Bryan Vasquez converted against keeper Niklas Herceg and Connor Miller was denied by Matias Molina in penalties as WSC defeated Vermont Green 4-3 on penalties Wednesday night in Burlington, Vermont. The win advances WSC to the third round of US Open Cup for the second straight season, in the first match in club history decided on penalties.
The match was scoreless through the extra session, with Vermont dominating play against shorthanded WSC, who were missing three players for the match. Conor McGlynn converted to give WSC a 1-0 lead in penalities, before Vermont’s Alex Hall converted to make it 1-1. Vermont actually took the lead in the fourth round, when Herceg denied Koen Blommestijn’s shot and Riley Moloney put Vermont Green FC ahead at 3-2 with a Panenka finish past Molina. In round five, Josh Drack converted but Mitch Baker went way over the bar for Vermont to force a sixth round, and the final heroics.
Vermont had several second half chances, the latest coming in the 73rd minute, when Alex Hall was taken down 25 yards from net. On the direct kick, Connor Miller’s shot goes straight to Molina, which followed a near own goal by WSC in the 61st minute, when a Vermont low cross into the box ricocheted off several WSC defenders and Molina was in the right spot to block wicked redirect.
Molina, in just his second start and first in US Open Cup play, turned back four shots, including three inside the box, to keep the match scoreless before his heroics on penalties.
WSC now returns to USL League One play Saturday night, hosting Corpus Christi.
