Tag: Johnny Russell

Sacramento Republic knocks off Sporting KC, continues magical U.S. Open Cup run

The giant-killers are going to the final!

Sacramento Republic FC did it again, seeing off yet another MLS team and advancing to the 2022 U.S. Open Cup final, getting past Sporting Kansas City on penalties Wednesday night thanks to some heroics from goalkeeper Matt Vitiello and some raw determination all over the field.

It’s just the fourth time since the MLS era began in 1996 that a non-MLS team has made the final, and the first time since 2008. It continues a run at home for Sacramento that has seen them advance in 16 of 17 Open Cup matches played on the California state fairgrounds.

Sacramento has now knocked three MLS teams out en route to the final, with Kansas City joining the San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy.

A packed house at Heart Health Park saw both teams provide early threats, though Kansas City’s Johnny Russell’s near miss was the closest look either team produced in the early moments.

Keko Gontán and Douglas Martínez both went close for the home side as the half wore on, though, with Sacramento starting to find space attacking the Sporting KC left. At the other end, Matt Vitiello had to make the trickiest save of the first half late, denying Daniel Salloi’s 19-yard blast at full stretch.

Play became more physical as the teams came out from the halftime break. However, a poor clearing header from Ben Sweat set Gontán up for a golden 61st minute chance that Jon Pulskamp did brilliantly to tip away. Kansas City, despite having more of the shots, never went closer than a late Felipe Hernández shot that zipped over the bar.

Extra time saw the chances start to pile up for Kansas City. Salloi bent one wide, while Vitiello had to make a stop as the field started to tilt against the USL Championship side. Salloi then went even closer in the 98th minute, cracking a shot off the bar that then nearly rebounded in off of defender Dan Casey, only to float mercifully wide.

Kansas City then appealed for a handball that was ignored, while substitute Willy Agada took one too many touches, allowing Vitiello to snag a loose ball before he could shoot from a promising position.

Russell was predictably at the heart of every promising KC attack, and tried to go it alone in the 116th minute only for Vitiello to produce another excellent stop.

It was all Sporting, until the very last play of the match. A long throw-in was allowed to bounce around before Casey shot low only to be denied by Graham Zusi’s block, and Lee Desmond shot the rebound into the stands.

Vitiello thought he’d given Sacramento the edge in the third round of penalties, denying Agada’s attempt, but referee Allen Chapman ordered a re-take that Agada didn’t waste.

However, Vitiello delivered his hero turn in the fifth round, as he flew to his left to slap away Zusi’s take, setting the stage for Republic cult hero Rodrigo López to convert the winning penalty.

Sacramento advance to face Orlando City, who will host the final after crushing the New York Red Bulls 5-1 earlier on Wednesday.

Watch Sacramento pull off the upset

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