The 2022 US Open Cup featured a jampacked Round of 16 slate on Wednesday night, with 13 teams from across MLS looking to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.
Ultimately, six MLS clubs booked a spot in the next round. Here's how it all went down.
Louisville City SC 1, Nashville SC 2
Nashville SC avoided a Cupset against USL Championship side Louisville City SC, getting an 89th-minute game-winner from Hany Mukhtar that delivered a 2-1 victory in front of a raucous crowd at Lynn Family Stadium.
The sides swapped goals in the first half, with Brian Ownby giving Louisville the lead with a flicked header to the far post in the 37th minute. But the hosts couldn't hold that advantage, as Nashville equalized virtually immediately through Ake Loba, who deposited a close-range finish at the back-end of a counterattack.
The contest looked headed for extra time, but Mukhtar gave Nashville the win in regulation after entering as a substitute, cashing home a tight-angled finish just as the match approached second-half stoppage time, sending Nashville through to the quarterfinals.
Goals
Orlando City SC 1 (4), Inter Miami CF 1 (2)
Orlando City SC advanced past Inter Miami CF in penalty kicks during a Florida rivalry matchup between the Eastern Conference sides at Exploria Stadium.
The sides battled to a scoreless stalemate all the way until the first period of extra time, when each club struck for a goal in a three-minute span.
Jean Mota scored the first in highlight-reel fashion for Inter Miami, teeing up a curling golazo from well outside the box that stunned the home crowd and gave the visitors an extra-time lead. But Miami conceded the leveler just three minutes later, as Facundo Torres cashed home an assist from Mauricio Pereyra.
After neither side found a winner, Orlando emerged victorious in the decisive penalty-kick shootout. Each of the Lions’ four takers converted their spot-kicks, while Miami’s Bryce Duke and DeAndre Yedlin came up empty on their attempts.
Goals
Minnesota United FC 1, Union Omaha 2
Minnesota United FC suffered a massive Cupset, falling 2-1 to USL League One side Union Omaha at Allianz Field on Wednesday evening.
The Loons gained an early lead via a sixth-minute goal from DP striker Adrien Hunou, but that was the hosts' only tally of the match, as Union Omaha scored two unanswered to pull off the shock result.
The first came from Hugo Kametani in first-half stoppage time, which set the stage for a 51st-minute game-winner from Joseph Brito that sent Omaha through and the Loons crashing out.
Union Omaha had beaten Chicago Fire FC in the Third Round on penalty kicks, with the third-division side now upsetting two MLS teams.
Goals
New York Red Bulls 3, Charlotte FC 1
The New York Red Bulls ended Charlotte FC's first-ever Open Cup campaign, taking a comfortable 3-1 victory at MSU Soccer Park.
The sides split goals inside the first 10 minutes, as Patryk Klimala scored the opener for RBNY just two minutes into the contest before Daniel Rios equalized for Charlotte six minutes after that.
But RBNY struck for a pair before it was over, going ahead for good in the 63rd minute through Dylan Nealis before Tom Barlow added a 92nd-minute insurance goal that sealed off the 3-1 final scoreline.
Goals
NYCFC 1, New England Revolution 0
New York City FC are through to the Open Cup quarterfinals after beating the New England Revolution, 1-0, Wednesday evening at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University.
The Cityzens, in a rematch of an Eastern Conference Semifinal in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, went ahead in extra time’s first frame when Santiago Rodriguez scored in the 94th minute. Revolution center back Andrew Farrell misplayed a pass in the buildup, and NYCFC countered to great effect.
NYCFC controlled the majority of possession and chances as New England fielded a reserve-heavy lineup. That produced regulation time’s best chance in the 13th minute when goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic logged an incredible double save on Thiago Andrade.
Goals
- 94’ - NYC - Santiago Rodriguez | WATCH
Sporting Kansas City 2, Houston Dynamo FC 1
Johnny Russell scored a second-half brace to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 Round of 16 victory for Sporting Kansas City over Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park.
Corey Baird put Houston on top with the opener in the 41st minute, but Russell canceled that out with the first of his two goals just on the other side of the halftime break.
The Scottish attacker deposited the winner from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Houston’s Daniel Steres was whistled for a foul in his own area, sending Sporting to the quarterfinals.
Goals
LA Galaxy 3, LAFC 1
Kevin Cabral opened the scoring for LA on 51 minutes, then Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez added the second with a first-time finish on Samuel Grandsir's cross six minutes later.
Dejan Joveljić added what turned out to be an important third goal in the 81st minute, as LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead found the net in the 85th minute for what was ultimately a consolation strike.
Goals
Sacramento Republic 2, San Jose Earthquakes 0
The San Jose Earthquakes became the second MLS side of the evening whose Open Cup run ended against a lower-division foe, falling 2-0 to USL Championship side Sacramento Republic at Heart Health Park.
Luis Felipe scored the opener in the 28th minute, while Rodrigo Lopez added some insurance in the 83rd minute to pace the hosts.
The Quakes held nearly 70% of the possession while racking up 17 shots (five on target) and 12 corner kicks, but could never find a breakthrough against a well-drilled Sacramento side.
Goals
