FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami CF
Kyra Campbell
FC Cincinnati‘s U.S. Open Cup run has come to an end after their penalty kicks defeated by Inter Miami on Wednesday.
Alec Kann got the start in goal, as he has for all cup competitions this season. The backline was made up of Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga, and Nick Hagglund. Alvaro Barreal and Santiago Arias started at wingback. As usual, Luciano Acosta, Junior Moreno, and Obinna Nwobodo made up the midfield. Brandon Vazquez and Aaron Boupendza started up top.
The match started off well for FCC, with them being able to press and head off any Miami attacks before they became too dangerous. FCC opened the scoring in the 18th minute, when Lucho found the back of the net. Nwobodo strangely received a yellow card in the 31st minute after being hauled down while on the attack. FCC held onto their lead going into halftime. Then, in the 53rd minute, Brandon Vazquez put FCC up 2-0. Down by two goals, Miami subbed on a trio of attacking players, and FCC responded by subbing on Yuya Kubo for Boupendza in the 62nd minute to help hold onto possession. Soon after, in the 68th minute, Miami got one back thanks to Leonardo Campana’s header off a Messi free kick. To try to see out the game, Sergio Santos came on for Vazquez in the 78th minute, Alvas Powell came in for Murphy in 88th minute, and Marco Angulo and Ray Gaddis came on for Moreno and Lucho, who had received a yellow card four minutes earlier, in the 89th minute. Barreal was booked for a yellow card of his own in the 90th minute. Despite these subs, FCC was unable to see the game out and gave up the equalizing goal in the dying moments of stoppage time, another Campana goal assisted by Messi.
Extra time started off tragically for FC Cincinnati, with Miami’s Josef Martinez scoring in the 93rd minute. FCC weren’t able to do much of anything for the rest of the first period, with Miami playing the possession game extremely well. Bret Halsey came in for Barreal at the end of that first period. Then, in the 114th minute, Yuya Kubo put FCC level one again, sending the game to penalty kicks.
Everything was even between the two teams through the first four rounds of kicks, with Kubo, Arias, Santos, and Miazga all making theirs for FCC and Messi, Facundo Farias, David Ruiz, and Martinez all making theirs for Miami. Then, in the 5th round, Hagglund missed his kick and Benjamin Cremaschi made his, winning the penalty kick shootout 5-4 for Miami.
FC Cincinnati now turns its full attention towards league play and winning the Supporters’ Shield. They’ll have a chance to get back on track this Saturday when NYCFC comes to TQL Stadium. The game is at 7:30p and, as always, fans can watch the match on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
