
Nashville Soccer Club Advances to Round of 16 in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup After Dramatic Come-rom Behind Win at GEODIS Park
May 12, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville Soccer Club advanced to the Round of 16 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after earning a 3-2 victory over Atlanta United FC on Wednesday night at GEODIS Park. In the club's first-ever match in the Open Cup at the MLS level, Nashville SC scored three unanswered goals in the form of Hany Mukhtar, CJ Sapong and Ethan Zubak to complete the win.
Better Late Than Never: Nashville SC forward CJ Sapong scored the equalizing goal in the 92nd minute of play to send the match to extratime. Sapong has now scored goals in back-to-back matches, both of which have come in stoppage time at the exact same minute, after scoring the insurance goal against Real Salt Lake on Sunday.
The Zu Keeper: Nashville SC forward Ethan Zubak secured the game-winning goal tonight in extra time, notching his first goal as a member of Nashville SC. Zubak entered the match as a second half sub, scoring in just his second home appearance in his Nashville SC career.
Welcome Back Neighbors: Nashville SC's match against Atlanta United on Wednesday marked the seventh all-time meeting between the two sides. The Boys in Gold now own a 3W-2L-2D all-time record against their Southern rivals, while remaining undefeated against them since Sept. 12, 2020, (3W-0L-2D), scoring two or more goals in each match with a goal-differential of plus 7.
Defending The Castle: With the victory on Wednesday, Nashville SC extended the club's home unbeaten streak to 22 consecutive matches in all competitions. The Boys in Gold remain undefeated at home in 2022 with an 2W-0L-1D record in all competitions after coming off a 2021 season where they became the seventh team in MLS history to go undefeated at home for a full season.
Nashville SC will find out the details of their Round of 16 matchup tomorrow night in the Round of 16 Draw which will be televised on Fútbol Americas which can be seen on ESPN + at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Nashville SC will return to MLS action this Saturday when the Boys in Gold take on Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas. Fans can follow all the action on MyTV30 and the NashvilleSC.com/Stream starting with the pregame show at 7 p.m. CT. They can also listen to the call via the free iHeartRADIO app by searching Nashville SC for English and on all three El Jefe stations 96.7FM, 105.3FM, and 810AM for Spanish.
Match Timeline
ATL 13': Andrew Gutman saves a ball on the endline feeding Thiago Almada who slots home the opening goal
ATL 29': Luiz Araújo receives a pass inside the 18 and after a first touch banks home the attempt
NSH 50': Hany Mukhtar converts a penalty attempt after a stutter step
NSH 90 +2': After consistent pressure, Tah Brian Anunga lays in a pass where CJ Sapong heads in the equalizer
NSH ET 93': Hany Mukhtar at midfield delivers a wonderful ball that finds a streaking Ethan Zubak and takes care of the finish to give Nashville SC the win
Notes
Nashville SC:
is now 16W-2L-15D overall at home
owns a 18W-0D-6L record when scoring two or more goals in a match
is now 21W-10L-23D against Eastern Conference opponents in all competitions
has now come from behind to earn results against Atlanta United FC three times, twice now erasing two goal deficits
scored three goals for the first time this season
used more subs tonight (six) than they have all season in a match
earned its first-ever victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as an MLS Club
has always earned a result in the month of May in all competitions at the MLS level (4W-0L-4D)
has suffered just one defeat since April 1, 2022
converted its second penalty of the season, both coming at GEODIS Park
scored the first goal of the season in the South End of the field at GEODIS Park, all previous goals have come at the North End in front of The Backline
had five players play 120 minutes (Walker Zimmerman, Dan Lovitz, Tah Brian Anunga, Dave Romney and Joe Willis)
Head Coach Gary Smith managed his 150th match as the manager of Nashville SC in all competitions dating back to Nashville's USL era tonight
Hany Mukhtar converted his first penalty kick of the season, registered an assist and led the squad in total shots (3)
Tah Brian Anunga earned an assist on the Sapong goal, his first of the season
CJ Sapong has scored in back-to-back matches
Walker Zimmerman led the team tonight in touches with 67 and wore the Captain's armband
Ethan Zubak scored his first goal as a Nashville SC player
Box Score:
Nashville SC (1W-0L-0D) vs. Atlanta United FC (1W-1L-0D) Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
May 11, 2022 - GEODIS Park
Final Score
ATL: 2
NSH: 3
Scoring Summary
ATL: Thiago Almada (Andrew Gutman, Marcelino Moreno) 13'
ATL: Luiz Araújo (Marcelino Moreno) 29'
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Penalty) 50'
NSH: CJ Sapong (Tah Brian Anunga) 90 + 2'
NSH: Ethan Zubak (Hany Mukhtar) ET 3'
Discipline
ATL: Franco Ibarra (caution) 46'
ATL: Alan Franco (caution) 48'
ATL: Dom Dwyer (caution) 86'
NSH: Tah Brian Anunga (caution) 88'
NSH: Handwalla Bwana (caution) ET 30'
Lineups
NSH: Joe Willis, Jack Maher (Eric Miller 69'), Walker Zimmerman ©, Dave Romney; Daniel Lovitz, Alex Muyl (Handawalla Bwana 77'), Sean Davis (Dax McCarty 88'), Tah Brian Anunga, Luke Haakenson (Ethan Zubak 76'); Hany Mukhtar (Taylor Washington ET, 23'), Aké Loba (CJ Sapong 90 +2')
Unused Substitutes: Bryan Meredith
ATL: Bobby Shuttleworth, Alex De John, Alan Franco, Andrew Gutman (Brooks Lennon 58'), Ronald Hernández, Thiago Almeda (Santiago Sosa 81'), Franco Ibarra (George Campbell 68'), Moreno (Emerson Hyndman 69'), Matheus Rossetto ©, Neto, Morell Cisneros (Dom Dwyer 81')
Unused Substitutes: Rocco Rios-Novo, Amar Sejdic
REFEREE: Elton Garcia
AR1: Justin Howard
AR2: Tiffini Turpin
4th: Wes Caouette
Weather: Clear, 86 degrees
Major League Soccer Stories from May 12, 2022
- Inter Miami CF to Visit Orlando City SC in Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup - Inter Miami CF
- Nashville Soccer Club to Face Louisville City FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 - Nashville SC
- Sporting KC to Host Houston in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 - Sporting Kansas City
- MNUFC Advance to Round of 16 in Us Open Cup - Minnesota United FC
- By the Numbers: FC Cincinnati at Chicago Fire FC - FC Cincinnati
- Rapids Fall to Minnesota United FC in Open Cup, Ready to Bounce Back against LAFC on Saturday - Colorado Rapids
- Chicago Fire FC Sign Academy Product, South Loop Native Justin Reynolds to Homegrown Player Contract - Chicago Fire FC
- Keys to the Match: Bright Lights, Big Game - New York City FC
- Final Push to the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs Begins with MLS NEXT Flex this Week - MLS
- Know Your Foe: C.F. Montreal - Charlotte FC
- Major League Soccer to Celebrate Soccer for All Week May 12-23 - Colorado Rapids
- Major League Soccer to Celebrate Soccer for All Week May 12-23 - MLS
- Nashville Soccer Club Forms Inaugural Special Olympics Unified Team - Nashville SC
- FC Dallas and Major League Soccer to Celebrate Soccer for All Week May 12-23 - FC Dallas
- Austin FC Joins Major League Soccer's "Soccer for All" Week - Austin FC
- Inter Miami CF to Host D.C. United on Saturday - Inter Miami CF
- Miguel Ramírez Pleased to "Get Job Done" in U.S. Open Cup - Charlotte FC
- New Charlotte FC Head of Recruitment Striving for "Nationally Recognized" Academy - Charlotte FC
- Inter Miami CF Adds Team Simpkin of Compass as Official Real Estate Partner - Inter Miami CF
- Montreal Impact Foundation to Build a Multisport Field in Laval - Club de Foot Montreal
- Quakes Advance to Round of 16 After Penalty Shootout - San Jose Earthquakes
- Rave Green Bow out of U.S. Open Cup in Penalty Shootout Loss to San Jose Earthquakes - Seattle Sounders FC
- LA Galaxy Advance to Round of 16 of 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with 3-2 Road Win over California United Strikers FC at Championship Soccer Stadium on Wednesday Night - LA Galaxy
- Houston Dynamo FC Advance to the Round of 16 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Houston Dynamo FC
- Canadians Lead the Way as 'Caps Advance to Face Cavalry FC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Nashville Soccer Club Advances to Round of 16 in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup After Dramatic Come-rom Behind Win at GEODIS Park - Nashville SC
- Nashville Soccer Club Advances to Round of 16 in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup After Dramatic Come-rom Behind Win at GEODIS Park - Nashville SC
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Other Recent Nashville SC Stories
- Nashville SC Extends Unbeaten Streak to Eight with 2-1 Win at Toronto FC
- Nashville SC to Host D.C. United in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals at GEODIS Park
- Nashville SC Advances to Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals with 3-2 Win at Orlando
- Nashville SC Signs Free Agent Defender Tate Schmitt
- Nashville SC Continues Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Play at Orlando City SC in Round of 16

