ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City won't celebrate a U.S. Open Cup championship again this year.

Nashville edged out the Lions 3-2 on Wednesday night in the round of 16 of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition at Inter&Co Stadium.

The Coyotes got a goal from Wyatt Meyer in the 79th minute to give Nashville the winning margin.

Forward Marco Pašalić gave Orlando City an early lead when he ripped a shot into the top right corner in the 17th minute to put the Lions up 1-0.

But in the 23rd minute, Orlando City defender Rodrigo Schlegel gave Nashville a 1-1 tie on an own goal when he slid to block a shot and the ball deflected off his foot and into the net.

The Coyotes took a 2-1 lead in the 40th minute on a goal by forward Ahmed Qasem.

The Lions tied the score in the 58th minute on forward Ramiro Enrique's finish of a feed from Pašalić.

"When we conceded the goal to Nashville really fast, that was a big problem, and then we conceded the second goal before halftime, which is also difficult," Pašalić said. "But we had to believe, and we came out in the second half to make everything better, but then we made the mistakes. When we scored the second goal, it was 2-2, and I think we had the game under control, and one moment later we were not paying attention. They got the goal, and we missed the luck at the end, and I think it hurts a lot.” 

Orlando City won its first trophy in 2022 when it captured the U.S. Open Cup.

The Lions will return to Major League Soccer action at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when they host the Portland Timbers at Inter&Co Stadium.