Pairings, venues set for U.S. Open Cup final

U.S. Soccer has announced the possible pairings and locations* for the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.

(The * indicates best value and dang sure the most fun to study and talk about.)

Here’s how it broke down, with possible pairing and venue:

• Seattle Sounders-Sporting Kansas City: Aug. 8 at Livestrong Sporting Park
• Chivas USA – Sporting Kansas City: Aug. 7 or 8 at Livestrong Sporting Park
• Philadelphia Union – Seattle Sounders: Aug. 8 at CenturyLink Field
• Chivas USA – Philadelphia Union: Aug. 7 or 8 at PPL Park

The pairings at this stage are determined by sealed bids. So, yes … go ahead and cough up your best “Chivas USA bid …” knee-slapper at this point.

As in … “Chivas USA bid a lunch date with Dan Kennedy and a box of Chiva Girls calendars.”

The tournament’s semifinal are set for Wednesday: Sporting Kansas City travels to PPL Park in Chester to face John Hackworth’s Philadelphia Union, a better side these days. And Chivas USA travels to Seattle to face the Sounders at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila.