The second U.S. Open Cup final took place on Wednesday night as Minnesota United hosted fellow Western Conference rivals, the Portland Timbers. After facing each other in MLS play at the weekend, this was a quick rematch for both sides, and it was Minnesota who again earned the bragging rights.
Brian Fernandez cancelled out Darwin Quintero’s penalty to send the sides in at half-time level, but Mason Toye then burned past the Timbers defence for a lovely second-half strike to send the Loons through to their first-ever final in their MLS history.
Here are three things we learned from Minnesota United’s 2-1 victory.