June 23, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City surged into the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals with a 6-0 quarterfinal thrashing of Union Omaha on Wednesday night at festive Children’s Mercy Park, matching the largest margin of victory in club history.
Winger Daniel Salloi bagged a sensational brace to become Sporting’s all-time Open Cup scoring leader, center back Kortne Ford nodded home before halftime, Khiry Shelton added a goal and two assists and Felipe Hernandez rounded out the barrage with two sublime strikes in the second half.
By swiftly eliminating their third-division opponents, Sporting has sealed a semifinal date with USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC in American soccer’s oldest and most prestigious domestic cup competition. Hosting rights for the fixture, set to be played on July 26 or 27, will be determined via Thursday’s draw during Futbol Americas on ESPN Plus at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Wednesday’s result pushed Sporting’s home unbeaten run in the U.S. Open Cup to 12 matches since 2015 as Union Omaha-a third-division club and the reigning USL League One champions-had their Cinderella run come to an end after famous upsets over Chicago Fire FC and Minnesota United FC earlier in the tournament.
Sporting has notably reached the Open Cup semifinals for the sixth time in team history, with each of the club’s last four appearances-in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2017-serving as the penultimate step to a tournament title. In addition, Peter Vermes has now prevailed in 26 of 33 Open Cup matches as Sporting’s manager, posting a 23-7-3 record with the three draws accounting for shootout victories.
Just 72 hours after defeating Nashville SC for the club’s first road win of the season, Sporting rolled out a lineup that featured four defensive changes. Ford, goalkeeper John Pulskamp and full backs Kayden Pierre Ben Sweat earned starts as Tim Melia, Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Logan Ndenbe and Graham Zusi were rested ahead of Saturday’s visit to MLS heavyweights Seattle Sounders FC.
Hernandez, who scored a 38-yard free kick in Sunday’s triumph at Nashville, went agonizingly close to drawing first blood inside two minutes. A quickfire Sporting attack down the left flank saw Cam Duke play forward to Salloi, who pulled back a cross for Hernandez near the top of the box. The 24-year-old midfielder met the pass with a sweet first-time strike off the outside of his right boot at the top of the box, but Omaha…
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