Schweinsteiger falls and Nesta shines on night of shocks in US Open Cup

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/29/us-open-cup-fc-cincinnati-miami-fc-shocks

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It was a night of shocks in the US Open Cup on Wednesday as two MLS teams fell to lower division opposition in the last 16.

FC Cincinnati, who knocked out top-flight Columbus Crew in the previous round, beat another MLS team, Chicago Fire, on penalties in front of a raucous crowd of 32,287 in Ohio. Bastian Schweinsteiger’s Fire could not break down Cincinnati over 120 minutes and for once a German was on the wrong end of a penalty shoot-out. Cincinnati hopes to have an MLS team when the league expands and Wednesday’s atmosphere showed the passion for soccer in the city.

“We have an MLS-quality team, we have an MLS-quality stadium, we have MLS-quality fans,” goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt, who saved three penalties in the shoot-out, said after the win. “Everyone here, the city deserves this.”

In the night’s other upset, NASL side Miami FC were 3-2 winners over Atlanta United, who are playing their first MLS season. Miami, who are coached by Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta, squeezed past Atlanta thanks to a 93rd minute goal from Kwadwo Poku.

FC Cincinnati and Miami FC will meet in the quarter-finals, meaning it is guaranteed at least one semi-finalist will be a lower division team. The other non-MLS side in the tournament, Sacramento Republic, lost to LA Galaxy.

Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City beat Houston Dynamo; New England Revolution were victory over DC United; and the Philadelphia Union went out to the New York Red Bulls on penalties.

US Open Cup quarter-final draw: San Jose Earthquakes v Los Angeles Galaxy; Sporting Kansas City v FC Dallas; Miami FC v FC Cincinnati; New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls. Games to be played between 10 and 13 July.