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Analysis: Nashville SC’s unbeaten streak ends




Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar's free kick hits the crossbar during a game against the New York Red Bulls on Friday, June 18, 2021, in Harrison, N.J.Courtesy of Nashville SC

Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar’s free kick hits the crossbar during a game against the New York Red Bulls on Friday, June 18, 2021, in Harrison, N.J.Courtesy of Nashville SC

It took until the middle of June, but Nashville SC has suffered its first loss of the season. The Boys in Gold fell to the New York Red Bulls 2-0 in New Jersey on Friday night.

The first half looked fairly even, with Nashville holding its defensive shape well and keeping the Red Bulls from any decent chances, though they tried. Head coach Gary Smith had several players out because of international duty or injury.

With no Daniel Rios, Dominique Badji or Jhonder Cadiz, Smith was left with CJ Sapong and Abu Danladi at the striker position. Danladi had not played since last season but subbed in during the second half.

Everything looked like a typical Nashville defensive match until the 37th minute, when the two New York strikers combined for an absolute world-class goal.

A long ball was sent over the top to the right of Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis’ box, and NYRB striker Patryk Klimala was played very closely by Nashville center back Walker Zimmerman.

 

 

Klimala, falling back, was able to flick a pass over Zimmerman into the center of the box toward his partner Fabio, who took the shot in mid-air with the outside of his foot. The shot rocketed off the far goal post and in past Willis.

The Red Bulls had momentum going into halftime, but the game still seemed within Nashville’s reach. The clinching goal came soon after the second half restart.

New York wunderkind Caden Clark found right wing Kyle Duncan near midfield. Duncan dribbled toward Nashville’s goal with little urgency and little resistance from the defense. He took a seemingly innocuous shot from outside the box that rolled on the ground to the right of Willis.

Zimmerman and captain Dax McCarty were both in front of the shot, but both jumped, thinking Duncan would try a hard shot to the upper corners of the goal. The ball rolled beneath them both and away from Willis, whose view was shielded.

“I’ve run into this type of Red Bulls team on numerous occasions, and they go about their business in a specific way,” Smith said after the match. “They took their moments very well that they were presented with. I think the story of the game for us was the first goal changed the dynamic of where things were going. Pretty comfortable up until that first goal.

“When you’re a goal or two goals down, as we have seen in previous games, somebody has got to step up and get us back into the game. Maybe this is one game too many where we were asked to come back two goals. We just can’t do it all the time.”

Zimmerman was subbed off after the second goal, and Smith said it was because he had just returned from international duty with a sore abductor. NSC has several more games coming in quick succession for which Zimmerman will be needed.

Also out because of international duty was McCarty’s partner in the midfield, Anibal Godoy, who didn’t return from his time with Panama before the team left for New Jersey.

Filling in these holes were Matt LaGrassa, who got his first MLS start, and first-round SuperDraft pick Irakoze Donasiyano, who subbed on in the second half for his MLS debut.

Luke Haakenson, a 2020 SuperDraft pick, got nearly an hour of playing time, subbing for winger Randall Leal. Leal, like Zimmerman, played for his country over the break and will be needed in the coming weeks.

The men from Music City don’t get much time to mourn the loss as they are back in action this Wednesday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. against Toronto FC at Nissan Stadium.

They play again Saturday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. against CF Montreal.

Nashville faced Montreal in their second match of the season, coming back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2. Nashville defeated Toronto in the postseason 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Daniel Rios to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

These matches start a five-match homestand for the Boys in Gold at Nissan Stadium. Tickets are available at www.nashvillesc.com/tickets.

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