Sporting KC won the 102nd US Open Cup last night on penalties over the Philadelphia Union in a messy, rain-soaked match. This trophy joins the 2012 US Open Cup and the 2013 MLS Cup in what's getting to be a crowded cabinet.
There are four players that played in each of these finals as well as anchor a very successful run of regular season results. They are:
Graham Zusi
Matt Besler
Seth Sinovic
Chance Myers
Without Jimmy Nielsen (and, arguably, Oriol Rosell) Sporting's regular season results have slipped. Still though, overall, this has been a pretty half decade.
2012 - 2nd Overall, 1st in East
2013 - 2nd Overall, 2nd in East
2014 - 10th Overall, 5th in East
2015 - 7th Overall, 4th in West
One last thought here is on Chance Myers. I was listening to a broadcast recently where one of the commentators mentioned how Myers career wasn't what people expected - due to one thing or another. It struck me as completely off base and, well, bizarre really. It does highlight how success has never properly been measured in MLS, however.
KC sneakily created a stable backline out of seemingly ordinary American players in Besler, Sinovic and Myers. So ordinary, I guess, that three major trophies and an Eastern Conference Title slip past the folks paying close attention.
Congrats to that organization for winning another trophy. It really does appear to mean a lot to the group, from the fans, to the players and up to the leadership in the investment group.
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Here's a neat graphic showing who has won each trophy, each season (via Ryan Brister @ThroughBalls)
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