ORLANDO, Fla. -- Alessandro Nesta returned to an MLS arena for the first time in four years and saw Stefano Pinho’s hat-trick steer his Miami FC side to a comfortable US Open Cup win against a makeshift Orlando City SC team. The in-form visitors, currently top of their league, created chances at will, with Pinho helping himself to two first-half strikes and icing the cake in the 55th minute as Orlando switched in vain to a 3-5-2 lineup after the break.
Giles Barnes bagged the home team’s consolation goal from a 79th-minute Rivas corner, but it could have been worse for the home team as they were out-shot 17-8 by Miami, for whom former New York City FC midfielder Kwadwo Poku was the driving force.
Box Score
- 30' - MIA - Stefano Pinho (Michael Lahoud) Watch
- 36' - MIA - Stefano Pinho (Hunter Freeman) Watch
- 55' - MIA - Stefano Pinho (Roberto Baggio Kcira) Watch
- 79' - ORL - Giles Barnes (Carlos Rivas) Watch
Lineups
ORLANDO CITY SC (4-4-2, right to left): #28 Josh Saunders -- #27 Rafael Ramos, #2 Jonathan Spector (Kaká, 63'), #95 Leo Pereira, #94 PC -- #17 Luis Gil, #23 Antonio Nocerino, #5 Servando Carrasco, #98 Pierre da Silva (Tommy Redding, 45') -- #14 Giles Barnes, #13 Hadji Barry (Carlos Rivas, 69')
UNUSED SUBS: Edwards, Toia, Higuita
MIAMI FC (4-3-3, right to left): #17 Daniel Vega -- #15 Hunter Freeman, #18 Rhett Bernstein, #5 Mason Trafford, #14 Roberto Baggio Kcira -- #26 Michael Lahoud, #20 Richie Ryan, #7 Dylan Mares (Gabriel Farfan, 66') -- #29 Stefano Pinho (Jaime Chavez 87'), #10 Kwadwo Poku (Blake Smith 77'), #8 Enzo Rennella
UNUSED SUBS: Herman, Borrajo, Martinez, Rezende
