Nashville SC is back in action in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The Boys in Gold are set to face Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals of America’s premier cup competition at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.
Wednesday's match comes on the heels of a 3-1 Nashville win on the road at D.C. United on Saturday in Major League Soccer play. Midfielder Hany Mukhtar’s two-goal performance in the match earned him MLS Player of the Week honors for the fourth time in his MLS career.
Here’s everything you need to know about Wednesday’s Cup matchup:
Date: Wednesday, June 29
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
Stream: ESPN+*
*There are no blackout restrictions on ESPN+ for this match. Fans across the country will be able to stream on ESPN+. The match will not be streamed on NashvilleSC.com.
Open Cup Refresher – The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a national cup competition open to all amateur and professional teams in the United States. Dating back to 1913, it is the oldest current national cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Up until its pause in 2020, it was one of the oldest continuously operating cup competitions in the entire world.
The tournament winner will receive $300,000 and a spot in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League.
Nashville SC entered the competition in the Round of 32. In that matchup against Atlanta United FC on May 11, the Boys in Gold overcame a 2-0 first-half deficit to win 3-2 in stoppage time and advance to the Round of 16. On May 25, Nashville SC went on the road to USL Championship side Louisville City FC and won 2-1 thanks to a Hany Mukhtar goal in the 89’ minute. The win put Nashville into the quarterfinals, setting up Wednesday’s clash against Orlando.
Back N Form – In league play, Nashville SC bounced back from its first home defeat in 592 days with a strong 3-1 road win at D.C. United. Mukhtar’s brace and defender Dan Lovitz’s first-half rocket helped guide Nashville to the victory.
Head Coach Gary Smith was thrilled with his team’s efforts in the win.
“We found some good moments to control the game, which is part of how we’re trying to evolve and appreciate the game a little bit more. We found some terrific moments to be creatively expressive and maybe a bit brighter and more positive. But we also dealt with some challenges. And the guys were able to achieve all of that and work their way through to a terrific result.”
Scouting Orlando City – Orlando enters this match with a 1W-2L-2D record in its last five league matches. In the Open Cup, City beat USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies and Philadelphia Union before advancing to the quarterfinals on penalties against Inter Miami CF last month.
In league play, Orlando is led in scoring by Designated Player Ercan Kara with six goals. Kara joined the club this season from Austrian side Rapid Wien. Peruvian international Pedro Gallese has also held it down in goal with six clean sheets this season.
Nashville and Orlando have plenty of history in the last two seasons. The two sides last faced off in the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs when Nashville dispatched Orlando 3-1 at Nissan Stadium on November 23. The Boys in Gold own a 2W-1L-4D record across all competitions against Orlando.
