The Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is a two-night action-packed affair with four all-MLS matchups among the five matches Tuesday night. Here’s Tuesday’s rundown:
Orlando City SC 2, Philadelphia Union 1
Orlando City SC became the first MLS club to book their ticket into the US Open Cup Round of 16, scoring two goals in a three-minute span early in the second half to defeat the Philadelphia Union, 2-1, at Exploria Stadium.
The Lions broke the scoreless stalemate in the 54th minute on Ercan Kara’s third goal in all competitions since the Designated Player’s arrival from Rapid Vienna. Michael Halliday made a dangerous run down the right flank and served a ball into the box. Junior Urso’s initial attempt was blocked, but Kara turned and fired the rebound past Matt Freese.
Three minutes later, Andres Perea unleashed a golazo from 25 yards out after stepping into a sliding clearance by Stuart Findlay.
The Union center back volleyed a lobbed Jose Martinez recirculated service into the box inside the far post to pull the visitors to within a goal. Ruan nearly closed the match on a breakaway in second-half stoppage time, but Freese did well to dive out at the ball. The Lions needed a last-second denial by Mason Stajduhar on a Kai Wagner header off a set piece to secure the victory.
Goals
DC United 0, New York Red Bulls 3
The New York Red Bulls’ remarkable road form has continued in the US Open Cup with a 3-0 thrashing of rival D.C. United in the Round of 32 at Audi Field.
Luquinhas gave the visitors the lead at the stroke of halftime, taking a clever pass from Dru Yearwood and firing inside the far post from 12 yards out.
John Tolkin doubled the Red Bulls’ lead three minutes into the second half with a sliding finish after a cutback service by Luquinhas.
Fresh off the substitute's bench, homegrown forward Zach Ryan tapped in a Cameron Harper near-post cross in the 68th minute to cap the scoring for the Red Bulls.
It wasn’t the start New York wanted, though, with captain Aaron Long leaving the match with an apparent injury inside the opening 10 minutes.
Goals
Inter Miami CF 3, South Georgia Tormenta 1
Ariel Lassiter struck for a brace to lead Inter Miami CF to a 3-1 win over USL League One side South Georgia Tormenta at DRV PNK Stadium.
Lassiter gave Inter Miami the lead just before halftime, taking a settling touch after receiving a pass from Indiana Vassilev and firing a left-footed shot past Tormenta goalkeeper Pablo Jara for his first goal since arriving in Miami via a trade with Houston Dynamo FC in December.
Robbie Robinson put the hosts in front, 2-0, two minutes into the second half. Robert Taylor intercepted Jara’s attempted pass to a defender and the ball caromed to Robinson, who took two quick touches before firing in from just outside the 18-yard box.
Robinson was sent off in the 65th minute for a scuffle with Tormenta defender Jake Dengler, with both players shown straight red cards.
Lassiter put the finishing touches on the win with a powerful run down the right and putting his shot that deflected off a Tormenta defender and off the crossbar before landing just over the goal line.
Kazaiah Sterling struck for a cosmetic goal two minutes from full time for Tormenta, slipping his shot past Miami goalkeeper
Goals
Sporting Kansas City 4, FC Dallas 2 (ET)
Sporting Kansas City rallied from a two-goal first-half deficit to level in second-half stoppage time and dramatically defeat 10-man FC Dallas, 4-2, in extratime at Children’s Mercy Park.
Franco Jara and Eddie Munjoma gave FC Dallas a 2-0 goal inside 34 minutes, but Nikola Vujnovic gave SKC a lifeline on the hour mark, capitalizing on FC Dallas’ defensive gaffe.
Moments after FC Dallas defender Jose Martinez was sent off for his second bookable offense, Marinos Tzionis latched onto Rémi Walter’s corner kick and directed in the dramatic equalizer from the edge of the six-yard box in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time.
The decisive goal came in the fourth minute of extratime when a Khiry Shelton shot was saved by Jimmy Maurer, but the ball caromed off Edwin Cerrillo and into the net for an own goal.
Shelton added an insurance tally in the 113th minute, the second goal gifted to the hosts off a miscue in the Dallas defensive third.
Goals
LAFC 2, Portland Timbers 0Â
LAFC scored a pair of goals off corner kicks in each half to defeat Western Conference foe Portland Timbers, 2-0, at Banc of California Stadium and advance to the US Open Cup Round of 16.
Cristian Arango’s flick at the near post off a Kwadwo Opoku service put the hosts in front on 32 minutes. Mamadou Fall latched onto an attempted headed clearance by Zac McGraw of an LAFC corner kick and slipped a pass to Opoku who raced to the end line before playing to Arango.Â
Fall tacked on an insurance goal in the 54th minute, firing in a left-footed shot inside the box following a José Cifuentes corner kick. Things went from bad to worse for the Timbers two minutes from full time when Jaroslaw Niezgoda left with an apparent injury.
GoalsÂ
