Nashville Soccer Club will continue its quest in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when it takes on FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 10 in the Round of 32 at GEODIS Park. Tickets are available at www.NashvilleSC.com/Tickets. Â
Nashville SC reached the Round of 32 after defeating San Antonio FC 1-0 on April 26 at GEODIS Park with a goal from forward Ethan Zubak in the 71st minute. Goalkeeper Elliot Panicco recorded the shutout to secure the Third-Round win. Â
Wednesday will mark Head Coach Gary Smith’s 400th career match managed across different competitions and leagues in the United States and England. Just this past weekend, Smith set a personal best for wins at an MLS club with 44 as the gaffer of Nashville SC at the MLS level. Smith has earned double-digit win totals in each of the last two seasons for Nashville, including a personal best, 13 wins in the regular season in 2022.
Earlier today, Coach Smith discussed with members of the media the quality FC Dallas has and the threat they present. Smith also spoke highly of Lukas MacNaughton, who was recently acquired by Toronto FC, and made his starting debut this past weekend in the 3-0 thrashing of Chicago Fire FC.
MacNaughton, who played 63 minutes on Saturday, spoke to the media about the thrill of playing at GEODIS Park, the fan base, the adjustment coming to Nashville and the smooth transition that has occurred.
Mukhtar’s hat trick over the weekend, third of his career, second against the Fire, earned him the honor of Player of the Matchday by Continental Tire for Matchday 11 and a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday. Mukhtar is the first Nashville SC player to win the accolade since he did so in consecutive Matchdays in 2022 (28-29).Â
In Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Mukhtar has been a menace, scoring in every match he’s played in, earning a total of four goal contributions (3 goals + 1 assist).
This year marks the 108th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as the tournament remains the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and the world’s third-longest continuously run national cup tournament. The historic tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer.
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Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer on Feb. 29, 2020 in front of the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee. In its inaugural MLS season, Nashville SC defeated expectations by becoming the second MLS expansion side to win and advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville SC returned to the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in its sophomore season after becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home in a season. Nashville SC inaugurated GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, in front of a 30,109-sellout crowd on May 1, 2022. For more information, visit NashvilleSC.com and follow the club at @NashvilleSC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
