Austin FC had Matthew McConaughey, the familiar confines of Q2 Stadium and a vibrant, strongly partisan crowd of 20,738 therein, and superiority in expected goals and most other statistical categories on their side.

But Nashville SC had Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge on theirs, and that proved enough to tilt the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final in their favor on Wednesday night.

NSC’s German playmaker bagged the night’s opening goal, capping a well-worked team buildup with an instinctive half-volley. Their English No. 9 slotted home from the penalty spot on the hour mark, running his Open Cup scoring total to a tournament-high six goals.

And their entire squad worked doggedly for the rest of the evening to make sure that was enough to deliver the club’s first-ever trophy, and as N

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