A first time winner of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is guaranteed, and on Wednesday we’ll find out whether the trophy is headed to Philadelphia or Houston.
For what it’s worth, teams from Philadelphia have won the cup in previous editions dating back to the mid-1930s and well into the 1960s, but neither the Philadelphia Union nor the Houston Dynamo have snared glory in this particular celebrated tournament.
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The Union have come the closest more often, losing back to back finals in 2014 and 2015, while the Dynamo play host in their first ever USOC final.
“This isn’t like any other game,” said DaMarcus Beasley. “There’s no tomorrow in this. Whatever you put into this game is what you’re going to get out of it, because it’s one and done. That’s what I’ve told all the players. It’s one night. You get 90 minutes... to prove that you’re the best team on that day.”
As for the Union, the memories of finals lost are more motivation than anything. From Philly.com:
Philly feels the better bet, having fairly firm control of a playoff spot in the East while Houston’s stuck 10th in the West, but don’t forget that the Union traveled a long way from home while Dynamo’s plus-4 goal differential -- better than five current playoff teams --shows they aren’t a mess.
