Union finish rain-delayed USOC match, advance to semifinal with late Makhanya winner
The Philadelphia Union are heading to the U.S. Open Cup semifinal after what feels like the longest quarterfinal in history. This match against the New York Red Bulls was originally supposed to happen in July, but Mother Nature had other plans.
It got postponed, rescheduled for this week, delayed another two hours on Wednesday night, and finally wrapped up around 11:30 p.m.
In true Open Cup fashion, the hero was the most unexpected guy on the pitch. 20-year-old center back Olwethu Makhanya pounced on a rebound from a set piece and buried it to send the Union through in the 89th minute.
The Philadelphia Union are heading to the Semifinals
It was the kind of gritty, unpredictable magic that makes the U.S. Open Cup so fun, even when half the stadium is empty on a midweek night.
Semifinal Showdown in Nashville
The win sets up a September road trip to Nashville SC for a spot in the final. On paper, the path is there. The winner will face either Austin FC or Minnesota United, not exactly the toughest draw possible.
Nashville is a fortress at home: 9-1-3 this season. The Union haven’t had much luck against them either, losing both meetings in 2025, including a frustrating 1-0 road loss in which Philly played up a man for over 40 minutes and still couldn’t find the net.
That game should be burned into their memory and hopefully used as fuel for payback next month.
Union’s U.S. Open Cup Resume
This is the Union’s fifth trip to the semifinal in just 13 U.S. Open Cup tournaments played (they didn’t participate in 2020, 2021, or 2023). That’s a semifinal appearance rate of nearly 40%.
The history is bittersweet:
- 2014 – Lost to Seattle Sounders (home) in extra time
- 2015 – Lost to Sporting Kansas City (home) on penalties
- 2018 – Lost to Houston Dynamo (away) in regular time
Three finals. Three losses. Two at Subaru Park. This team knows how to make a run so now it’s about finally finishing the job.
What’s Next
The semifinal in Nashville is set for September, with the final to follow later in the fall. If the Union can get past Nashville, they’ll have a legitimate shot at the club’s first U.S. Open Cup title.
Given how wide open the bracket looks and how well they’ve navigated the chaos of this year’s tournament, this might just be the year to finally break through.
Join The Chase
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