Over the past five seasons, Philadelphia Union has made it to three US Open Cup finals. Despite falling — after, in both cases, playing to a draw in regulation time — in their first two, this remains an exceptional record in the oldest American soccer tournament for such a young club. Only six MLS clubs have made more finals appearances than the Union, and all have been in existence far longer than Philly’s nine seasons.
For those familiar with the history of soccer in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, this recent Open Cup success comes as little surprise. When the US Football Association was formed in 1913 (the forerunner of the current US Soccer Federation (USSF)), many of the key leaders were drawn from Philadelphia-area soccer.