- The Boys in Gold extend club-record unbeaten streak to 15 across all competitions (11W-0L-4D)
- Major League Soccer Golden Boot leader Sam Surridge bags brace for team-leading 18 goals across all competitions
- Midfielder Jonathan Pérez records first career U.S. Open Cup goal and assist; defenders Andy Najar and Walker Zimmerman add first career Open Cup tallies
- Nashville will face the winner of the Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls in the Open Cup Semifinals Sept. 16
Nashville, Tenn. (July 9, 2025) – Nashville Soccer Club battled back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring five-straight goals to defeat D.C. United 5-2 and advance to its first-ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Wednesday night at GEODIS Park. Jonathan Pérez opened the scoring for the Boys in Gold when he made it 2-1 in the 25th minute, followed by Major League Soccer Golden Boot leader and Most Valuable player candidate Sam Surridge drawing Nashville even when he converted a penalty kick in the 53rd minute.
Surridge put Nashville ahead for good with his second goal in the 72nd minute and first-time 2025 MLS All-Star Andy Najar and defender Walker Zimmerman, who made his first appearance since May 31 after representing the United States Men’s National Team in the Concacaf Gold Cup, added insurance tallies in the 81st and 87th minutes, respectively.
Nashville SC will learn its Open Cup Semifinal opponent on Aug. 13 when the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union make up their Quarterfinal match that was postponed this evening due to inclement weather. In a draw hosted after the Round of 16, it was determined the Boys in Gold will host the Union or visit the Red Bulls pending the outcome of their match.
He'll score anywhere: Surridge’s team-leading 17th and 18th goals across all competitions came in his first career U.S. Open Cup appearance. The Englishman, who has three braces and five multi-goal matches in 2025, leads MLS in regular season goals with 16 and is second in goal contributions with 19. Nashville SC is 8W-0L-2D across all competitions this season when he finds the back of the net.
SchwaKE(Y)s to success: Nashville SC goalkeeper Brian Schwake made his third consecutive U.S. Open Cup start for the Boys in Gold, stopping one shot and remaining undefeated (3W-0L-0D) during his first season in Music City. With the victory, Schwake became the first goalkeeper in NSC history to win his first three starts with the club.
Twice as nice: Pérez’s first half goal was his second of the season across all competitions and a new single season career high as an MLS player. The midfielder, who also registered his first multi-point match as part of an MLS squad, has already reached career highs in MLS starts (5) and appearances (15) this season.
Next up: Nashville SC will look to win its fifth-straight MLS fixture and extend its regular season unbeaten streak to 13 when it visits Inter Miami CF at Chase Stadium on Saturday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- advanced to tLamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time in club history
- extended its club-record unbeaten streak across all competitions to 15 (11W-0L-4D)
- will play the winner of the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union Quarterfinal (which was postponed due to inclement weather and will be played Aug. 13) in the USOC Semifinals on Sept. 16 or 17
- improved to 7W-1L-1D all-time in U.S. Open Cup play
- improved to 5W-0L-0D in U.S. Open Cup matches at GEODIS Park
- improved to 6W-2L-3D all-time vs. D.C. United (regular season, U.S. Open Cup)
Gastón Brugman registered his second assist of the season across all competitions and first career USOC assist
Dan Lovitz made his first 2025 USOC appearance
Jack Maher is tied for the team lead among current Nashville SC players in USOC appearances since the club joined MLS with nine (also, Alex Muyl)
Alex Muyl is tied for the team lead among current Nashville SC players in USOC appearances since the club joined MLS with nine (also, Jack Maher)
Andy Najar scored his second goal of the season across all competitions and first career USOC goal
Hany Mukhtar made his first 2025 USOC appearance
Jeisson Palacios let the match with 97% passing accuracy (minimum 70 passes completed)
Jonathan Pérez
- scored his single season career high second goal of the season across all competitions and first career USOC goal
- has started all three of Nashville SC’s 2025 USOC matches
- recorded his first multi-point match as an MLS player
- will miss Nashville SC’s match Saturday, July 12 at Inter Miami due to red card suspension
Brian Schwake
- became the first goalkeeper in Nashville SC history to win his first three starts with the club
- has started at goalkeeper in all three of Nashville SC’s 2025 USOC matches
Sam Surridge
- scored his team-leading 17th and 18th goals across all competitions
- registered his third brace and fifth multi-goal match of the season across all competitions
- made his first career USOC appearance
Eddi Tagseth made his first career USOC appearance
Walker Zimmerman
- scored his first goal of the season across all competitions and first career USOC goal
- made his first appearance when he subbed into the match at the 83rd minute since May 31 against New York City FC after representing the United States Men’s National Team in the Concacaf Gold Cup
Box score:
Nashville SC (3W-0L-0D in U.S. Open Cup) vs. D.C. United (1W-1L-1D in U.S. Open Cup)
July 9, 2025 – GEODIS Park
Final score:
NSH: 5
DC: 2
Scoring summary:
DC: Gabriel Pirani 5’
DC: Jack Maher (Own Goal) 24’
NSH: Jonathan Pérez 25’
NSH: Sam Surridge (Penalty) 53’
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Jonathan Pérez) 72’
NSH: Andy Najar 81’
NSH: Walker Zimmerman (A: Gastón Brugman) 87’
Discipline:
DC: David Schnegg (Caution) 49’
NSH: Eddi Tagseth (Caution) 56’
Lineups:
NSH starters: Brian Schwake; Dan Lovitz, Jeisson Palacios (Walker Zimmerman 83’), Jack Maher, Andy Najar (Josh Bauer 90’); Gastón Brugman, Hany Mukhtar (C), Alex Muyl (Ahmed Qasem 73’), Eddi Tagseth (Patrick Yazbek 84’), Jonathan Pérez; Sam Surridge (Teal Bunbury 90’)
Substitutes: Xavier Valdez, Matthew Corcoran
D.C. starters: Joonhong Kim; Matti Peltola, Lucas Bartlett, Kye Rowles, Aaron Herrera; Boris Enow (Jackson Hopkins 82’), Brandon Servania, David Schnegg (Jared Stroud 79’), Gabriel Pirani (Randall Leal 79’), Joao Peglow; Christian Benteke (C) (Dominique Badji 67’)
Substitutes: Jordan Farr, Conner Antley, Hosei Kijima, Jared Stroud
Match officials:
Referee: Greg Dopka
AR1: Walt Heatherly
AR2: John Krill
4TH: JC Griggs
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
AVAR: Matthew Rodman
