Going toe to toe against one of the top teams in Major League Soccer wasn’t quite enough to get the Seattle Sounders into the U.S. Open Cup finals.

The Sounders played FC Dallas to a scoreless tie through regulation time on Tuesday night before going down in overtime at Qwest Field, 2-1.

That ended Seattle’s deepest-ever run into Open Cup play. The Sounders advanced to the quarterfinals in 2003 before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Tuesday’s game was played in front of 10,385 fans, the largest turnout at Qwest since the Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps played in front of more than 22,000 fans in the stadium’s first-ever event back in 2002.

The entertaining, up-and-down-the-field match produced 35 shots -- 19 by Dallas, 16 by the Sounders. All but 10 of those came after halftime, with enough of them on target that the two goalkeepers were required to come up with 15 saves. Chris Eylander of the Sounders stopped nine Dallas shots; Dario Sala made six saves for Dallas.

Dallas needed just 58 seconds of the first overtime to snap the scoreless tie. Arturo Alvarez came the right wing side and crossed the ball to Carlo Ruiz, who was stationed at the top of the penalty area. Ruiz took a couple steps inside the box. When Eylander came out to challenge, Ruiz lofted a shot over him and into the back of the net.

The Sounders nearly tied the game near the end of the first 15-minute overtime. On a free kick, Zach Scott sent a header across Sala’s six-yard box, but it just missed connecting with Sebastien LeToux.

Abe Thompson converted a penalty kick for Dallas in the 119th minute for a 2-0 lead.

Leighton O’Brien put one in for the Sounders during right near the end of the second OT, assisted by Andre Schmid.

The Sounders had numerous close calls during the first half, keeping Dallas on its heels for much of the 45 minutes, although the hafltime shot count was even at 5-5.

Just more than four minutes into the game, Josh Gardner’s corner kick from rhe right wing side found Sebastien LeToux 14 yards straight in front of the goal. It took a diving save by Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala to keep LeToux and the Sounders off the board.

Those two nearly hooked up again at the 11 ½-minute mark. This time, Gardner’s cross from the left side floated toward LeToux, but was just out of reach as he went up for the header.

In the 36th minute, Roger Levesque was stationed on the penalty spot when the ball came his way, but he wasn’t able to wind up and fire.

Seattle’s best chance came early during the one minute of stoppage time. Leighton O’Brien took a free kick 49 yards up slightly to the left of center. He sent the ball toward LeToux on the right side, and LeToux crossed it into the box where Levesque was unmarked at the left post as Sala had gone over toward the other side trying to play the cross. But Levesque poked the ball just wide of the left post.

But before any of that, it was Dallas which almost got on the board first. Abe Thompson got the ball to Carlos Ruiz at the top of the box, and Ruiz’ rocket shot was flicked over the crossbar by Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander just 2:05 into the game.

Both teams continued to create opportunities through the second half. Early in the 61st minute, Denilson, the Brazilian star who just recently joined Dallas, sent a hard shot goalward that Eylander stopped with a diving save. That left the net wide open, but a subsequent shot by Dallas sailed just over the top.

The Sounders had a chance to go on top when an O’Brien corner kick found Taylor Graham near the top of the six-yard box. But Graham’s header clanged off the crossbar.

Near the end of the 75th minute, Levesque, staying onside, went one-on-one against Sala. Levesque went into the left side of the box and fired, but Sala made a diving save.

The Sounders, who are 18-8-6 overall and 14-6-6 (48 points) in USL First Division play, return to league action on Thursday night with their regular-season home finale against the California Victory. Seattle closes the season on Sunday at Minnesota before heading into the playoffs.

Seattle trails Portland by two points and is one up on Montreal heading into the final weekend. Wins in both games would clinch the top of the table for the Sounders regardless of what the Timbers or Impact do in their final games.

FC Dallas 2, Sounders 1

First half -- None.

Second half -- None.

Overtime -- 1, Dal: Carlos Ruiz, from Arturo Alvarez, 92nd minute; 2, Dal: Abe Thompson, PK, 119th; 3, Sea: Leighton O’Brien, from Andre Schmid, 120th.

Shots -- Dal 19, Sea 16. Saves -- Dal (Dario Sala) 6, Sea (Chris Eylander) 9. Corner kicks -- Dal 4, Sea 6. Offsides -- Dal 2, Sea 2. Fouls -- Dal 15, Sea 14. Cautions -- Dal: Pablo Ricchetti 88th minute; Ruiz 113th. Ejections -- Sea: Noah Merl, 118th. Attendance -- 10,385.