FC Cincinnati of the United Soccer League won 1-0 over the NASL’s Miami FC on Wednesday to become the first lower-division team to reach the US Open Cup semi-finals in six years.
Senegalese forward Djiby Fall’s goal in the 68th minute, his fourth of the tournament, made the difference for the second-year club of the United Soccer League, which shares second-division status with the NASL in the United States pyramid.
Miami FC nearly equalized in the 89th minute but Kwadwo Poku’s shot was turned away by Cincinnati keeper Mitch Hildebrandt, who kept his fourth straight clean sheet in four tournament games before a crowd of 10,415 at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
FC Cincinnati, who become the first non-MLS team to reach the semi-finals of the 103-year-old tournament since the Richmond Kickers in 2011, will host the New York Red Bulls on 15 August for a spot in the US Open Cup final.
