Nashville SC Falls To LAFC 2-1 As Conference Standings Continue To Tighten

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Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

After playing three games in a seven-day stretch, Nashville SC loses a hard fought match to LAFC 2-1 at GEODIS Park on Sunday night (July 17).

LAFC has been one of the best teams all year and, with the win in Nashville, they find themselves back at the top of the Western Conference standings. The already great Los Angeles team saw the debuts of Italian legend Giorgio Chiellini and Welsh legend Gareth Bale.

“It’s always a lot when you have three [games] in one week, and I don’t think we have too many more of those,” said Walker Zimmerman in a postgame press conference. “It’s tough in the summer. It’s hot, humid, and a lot of energy that you put out there… I think we fought really hard in this game. It felt like guys were really pushing to get a result. In that regard, we’re proud of the group. To drop points at home is never a good feeling, but we’ll get some well-deserved rest and prepare for Cincinnati.”

Walker Zimmerman and LAFC’s Giorgio Chiellini. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Despite the final result, both teams played well and kept up with each other. By the end of the match, both squads had 13 shots, a possession percentage of about 50 and over an 80 percent passing accuracy. Among the biggest differences between the teams were LA’s opportunities to strike while Nashville had their share of blunders on offensive chances.

“I can’t think of a more difficult game to run into than this one at the end of a difficult week,” head coach Gary Smith noted in a postgame press conference. “Those three games this time of year can be hugely challenging. However, I thought for good periods of the game, the teams were evenly matched. I didn’t think there were too many chances either way, but when you look back at the defining moments in the game and the important situations in the end that have separated the teams, [LAFC] executed in a far more clinical passion.”

Nashville came out of the first whistle creating some plays to put shots on the net while Zimmerman and the NSC defense stifled any and all offensive chances by LAFC. But when Los Angeles woke up, Nashville tried to keep up the pace.

The visiting team drew first blood in the 27th minute on a goal from Cristian Arango. He made a hustling move to the ball in the box where he shot the ball to the far side of the net, out of reach of Joe Willis.

From there, the game was fast with many scoring opportunities. Nashville had their fair share of options, but couldn’t get past Maxime Crépeau. On a Nashville corner, CJ Sapong was fouled in the penalty box and was confirmed by VAR. Hany Muktar took the penalty for Nashville and scored as the ball hit the left post, into the net.

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Though Nashville went into halftime with hope and positive takeaways from the first 45 minutes, LAFC didn’t waste any time in the second when José Cifuentes scored in the 46th minute after an NSC defensive misstep.

Nashville tried to crawl back and had some fantastic opportunities but couldn’t equalize.

After the loss, Nashville is now 3-4-2 at home this season and currently sits in fifth place with 30 points–just one more than Dallas who Nashville plays in the middle of August.

The Boys in Gold’s next game will be on Saturday, July 23 against Cincinnati FC in Cincinnati. Nashville will return to GEODIS Park on July 30 when the Vancouver Whitecaps come into town.

Steven Boero
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