The magic -- and, at times, oddities -- of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup always seems to live up to the hype.
And the fact that Wednesday’s Fourth Round matchup at MAPFRE Stadium was one between two longstanding MLS rivals rather than opponents from across the American soccer pyramid didn’t make the evening any less unique.
Quite the opposite, a game that featured a brace by Fire forward Nemanja Nikoliu0107, a pair of goals in extra time and an MLS-record-tying 11-round penalty kick shootout that saw the same man deliver both the game-winning goal and game-winning save is one that’s sure to be remembered for years by fans of the historic cup competition.