Sounders beat DC United 2-1 to win US Open Cup

WASHINGTON — Freddy Montero and Roger Levesque scored to lead Seattle to a 2-1 victory over D.C. United in the U.S. Open Cup final Wednesday night, giving the expansion Sounders their first trophy.

Montero smashed in a rebound in the 67th minute and Levesque scored in the 85th as Seattle joined Chicago (1998) as the only teams to win the Open Cup in their inaugural season.

Clyde Simms scored for D.C. in the 89th minute.

The win was especially satisfying for the Sounders, who felt slighted after the United won the right to host the final from the U.S. Soccer Federation.

A media war of words between Seattle general manager Adrian Hanauer and United president Kevin Payne followed that decision, and the 17,329 who came to RFK Stadium more than doubled the attendance for D.C.’s Open Cup-winning victory over second-division Charleston (S.C.) last year.

Before the trophy presentation, the Sounders trotted to the stadium’s northwest corner and applauded approximately 100 green-clad fans in the upper deck who made the trip from the Pacific Northwest.

Montero thundered the ball into a gaping net to put Seattle up 1-0 after Freddie Ljungberg reached Steve Zakuani’s cross, only to be denied by a diving Josh Wicks.

Wicks lunged but couldn’t beat Montero. The D.C. goalkeeper was then ejected in the aftermath of the goal for apparently stepping on Montero, who was sprawled on the ground after scoring.

As United struggled to cope a man down, Levesque made it 2-0 when he tapped into an empty net after Sebastien Le Toux’s cross beat substitute goalkeeper Milos Kocic.

Simms also scored into an empty net after reaching a deflected free kick. United pressured through five minutes of stoppage time, but could do no more than force a clearing punch from Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller with a late corner kick.

The U.S. Open Cup, which began in 1914, is open to all levels of professional and amateur teams associated with the USSF.