Minnesota United’s Hassani Dotson scored the tying goal in the 90th minute, and the Loons went on to beat the host Columbus Crew 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw in the Leagues Cup’s round of 32 on Friday.
In the last minute of regulation, Minnesota’s Emanuel Reynoso intercepted a pass in Columbus territory, dribbled into the penalty area and passed to Dotson at the top of the box. Dotson bounced a right-footed shot past diving Crew goalie Evan Bush.
Columbus had taken a 3-2 lead on a Christian Ramirez goal in the 83rd minute. Malte Amundsen and Alexandru Matan also scored for the Crew, while the Loons got two goals from Bongokuhle Hlongwane, one in each half.
In the shootout, the first three players scored for each team before the next two missed for both teams. In the sixth round, Loons goalie Dayne St. Clair saved an attempt from Amundsen before Miguel Tapias knocked in the winning kick.
Minnesota advances to a round-of-16 matchup against Toluca.
Nashville SC 1, FC Cincinnati 1 (Nashville wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)
Nashville goalie Elliot Panicco, subbed in just for the penalty shootout, saved an attempt by Matt Miazga to lead his team to a victory at Cincinnati.
Every shooter for both teams scored in the tiebreaker except for Miazga in the third round. Panicco dived to his left and stopped the shot. Nashville’s Dax McCarty subsequently tapped the winning penalty kick into the bottom right corner.
Nashville opened the game’s scoring on a tally from Anibal Godoy in the 64th minute. Cincinnati pulled level when Brandon Vazquez scored on a penalty kick in the 85th minute.
Next up for Nashville is a matchup with Club America on Tuesday.
Club America 1, Fire 0
An own goal from Chicago’s Gaston Gimenez in the 64th minute was the difference as visiting Club America got the victory.
On the second phase of play after a corner kick, Leo Suarez drove a cross into the penalty area. Gimenez reached out his right leg in an attempt to block the pass, but knocked the ball into his own net.
The visitors had to survive a red card issued to Richard Sanchez in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time. Sanchez put a hard challenge on Brian Gutierrez, with his studs going into Gutierrez’s groin.
–Field Level Media