Once again, a knockout tournament for Nashville SC ends in penalty kicks. The Boys in Gold saw their inaugural USL season and their second US Open Cup campaign end at the spot, and with a 6-5 mark in sudden-death kicks, Orlando City cashed in on their 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium to send Nashville SC home, while ending one quest for its first-ever hardware.
Nashville SC had its chances to put the game away early. The Boys in Gold got off seven shots in the Orlando City penalty area in the first half, while permitting Orlando City a single chance (and even that was blocked as soon as it left the foot of Tesho Akindele). However, NSC couldn’t convert – and was dubiously denied a penalty kick – and went into the half level with Orlando City.
In the second half, all-everything forward Hany Mukhtar put the guests ahead, but another controversial call (on a day with too many of them to count) saw Orlando given a free kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time, and after the initial service was left loose in the box, centerback Rodrigo Schlegel gave the Lions back the draw.
Extra time began with a quick (and, a rare occasion on this evening of 11 yellow cards for the visitors) second yellow card on substitute midfielder Sean Davis, and it was clear that Nashville had little choice but to hold on for the draw. Gary Smith’s squad managed to do just that, holding on for penalty kicks, but it was not to be on the night.
After Nashville’s Alex Muyl missed the opening penalty, keeper Elliot Panicco saved an attempt from Andres Perea to level the shootout. Orlando City’s PK-specialist keeper Pedro Gallese saved an attempt from Eric Miller in the seventh round, giving OCSC the victory.
With the loss, Nashville is eliminated from the 2022 US Open Cup – the first as an MLS club after the past two editions were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic – and has just one competition to play for at this stage: the MLS regular season. The Boys in Gold will host Portland Timbers Sunday evening at GEODIS Park.
Starting lineups
Match events
- 39′ NSH Yellow card – 2 Dan Lovitz (“foul”)
- 45’+2 NSH Yellow card – Gary Smith (dissent)
- 45’+5 Half time
- 52′ NSH GOAL – 10 Hany Mukhtar (left-footed, first touch), assisted by 19 Alex Muyl (long cross to back post)
- 55′ NSH Yellow card – 10 Hany Mukhtar (foul)
- 60′ ORL Yellow card – 15 Rodrigo Schlegel (foul)
- 63′ ORL Substitutions –
- On 7 Pato, off 11 Junior Urso
- On 19 Benji Michel, off 13 Tesho Akindele
- 70′ NSH Substitution – On 15 Eric Miller, off 8 Randall Leal
- 71′ NSH Yellow card – 6 Dax McCarty (foul)
- 71′ ORL Yellow card – 10 Mauricio Pereyra (dissent)
- 71′ NSH Yellow card – 17 CJ Sapong (argument)
- 77′ ORL Substitution – On 25 Antônio Carlos, off 2 Ruan
- 79′ NSH Substitutions –
- On 9 Ake Loba, off 10 Hany Mukhtar
- On 54 Sean Davis, off 6 Dax McCarty
- 87′ NSH Yellow card – 54 Sean Davis (foul)
- 87′ NSH Substitution – On 11 Ethan Zubak, off 17 CJ Sapong
- 90′ NSH Yellow card – 30 Elliot Panicco
- 90’+3 NSH Yellow card – 11 Ethan Zubak (argument)
- 90’+4 ORL GOAL – 15 Rodrigo Schlegel (right footed, after rebound, from set piece)
- 90’+7 Full time
- FT NSH Substitution – On 23 Taylor Washington, off 2 Dan Lovitz
- 91′ NSH Red card – 54 Sean Davis (second yellow, foul)
- 105’+1 NSH Yellow card – 27 Brian Anunga (“dissent”)
- 105’+1 Half extra time
- HET NSH Substitution – On 26 Luke Haakenson, off 27 Brian Anunga
- HET ORL Substitution – On 8 Jhegson, off 10 Mauricio Pereyra
- 109′ ORL Yellow card – 21 Andres Perea (foul)
- 120’+3 After Extra Time
- Shootout –
- ORL 9 Ercan Kara GOAL, NSH 19 Alex Muyl MISS (high)
- ORL 6 Robin Jansson GOAL, NSH 9 Ake Loba GOAL
- ORL 21 Andres Perea MISS (Panicco save), NSH 5 Jack Maher GOAL
- ORL 24 Kyle Smith GOAL, NSH 25 Walker Zimmerman GOAL
- ORL 7 Alexandre Pato GOAL, NSH 11 Ethan Zubak GOAL
- ORL 25 Antônio Carlos GOAL, NSH 4 Dave Romney GOAL
- ORL 17 Facundo Torres GOAL, NSH 15 Eric Miller MISS (saved)
Club and Country 