Sapong leads KC over Dayton 3-0 in US Open Cup

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - C.J. Sapong scored two goals, and Sporting Kansas City beat the Dayton Dutch Lions 3-0 on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

Graham Zusi also scored for Sporting, which will travel to meet the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals on July 11, and Jimmy Nielsen had to make just one save for his second straight Cup shutout.

Sporting, which last made the semis when it won its only Open Cup in 2004, broke open the game with two goals in a three-minute span in the second half.

Zusi's blast from just outside the penalty area made it 2-0 in the 56th minute, and Sapong's header in the 59th widened the lead to 3-0.

Sapong gave Sporting an early lead over the Dutch Lions, who play in the third-tier USL Pro, with a goal in the fifth minute.

Sporting center back Matt Besler started and played into the 68th minute after missing three MLS matches to recover from an emergency appendectomy