CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s track record in the U.S. Open Cup, among the oldest competitions in the world, has been a mixed bag at best.
The five-time MLS Cup champions do have two Cup titles (2001 and 2005) and were finalists in 2002 and 2006. But they also have the dubious distinction of being eliminated by the North American Soccer League’s Carolina Railhawks three consecutive years (2012-2014).
The Galaxy may be 30-15 all-time in the Cup, but head coach Bruce Arena apparently is far from satisfied as his team prepared for Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against the Seattle Sounders at 7:30 p.m. at StubHub Center’s track and field stadium.
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The match will be streamed live on www.lagalaxy.com.
“Since my time here,” the Galaxy’s Mike Magee said, “I can tell this is the first time … not to knock our preparation for other Open cups … but I get a different feeling this time that Bruce is fed up with our effort in this tournament.
“I think guys have stepped up so far.”
There also could be a little extra motivation for the Galaxy, considering the Sounders eliminated them in the knockout round of last year’s MLS Cup playoffs and defeated the Galaxy in the 2010 and 2011 Open Cup quarterfinals.
Arena, however, doesn’t necessarily agree.
“I never buy into that kind of thinking,” he said. “That kind of logic doesn’t make sense to me. We’re professionals, and we step on the field to win each and every game regardless of who it is and what circumstances happened in the past.
“I don’t believe in getting even and all that other kind of stuff. I do read that others make a big deal of all this stuff, but you play too many games to walk around bitter all the time. To always have an attitude that we’re always looking to get even, this or that, to me is a lot of wasted energy.
“Regardless of who we’re playing on Wednesday it’s an important game.”
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The Galaxy reached this stage of the competition with a victory over the Portland Timbers, and Seattle advanced with a win over Real Salt Lake. The Sounders have won this competition four times (2009-2011 and 2014) but are struggling through an MLS season in which they are ninth in the West with a 6-11-2 record. Speculation is running rampant about the future of head coach Sigi Schmid.
Galaxy coaches and players say they expect Seattle’s best effort, despite the Sounders’ season-long slump and having to play a regular-season game Sunday in Kansas City.
The schedule, by the way, isn’t any easier for the Galaxy, who play Saturday in Portland.
“This could be their one shot to win a trophy this year possibly, so we have a tough game in front of us,” defender Dave Romney said.
“You never know how they’re going to come out Wednesday,” A.J. DeLaGarza said of the Sounders, who will be without Clint Dempsey while the striker serves the first year of a two-year ban for his actions in a 2015 fourth-round match against the Portland Timbers. “But in the past they’ve taken Open Cup pretty seriously.
“One of their main goals is to win the Open Cup, and I’m sure we’ll see a strong team no matter what.”
STUBHUB CENTER (TRACK STADIUM), Carson, Calif.
July 20, 2016 (U.S. Open Cup)
7:30 pm PT (YouTube)
This quarterfinal matchup features a clash of contrasts: Seattle's Sigi Schmid and LA's Bruce Arena are the league's most successful coaches, but their clubs generally take dramatically different approaches to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Since entering MLS in 2009, Seattle have won four Open Cup titles – more than any other side over that span. The Galaxy have won the tournament twice, but not since 2005, and none during Arena's tenure as coach.
Everything riding on USOC?
When Seattle last won the Open Cup in 2014, the Sounders were on a push for an unprecedented domestic treble (an unsuccessful push, as they took the Supporters' Shield but then crashed out of the MLS Cup playoffs). This year, they sit next to last in the Western Conference standings and fans are making ominous rumbly noises. An Open Cup might not make those noises go away, but silverware makes any season better.
How much power in the LA XI?
The Galaxy took down the Portland Timbers 1-0 in the round of 16 to reach Wednesday night's semis – but as usual, they did it without their heaviest hitters. If Arena sticks to his philosophy, don't expect to see the home side's Designated Players on the pitch against Seattle on Wednesday. Then again, on Monday Mike Magee suggested that LA have an Open Cup chip on their shoulder...
Starfire South
The Sounders, who reached the quarters by outlasting Real Salt Lake on penalties, usually play early-round home Open Cup matches at the Starfire Sports Complex. They'll be on the road this time, but should feel right at home, in a way. With the Crossfit Games starting Wednesday at StubHub Center's main stadium, the quarterfinal has been moved to the 2,000-seat Track Stadium.
