FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Sept. 6, 2020) - After an 80-minute delay due to rain and lightning, Nashville Soccer Club locked in their fourth shutout of the season with a scoreless draw against Inter Miami CF on Sunday night.
With the draw, Nashville (2W-4L-3D) extends its unbeaten run to three matches and completes an unbeaten home-and-away series with fellow 2020 Major League Soccer expansion side Inter Miami (1W-6L-2D).
The hosts looked the more threatening side for most of the first half, but they could not find the back of the net as forward Julián Carranza and winger Rodolfo Pizarro missed point-blank chances off low crosses from left-back Ben Sweat. Goalkeeper Joe Willis, who kept his fourth clean sheet of the season, made five crucial saves on the night, notably on a shot from Nicolás Figal in the 14’ minute.
Coming into the match, Nashville was leading the league in goals from set pieces with three. The team, wearing its acoustic blue Nashville Vibe uniforms, saw their best first-half chances come off of set pieces when on a corner kick in the 24' minute Inter Miami stuffed forward Dominique Badji’s shot on the goal line.
Badji got another look on goal in the 39’ minute, getting in behind Inter Miami’s backline to chase a long pass from defender Daniel Lovitz. Badji was taken down by defender Andrés Reyes when the striker appeared to have a one-on-one with Inter Miami goalkeeper Luis Robles, but the referee called a corner-kick rather than a penalty.
Midfielder Hany Mukhtar looked lively in the scoreless opening period. He spun a few Inter Miami defenders with his skills and put two shots slightly over the net, all while constantly running at Inter Miami’s defense with the ball. In the first minute of the second half, he saw a shot with space inside the box saved by Robles.
A few more Mukhtar shots either sailed over the goal or into Robles’ gloves. In the 74’ minute, Mukhtar recovered the ball after Inter Miami cleared a Nashville corner and crossed to defender Walker Zimmerman, who headed on goal only for Robles to dive to his right to make the save.
Lovitz had the best chance of the match in the 80’ minute when Inter Miami defender Leandro González Pirez missed a clearance in the hosts’ end. The Nashville defender saw himself in a one-on-one with the keeper, but the ball trickled narrowly wide.
Inter Miami’s Robbie Robinson had a golden chance from a free-kick straight down the center of the goal, but he drove it low and wide to the left of the frame in the 82’ minute.
In the second minute of stoppage time, midfielder Anibal Godoy hit a rocket when Robles left his goal, but the Inter Miami keeper saved it while backpedaling towards his net.
The two sides went end-to-end through stoppage time, but no goals came from either side’s efforts.
Key Stat:
26 clearances - Nashville cleared the ball from their own penalty area 26 times over the course of the match. Willis’ five saves also helped keep Miami out of the net to earn the club’s fourth shutout this season.
Other Notes:
- Nashville SC extended its undefeated streak to three matches
- Joe Willis kept his fourth clean sheet of the season, meeting or surpassing his season total since 2016 after just nine matches played
Up Next:
Nashville SC will host a rematch against southern rivals Atlanta United FC on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Nissan Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on MyTV30, ESPN 94.9 and El Jefe.
Starting XI:
Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz, Dave Romney, Walker Zimmerman, Alistair Johnston; Dax McCarty, Aníbal Godoy, Hany Mukhtar (Derrick Jones—91’), Alex Muyl (Taylor Washington—62’), Randall Leal (Abu Danladi—61’); Dominique Badji (Daniel Ríos—73’)
Unused Substitutes: Jalil Anibaba, Jack Maher, Brayan Beckeles, Elliot Panicco, Tah Brian Anunga
Disciplinary:
MIA:
Andrés Reyes—54’ (unsporting behavior)
NSH:
Aníbal Godoy—19’ (unsporting behavior)
Abu Danladi—63’ (unsporting behavior)
