The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsThis week saw the Fifth Round action of the US Open Cup take place across the country. Two games went the distance with FC Cincinnati causing another shock by knocking out Chicago on penalties. Elsewhere, Miami also surprised the world by knocking out Atlanta United.
(USL) FC Cincinnati 0
(MLS) Chicago Fire 0
(FC Cincinnati won 3-1 on pens)
Cincinnati knocked an MLS team out of the 2017 US Open Cup for the second round running with this penalty shoot-out win against Chicago. The game was scoreless through 120 minutes, despite both sides having glorious chances in the game. When it came to the shootout, Cincy’s goalkeeper was the hero. Mitch Hildebrandt saved three of the Fire’s four penalties to see his side advance to the last eight of the competition.
(MLS) FC Dallas 3 (Diaz p45’, Hollingshead 57’, Morales 89’)
(MLS) Colorado Rapids 1 (Azira 46’)
Two men who recently returned from injury both got on the scoresheet in the second half to give FC Dallas the win in the last-16. The hosts took the lead on the stroke of half time, through Mauro Diaz. However, just moments after coming on as a sub at the break, Michael Azira equalised for the Rapids. FC Dallas’ quest to retain the US Open Cup continues though, thanks to second half goals from Ryan Hollingshead and Javier Morales. Colorado ended the game with nine men as Shkelzen Gashi went off injured after all three subs had been made, and after a red card to Kortne Ford late on. FCD advance to the quarter finals.
(MLS) Houston Dynamo 0
(MLS) Sporting Kansas City 2 (Opara 61’, Gerso 90+1’)
After scoring the winner at the weekend, Ike Opara got on the scoresheet again as SKC overcame the Dynamo on Wednesday night. Para was the man to open the scoring on the hour mark, giving the visitors the lead. Houston should possibly have been given the chance to equalise soon after, though, hen it looked like Memo Rodriguez was fouled in the box. However, the referee gave a free kick to SKC and booked Memo for simulation. Gerso added an insurance goal late on as the Dynamo left spaces at the back, booking Sporting’s place in the last eight.
(MLS) LA Galaxy 2 (Lassiter 47’, Jamieson 49’)
(USL) Sacramento Republic 0
Two goals in the space of three second half minutes saw the Galaxy through as the only side to beat lower-ranked opposition. After a goalless first half, Ariel Lassiter put the hosts in front just two minutes into the second period of play. Another two minutes after that, the lead was doubled, as Bradford Jamieson made it 2-0, the scoreline it would end on. The Galaxy go through to the last eight of this year’s US Open Cup.
(NASL) Miami FC 3 (Pinho 37’, Bernstein 52’, Poku 90+3’)
(MLS) Atlanta United 2 (Vazquez 35’, Gressel p75’)
It looked like it was going to extra time, but up popped a former-MLS man to shock Atlanta and send Miami through to the quarter finals. The visitors went in front through Brandon Vazquez’s 35th minute strike, only to see Miami equalise through Stefano Pinho two minutes later. Rhett Bernstein then gave Miami the lead seven minutes after the break, and when Julian Gressel equaled from the penalty spot, it looked to be heading to an extra thirty minutes. However, Kwadwo Poku, formerly of NYCFC, scored in the third minute of stoppage time to give Miami their second win against MLS opposition in the cup this year.
(MLS) New England Revolution 2 (Fagundez 44’, Wright 48’)
(MLS) D.C. United 1 (Ortiz 7’)
A goal either side of the half time interval was enough to turn the game around for New England, who suffered an early scare. Jose Guillermo Ortiz gave them that scare, as DC took a seventh minute lead, but the Revs came bouncing back. They got back into the game just before the half time break when Diego Fagundez equalised from a free kick. Then just three minutes after the restart, Brian Wright got his first professional goal, giving the Revs the lead they would hold on to. New England go through to the last eight of this year’s US Open Cup.
(MLS) New York Red Bulls 1 (Kljestan 42’)
(MLS) Philadelphia Union 1 (Alberg 86’)
(New York Red Bulls won 5-3 on pens)
The Red Bulls finally got revenge on the Union, who have knocked them out of the Cup the last two years, with this win on penalties. They looked to be cruising after Sacha Kljestan’s strike just before the break. However, when Roland Alberg equalised with just four minutes to go, it headed to extra time. The Red Bulls scored all five of their penalties, so when Ryan Meara saved Fafa Picault’s spotkick, it was over. NYRB are through to the quarter finals.
(MLS) San Jose Earthquakes 2 (Salinas 6’, Hoesen 84’)
(MLS) Seattle Sounders FC 1 (Kovar 48’)
In his first game as the Quakes manager, Chris Leith came away with a victory over Seattle in the Cup. They took the lead early through Shea Salinas’ sixth minute strike, and held the lead to the break. Aaron Kovar then equalised just three minutes into the second stanza for the visitors. It was always to be for the Quakes new coach though, as Danny Hoesen got the winner six minutes from time to send San Jose through to the quarter finals.
The draw for the last eight of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup took place after the matches concluded last night. It means that there will definitely be a lower division side in the semi finals, as Miami and Cincinnati face off on July 12. The games take place on consecutive days, with the Quakes-Galaxy game on the 10th July, through to the NE-NY clash on the 13th.
Quarter Final Draw:
10th – San Jose Earthquakes v LA Galaxy
11th – Sporting Kansas City v FC Dallas
12th – Miami FC v FC Cincinnati
13th – New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls
