NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2024)Ā āĀ Nashville SC clinched its Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) Round One series Wednesday night after defeating Dominican side Moca FC 4-0. The Boys in Gold won the two-leg series 7-0 on aggregate to advance to the CCC Round of 16. The team will host the first leg of its two-leg, Round of 16 series against Inter Miami CF Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. CT at GEODIS Park in a rematch of last season's inaugural Leagues Cup Final. Ā
Media accreditation:Ā Media accreditation applications for both Round of 16 legs, home and away, are now open.Ā The deadline to apply for both matches is Friday, March 1 at 11 p.m. CT.Ā Media must apply at:Ā
- For Thursday, March 7 at GEODIS Park:Ā Nashville SC Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 Credential Application
- For Wednesday, March 13 at Inter Miami CFās Chase Stadium:Ā Inter Miami CF Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 Credential Application
Weāre Closed:Ā The Boys in Gold have begun the 2024 season with three straight shutouts across all competitions. Goalkeeper Joe Willis backstopped the club to clean sheets against Moca FC to start the CCC and the New York Red Bulls in MLS play, and Elliot Panicco kept the streak alive after stopping two shots against Moca FC Wednesday night. Nashville SC also started its 2023 campaign with three straight shutouts, all in MLS play.Ā
Twice as Nice:Ā Forward Foster Ajago netted two goals to secure a brace in his Nashville SC debut Wednesday night. The club signed Ajago in December after he went undrafted in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas. Last season at Duke, Ajago tallied 14 goals in 18 games, earned Second Team All American Honors, was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and was a semifinalist for the MAC Herman Trophy.
A Night of Firsts:Ā In addition to Ajago, forward McKinze Gaines notched his first tally as a Boy in Gold in the 13th minute to kick off the scoring for Nashville SC. Forward Jacob Shaffelburg closed out the first half with a goal of his own, his first of the 2024 campaign. In the second half, forwardĀ AmarĀ SejdiÄ made his Nashville SC debut.Ā
Next up:Ā The club hits the road this weekend for the teamās first MLS road match of the 2024 season. On Saturday, March 2, the Boys in Gold will face off against the Colorado Rapids at Dickās Sporting Goods Park at 8:30 p.m. CT. Nashville SC is undefeated against the Colorado Rapids with a 3-0-0 record across all competitions. Nashville SC will then turn its attention back to the Concacaf Champions Cup when the club hosts Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30 p.m. CT in the first leg of the Round of 16.Ā
Match Timeline:
NSH 13ā: Alex Muyl finds McKinze Gaines waiting in front of the box, and Gaines collects the cross to tap the ball inĀ
NSH 38ā: Jacob Shaffelburg connects with Forster Ajago who slots the ball home
NSH 45ā: Jacob Shaffelburg rifles off a shot that deflects into goalĀ
NSH 53ā: AmarĀ SejdiÄĀ sends a shot that is blocked by the Moca FC goalkeeper, and Forster Ajago collects the deflection to send the ball into the netĀ
Notes:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
- Nashville SC:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
- hosted its first Concacaf Champions Cup match at GEODIS ParkĀ
- played its coldest game since opening GEODIS Park (38 degrees per National Weather Service, next coldest game 46 degrees on March 11, 2023)
- recorded its third straight clean sheet of the season, under two separate goalkeepers
- outshot Moca FC 21-2
- saw three new goal-scorers on the season in McKinze Gaines, Forster Ajago and Jacob ShaffelburgĀ
- fielded brothers together for the first time in club history (M. Gaines and J. Gaines), and fielded the Gaines brothers together for the first time in their professional careers
- Forster AjagoĀ
- made his Nashville SC debutĀ
- scored his first Nashville SC goal and recorded his first Nashville SC braceĀ
- is the first Nashville SC player to record a brace on his debutĀ
- is the youngest player to score for Nashville SC, the youngest player to score for Nashville SC upon debut, and the first Nashville SC player born after 2000 to score for the club
- Julian Gaines made his Nashville SC debut when he subbed on for Jacob Shaffelburg in the 62ndĀ minuteĀ
- McKinze Gaines made his first start for Nashville SC and recorded his first goal for Nashville SCĀ
- Elliott Panicco has now started in goal for Nashville in 13 games across three separate tournaments (Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup) and has recorded five shutouts in tournament playĀ
- AmarĀ SejdiÄ made his Nashville SC debut when he subbed on for AnĆbal Godoy at halftime
Box Score:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Nashville SC vs. Moca FC
Feb. 28, 2024 ā GEODIS Park
Final Score:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
NSH:Ā Ā 4
MOC: 0
Scoring Summary:
NSH: McKinze Gaines (A: Alex Muyl) 13āĀ Ā
NSH: Forster Ajago (A: Jacob Shaffelburg) 38āĀ
NSH: Jacob Shaffelburg (Unassisted) 45āĀ
NSH: Forster Ajago (Unassisted) 53āĀ
Discipline:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
MOC: Keudy Jiminez (Caution) 81ā
Lineups:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
NSH Starters: Elliot Panicco; Dan Lovitz (Taylor Washington 62ā), Josh Bauer, Walker Zimmerman (C) (Lukas MacNaughton 62ā), Brent Kallman; Jacob Shaffelburg (Julian Gaines 62ā), McKinze Gaines, Forster Ajago; Alex Muyl, AnĆbal Godoy (AmarĀ SejdiÄ 46ā), Tah Brian AnungaĀ
Substitutes: Joe Willis, Jack Maher, Teal Bunbury, Dru Yearwood, Shaq Moore, Sean Davis
MOC Starters:Ā Pascual Ramirez; Kelvin Duran, Carlos Rossell (Jose Francisco 67ā); Jhonathan Cambindo (Keudy Jiminez 63ā), Robeto Louima (Victor Sanchez 63ā), Juan Angeles (Ronaldo De Pena 63ā), Gustavo Ascona (Alex Rodriguez 85ā), Enrique Etcheverry; Clifford Thomas, Richard Dabas (C), Eduardo MontenegroĀ
Substitutes:Ā Robinson Robert, Juan De Jesus, Anniel Rojas, Sergio Ventura, Miguel VasquezĀ
Match Officials:Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Referee: Oshane Nation
AR1: Caleb Wales
AR2: Ojay Duhaney
4TH: Mario EscobarĀ
VAR: Guillermo PachecoĀ
AVAR: Benjamin WhittyĀ
Weather:Ā Clear, 38 degrees