ORLANDO, Florida — In a dramatic showdown at Inter&Co Stadium, Nashville SC edged out Orlando City SC with a score of 3-2 in the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup on May 21, 2025. The match featured an early lead by Orlando, only to be followed by a flurry of goals from Nashville, showcasing the resilience and depth of the visiting team.
Marco Pasalic opened the scoring for the Lions in the 17th minute with a stunning long-range strike. However, Nashville quickly equalized six minutes later when Rodrigo Schlegel inadvertently turned the ball into his own net after a cross from Ahmed Qasem. The visiting team then took the lead just before halftime with another goal from Qasem.
Orlando’s Ramiro Enrique netted the equalizer in the 58th minute, but Wyatt Meyer of Nashville produced the winning goal in the 79th minute, sealing a place in the quarterfinals for his team. “We’re proud of how we prepared and performed today,” said Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan after the game. “We believe in our deep squad.”
Nashville had notably rotated their squad heavily, with key players like Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge sidelined, yet they built on their strong recent form to overcome Orlando, who had been unbeaten for 12 matches prior to this encounter.
Orlando’s head coach Oscar Pareja expressed disappointment over their defensive mistakes, stating, “We started the game well, but we couldn’t maintain our intensity. The losses of focus were costly.” Despite dominating possession (51.5%) and having a higher number of shots (15-7), the Lions were unable to convert opportunities into goals.
The match also saw controversy when Pareja voiced frustration over a missed penalty call in the second half. “It’s incredible that the referee didn’t see that handball,” he lamented. “We invest a lot in this tournament, and such decisions make a difference.”
As Nashville celebrated their thrilling victory, Orlando must now focus on their upcoming MLS match against the Portland Timbers, with much to improve after their exit from the cup competition.
