How Sporting KC beat host Union Omaha at the death in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Survive and advance. That’s the name of the game in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

And that’s precisely what Sporting Kansas City did on Wednesday night, prevailing 2-1 in overtime before an announced crowd of 4,733 at Caniglia Field on the University of Nebraska Omaha campus.

The visiting side, Sporting KC found itself down 1-0 and facing the dreaded “cupset” against a Division III Union Omaha FC team with a history of defeating Major League Soccer opponents in this annual tournament.

But Marinos Tzionis scored for Sporting just three minutes into the second half to tie the game, and Alan Pulido’s 120th-minute goal moved Kansas City into the next round.

“I told the guys afterward that this is what this tournament is,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said. “I’ve been through it a lot of times.

“It’s always difficult to play these teams because — I don’t mean this in a bad way — this is a huge game for them in a lot of ways.”

Union Omaha, of USL League One, opened the scoring in the 31st minute. Dion Acoff beat Zorhan Bassong one-on-one on the far sideline. He dribbled all the way into the box, but his pass was deflected into the path of teammate Lagos Kunga.

Kunga’s ensuing shot glanced off the leg of Sporting KC’s Kayden Pierre and into the net.

“It should have been a routine play for us,” Vermes said. “We got sucked into a position that we shouldn’t have.”

Sporting responded just on the other side of halftime, thanks to Tzionis. He picked off a bad touch by an Omaha player and dribbled all the way to the goal before firing a left-footed shot off the post and in.

Neither side could score during the remainder of regulation, sending the game to 30 minutes of extra time.

Sporting KC came close to scoring in the first period of extra time, with captain Johnny Russell curling a shot off the post. Union Omaha also sent a shot just wide.

Pulido’s game-winner came as the clock ticked through the final minute of extra time. With a penalty shootout looking ever more likely, Pulido — a second-half substitute Wednesday evening — put a shot from the top of the box into the bottom corner of Omaha’s goal.

“I’m happy because in penalty kicks, you never know about the result,” Pulido said.

Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu — who otherwise had a good night — got caught cheating to his left-hand side by Pulido (and Tzionis, for that matter).

Pulido placed his shot low and hard the other way, a deft display of finishing ability.

“To score in the 120th minute just shows the fight within the guys, and I appreciate that,” Vermes said.

Sporting KC and seven other MLS teams entered the field for the 109th edition of the U.S. Open Cup. Matches continue until a champion is crowned in September.

Two other MLS teams did not fare as well as Sporting KC on Wednesday. The Houston Dynamo fell to Detroit City in penalty kicks, while Real Salt Lake lost 4-2 at New Mexico United.

Sporting KC’s next U.S. Open Cup match will be against FC Tulsa of the USL Championship at Children’s Mercy Park on either May 21 or May 22.

Before then, Sporting KC returns to MLS action on Saturday, playing host to the Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.