Regrettably, the energetic and promising season of Nashville SC ended in dismay as fans strolled towards the exits at Geodis Park with time remaining on the clock.
In Game 2 of the best-of-three first-round series in the MLS Cup Playoffs, Orlando City defeated Nashville with a score of 1-0, leading to a sweep of the Boys in Gold out of the postseason. To force a deciding Game 3 in Orlando, Nashville needed a victory.
Nashville’s season came to a disappointing end after failing to score a goal in three consecutive matches, dating back to an October 21 defeat to the New York Red Bulls in the regular-season finale, despite a 10-game unbeaten streak in MLS play between April and June where they rose as high as second in the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Orlando will now face either the third-seeded Columbus Crew or the sixth seed Atlanta United, who are tied at 1-1 in their first-round series and are scheduled to play Game 3 on Sunday.
Nashville starts game with big mistake
The first-ever postseason game at Geodis Park kicked off with a major error for the home team.
Dax McCarty made a routine back pass to Walker Zimmerman in the sixth minute, but Ivan Angulo stole it and scored, giving Orlando the lead. This goal was a contrast to the goal scored by Wilder Cartagena in Orlando City’s 1-0 victory in Game 1. It was an unexpected blunder for Nashville’s defense, which was one of the league leaders in scoring defense with just 32 goals allowed.
Poor start leads to more urgency
Falling behind quickly prompted a more attacking mentality from Nashville, with nearly 60% possession in the first half, displaying a more threatening style than in Game 1. Despite finding the net once, Hany Mukhtar’s goal was disallowed for offside, adding to the frustration.
In the second half, Nashville coach Gary Smith made strategic substitutions, reflecting the team’s desperation, and eventually, the team went all out for an equalizer. However, Nashville’s lack of precision in the final pass or dribble resulted in their inability to find an equalizer, leading to the end of their 2023 season.
The offensive effort, while commendable for its effort, lacked the necessary precision when it mattered most. Nashville’s 2023 season came to a close at the final whistle.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
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