Nashville wins U.S. Open Cup with a 2-1 victory over Austin

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Sam Surridge converted a penalty in the 60th minute and Nashville SC won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 2-1 victory over Austin FC on Wednesday night.

Hany Mukhtar also scored for Nashville, which secured a spot in the 2026 CONCACF Champions Cup with the victory. It was the first major trophy for the club, which joined Major League Soccer in 2020.

The U.S Open Cup, which dates to 1914, is the oldest soccer competition in the United States.

“I think it is important for us that we know that we can do it, that we can win a trophy,” said Mukhtar, who has been with the club since it joined MLS. “It gives us extra confidence for the rest of the (MLS) season.”

Mukhtar gave Nashville the early lead with a shot that sailed into the upper corner just out of the reach of Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver in the 17th minute

Austin had a good chance to equalize less than 10 minutes later after goalkeeper Brian Schwake's foul on Myrto Uzuni. But Schwake denied Uzuni's penalty attempt.

Uzuni got redemption with a left-footed goal to the far corner in first-half stoppage time and the teams went into the break at Q2 Stadium tied at 1-1.

Austin's Dani Pereira fouled Jeisson Palacios in the box for a penalty. Surridge stepped up and converted for his tournament-best sixth goal. Surridge was sent off with a red card in stoppage time.

“I think this year we showed we can control games with the ball. That is a big improvement. And I still believe we have at least one step to go to be a top team, to be one of the best teams in this league,” Mukhtar said. “But I think we've showed over long periods this season that we can compete, we can keep the ball, we can be aggressive against the ball. I'm very proud of this team.”

Nashville's last final was in the Leagues Cup two years ago but the team missed out on a trophy, falling on a penalty shootout to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

Actor Matthew McConaughey, an Austin FC owner and the team's “Minister of Culture,” was among those at the match.

The final featured an all-woman on-field officiating crew for the first time that included referee Tori Penso and assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt.

The U.S. Open Cup is open to both professional and amateur clubs but Major League Soccer teams have dominated the competition for more than two decades.

The last time a non-Major League Soccer team made it to the final was in 2022 when the USL Championship-level Sacramento Republic played Orlando City.

The last time a non-MLS team won the event was in 1999 when the Rochester Rhinos defeated the Colorado Rapids.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer