How an ailing, seldom-used rookie sent Nashville SC past Orlando, into US Open Cup quarterfinals
How unlikely was Nashville SC's biggest win of the B.J. Callaghan era?
For starters, the winning goal came from 25 yards away, off the non-dominant right foot of an ailing rookie defender who had played in just four games for Nashville, which was playing its U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 game at Orlando City SC. Wyatt Meyer was under the weather and the Florida heat didn't help matters. When he scored in the 79th minute, he barely had enough energy to celebrate.
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"I was suffering out there," Meyer said. " ... But all the boys on the team are so encouraging, like, 'Wyatt, you're gonna have to dig deep.' It's a little hot, but whatever. Just get through it and grind for these guys."
Meyer's goal gave Nashville a 3-2 win at Inter&Co Stadium on May 21 in Orlando, Florida, and sent Nashville to the Open Cup quarterfinals. It ended a five-match losing streak to Orlando, extended NSC's unbeaten streak to seven and snapped the Lions' own undefeated run at 12.
Nashville also avenged its loss to Orlando in the quarterfinals in 2022, the only other time it has reached that stage of the United States' oldest soccer competition.
"We're really proud of the whole group, the way the group prepared, the way the group performed," Callaghan, Nashville's coach, said. "We call on everybody, and we know that we have a deep squad and a squad that we believe in."
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Nashville will host D.C. United in the Open Cup quarterfinals, which are scheduled for July 8-9.
Nashville goes deep into bench
Callaghan said Nashville picked up some "knocks" in its 0-0 tie with D.C. United on May 17 and in training prior to facing Orlando, but didn't specify injuries to specific players. Teams are not required to release availability reports before Open Cup games, unlike in MLS play.
Nashville is at Toronto FC on May 24 in its next MLS game.
Just three regular starters — defenders Andy Najar and Jeisson Palacios and midfielder Patrick Yazbek — were in the initial lineup. Attackers Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, midfielder Edvard Tagseth, defender Daniel Lovitz and goalkeeper Joe Willis weren't picked at all.
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Brian Schwake started in goal, while teenagers Chris Applewhite and Matthew Corcoran played all 90 minutes at center back and central midfield. Midfielder Ethan O'Brien was called up from MLS Next Pro affiliate Huntsville City FC and made his Nashville debut in the second half.
"When you get your number called, you're able to get on the field, you get to show what you're capable of doing," assistant coach Michael Nsien said. "Players represented themselves really well tonight. I feel like the team grew 1, 2, 3%."
May 21, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City defender David Brekalo (4) and Nashville SC midfielder Ahmed Qasem (37) defend during the first half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Back-and-forth scoring
Orlando's counterattack was dangerous throughout. Marco Pasalic got things going with a 17th-minute goal from well outside the box on a quick transition. But Nashville evened the score in the 23rd minute on a Rodrigo Schlegel own goal. Ahmed Qasem found the net with a low left-sided shot to put NSC up 2-1 just before halftime.
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Qasem was the best player on the field and had a hand in all three Nashville goals. The Swedish winger answered Ramiro Enrique's 58th-minute equalizer when he beat Ivan Angulo off the dribble and passed to Yazbek, who set up Meyer with a back-heel assist.
MORE: Nashville SC signs Tate Schmitt, former Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo defender
Nashville closes game out
At one point, closing out games appeared to be a serious problem for Nashville. In 2024, it gave up six game-winning or game-tying goals after the 75th minute. This season, it has conceded stoppage-time goals in early losses to FC Cincinnati and Charlotte FC.
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Since then, Nashville has had three come-from-behind victories and successfully protected one-goal leads four times. Meyer credited that success to Nashville's ability to control the ball late, in addition to having a "dog mentality" to win back possession when they lose it.
"The experiences that we've taken from the beginning of the season, how we've been able to apply it is starting to reveal itself," Nsien said. "We're able to switch formations at the end of the game. Players' ability to be fluid and take instruction in an intense game is important for us."
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: US Open Cup: Nashville SC beats Orlando City, advances to quarterfinal
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