BOYS IN GOLD PICK UP A POINT ON WARM NIGHT AT FIRST TENNESSEE PARK
NASHVILLE – Nashville Soccer Club dominated on the ball, but couldn’t dominate on the score sheet as the Boys in Gold drew 1-1 against Charlotte Independence on Saturday night at First Tennessee Park.
Lebo Moloto scored Nashville’s lone goal on the night on a first-half rebound opportunity for his first goal of the season. The draw gives Nashville a three-match point streak and points in five of its last six matches.
The first minute of the match saw back-and-forth action as Daniel Ríos tried a nifty move in front of goal to try and find the opener, but it was deflected away. Right away, Charlotte went on the counterattack and got towards goal before Nashville forced them into a corner kick.
From there, Nashville continued to pepper the net and keep the ball in the attacking third. Moloto found a solid scoring opportunity at the top of the box, but the ball sailed just wide. A few moments later, Justin Davis made a run down the left side and sent a shot towards goal that narrowly missed wide.
Charlotte had a solid response in the form of a blistering shot from Andrew Gutman, but Connor Sparrow was ready for it and parried it away. The Independence stayed on the attack and Dominic Oduro ran one-on-one and tucked home a goal to the lower left corner to take the lead in the 15’ minute.
Nashville responded in kind and continued to pressure the Charlotte net. In the 23’ minute, Moloto got his goal with a follow-up third rebound shot in front of goal to equalize the match. The Boys in Gold kept up their dominance on the ball and nearly found a second goal from a Ríos header a few minutes later. The score was 1-1 at halftime.
Both teams traded possession through the opening moments of the second half. Liam Doyle did well to deny Gutman a scoring chance right in front of goal prior to the 60’ minute mark. Ríos found a wonderful chance in the 68’ minute with a strong take from the top of the box but it was deflected wide.
Davis had another golden chance in the 86’ minute on a header, but it was sent right into the arms of the keeper. In stoppage time, Charlotte had a dangerous counterattack that nearly led to a scoring chance, but a delicate clearance by Ken Tribbett kept the score level until the final whistle.
Here are three takeaways from the match:
Moloto Bags One
Lebo Moloto got the start for the third consecutive match in the midfield, and his bright play finally paid off in the form of a first-half equalizer. A pair of Nashville shots bounced around the box and fell to Moloto, who tapped the ball home directly in front of goal. He scored the goal just a few minutes after taking a long-range ball that missed wide of the net. The second-year Nashville player was one of Nashville’s top offensive creators in 85 minutes, taking three total shots with his goal coming on target.
LaGrassa’s Midfield Dominance
Midfielder Matt LaGrassa was one of Nashville’s best distributors in the midfield throughout this match. He boasted a 93.5% passing accuracy, good for second-best on the team. He also had 62 total passes, leading the team. In the first half, he was particularly dominant, completing 97.1% of his passes on 47 touches. This was LaGrassa’s 45th consecutive appearance for the club.
Picking up Points
With the draw, Nashville SC has earned points in five of its last six matches across all competitions. The Boys in Gold have only lost twice across competitions since the beginning of April. Going into the match, Nashville had won its last two matches and scored eight total goals in those outings.
Up Next
Nashville hits the road next week for a pair of tough matches, starting with Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday, May 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT.
