Nashville SC to Host D.C. United in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals Wednesday Night
MLS Nashville SC

Nashville SC to Host D.C. United in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals Wednesday Night

July 8, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville Soccer Club will seek to defeat D.C. United for the second time in 10 days and advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time in club history when it hosts the nation's capital side at GEODIS Park on Wednesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. CT.

The Boys in Gold hold the longest active overall (14) and Major League Soccer (12) unbeaten streaks, are second in the Supporters' Shield and Eastern Conference standings with 41 points behind FC Cincinnati (42 points), and shut out the Red and Black 1-0 at Audi Field on June 28 led by Most Valuable Player candidate Sam Surridge's league-leading 16th goal. To reach the Quarterfinals, Nashville defeated in-state USL League One side Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 1-0 at GEODIS Park and Orlando City SC 3-2 on the road.

D.C. United, which has scored the fewest goals (17) and conceded the second most (39) behind CF Montréal's 40 this season, has just one win in its last 10 MLS matches and is 2W-5L-2D away from home. Despite its MLS struggles, the Red and Black are one of eight teams remaining in the Open Cup after defeating USL Championship's Charleston Battery 2-0 in the Round of 32 and Charlotte FC 2-1 on penalties in the Round of 16.

Here are five things to know for Wednesday's match, available on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

With a win over D.C., Nashville SC will reach its first-ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal in MLS Coach of the Year candidate B.J. Callaghan's first full season. Callaghan, who was named NSC manager in July of 2024, helped lead the Philadelphia Union to three Open Cup Finals (2014, 2015, 2018) as an Assistant Coach. The Boys in Gold have reached the tournament's Quarterfinal Round once before in 2022, drawing 1-1 with Orlando City SC before falling 6-5 in penalties.

Nashville SC has outscored its opponents 4-2 and featured three different goal scorers en route to Wednesday's Quarterfinal: defender Josh Bauer against the Red Wolves and midfielder Ahmed Qasem and defender Wyatt Meyer (game-winner) against the Lions, with Nashville's other tally coming via an Orlando own goal.

Defender Jack Maher and midfielder Alex Muyl are the only two Nashville SC players to appear in all eight of the club's U.S. Open Cup matches since it joined MLS in 2020. Muyl has scored more career goals against D.C. (6) than he has versus any other MLS team, including two braces.

Nashville SC goalkeeper Joe Willis, who was drafted by D.C. United in 2011 and was a member of its 2013 U.S. Open Cup championship team, has not allowed a goal in two starts against his former club this season (1W-0L-1D). He is tied for the third-most shutouts in MLS (seven) behind Yohei Takaoka of Vancouver Whitecaps FC (nine) and Dayne St. Clair of Minnesota United FC and Pedro Gallese of Orlando City SC (eight). Brian Schwake, who started Nashville's Round of 32 and Round of 16 Open Cup victories, became the first goalkeeper in club history to record a shutout in his debut against Chattanooga and the second in team history (with Elliot Panicco) to win his first two starts.

Come kickoff, Nashville SC will know who its potential opponent in the Open Cup Semifinals on Sep. 16 will be as the New York Red Bulls face the Philadelphia Union at 6 p.m. CT. In a draw hosted after the Round of 16, it was determined that if Nashville beats D.C., the Boys in Gold would host the Union or visit the Red Bulls pending the outcome of the earlier match.

Tickets for Wednesday's Quarterfinal can be purchased at NashvilleSC.com/tickets and Ticketmaster.com.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 8, 2025


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