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

Version 4 of 6.

Crowd of 32,287 sees FC Cincinnati beat MLS’s Chicago Fire on penalties

Miami FC, coached by Italian World Cup winner, beat top-flight Atlanta United

Guardian sport

Thu 29 Jun 2017 12.55 BST

Last modified on Thu 29 Jun 2017 17.05 BST

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share via Email

View more sharing options

Share on LinkedIn

Share on Pinterest

Share on Google+

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Messenger

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.