The Quakes lose a heartbreaker to Austin on penalty kicks 4 to 2 after drawing 1-1 at the end of regulation and each side scoring another goal in extra time.
Chicho Arango gave the Quakes the early lead with his 12th minute goal off a Ousseni Bouda cross. However, Brandon Vázquez tied it for Austin with his penalty kick strike in the 65th minute. That score remained even at the end of regulation, but it was not any controversy as Quakes midfielder exited the match with a gash above his right knee and the red card not called to Austin defender Mikkel Desler who placed a cut to Espinoza resulting in a bloody cut.
Benji Kikanović was subbed in to take the place of Espinoza on the field, and his impact was felt with his 99th minute strike in extra time but Myrto Uzuni converted his penalty kick (the second of the match for Austin) in the 115 minute to force the game into the shootout from the spot.
The Quakes were only able to convert two out of four kicks, but Austin converted all four of their attempts and they ended up heading to the semi-finals of the US Open Cup, while the home side is left to wonder what might have been.
With the Quakes eliminated from Open Cup play they now focus on league play and their playoff run–this time on the road at Minnesota on Saturday July 12 at 5:30pm, while Austin FC will return home to face New England at the same time. The Texas club moves on in the tournament on the road at Minnesota September 16, and both teams will meet again in league play on August 30th and another PayPal Park match October 18 with possible spots in the MLS Cup postseason on the line.
