for their first shot at silverware in the Chris Leitch era?


Sporting have the edge in experience – and they'll be motivated by their unbeaten home mark across all competitions, as well as wanting to come back strong from Sunday's disappointing 1-1 draw against Atlanta United in league play. San Jose, meanwhile climbed above the playoff line last weekend with a 2-1 home victory over Columbus Crew SC – and any momentum at this point of the season wold be welcome for a team trying to stay in the Western Conference's top six.


That won't be easy to do, though. Sporting's Tim Melia has three clean sheets in three Cup matches – including a wild 3-0 extra-time quarterfinal victory over FC Dallas.


Sporting Kansas City


  • Suspended: Seth Sinovic
  • Int'l Duty: None
  • Injured:  Cameron Porter (broken fibula and ligament damage in right ankle 8/2, out for season) - REPORT


Projected starting lineup (4-3-3, R-L): Tim Melia – Graham Zusi, Ike Opara, Matt Besler, Jimmy Medrand – Benny Feilhaber, Ilie, Roger Espinoza –Latif Blessing, Diego Rubio, Gerso


San Jose Earthquakes


  • Suspended: None
  • Int'l Duty: None
  • Injured: OUT: D - Harold Cummings (leg surgery, 3/30, out 4-6 months), M - Marc Pelosi (left knee injury), M - Anibal Godoy (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Jahmir Hyka (hamstring injury), D - Kip Colvey (knee injury)


Projected Starting Lineup (3-5-2, R-L): Andrew Tarbell – Kofie Sarkodie, Andres Imperiale, Florian Jungwirth – Cordell Cato, Jackson Yueill, Tommy Thompson, Shea Salinas, Nick Lima – Danny Hoesen, Chris Wondolowski


All-Time Record


The two sides have met only once in Open Cup play, the then-Wizards beating San Jose 1-0 in the 2004 semifinals on the way to Kansas City's first Open Cup title.


The two teams are dead even in MLS play, with a 24-24-8 record all-time, though Sporting have been dominant at home against the Quakes, with a 19-8-1 record all-time in KC. The two teams have met twice in the league this year, a 2-1 SKC win at Children's Mercy Park on March 18 and a 0-0 draw at Avaya Stadium on June 17