NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 23, 2021) – Nashville Soccer Club extended its season unbeaten streak to six matches with a victory over 2021 Major League Soccer expansion side Austin FC at Nissan Stadium on Sunday night in front of the largest crowd since the club’s inaugural MLS match on Feb. 29, 2020.
Moving On Up: Nashville SC improved its record to 2W-0L-4D, and moved to fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Boys in Gold remain as just one of three teams in MLS to remain undefeated alongside Seattle Sounders FC and Orlando City SC.
You Shall Not Pass: Nashville SC has now earned four consecutive shutouts, and recorded 407 minutes without allowing a goal, an MLS club record.
On the Board First: Nashville SC improved its overall MLS record to 11W-2L-3D when scoring the first goal of a match with tonight’s win. Head Coach Gary Smith now owns a 30W-0L-12D record when his side scores the first goal of the match in a home contest.
Nashville SC will travel to Atlanta United FC on Saturday, May 29. Fans can catch all the action by tuning into MyTV30 or www.NashvilleSC.com starting at 2 p.m. CT with the pregame show, and into ESPN 94.9 and El Jefe to listen to the call in English and Spanish, respectively.
Match Timeline
NSH 35’ – Aníbal Godoy earns possession at midfield and sends in a through ball down the near side for Jhonder Cádiz who takes a couple dribbles and delivers a pass into the box. Randall Leal delivers a one-timer off the pass and finds the back of the net.
ATX 73’ – Austin FC has its equalizing goal taken off the board after Video Assistant Review ruled that Jared Stroud was in an offside position before scoring.
Notes
- Nashville SC earned a 1-0 victory in the club’s first ever meeting against Austin FC
- Nashville SC now owns an overall home record of 7W-2L-8D
- Nashville SC recorded double-digit shots for the sixth consecutive week
- Nashville SC has now out-shot its opponents in every match this season and overall, 101-57
- Nashville SC held Austin FC to its lowest shots on goal total of the season with one
- Jhonder Cádiz earned his first career assist tonight
- Randall Leal’s goal tonight ties him with Cádiz for the team lead
- Leal finishes the week as the overall team leader in shots (20) and shots on goal (14)
- The backline of Dan Lovitz, Dave Romney, Walker Zimmerman and Alistair Johnston own a 6W-1L-5D record in their last 12 matches together
- CJ Sapong led the team in shots tonight with three
- Joe Willis earned his 31st career shutout tonight, and fourth consecutive clean sheet for the first time in his career. Willis is now tied with Andre Blake and Pedro Gallese for the league lead in shutouts
BOX SCORE
Nashville SC 2W-0L-4D vs. Austin FC 2W-4L-0D
May 23, 2021 — Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
Final Score
ATX: 0
NSH: 1
Scoring Summary
NSH: Randall Leal (Jhonder Cádiz and A. Godoy) 35’
Discipline
ATX: Daniel Pereira Gil (Caution) 68’
Lineups
NSH: Joe Willis; Daniel Lovitz, Dave Romney, Walker Zimmerman, Alistair Johnston; Dax McCarty (C), Aníbal Godoy; Alex Muyl (Taylor Washington 79’), Randall Leal (Luke Haakenson 79’), CJ Sapong (Dominique Badji 57’), Jhonder Cádiz (Hany Mukhtar 65’)
Unused Substitutes: Bryan Meredith, Jalil Anibaba, Matt LaGrassa, Handwalla Bwana, Dylan Nealis
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Sapong 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Badji, 2); FOULS: 12 (Leal 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 1; POSSESSION: 40.9%
ATX: Brad Stuver; Jhohan Romaña (Julio Cascante 34’), Matt Besler, Zan Kolmanic, Nick Lima; Tomás Pochettino, Daniel Pereira Gil (Diego Fagundez 81’), Alexander Ring (C); Danny Hoesen (Jon Gallagher 62’), Cecilio Domínguez (Kekuta Manneh 81’), Rodney Redes (Jared Stroud 62’)
Unused Substitutes: Andrew Tarbell, Manny Perez, Aedan Stanley, Sebastian Berhalter
TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 15; OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 5; POSSESSION: 59.1%
Referee: Chris Penso
AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt
AR2: Chantal Boudreau
4th: Elton Garcia
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr
AVAR: Eric Weisbrod
Weather: Clear, 81 degrees.
Statistics are unofficial.
