With the elimination of D.C. United and the Chicago Fire in the Quarterfinals, we’re guaranteed to have a first-time US Open Cup Champion in 2025. Minnesota United and Philadelphia Union have reached the Final before, only to fail to lift the trophy. For Austin FC and Nashville SC, this is the furthest they’ve gone in their short Open Cup history.
Nashville SC will host the Philadelphia Union on Tuesday, followed by the Minnesota United FC welcoming Austin FC to the Twin Cities on Wednesday.
UPDATE: Sam Surridge’s hat trick leads Nashville SC to first US Open Cup Final
TheCup.us will have live updates of both games as both games will be streamed live on Paramount+ and the CBS Sports Network. You can find those updates on X (Twitter) and Blue Sky.
The winners of these two Semifinal games will square off in the 110th US Open Cup Final, scheduled for Oct. 1. The game will be hosted by the winner of Austin FC and Minnesota United.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Austin FC (MLS) at Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Allianz Field – St. Paul, MN
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: Paramount+ / CBS Sports Network
It’s been seven years since Minnesota found themselves this far in the Open Cup. Just like in 2019, Minnesota has gotten past two fellow MLS teams to reach this point. For Austin this is brand new territory, having been bounced early in their previous two appearances in 2022 and 2023. They’ll have to manage without top scorer Brandon Vazquez, who tore the ACL in his right knee in the Quarterfinals. Vazquez is also the top scorer in the 2025 US Open Cup with four goals.
As an MLS club, Minnesota United are 5-0-1 in the Open Cup at home against other MLS teams. The lone draw also led to advancement, winning a PK tiebreaker against Philadelphia Union after a 3-3 draw in the 2023 Fourth Round.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Like Philadelphia and Nashville, Austin FC and Minnesota United have never met in the Open Cup. Their two MLS meetings both took place back in May.
The first meeting at Austin’s Q2 Stadium was won handily by Minnesota 3-0. The Loons opening goal was officially recorded as an own goal from Austin’s Ilie Sánchez, who slightly nicked a deflected a shot from Joaquín Pereyra that rolled through the legs of Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver in the 22nd minute. Thirteen minutes later, Minnesota would double the lead when Anthony Markanich headed home a cross from Jefferson Díaz. Austin looked to have made the score 2-1 in the 77th minute, but Guilherme Biro’s strike was nullified by an offside ruling. Austin were denied again in the 85th minute when Julian Gressel cleared Brandon Vázquez’s shot off the goal line while goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was out of position. Minnesota closed the door in stoppage time when Joaquín Pereyra scored on a shot from outside the penalty area.
Just 21 days later the clubs met at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn., playing to a 1-1 draw. Michael Boxall opened the scoring for Minnesota when Nicolás Romero redirected a Joaquín Pereyra corner kick to Boxall. Austin responded soon after Osman Bukari and Myrto Uzuni strung passes together to feed Žan Kolmanič, who hammered home his shot from the top of the box.
ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS
Austin FC staged a stunning comeback to win their opening game. Down 2-0 to the El Paso Locomotive for the first 73 minutes, Brandon Vázquez began a run that saw Austin score three times in eight minutes. Myrto Uzuni followed with the game-tying goal (assisted by Vázquez), then three minutes later, Vázquez scored his second in the 80th minute for a 3-2 lead. Owen Wolff assisted on both of Vázquez’s goals.
Despite being outshot 20-10, Austin came away with a 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo in the Round of 16. Goals from Brandon Vázquez, Osman Bukari and Ilie Sánchez built up a 3-0 lead that Houston was unable to overcome.
Austin’s match at San Jose came with good news and terrible news. The good, Austin advanced on penalties after a 2-2 draw. The terrible news was that leading goalscorer Brandon Vázquez tore the ACL in his right knee in the 70th minute, putting him out for the remainder of the season. It was Vázquez’s penalty shortly before his injury that tied the game at 1-1 and Myrto Uzuni converted another PK with five minutes left in extra time to make it 2-2. In the penalty tiebreakers, Austin made all four of their shots while Brad Stuver stopped two for San Jose’s to move Austin to the semifinals for the first time ever.
Despite being outshot 15-6, Minnesota United went to Kentucky and escaped with a 1-0 win over Louisville City FC (USL-C). Darius Randell scored the lone goal in the 65th minute. Minnesota traveled to St. Louis for the Fifth Round to face St. Louis CITY SC after jumping out to a 1-0 lead after ten minutes through Kelvin Yeboah, Minnesota fell behind 2-1 by the 65th minute. Along came Anthony Markanich to the rescue, scoring in the 85th and 88th minutes to give the Loons a 3-2 comeback victory.
In Minnesota’s 3-1 extra time win over the Chicago Fire, it was Kelvin Yeboah turn to score two late goals. Robin Lod tied the game at 1-1 in the 47th minute, and in extra tine Yeboah scored in the 95th minute then again from the PK spot in the 120th, earning him TheCup.us “Player of the Round” honors.
CURRENT FORM
Minnesota has spread their six defeats through the season, never losing two in a row and always posting a run of a win or draw two games or more between defeats. The Loons started the season hot, going 4-2-4 in their first two months, and are currently on a four game unbeaten run including a 3-1 win this past Saturday over conference leaders San Diego.
Minnesota scored at least one goal in 13 of their last 14 games. Tani Oluwaseyi leads the team with 10 goals, one ahead of Kelvin Yeboah. Six other players have two or more goals. Joaquin Pereyra leads with 10 assists, and Oluwaseyi has 8.
Out of the four Semifinal clubs, Austin FC is the only one fighting for a spot in the MLS Cup, as the other three have their spot secured. Austin are currently in 7th, just two points clear of the two play-in spots, but they have a seven-point cushion over 10th place Real Salt Lake. Austin are 4-2-4 over their last ten games.
Austin has the lowest goals scored total among playoff teams, and are fifth-lowest in the entire league. Myrto Uzuni and Owen Wolff share the goalscoring lead with five goals apiece, and Wolff shares the assist lead with Osman Bukari with 7.
Austin FC
Major League Soccer | Austin, TX
3rd US Open Cup appearance
How they qualified: Automatic Bid
Founded: 2021
Manager: Nico Estévez
Overall: 3-2-1 (1-0 PK)
Away: 0-1-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 1-1-1 (1-0 PK)
Best finish: Fifth Round (2023)
Next to St. Louis CITY SC, Austin FC has the least experience in the Open Cup among MLS clubs, with just four games played. The City of Austin also has a limited history in the Open Cup. The highest profile team in the pre-Modern Era is perhaps the Austin Soccadillos, who entered the 1991 tournament, winning their group in USISL qualifying only to fall 3-0 to the other group winner in the USISL qualifying final, the Richardson Rockets, who would go on to reach the 1991 US Open Cup Final. In the Modern Era, six other teams represented Austin in the Open Cup. First up was the Austin Lone Stars of the USL D3 Pro League, appearing in three tournaments from 1997-1999, only posting a 2-3 record.
Amateur club Real Madrid won the USASA Region III qualifying tournament in 2002 but lost their lone Cup game.
In 2008, the Austin Aztex U-23s qualified through the PDL (now USL League Two), being eliminated on penalty kicks by the Atlanta Silverbacks after a 2-2 draw. The Aztex U-23s were the development team of the USL’s Austin Aztex, who would move in 2010 and become Orlando City SC.
The new Austin Aztex qualified as a PDL cub in 2013 and 2014 without much success, then again in 2015 when the club turned pro and moved up to the USL, reaching the Third Round where they lost 2-0 to the Houston Dynamo.
In 2019, the USL Championship’s Austin Bold matched the Aztex 2015 run, reaching the Third Round before also falling to the Houston Dynamo, this time 3-2.
Finally the only other team currently calling Austin its home is Austin FC II, who appeared in 2024 and were upset by amateur side FORO SC on penalties.
Minnesota United FC
Major League Soccer | Saint Paul, MN
13th US Open Cup appearance
How they qualified: Automatic Bid
Founded: 2010
Manager: Eric Ramsay
Overall: 15-10-3 (2-1 PK) | 9-5-2 (2-0 PK) (MLS)
Home: 7-4-1 (1-0 PK) | 6-1-1 (1-0 PK) (MLS)
vs. MLS: 7-8-1 (1-0 PK) | 6-5-1 (1-0 PK) (MLS)
Best finish: Final (2019)
Since Minnesota joined MLS in 2017 they’ve had respectable results, reaching the Final in 2019 and going three games deep in 2022 and 2023. In MLS, the Loons have yet to win a championship but have reached the playoffs five of the last six seasons.
The Twin Cities were represented by the Minnesota Thunder earlier in the Modern Era, reaching the Semifinals in 2005. Thunder legend Johnny Menyongar is tied for second with three other players with 13 Open Cup goals in the Modern Era.
According to TheCup.us records, the first known team from Minnesota to enter the Open Cup was the Minneapolis Tigers in 1958.
Throughout the 1960s, teams like the St. Paul Blackhawks and Ukrainian SC would represent the region in Open Cup play but found little success.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Philadelphia Union (MLS) at Nashville SC (MLS)
GEODIS Park – Nashville, TN
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
TV: Paramount+ / CBS Sports Network
UPDATE: Sam Surridge’s hat trick leads Nashville SC to first US Open Cup Final
Could this be the year Philadelphia puts it together for a double? The three previous times they’ve reached the Open Cup Final (2014, 2015, 2018) they either missed the MLS Cup playoffs or were bounced early. Similarly, the three times Union finished first or second in the MLS standings (2020, 2021, 2022) the Open Cup either wasn’t played, or they were eliminated early. This year the Union find themselves on top of the MLS Eastern Conference and two wins away from winning the Open Cup for the first time.
Since their last visit to the Open Cup, Philadelphia’s three appearances up until this year (2019, 2022 and 2023) all ended after one game, all at the hands of MLS teams.
Like Austin FC, Nashville are making their first appearance in the Semifinals. Their previous best was reaching the Quarterfinals in 2022 where they fell to Orlando City on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Nashville is undefeated at home in Open Cup play, going 8-0-1 as a USL and MLS club, and are currently on a six-game unbeaten streak in home Open Cup games.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Philadelphia and Nashville have never met in Open Cup play. In their two meetings this year in MLS, Nashville has won both.
Just four weeks into the season on March 16 in Chester, Pa., Nashville handed the Union their first setback with a 3-1 win. Sam Surridge scored his first goal of the season in the 15th minute to give Nashville 1-0 lead, but Jovan Lukić answered for Philadelphia 17 minutes later. Just one minute before the halftime whistle Ahmed Qasem put Nashville back in front for good.
In the 82nd minute, Hany Mukhtar extended the lead to 3-1 with a successful penalty conversion. Philly’s Olwethu Makhanya was sent off in second half stoppage time for hitting Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg with a thrown ball while out of bounds. Surridge was denied a possible hat trick in the opening half when a goal was called back due to a foul in the 16th minute and then hitting the upright in the 26th minute.
The second meeting came on July 5 in Nashville, and the hosts came out 1-0 winners, it marked the only time Philadelphia has lost back-to-back league games this year, following a 1-0 loss to Columbus. Goalkeeper Andre Blake and the upright kept Nashville off the board in the 15th minute. Hany Muhktar’s shot was stopped by Blake, then Mukhtar sent the rebound off the upright being a prone Blake. Nashville went a man down in the 63rd minute when Jonathan Pérez caught Philly’s Tai Baribo with a high boot to the face while going after the ball. Kai Wagner nearly gave Union a 1-0 lead when his 88th minute free kick hit the post. Nashville finally won it in stoppage time when Mukhtar was awarded a penalty through VAR after being fouled by Olwethu Makhanya. Mukhtar stepped to the spot himself and won the game for Nashville. The win was the last positive result in Nashville’s 12-game unbeaten streak, they would lose 2-1 to Inter Miami the following week.
ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS
Both teams entered the competition in the Fourth Round and Philly’s opening game saw them taken to the limit by Indy Eleven of the USL Championship, surviving a penalty kick shootout after a 1-1 draw.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the 6th minute through Alejandro Bedoya, Indy tied the score right after halftime. Despite 33 shots, Philadelphia could not score the winner after 120 minutes. The Union converted all five spot kicks to win the shootout 5-4.
In the Round of 16, Philly knocked off the lone USL Championship club remaining, defeating the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4-1, scoring two goals in each half to win the Keystone State derby.
Thanks to weather delays, the Union’s Quarterfinal match with the New York Red Bulls took over five weeks to complete. Heavy rain and lightning prevented the original kickoff on July 9, and on Aug. 13 lightning once again intervened, causing a two-hour delay. Philly and NYRB traded goals in the opening half and again the second. As extra time loomed, Olwethu Makhanya scored off a rebound in the 89th minute to end Union’s long-delayed return to the Semifinals.
In the Fourth Round, despite outshooting their opponents 14-3, Nashville only managed a 1-0 win over the Chattanooga Red Wolves from USL League One. Josh Bauer scored the lone goal in the 18th minute.
Their Round of 16 game at Orlando City was much closer. After drawing level after an Orlando City own goal, Ahmed Qasem gave Nashville a 2-1 lead minutes before halftime. Orlando pulled level 15 minutes into the second half, but with eleven minutes remaining, Wyatt Meyer scored the goal that eventually put Nashville in the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2022.
Nashville’s Quarterfinal affair at home versus D.C. United got off to a rocky start, with the home side trailing 2-0 after 24 minutes. From then on it was all Nashville who scored five unanswered goals, four in the second half, to prevail 5-2 and book their first ever Semifinal appearance. Team goalscoring leader Sam Surridge scored twice, and Jonathan Perez, Andy Najar and Walker Zimmerman provided the rest.
CURRENT FORM
Nashville used a 12-game unbeaten run to vault up the MLS Eastern Conference table and are currently seven points behind leaders Philadelphia, and are fighting to stay in the top 4, which would give them home field advantage in the opening round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville has hit a rough patch in league play, losing five of their last six games, including a loss to FC Cincinnati this past Saturday when Cincinnati scored the game-winner deep into stoppage time.
Nashville’s attack is led by Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar. Surridge leads MLS with 21 goals scored, and Mukhtar has 14. Mukhtar also leads the team with assists at 11, with Andy Najar behind him with 10.
Philadelphia became one of the first clubs in MLS to clinch a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs and now have their sights on the Supporters Shield. Like Nashville, Philadelphia had a lengthy unbeaten run during the season, playing 11 games (April 19-June 25) without a loss. The run ended with their only back-to-back losses of the year and has been followed by an ongoing 5-1-2 run. Union are coming off an embarrassing 7-0 loss at Vancouver this past Saturday with Thomas Muller leading the way with a hat trick. The seven goals were more than Philly had allowed in their last 14 games combined.
Israeli international Tai Baribo leads the team with 16 goals, also good enough for 4th in MLS. Kai Wagner and Quinn Sullivan are the assist leaders, with 10 and 9 respectively. Goalkeepers Andre Blake and Andrew Rick have six clean sheets each.
Nashville SC
Major League Soccer | Nashville, TN
5th US Open Cup appearance
How they qualified: Automatic Bid
Founded: 2018
Manager: B.J. Callaghan
Overall: 10-2-2 (0-2 PK) | 6-1-1 (0-1 PK) (as MLS)
Home: 9-0-1 (0-1) | 5-0-0 (as MLS)
vs. MLS: 4-1-0 (0-1 PK) | 3-1-1 (0-1 PK) (as MLS)
Best finish: Fifth Round (2018, USL) | Quarterfinals (2022, MLS)
In their first year as a USL club in 2018, Nashville knocked off the Colorado Rapids on their way to the Fifth Round. Once joining MLS they reached the Quarterfinals in 2022 and made another three-game run in 2023 while starting a round earlier. Last year, Nashville SC did not enter the competition.
The first notable club from the city of Nashville to participate in the Open Cup was the Nashville Blues in the late 1980s, though they didn’t have much success. In the Modern Era, the A-League’s Nashville Metros reached the Quarterfinals in 1997, upsetting the Kansas City Wizards (Sporting KC) 3-1 in the Third Round.
Philadelphia Union
Major League Soccer | Chester, PA
11th US Open Cup appearance
How they qualified: Automatic Bid
Founded: 2010
Manager: Bradley Carnell
Overall: 18-6-8 (4-4 PK)
Away: 1-4-5 (3-2 PK)
vs. MLS: 9-6-6 (2-4 PK)
Best finish: Final (2014, 2015, 2018)
Philadelphia has one of the better Open Cup resumes without winning a title among MLS clubs, though recent tournaments have put a blemish on that. They’ve been to three Open Cup Finals (2014, 2015, 2018), but their last three appearances in the competition have been “one and done” appearances against D.C. United in 2019, Orlando City in 2022 and Minnesota United in 2023.
Prior to the Modern Era, clubs from Philadelphia have made nine appearances in the Open Cup Final, winning the Open Cup five times. Leading the way are the Ukrainian Nationals, who won the tournament four times (1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966).