USL1: One Knoxville SC Makes History with Thrilling Shootout Win Over DC United

Staff Writer
Apr 16
3 min read

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a night that will forever be etched in club lore, One Knoxville SC pulled off a monumental victory, defeating Major League Soccer’s DC United in a penalty shootout at Audi Field. The triumph marks the first time in Knoxville's history they have defeated an MLS opponent and secures their position as the lone USL League One representative remaining in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The hero of the night was Kyle Linhares, who stepped up in the sixth round of penalties to bury the clinching shot after Knoxville goalkeeper Jonathan Burke produced a massive save on DC’s Gabriel Pirani.

"I can't really describe what I'm feeling," said an emotional Linhares. "It's been a tough start to the season for me... but I just continued to work hard and have faith. I knew in the right moment I'd have a chance, and it was today."

A Resilience-Tested Thriller

The match was a 120-minute rollercoaster that saw Knoxville pick themselves off the mat twice. After a scoreless first half—denied a goal in the 34th minute when a Finn McRobb header appeared to cross the line—the floodgates opened in the second half.

75th Minute: Babacar Diene gave Knoxville the lead, pouncing on a rebound to cancel out an earlier strike from DC captain Matti Peltola.
78th Minute: Denis Krioutchenkov, the USL1 March Player of the Month, scored just one minute after entering the game to give Knoxville a 2-1 lead.
83rd Minute: DC United’s Nikola Markovic leveled the score to force extra time.

In the extra period, DC United took a 3-2 lead through Peglow following a rare miscue from Burke. However, Krioutchenkov struck again in the 113th minute, assisted by Will Perkins, to force the deciding shootout.

Statistically Even, Mentally Superior

Despite the gap in league tiers, Knoxville held their own on the stat sheet, finishing with a slight edge in possession (52.5%) and matching DC United with six shots on target.

"We went in thinking that we were the better team," said Head Coach Ian Fuller. "I am so damned pleased for these guys... facing an MLS opponent is never easy, and these guys did it on the road to advance."

Match Statistics

Stat	One Knoxville SC	DC United
Score (AET)	3	3
Penalties	6	5
Possession	52.5%	47.5%
Shots on Target	6	6
Krioutchenkov	2 Goals	—

The Road Ahead: Round of 16

The "dream run" continues for the boys in orange and beige. Knoxville’s reward for the win is a trip to face another MLS heavyweight, the Columbus Crew, in the Round of 16. The match is tentatively scheduled for April 28 or 29.

Up Next:

Before heading to Columbus, One Knoxville SC returns to USL1 league play this Saturday for their first home match in three weeks.

Opponent: Charlotte Independence
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Covenant Health Park (Knoxville, TN)

The club also celebrated a milestone on Saturday as defender Dani Fernandez came on to mark his 100th appearance across all competitions for the club.