NASHVILLE (September 16, 2025) – Sam Surridge cannot stop scoring, and the English striker’s latest display carried his Nashville SC side into its first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Surridge notched all three of Nashville’s goals (36’, 50’, 84’) to boost the Tennessee squad to a deserved 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn. Philadelphia’s bid to reach a fourth Open Cup Final fell short despite a spirited final push as the second half progressed, which included a stunning 70th minute goal by Quinn Sullivan.
The night belonged to Surridge, who bagged his third, fourth and fifth goals in 2025 Open Cup play, putting him atop the tournament’s scoring chart with one more than Austin FC’s Brandon Vazquez. Combined with his MLS-leading 21 goals, Surridge has now claimed 26 tallies in 32 appearances in what is becoming a special 2025 season for the Music City club.
With their spot in the Open Cup Final secured, Nashville SC need wait only one day to see which foe will emerge from Wednesday’s West Bracket Semifinal between Minnesota United FC and Austin FC. Broadcast coverage on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network will begin Wednesday with pre-game coverage at 8:00 p.m. ET, with kickoff from Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn. to follow at 8:30 p.m. on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network. The winner of that contest will host the Final of the 110th edition of U.S. Soccer’s Club Championship on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Matchday #1 – Tuesday, September 16
Nashville SC 3-1 Philadelphia Union
GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn.
Matchday #2 – Wednesday, September 17
CBS Sports Golazo Matchnight (pre-game)
8 p.m. ET | Paramount+ & CBS Sports GolazoNetwork
Minnesota United FC vs. Austin FC
8:30 p.m. ET | Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn. | Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network
CBS Sports Golazo Matchnight (post-game)
approx. 10:30 p.m. ET | Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network
Nashville SC (MLS) 3-1 Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Nashville entered its 11th career Open Cup home contest dating back to its USL Championship era looking to keep an undefeated record in such contests (9-0-1). While it seemed the Coyotes had a leg up on the proceedings from the start, a careful beginning to the match still resulted in no clear-cut chances until midway through the first half. Nashville SC captain Hany Mukhtar pilfered a poor Union clearance and squared centrally for Sam Surridge, but Philly ‘keeper Andrew Rick got low to knock away the chance before the Nashville talisman could connect with it.
But Surridge wouldn’t be denied for long, as MLS’ Golden Boot leader put Nashville SC in front in the 36th minute. A long throw-in towards to the corner of the six-yard box was headed onward by Jeisson Palacios towards the back post for Surridge, who himself nodded home past a scrambling Rick to move the scoreboard first. Nashville nearly doubled the lead a few minutes later via a Mukhtar free kick, but Rick got to his left post just in time to parry the blast wide.
Nashville outshot the Union 5-0 in the first half and showed no signs of slowing to kick off the second stanza. It took less than five minutes out of the break for the Music City side to double the lead, and it was again their English talisman Surridge doing the damage. Rick did well to thwart Jacob Shaffelburg’s initial attempt from just outside the area, but the rebound popped right to a waiting Surridge at the six, who again hit paydirt with his head to put Nashville SC up 2-0.
With frustration setting in and their backs against the wall, the Union suddenly sprang to life midway through the second half. Mikael Uhre nearly caught Nashville SC goalkeeper Brian Schwake off his line in the 69th minute, only to have Palacios sweep into the goal mouth to block the chance from the right channel. Shortly after Shaffelburg’s stumbling deflection on the other end forced an offside call on Surridge’s potential third, the Union took full advantage through QuinnSulliivan’s brilliant individual effort, his curler from 20 yards soaring past a leaping Schwake to bring Philadelphia back to within a goal.
A Union counter with a quarter-hour left found the visitors with a 2-v-1 look, but Uhre’s shot from the edge of the area was sent right to Schwake, leaving the Danish attacker shaking his head. The Pennsylvanian side would rue their missed opportunities come the 84th minute, when Surridge finished off his hat trick with aplomb by volleying Daniel Lovitz’s ball over the backline into the upper left corner from nine yards out. Nashville expertly saw the result out over the final ten minutes, continuing a historic run that has the Music City squad on the cusp of a first domestic trophy.
Match: Nashville SC vs. Philadelphia Union
Date: September 16, 2025
Competition: U.S. Open Cup Semifinal – East Bracket
Venue: GEODIS Park; Nashville, Tenn.
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Weather: 75 degrees, partly cloudy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUI | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| NSH – Sam Surridge (Jeisson Palacios) | 36th minute |
| NSH – Sam Surridge | 50 |
| PHI – Quinn Sullivan (Indiana Vassilev) | 70 |
| NSH – Sam Surridge (Daniel Lovitz) | 84 |
Lineups:
NSH: 99-Brian Schwake; 2-Daniel Lovitz, 4-Jeisson Palacios, 5-Jack Maher, 31-Andy Najar; 8-Patrick Yazbek, 20-Edvard Tagseth, 19-Alex Muyl (22-Josh Bauer, 76); 37-Ahmed Qasem (14-Jacob Shaffelburg, 46), 9-Sam Surridge (16-Matthew Corcoran, 90), 10- Hany Mukhtar (captain) (12-Teal Bunbury, 86)
Substitutes not used: 7-Gastón Brugman, 13-Xavier Valdez, 33-Christopher Applewhite
Head coach: B.J. Callaghan
PHI: 76-Andrew Rick; 27-Kai Wagner, 29-Olwethu Makhanya, 5-Jakob Glesnes (captain), 39-Francis Westfield; 19-Indiana Vassilev (55-Sal Olivas, 86), 21-Danley Jean Jacques; 4-Jovan Lukić, 32-Milan Iloski (7-Mikael Uhre, 64); 20-Bruno Damiani (33-Quinn Sullivan, 64), 9-Tai Baribo (14-Jeremy Rafanello, 86)
Substitutes not used: 11-Alejandro Bedoya, 26-Nathan Harriel, 31-George Marks,
Head coach: Bradley Carnell
Stats Summary: NSH / PHI
Shots: 11 / 9
Shots on Goal: 8 / 4
Saves: 3 / 5
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 15 / 12
Offside: 2 / 3
| Misconduct Summary |
| PHI — Bruno Damiani (Caution) | 5th minute |
| PHI — Francis Westfield (Caution) | 21 |
| PHI — Olwethu Makhanya (Caution) | 37 |
| PHI — Milan Iloski (Caution) | 62 |
| PHI — Kai Wagner (Caution) | 66 |
| NSH — Daniel Lovitz (Caution) | 75 |
| NSH — Hany Mukhtar (Caution) | 77 |
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Now in its 110th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has crowned U.S. Soccer’s national champion since 1914. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the U.S. was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt. The 2025 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn a berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The 2025 tournament features a total purse worth $1 million that includes a $600,000 award for the champion. Los Angeles Football Club of MLS is the defending Champion. The 109th edition of the tournament concluded on September 25, 2024, with LAFC beating four-time Champions Sporting Kansas City 3-1 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles to become Open Cup Champions for the first time.
The official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is ussoccer.com/us-open-cup. Fans can also follow the competition on X/Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.