Jesus Bueno scored the winning penalty as the Philadelphia Union beat NYRB in a penalty shootout to advance to the Quarter-Finals of the Leagues Cup.
The game ended 1-1 in regulation after Elias Manoel gave the visitors a fourth-minute lead. The Union grew into the game and were rewarded for their efforts when Nate Harriel headed Jim Curtin's side level.
The tie ended level after 90 minutes, meaning the fixture would be decided through a penalty shootout. Lewis Morgan missed the opening penalty before Daniel Edelman rattled the crossbar later on. Jack McGlynn had his spot kick saved, giving NYRB a lifeline. However, it went down to the final penalty, with the scores tied at 3-3. Bueno stepped up and kept his cool as he slotted his penalty into the bottom left corner, out of the reach of Carlos Coronel.
Jim Curtin stuck the five at the back for a third successive game against NYRB. Nate Harriel started at right wing-back, while Jack McGlynn and Leon Flach started in the midfield. Daniel Gazdag and Julian Carranza led the line, while Mikael Uhre was among the substitutes.
Elias Manoel gave NYRB a fourth-minute lead. The Philadelphia defense was carved open when Luquinhas picked up a loose ball in midfield and brought the ball forward. He played a through ball for Omir Fernandez, who found himself in the Union penalty area with space. He saw Manoel unmarked and squared it for the striker to tap beyond Andre Blake.
Dante Vanzeir missed a golden chance to double the visitor's lead in the 16th minute. He was played through on goal as a pass left a huge gap in the centre of the Union defense, allowing Vanzeir to run clear through the middle. He found himself one-on-one with Blake but missed the target as he dragged his effort wide of the post.
Sean Nealis provided a goal-saving challenge in the 26th minute. McGlynn found Kai Wagner alone at the back post, and he headed the ball into the six-yard box in the direction of Carranza. All that was needed was a touch to push the ball into the back of the net, but Nealis did well to get ahead of Carranza to put the ball out for a corner, which came to nothing.
Gazdag had the Union's first opportunity in the 31st minute. NYRB lost possession near their penalty area after a high Philadelphia press. Carranza tackled a visiting defender before Gazdag picked up the loose ball. He took it inside on his right foot before directing a shot towards the bottom corner. However, he failed to test Carlos Coronel as he bent his effort wide of the post.
Harriel was unlucky with an opportunity as the hosts started to grow into the game. McGlynn's pass found the wing-back on the corner of the penalty area. He cut inside onto his left foot before shooting, but his effort took a large deflection. That took the sting out of the effort as it harmlessly floated towards the goal, leaving Coronel to swat it out of the air to bring it down to his feet.
HALF-TIME: Philadelphia Union 0-1 NYRB
Jack Elliott was denied by a fantastic save from Coronel. A ball into the box found Elliott, who headed it towards the far corner. Coronel was off his line but did brilliantly to dive at full stretch and clawed it away from any danger.
The Union were forced into a change in the 55th minute when Gazdag went off with what appeared to be a knock. He was replaced by Uhre, while Jesus Bueno came on for Flach.
Glesnes had a huge opportunity in the 58th minute. A corner into the six-yard box fell to the unmarked defender, who struck it on the volley. However, he saw it late, so could not make the right contact with the ball as it cleared the bar.
The hosts had a penalty shout minutes later. Wagner played a low-driven cross towards Carranza at the near post, but he could not make contact with the ball. It then came to Bueno, who took it around Coronel before colliding with an NYRB defender. Despite the appeals from the home support, the referee and VAR did not award a spot kick.
In the 68th minute, Harriel scored his second Leagues Cup goal. The defender rose the highest from Wagner's corner to direct a header towards the right corner, beating Coronel in the NYRB goal.
Harriel came close to a second with five minutes remaining. He received the ball from just over 20 yards out and set himself to shoot. The Union Academy graduate struck a low-driven shot towards the far bottom corner, forcing Coronel to get down at full stretch to push it wide of the post.
The game ended 1-1, meaning the tie would be decided via a penalty shootout, the Union's second in the knockout stages of the Leagues Cup.
FULL-TIME: Philadelphia Union 1-1 NYRB
Lewis Morgan, who came on as a last-second substitute, had the first penalty of the shootout saved by Blake. Elliott and Frankie Amaya both scored their penalties before Uhre made it 2-1 to Philadelphia in the shootout. Coronel got two hands to the ball, but it was not enough as Uhre's spot kick had too much power.
NYRB missed their second penalty as Daniel Edelman smashed his off-the-crossbar before it bounced away from the goal. However, Coronel gave the visitors a massive lifeline when he guessed the right way to get down and save McGlynn's attempt. Nealis kept his cool to fire his penalty into the right corner before Carranza retained Philadelphia's advantage, as he stroked his spot kick down the middle, with Coronel diving to the right.
Tolkin had to remain composed as he confidently slotted his penalty into the back of the net, with Blake diving the opposite way. Jesus Bueno scored the winning penalty as he calmly placed the ball into the bottom left corner. Despite Coronel guessing the right way, he could not get to the ball as the Union won the penalty shootout and advanced to the Quarter-Finals.
Philadelphia Union: Blake, Harriel, Glesnes, Elliott, Lowe, Wagner, McGlynn, Martinez, Flach (Bueno 55'), Gazdag (Uhre 55'), Carranza
Unused Substitutes: Bendik, Trent, Real, Mbaizo, Torres, Rafanello, Sullivan, Donovan
NYRB: Coronel, Harper (Morgan 90'), Reyes, Nealis, Tolkin, Fernandez (Duncan 57'), Edelman, Amaya, Luquinhas (Yearwood 69'), Manoel (Barlow 57'), Vanzeir (Stroud 70')
Unused Substitutes: Reid, Nocita, Meara, Carmona, Marcucci, Donkor, Barlow, Ndam