The four-time champion Seattle Sounders continue to be US Open Cup darlings, and on Tuesday night they rode a legendary performance by backup goalkeeper Tyler Miller to a 4-1 penalty-kick shootout victory over Real Salt Lake in a Round of 16 match at Rio Tinto Stadium.
An extra half-hour of extra time couldn’t break the 1-1 deadlock between the two teams with Seattle's compact play and eight saves by Miller helping them survive the RSL pressure. Then in the penalty-kick shootout, Miller stopped shots by RSL's Joao Plata and Kyle Beckerman, while Seattle made all four of their kicks to punch a ticket to the quarterfinals, where they will face a rival: the Portland Timbers or LA Galaxy.
TYLER. FREAKIN. MILLER.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) June 29, 2016
Enjoy the penalty shootout in its entirety https://t.co/inpDqTxV2i
RSL took the lead just before halftime after pressing for almost the entire first half. Yura Movsisyan was pushed in the back by Seattle's Tony Alfaro after running onto a through ball in the penalty area. After some discussion over who would take the penalty kick, Plata stepped up and sent it flying past Miller.
The Sounders were able to equalize early in the second half when Nelson Valdez took advantage of some miscommunication between Jeff Attinella and his back line. RSL's backup goalkeeper had come out to claim the ball, but failed to secure it and the ball eventually fell to Valdez who directed the ball toward the open net from outside the penalty area.
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-3-3, right to left): Jeff Attinella - Tony Beltran, Justen Glad (Chris Wingert 119'), Aaron Maund, Demar Phillips - Luke Mulholland (Jordan Allen 72'), Javier Morales, Kyle Beckerman - Juan Manuel Martinez, Yura Movsisyan, Joao Plata
Seattle Sounders (4-3-3, right to left): Tyler Miller - Oniel Fisher, Zach Scott, Tony Alfaro, Dylan Remick - Nathan Sturgis, Cristian Roldan, Zach Mathers (Eric Friberg 64') - Herculez Gomez, Nelson Valdez (Joevin Jones 100'), Oalex Anderson (Jordan Morris 79')
