Story by
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Loons win after ‘ridiculous’ 12 rounds of penalty kicks in U.S. Open Cup
- Story byPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
- Loons win after ‘ridiculous’ 12 rounds of penalty kicks in U.S. Open Cup
Minnesota United went 10 dramatic rounds in a penalty kick shootout to advance past the Seattle Sounders in the MLS Cup Playoffs last November.
In the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, the Loons outdid themselves, outlasting upset-minded Sacramento Republic in a stunning 12-round PK marathon in a round of 32 match at Heart Health Field in Sacramento, Calif.
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Minnesota, which reached the semifinals of this national tournament in 2025, was facing elimination against the USL Championship team in the fifth and 11th rounds of PKs.
"It's becoming ingrained with having these ridiculous penalty shootouts, but I'm just really pleased that we came out on the right side," MNUFC head coach Cameron Knowles said postgame. "I think the experience has served us well in knowing that you kind of have to ride the ups and downs through each shooter."
In last year's Game 3 win at Allianz Field, goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made his PK in the 10th round, while Seattle goalie Andrew Thomas didn't convert. It allowed Minnesota to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
In this tournament, United's victory allowed them to advance to the Open Cup's round of 16 on April 28 or 29. The opponent, either the San Jose Earthquakes and Phoenix Rising, will be determined in their round of 32 match on Wednesday.
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On Tuesday, all field players had taken shots, leaving it to the two goalkeepers in the 11th round. Alec Smir 's shot sailed high, giving Sacramento a chance to win it. But keeper Danny Vitiello's shot was denied by Smir's leg.
"The huge moment is Al making that save, and you know what that must have felt like for him and that sort of personal redemption to be able to go from missing to then keeping your team in it," Knowles said. "That is huge. To have the composure in that moment is truly remarkable."
Loons midfielder Joaquin Pereyra converted his second PK in the 12th round, leaving it to Sacramento's Dominik Wanner to keep the shootout going. Instead, he missed the target and Minnesota survived 9-8.
For all the late drama, the 120 minutes of live action was a scoreless slog, an indication that both teams played league games on the road Saturday. Minnesota dominated possession (66-34%) and held an advantage in shots (16-9 total, 5-2 on target) but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard through 90 minutes plus another 30 minutes of extra time.
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Wanner had the game's best scoring chance in the 115th minute, but his shot near the penalty spot went off Smir's chest.
James Rodriguez made his first start in a Loons shirt after missing the past two MLS matches due to extreme dehydration. The Colombian star played 66 minutes alongside Momo Dieng and Bongi Hlongwane, but that trio lacked chemistry. Rodriguez was credited with one scoring chance created.
The Loons made nine changes to the starting XI from the 2-1 win over San Diego FC in MLS action on Saturday. Only Owen Gene and Morris Duggan kept their places after the short turnaround. Knowles' attempt to manage workloads of key players for Saturday's home game against Portland was scuttled with the extra time, but Minnesota is moving on in the national tournament.
"You want to get through to the next round, and that's job done," Knowles said. "Maybe not in the fashion or in the 90 minutes that you would have hoped. But we are on to the next round, and it gives us a chance to continue to compete for a trophy."
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While Sacramento couldn't get it done, two other USL Championship teams knocked off MLS sides on Tuesday. Louisville City pulled off a 2-1 upset of Austin FC , which beat Minnesota in the semifinals last year. And Colorado Springs Switchbacks earned a 3-1 win over lowly Sporting Kansas City . Meanwhile, New England also needed penalty kicks to outlast Rhode Island.
