Published 10/5/2011 4:24:52 AM by Shane Barrow from soccermogul

The Seattle Sounders earned their third consecutive US Open Cup title on Tuesday evening with a 2-0 win over the visiting Chicago Fire.  Two late goals were the difference as Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso found the net.

The largest US Open Cup ever was on hand to cheer the Sounders on and they had a marked influence on the match.  The crowd just was not going to let the Sounders fail.  Chicago rarely got on the ball for any extended lengths of time and when they did they were rarely dangerous at all.

Seattle, on the other hand, were creating chances.  Young Fire keeper Sean Johnson made several key saves to keep the game scoreless into the second half.  Chicago couldn't hang on forever though and finally Fredy Montero broke through.  He got on the end of a loose ball following a corner kick to slide home. 

A fabulous goal late in injury time from Alonso sealed the deal and the Sounders became the first team since the New York Greek-Americans in the late 1960s to claim three straight US Open Cup titles.  Coach Zigi Schmid said, "To win three in a row is very something very specials, very unique.  It hasn't been done in a long time.  Like we said, every time we enter a competition we like to win it."

Seattle are looking to make long runs in the upcoming MLS playoffs as well as in the CONCACAF Champions League where they have already qualified for quarterfinal play.  

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