Minnesota United FC vs. Austin FC Preview
MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United FC vs. Austin FC Preview

Published on September 16, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United returns to Allianz Field on Wednesday night for one of the club's most important fixtures in recent history, hosting Austin FC in the Semifinals of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Loons come into the match riding high after their impressive 3-1 league victory on the road at San Diego FC, and now shift their focus to cup play with a place in the Open Cup Final on the line.

Minnesota United traveled west this past Saturday night and came away with an impressive 3-1 victory over San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium. Anthony Markanich smashed the game opener and Carlos Harvey doubled the lead shortly after, before debutant Nectarios Triantis capped off the night with a goal and an assist in a dream first appearance. Dayne St. Clair added to the performance with 12 saves, setting a new personal- high record and ensuring Minnesota's momentum stayed high ahead of Tuesday's semifinal clash.

The Loons advanced to this semifinal following a 3-1 victory at home over Chicago Fire FC on July 8. The visiting team took the early lead, but Minnesota scored three unanswered goals by Robin Lod and two tallies from Kelvin Yeboah. This upcoming match marks MNUFC's second semifinal appearance in the competition; the first appearance was in 2019 when the Loons defeated Portland Timbers 2-1 to advance to their first-ever U.S. Open Cup Final.

For Austin FC, Tuesday night represents a chance to break new ground in only their sixth year of existence. Nico Estévez's side has shown resilience in knockout play this season, edging past Houston Dynamo and toppling San Jose Earthquakes to book their place in the semifinals. They arrive in Saint Paul having lost a 2-0 narrow MLS contest against FC Dallas, but remain a dangerous side with Myrto Uzuni and Owen Wolff leading their attack.

Minnesota enters the clash in strong form, with Anthony Markanich, Carlos Harvey, and new signing Nectarios Triantis all scoring in the weekend victory at San Diego. The Loons have showcased depth and balance throughout their Open Cup run, leaning on key saves from Dayne St. Clair and creative sparks from Robin Lod and Joaquín Pereyra.

With Allianz Field set to host a cup semifinal for the second time, the energy and urgency will be palpable as the Loons look to reward their home crowd with another historic night. For MNUFC, Wednesday is about seizing momentum and moving one step closer to silverware. For Austin, it's about proving themselves on the road in one of the league's toughest atmospheres. With a trip to the Final on the line, all signs point to a tightly contested, high-stakes encounter in Saint Paul.

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY ON AUSTIN FC IN THE SEMIFINAL...

"Austin [FC] can be ruthless on the counter. They've got players who can punish you if you lose focus, so we have to be ready for that... We need to show that same ruthlessness on set plays and counter attacks that we have done over the course of this season and not fall into the lethargy that we did against Colorado [Rapids] at home because there could be similarities, I would say, between that game and this [semifinal]."

GOALKEEPER DAYNE ST. CLAIR ON CARRYING THE MOMENTUM FROM SATURDAY'S VICTORY AGAINST SAN DIEGO FC INTO THE SEMIFINAL MATCH...

"We still have to have that hunter mindset. But we know if we can take care of the games that we have in front of us, teams are going to be having to check our results and look into that. So, I think we know that we basically have to be perfect in order to give ourselves a chance. But sometimes it's better to be the hunter than the hunted."

MINNESOTA UNITED FC vs. AUSTIN FC

Allianz Field | Saint Paul, Minnesota

09.17.2025 | Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup | Semifinal

7:30 p.m. CT (Paramount+; CBS Sports Network)

2025 Regular-Season Record (W-L-D)

MIN: 15-6-9 (54 pts. | 7-4-4 at home)

ATX: 11-10-8 (41 pts. | 6-8-1 on the road)

Check out the Minnesota United FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 16, 2025


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