One Knox SC notches major league win over D.C. United in U.S. Open Cup

Defending USL League One champions One Knoxville SC traveled to the nation’s capital and knocked off a Major League Soccer giant to advance in the Lamar Hunt U. S. Open Cup.

Wednesday night's monumental win over D. C. United went to penalty kicks after regular time ended in a 3-3 tie.

The teams exchanged goals on penalty kicks until One Knox came out on top 6-5. Reaching the third round alone marked a milestone for the five-year-old club, whose fourth professional season ended with an undefeated streak at home and the team's first league championship in 2025. One Knox has played in the U.

S. Open Cup every year as a pro, but 2026 is the first time the club has advanced far enough to face − and topple − an MLS opponent. One Knox beat SC Vistula Garfield 3-1 in the first round of this year's tournament, followed by a 3-2 second-round win earned on penalty kicks over Asheville City SC − both amateur opponents.