Sporting Kansas City won 2-1 against the New York Red Bulls in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship. The two teams faced off at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 20. Over 21,500 people attended, which is the third largest attendance in the stadium’s history according to Children’s Mercy Park.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was founded for the 1913-14 season and is the longest-running soccer competition in the world according to Major League Soccer. Sporting previously won the tournament in 2004, 2012 and 2015. The Red Bulls hadn’t been in the finals since 2008 according to the Sporting Kansas City website.

Sporting came out in the first half with Seth Sinovic receiving a yellow card in only the fourth minute of the game. However the team came together in the 25 minute when Graham Zusi crossed the ball into the box and Latif Blessing headed it in, scoring the first goal of the game.

“The game was so much fun. Children’s Mercy Park always has such a great atmosphere that’s filled with lots cheers and yelling and screaming,” junior Gabby Grimaldi said. “When Sporting scored I was just thinking that we had the lead and just now have to defend well for the next hour and the cup would be ours.”

The first half was very eventful. There were multiple fouls from both teams and vocal complaints towards the center referee. Aaron Long, from the Red Bulls,received a yellow card for unsportsmanlike behavior in the 27 minute. The second half also started out with a yellow card, with Tyler Adams receiving it in the in 57 minute. At the end of the game the Sporting had a total of 19 fouls and the Red Bull’s had 13.

“The game was great to watch since it was so evenly matched, senior Catherine Dehaemers said. “Both teams made amazing connections and plays off the ball. It was also very physical from the start. I lost track of how many yellow card[s were given].”

As the second half proceeded, Benny Feilhaber booted the ball up the field to Dániel Sallói. He was then able to touch it around the goalie, scoring the second goal for Sporting in the 66 minute. The Red Bulls did not give up and scored a goal in the first minute of added time. They were then given an opportunity to tie the game when Ike Opara from Sporting received a yellow card right outside the goal box giving the opposing team a free kick. The red bulls didn’t end up scoring and the match ended with the final score of 2-1 Sporting was then able to “paint the wall” again and prove once more how successful they are under the manager/technical director Peter Vermes.