ATLANTA (Aug. 28, 2021) – Nashville Soccer Club secured a tie for second place on points in the Eastern Conference with its first away win of the season. Daniel Ríos and Randall Leal both scored to put Nashville SC up 2-0 over Atlanta United FC.
Return of Ríos: Daniel Ríos started for the first time since Nov. 8, 2020, and put Nashville on the board in stoppage time in the first half for his first goal of the season. Ríos has now appeared in three straight games this season after returning from injury. Ríos’ goal was his first since Nov. 24, 2020, in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Joe of All Trades: Nashville SC goalkeeper Joe Willis surged to the front of the league after securing his ninth shutout of the season. Willis came up with two saves in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and rocketed a ball to Randall Leal in stoppage time to record his second career assist.
A Victory Away: Nashville SC earned its first away victory of the season, now holding an away record of 1W-5D-2L. Nashville have eight away games out of the 13 remaining fixtures this season, including two stretches of three away games in a row.
Nashville SC are set to return to Nissan Stadium on Friday, Sept. 3 to face New York City FC at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Match Timeline
NSH 45 +2’: Hany Mukhtar and Daniel Lovitz connect in the midfield to send the ball to Daniel Ríos inside the 18-yard box for Ríos who strikes the ball into the right of the net
NSH 90+5’: Joe Willis sends a ball far downfield to Randall Leal who scored on an empty net
Notes
- Nashville SC owns a 6W-1L-1D record when netting the first goal of the match in 2021
- Nashville SC have the fewest losses in MLS with two
- Nashville SC now owns a record of 4W-0L-2D when Daniel Ríos scores in a match
- Nashville SC had three players finish with a 90%+ passing percentage
- Nashville SC outshot Atlanta United FC 16-10 this afternoon
- Nashville SC finished the month of August with a 2W-1L-3D record
- Hany Mukhar has registered 12 assists in his MLS career, the most in Nashville SC’s MLS history
- Daniel Lovitz has now set a new career-high in assists for a season after registering his sixth assist of the season
- Dave Romney remains the only Nashville SC outfield player to play all 1,890 minutes this season and all 6,030 minutes in Nashville SC’s history
- Joe Willis is ranked first in MLS with nine shutouts
BOX SCORE
Nashville SC 8W-2L-11D vs. Atlanta United FC 6W-7L-9D
August 28, 2021 — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
Final Score
NSH: 2
ATL: 0
Scoring Summary
NSH: Daniel Ríos (Daniel Lovitz, Hany Mukhtar) 45+2’
NSH: Randall Leal (Joe Willis) 90+5’
Discipline
NSH: Daniel Lovitz (Caution) 26’
ATL: Ezequiel Barco (Caution) 37’
NSH: Tah Brian Anunga (Caution) 74’
Lineups
NSH: Joe Willis; Daniel Lovitz, Dave Romney, Alistair Johnston, Taylor Washington, Walker Zimmerman (C); Hany Mukhtar (Alex Muyl , Aníbal Godoy, Tah Brian Anunga; Daniel Ríos (Randall Leal 59’), CJ Sapong (Ake Loba 80’)
Unused Substitutes: Jack Maher, Abu Danladi, Eric Miller, Alex Muyl, Roberto Castellanos, Luke Haakenson, Bryan Meredith
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Mukhtar, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Mukhtar, 2); FOULS: 17 (Anunga, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2; POSSESSION: 38.9%
ATL: Brad Guzan (C); Anton Walkes, Alan Franco (Matheus Rossetto 68’), Brooks Lennon (Ronald Hernández 84’), Miles Robinson, George Bello; Ezequiel Barco, Amar Sejdic (Erik Lopez 68’); Josef Martinez, Marcelino Moreno, Luiz De Araujo (Jürgen Damm 84’)
Unused Substitutes: Alec Kann, Tyler Wolff, Erick Torres, George Campbell, Mikey Ambrose
TOTAL SHOTS: 10; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 3; POSSESSION: 61.1%
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
AR1: Kyle Atkins
AR2: Jeremy Hanson
4th: Luis Guardia
VAR: Michael Radchuk
AVAR: Jeff Muschik
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees.
Statistics are unofficial.
