Chivas USA loses in U.S. Open Cup

TUKWILA, Wash. – Taylor Graham headed in a shot off a corner kick in the 43rd minute and Sebastien LeToux scored in the 80th minute to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-0 victory over Chivas USA in a third-round U.S. Open Cup game on Tuesday night, eliminating the MLS club for the second year in a row.

The second-tier Sounders, of United Soccer League’s first division, beat Chivas USA, 3-1, last year in the third round.

Chivas lost to a lower-division team in the tournament for the third straight year.

The Sounders will face the Kansas City Wizards of MLS next Tuesday at Seattle’s Qwest Field. Kansas City beat USL first division Carolina, 4-2. in extra time earlier Tuesday night.

Graham put the defending USL First Division champions on the board when he ran across the goalmouth from the left side onto Josh Gardner’s corner and flicked a header back past United States goalkeeper Brad Guzan for a 1-0 lead.

In the 80th minute, Seattle goalkeeper Chris Eylander, who had just gone to his knees to make a save on a dangerous free kick try by Chivas leading scorer Sacha Kljestan, hoofed a deep ball downfield.

LeToux, who scored four goals in last week’s second-round Cup victory against Hollywood United, came across the field from the left side and, as the ball bounced off the turf, launched it over Guzan. The ball took a high bounce into the goal before Guzan could get turned around and get back to his net.

LeToux, signed by the expansion Seattle team that will begin MLS play in 2009, led the tournament with five goals last year before the Sounders fell in extra time to FC Dallas, 2-1.

Eylander got his third shutout in three Open Cup games this season, making six saves in front of the crowd of 2,997 at the Starfire Sports Complex.