Minnesota United FC reaches U.S. Open Cup semifinals with win over Chicago Fire

Minnesota United came into Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal matchup with the Chicago Fire carrying a few advantages. A three-game unbeaten streak, for one, as well as the right to play at home.

Before the first half was over, though, the Loons had the best advantage of all: a man advantage. And they enjoyed it so much, they extended it an extra half hour, taking the game to extra time.

Omar González was sent off for Chicago in the 25th minute, and though the Fire took the lead moments later, eventually the Loons managed to make their advantage count. Robin Lod scored two minutes into the second half, Kelvin Yeboah scored four minutes into the first half of extra time and converted from the penalty spot two minutes from the end of the game, and Minnesota ran out with an extended 3-1 victory at Allianz Field.

“It’s a little bit tricky when the opponent has a red card because you kind of feel some kind of false security that the game’s going to be easy,” Lod said. “At certain times we could have been a little more patient with the ball, because we had the whole 45 minutes to chase and score. Luckily we get another 30 minutes, and we sealed the deal.”

The Loons will host the winner of San Jose and Austin FC in the third week of September as they seek the first major trophy in team history. Should they get through to the final, they would host that match as well.

“I love the fact that we’ve got home run to the final, across the semi and the final,” Loons manager Eric Ramsay said. “I said to the players beforehand that you could play 10 years in MLS and not win a trophy, and this is a really good chance for us to do so. And it’s a really good chance for the club to do something it’s not done before.”

González’s red card came as the Fire were taking a corner kick. Apparently trying to create space between himself and defender Julian Gressel, González brought his arm up too high and threw a forearm shiver directly into Gressel’s chops.

Referee Ekaterina Koroleva checked the play on the sideline monitor and, after a moment’s deliberation, sent off González.

As the game restarted, though, the referee was immediately back at the center of attention. Minnesota midfielder Wil Trapp tried to block a cross from Chicago’s Philip Zinckernagel in his own penalty area, and Zinckernagel’s follow-through caught Trapp in the foot.

It was debatable who was really at fault, but since Zinckernagel won the ball, the referee pointed to the penalty spot — and Brian Gutiérrez converted, sending Dayne St. Clair the wrong way.

Minnesota made three substitutions at halftime, and it took a pair of the subs less than two minutes to get the Loons on the scoresheet. Anthony Markanich, in at left back, got on the end of neat pass from Tani Oluwaseyi behind the Fire defense and crossed for Lod to tap home the tying goal.

MATCH SUMMARY: Minnesota United FC 3, Chicago 1 (OT)

Minnesota’s second half, even with the man advantage, was marked by wayward long-distance shots, as the Fire sat back on defense and tried to hold on. Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady did have to make a couple of top-notch saves to keep the game even, first keeping out a close-range effort from Lod and then pushing a long-range Bongokuhle Hlongwane shot around the post.

Four minutes into extra time, though, Yeboah finally made the Fire pay, volleying home from the center of the penalty area to break the deadlock. And two minutes from the end, Yeboah ran away on a breakaway and was brought down by a Fire defender in the penalty area. He converted the resulting penalty kick, giving the Loons the clinching goal and sending the Allianz Field fans home happy, if later than expected.

“It felt like an unnecessary half hour, from our perspective, it’s frustrating that it’s gone that far,” Ramsay said. “But I think ultimately we didn’t deserve to win the game in normal time. We were far too sloppy, lacking real precision. We didn’t do what that period of the game really required of us. So it needed the extra half an hour.”