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Nashville SC to host D.C. United in U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on July 9
(This story was updated with new information.) Nashville SC now knows when it will host D.C. United in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The game will take place on July 9 (8 p.m., Paramount+) at Geodis Park. The quarterfinal draw took place on May 22. Advertisement Nashville was placed in the East half of the bracket, grouping it with the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union in the other quarterfinal. If Nashville beats D.C., it will advance to its first-ever Open Cup semifinals, where it will face either the Red Bulls or Union on Sept. 16 or 17. Nashville would be at home against Philadelphia and on the road against New York. The Open Cup final is set for Oct. 1. One of the teams from the West half — Austin FC, the Chicago Fire, Minnesota United or the San Jose Earthquakes — will host that game. Nashville beat Orlando City 3-2 on May 21 at Inter&Co Stadium in the round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals for the second time ever. Nashville fell to Orlando on penalties in their previous quarterfinal appearance in 2022. MORE: Nashville SC signs Tate Schmitt, former Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo defender Advertisement D.C. beat Charlotte FC in its round of 16 match on May 21. United came back from separate one-goal deficits in the 86th minute and in extra time to force a 3-3 tie and send the game to a penalty shootout, which it won 2-1. Nashville is 5-2-4 against D.C. all-time, with both losses coming last season. The teams played to a 0-0 tie at Geodis Park on May 17. Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@ and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: U.S. Open Cup: Nashville SC to host D.C. United in quarterfinals
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2 days ago
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Nashville SC beats Chattanooga Red Wolves 1-0 to advance to the U.S. Open Cup round of 16
Nashville SC started strong in its quest for its first trophy. Josh Bauer scored the lone goal in Nashville's 1-0 win over the Chattanooga Red Wolves in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32 at Geodis Park on May 6. The victory put NSC in the round of 16, where it will travel to face either Orlando City SC or the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 20 or 21. Advertisement Chattanooga, which plays in the third-tier USL League One, hung tough even though Nashville dominated the ball and had the better of opportunities throughout. An 80th-minute red card on forward Alhassan Alhassan reduced the Red Wolves to 10 men and dealt a severe blow to their upset hopes. "You got to give credit to Chattanooga," Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan said. "The way they were set up, the way they came into the game was really good, made it very difficult for us to play and get some rhythm. But I thought what we saw tonight is the depth of our team, and the versatility of our team was a nice positive." Nashville returns to action May 10 at home against Charlotte FC. Charlotte beat Nashville 2-1 in the team's previous meeting this season. Opportunity for reserves, young players With Chattanooga the second of nine games Nashville will play this month, Callaghan went with an entirely changed lineup from the team's most recent game, a 1-1 draw at Atlanta United. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake and midfielder Bryan Acosta made their NSC debuts, and center back Chris Applewhite became the first player from NSC's academy to start a game. Rookies Matthew Corcoran and Wyatt Meyer also drew starts. Advertisement Forward Jonathan Perez was a menace throughout the game, using his speed and creativity off the dribble to beat Chattanooga defenders on the wing. In the 18th minute, Perez cut into the penalty box and slipped while trying to shoot, but managed to redirect it towards Bauer, who volleyed it home for his third goal of the season. "He's been working really hard the last couple weeks," Nashville assistant coach Michael Nsien said. "He's showing really well in training, scoring goals, really demanding the ball, starting to show a lot of character, a lot of his personality on the field. He looked very comfortable today expressing himself. That's the Johnny that we want to see. "Josh, maybe he's underrated at times because he's kind of the center back-fullback profile. But he's very comfortable with his feet. When he gets in those little side pockets of space and gets a shot off, it can be a goal at any moment." Nashville can't add to lead Even with over 70% possession, Nashville was quiet after Bauer's goal, especially during the second half. The Red Wolves set up with five defenders and two defensive midfielders, which Nsien said limited space and forced Nashville's attack to the outside of the field. Advertisement "We were able to get ourselves into good final pass opportunities, spaces in the penalty box, but I don't think we executed that well," Callaghan said. "Looking back, we probably needed to get our runs a little more spaced out and try to open up a couple areas in front of goal a little better." MORE: Nashville SC creates new position for GM Mike Jacobs, extends contract through 2028 Taylor Washington injured The scariest moment of the game for Nashville came midway through the first half. Left back Taylor Washington had to leave the game with an injury when a Chattanooga player landed on his leg during a tackle attempt. Advertisement Callaghan didn't have an immediate update on Washington, who is Nashville's longest-tenured player and was making his season debut. Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@ and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: US Open Cup: Nashville SC beats Chattanooga Red Wolves 1-0
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2 days ago
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Nashville SC continues unbeaten streak, but can't break through in scoreless tie with D.C. United
On May 3, Nashville SC played Atlanta United to a 1-1 tie which felt more like a win. The Boys in Gold were the better team for the final 70 minutes, rallied from a first-half deficit on the road and left Mercedes-Benz Stadium feeling they'd delivered, in coach B.J. Callaghan's words, a "complete, professional performance." Advertisement An 0-0 draw with D.C. United at Geodis Park on May 17 had the same net result. But afterwards, Nashville (7-4-3, 24 points) seemed to rue the two points it didn't earn more than it savored the one point it did pick up in the MLS standings. "We're not happy at all with the result," Callaghan said. "There's no one in the locker room that's satisfied." Nashville, which did extend its unbeaten streak to six games, plays at Orlando City in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 on May 21 (6:30 p.m., Paramount+). Revenge not on Nashville's mind Callaghan had previously said Nashville wouldn't be motivated by what happened the last time it faced D.C. (3-6-5, 14 points), when Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to hand NSC a 4-3 loss and all but eliminate it from playoff contention last October. Advertisement While that game featured a combined 50 shots — 31 from United — this meeting had almost nothing in common with last season's hectic affair. Nashville took eight shots, five on goal, while D.C. took just three. NSC goalkeeper Joe Willis only needed one save, stopping a speculative try from former teammate Randall Leal, to record his fourth shutout of 2025. "(D.C.) made it difficult to play tonight, and they have a lot of numbers behind the ball," Callaghan said. "So you're in a pretty combative game that there wasn't a lot of space." Nashville lacks finishing touch Despite having the advantages in shots and possession (55%), Nashville only put the ball in the back of the net once — a goal which was called back due to Teal Bunbury being offside before he passed to Hany Mukhtar for a tap-in. Advertisement There were other missed moments: Nashville couldn't take advantage of a 3-on-1 break just after halftime, while Sam Surridge skied an open shot in the 87th minute. "We weren't clean with the ball," Callaghan said. "We missed a few passes, couple balls got blocked. I just think from the beginning to the end we could have probably executed a little better." In fact, D.C. nearly stole all three points in stoppage time: Andy Najar lost the ball deep in the defensive third, leaving Jacob Murrell with an open shot at goal from a tight angle, but the striker blasted his shot well over the net. With an expected goal figure of 0.26, per FotMob, it was the best chance of the night for either team. Heavily rotated lineup Nashville's game at Orlando will be its seventh game in 18 days. Callaghan's lineup decisions against United reflected that congested schedule as well as the priority NSC is placing on the Open Cup. Advertisement In were Bunbury, Chris Applewhite, Josh Bauer, Gaston Brugman and Ahmed Qasem. Out were Najar, Surridge, Alex Muyl, Jacob Shaffelburg and Jeisson Palacios, who had started Nashville's last four MLS games. MORE: Why Nashville SC Latino supporters group canceled game-day activities in wake of ICE sweeps Applewhite, 17, became the first homegrown player to start a league game for NSC. The center back won seven of nine aerial duels, a game high for both teams, and threaded a long ball to Bunbury in the first half to set up a free kick in prime scoring position. "You forget that he's only 17," Willis said. "He plays and acts so much more mature than that. ... They wanted to play a lot of long balls and hope to win knockdowns and second balls. For him to step in and dominate in the air the way he did was a huge boost." Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@ and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC ties D.C. United in scoreless game
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2 days ago
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Sam Surridge scores twice as Nashville SC beats Toronto FC 2-1 on the road
Whatever Sam Surridge has against the city of Toronto, Nashville SC is thankful for it. Surridge scored two goals as Nashville (8-4-3, 27 points) took down Toronto FC 2-1 at BMO Field on May 24. The Boys in Gold extended their unbeaten streak to six games in MLS play and eight games across all competitions. Advertisement Last June, Surridge scored twice to lead Nashville to a 2-1 win at Toronto. The striker's latest brace brought him to a team-high eight goals, tied for fourth in the league. Jonathan Osorio scored for Toronto (3-8-4, 13 points) in stoppage time, but NSC held on the last three minutes to stay in third place in the Eastern Conference. "I wouldn't say it was our best soccer and our best ability to execute," said Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan. "But I thought the group really competed well." Nashville finishes off a three-game road trip against the Columbus Crew on May 28 (7 p.m. CT). Inside Sam Surridge's performance vs Toronto While Nashville dictated terms for most of the game, it made adjustments in the second half to counteract Toronto's defense. Callaghan said Nashville had better positioning in central midfield and made more runs in behind the defense. Advertisement That's how Surridge scored his first goal. In the 57th minute, Andy Najar laced a long, floating pass down the right wing to Hany Mukhtar, who crossed to Surridge in front of goal for a tap-in. In the 89th minute, Surridge found the net again when substitute Jonathan Perez threaded him a pass in transition. "We still had good chances where I think we could have gone one or two up, but we didn't panic," Surridge said. "At halftime, it was us staying calm. It was a positive halftime. It wasn't one where we think we have to do better, just a few tweaks." Walker Zimmerman returns from concussion Defender Walker Zimmerman, who hadn't played since sustaining a concussion against Charlotte FC on April 5, made his return after missing nine games. The center back, Nashville's team captain, subbed on in the 73rd minute against Toronto. Advertisement "His presence is always there, his leadership has always been there," Callaghan said. "But there's always a moment that when he steps back on the field, the group gets a lift." Nashville, which struggled mightily without Zimmerman last season, played well during his absence. Jack Maher and Jeisson Palacios took hold in the middle of the defense, helping NSC go 6-1-2 and outscore opponents 18-8. "I'm going to have very tough decisions," Callaghan said. "Center backs have been playing really well. The back line's been playing really well. That's what winning teams have, depth and guys who are called on." Nashville continues to manage challenging May May was supposed to be one of the toughest stretches of the season for Nashville, with nine games in a 28-day span. NSC has met the challenge with its best soccer yet, including a 3-2 win over Orlando City on May 21 to advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals in July. Advertisement MORE: Nashville SC to host D.C. United in U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals in July Nashville's current unbeaten run is tied for the third-longest in team history. It went 11 games without a loss as a United Soccer League club in 2018 and had a nine-match undefeated streak in 2021. "Credit to the staff, we have to credit Robert Butler and Sydney Gray with medical high performance in turning these guys over every three days to play," Callaghan said. "And credit to the players and their ability to prepare before. We reflect, we refine what we're going to do, we recover, and then we do it again." Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@ and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC beats Toronto FC behind Sam Surridge two-goal game
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2 days ago
- Business
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How an ailing, seldom-used rookie sent Nashville SC past Orlando, into US Open Cup quarterfinals
How unlikely was Nashville SC's biggest win of the B.J. Callaghan era? For starters, the winning goal came from 25 yards away, off the non-dominant right foot of an ailing rookie defender who had played in just four games for Nashville, which was playing its U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 game at Orlando City SC. Wyatt Meyer was under the weather and the Florida heat didn't help matters. When he scored in the 79th minute, he barely had enough energy to celebrate. Advertisement "I was suffering out there," Meyer said. " ... But all the boys on the team are so encouraging, like, 'Wyatt, you're gonna have to dig deep.' It's a little hot, but whatever. Just get through it and grind for these guys." Meyer's goal gave Nashville a 3-2 win at Inter&Co Stadium on May 21 in Orlando, Florida, and sent Nashville to the Open Cup quarterfinals. It ended a five-match losing streak to Orlando, extended NSC's unbeaten streak to seven and snapped the Lions' own undefeated run at 12. Nashville also avenged its loss to Orlando in the quarterfinals in 2022, the only other time it has reached that stage of the United States' oldest soccer competition. "We're really proud of the whole group, the way the group prepared, the way the group performed," Callaghan, Nashville's coach, said. "We call on everybody, and we know that we have a deep squad and a squad that we believe in." Advertisement Nashville will host D.C. United in the Open Cup quarterfinals, which are scheduled for July 8-9. Nashville goes deep into bench Callaghan said Nashville picked up some "knocks" in its 0-0 tie with D.C. United on May 17 and in training prior to facing Orlando, but didn't specify injuries to specific players. Teams are not required to release availability reports before Open Cup games, unlike in MLS play. Nashville is at Toronto FC on May 24 in its next MLS game. Just three regular starters — defenders Andy Najar and Jeisson Palacios and midfielder Patrick Yazbek — were in the initial lineup. Attackers Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, midfielder Edvard Tagseth, defender Daniel Lovitz and goalkeeper Joe Willis weren't picked at all. Advertisement Brian Schwake started in goal, while teenagers Chris Applewhite and Matthew Corcoran played all 90 minutes at center back and central midfield. Midfielder Ethan O'Brien was called up from MLS Next Pro affiliate Huntsville City FC and made his Nashville debut in the second half. "When you get your number called, you're able to get on the field, you get to show what you're capable of doing," assistant coach Michael Nsien said. "Players represented themselves really well tonight. I feel like the team grew 1, 2, 3%." May 21, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City defender David Brekalo (4) and Nashville SC midfielder Ahmed Qasem (37) defend during the first half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Back-and-forth scoring Orlando's counterattack was dangerous throughout. Marco Pasalic got things going with a 17th-minute goal from well outside the box on a quick transition. But Nashville evened the score in the 23rd minute on a Rodrigo Schlegel own goal. Ahmed Qasem found the net with a low left-sided shot to put NSC up 2-1 just before halftime. Advertisement Qasem was the best player on the field and had a hand in all three Nashville goals. The Swedish winger answered Ramiro Enrique's 58th-minute equalizer when he beat Ivan Angulo off the dribble and passed to Yazbek, who set up Meyer with a back-heel assist. MORE: Nashville SC signs Tate Schmitt, former Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo defender Nashville closes game out At one point, closing out games appeared to be a serious problem for Nashville. In 2024, it gave up six game-winning or game-tying goals after the 75th minute. This season, it has conceded stoppage-time goals in early losses to FC Cincinnati and Charlotte FC. Advertisement Since then, Nashville has had three come-from-behind victories and successfully protected one-goal leads four times. Meyer credited that success to Nashville's ability to control the ball late, in addition to having a "dog mentality" to win back possession when they lose it. "The experiences that we've taken from the beginning of the season, how we've been able to apply it is starting to reveal itself," Nsien said. "We're able to switch formations at the end of the game. Players' ability to be fluid and take instruction in an intense game is important for us." Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@ and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: US Open Cup: Nashville SC beats Orlando City, advances to quarterfinal
