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Nashville SC Hosts USL Championship Winners San Antonio FC in U.S. Open Cup

April 25, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


Nashville SC is back in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Boys in Gold are set to face USL Championship side San Antonio FC in the Third Round of the 2023 Open Cup this Wednesday night at GEODIS Park. It's Nashville's second season in the competition as a Major League Soccer club after making run to the Quarterfinals in 2022.

The U.S. Open Cup is one of the oldest cup competitions in the world, pitting American clubs from the amateur level all the way up to MLS against one another. For more information on the Cup and how it works, see our explainer article.

Don't miss your opportunity to see the Boys in Gold in a win-or-go-home cup match. Tickets are on sale now starting at $15.

Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday's match:

Date: Wednesday, April 26

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT

Location: GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tenn.)

Stream: Bleacher Report App and B/R Football YouTube

Up for the Cup - Wednesday's match will be the second of three in one week for the Boys in Gold.

Regardless of the quick turnaround, Head Coach Gary Smith says his team is going to be ready and competitive in Open Cup competition.

"We're taking it very seriously," Smith said. "It's a great opportunity to do well, to build momentum and confidence. We didn't take it lightly last year, and we won't this year."

Late Heroics at GEODIS Park - The last time Nashville SC played a U.S. Open Cup match at GEODIS Park, the team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Atlanta United FC in the Round of 32 in 2022. Ethan Zubak scored the winner in extra time with a crafty individual effort.

Zubak says he's ready to take advantage of an opportunity again, if called upon.

"Open Cup last year was the opportunity for me to bounce back and get myself more minutes," Zubak said. "I've got the same mentality right now. I want to be dangerous out there, creating as many opportunities as I can for myself and the team. I think this is an opportunity for me to try to make some more magic happen this year in an Open Cup game."

Scouting SAFC - San Antonio FC is one of the top sides in the USL Championship, the second division of American soccer. Last season, the club finished with the best record in the league in the regular season and took home the USL Championship title with a 3-1 win over Louisville City FC.

San Antonio has started this USL Championship season with a 3W-1L-3D record and are led by Niko Hansen and Lamar Batista with two goals apiece.

Smith gave plenty of praise to the club and its head coach Alen Marcina.

"Plenty of respect needs to given for what they achieved last year and the way that Alen has recruited with this group," Smith said. "They have a number of players that have been part of MLS and have got MLS experience. This won't be a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination. They are a very competitive side, they're incredibly well-organized and they will come to our place and see an opportunity to advance. They won't be coming here as cannon fodder at all."

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 25, 2023


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