US Open Cup 3rd Round: Miami FC 2-4 Tormenta FC: Ten man Miami FC once again fail in Open Cup after second half Tormenta comeback
Entertaining night of cup football plays out in Miami; Tormenta advance to the fourth round after a second half comeback
A back and forth match befitting of cup football played out at FIU Soccer Stadium on Wednesday night as home-standing Miami FC lost to Tormenta FC 4-2. For Tormenta FC its three wins on the bounce in this competition. For Miami FC it was a fourth straight loss in all competitions.
Tormenta FC traveled south to Miami coming off an impressive 3-0 win against Lexington in USL League One play. Having dispatched FC America CFL Spurs and Savannah Clovers in the previous two rounds, Tormenta continued its cup run with a furious second half comeback.
Of note, Miami FC has not defeated a professional team in this competition since a 3-2 win over MLS’ Atlanta United in 2017. Since then Miami FC has been eliminated from the Open Cup twice by amateur sides and three times by the first professional team they faced in the competition.
Tormenta dominated the first fifteen minutes of the match and that stretch culminated with an early goal from Jake Dengler off a set piece where Miami FC’s defense collapsed - a familiar site on set pieces and crosses this season as it was last season for MFC.
However, Miami FC were the better team the next 30 minutes in what was initially a cagey match but it opened up. In that period Miami FC scored twice, behind Luisinho, an electric young star but also had keeper Khadim Ndiaye sent off.
In the second half despite being a man down, Miami FC held its own but could not get a third goal despite at one point having a succession of three corner kicks and having a lot of the ball on front foot. Despite being a man down, space was opening as Tormenta pressed for a goal.
That goal finally came in minute 69 as Conor Doyle (A player I once lobbied to be capped for the USMNT, so he’s what we call at this level a “pedigree player”) placed a shot on target which unfortunately deflected off Miami FC’s top defender Daltyn Knutson- a former Tormenta standout.
Miami FC almost retook the lead a minute later when no one connected with Nicolas Cardona’s dangerous glancing cross into the area. Had a Miami FC attacker connected with the ball, it was an almost certain goal.
After minute 80 however, the match was stretched and Tormenta was making the extra man count. Quick passing and slick possession play opened up space and they scored twice late on.
The goals came courtesy of Callum Stretch who exposed Miami FC’s continued weakness in the air and then Sebastian Vivas on a counter attack in stoppage time.
Miami FC put on a good performance from about minute 15 to minute 70, but we saw once again young player errors and a naivety in terms of closing down a game, killing the match off or shutting up shop. Miami FC’s continued woes in this competition not withstanding there were some very positive signs from this match that we will get into tomorrow when we do a full analysis.
Miami FC look a team that’s good for 80 of 90 minutes but has a switch where they make constant errors the other 10.