USL Nashville SC

Matt Pickens, Kosuke Kimura Honored Pregame for 300 Professional Appearances

September 18, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - A pair of former MLS teammates that both found their way back to Nashville got to celebrate a huge achievement together on Tuesday.

Nashville SC goalkeeper Matt Pickens and defender Kosuke Kimura were both honored on Tuesday for each playing their 300th professional match. Kimura played his 300th on September 8 at North Carolina FC and Pickens played his 300th on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

In a pre-match ceremony on Tuesday, Nashville SC presented the pair with customized "300" Nashville SC jerseys and a gift on behalf of the club.

"They're exceptional individuals," said Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith. "I think for players to have played that many professional games have to have certain qualities. It does not mean to say you are a good person if you have played that long, but you have to look out for yourself, you need to make sure that your performances and mindset are in the right place week in and week out, otherwise you are on the outside. You just don't play that many games if you are not playing to that level."

Both have had illustrious careers in professional soccer and made history together in 2010 when they brought home the MLS Cup to the Colorado Rapids, along with Smith. Pickens was a workhorse in net that season, grabbing seven shutouts and averaging 1.12 goals allowed en route to the MLS Cup. Kimura started 24 matches and scored the lone goal in the 2010 Western Conference Championship against the San Jose Earthquakes.

After working their way through much of the American soccer world following their stints in Colorado, the pair reunited under Smith once again for Nashville SC's inaugural season in the USL.

Here's how Pickens and Kimura have earned their way to 300 professional appearances:

Matt Pickens

When Nashville SC fans chant "There's only one Matt Pickens," they really mean it.

There are very few goalkeepers in American soccer that have the accolades that Pickens has. In fact, Pickens is the franchise leader for three different professional franchises in appearances, starts, wins and shutouts (Colorado Rapids, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Nashville SC).

After being selected by the Chicago Fire in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, he helped guide the Fire to the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and made his MLS Cup playoff debut that October. After the 2007 season, Pickens went across the pond for a brief stint with the Queens Park Rangers. He then returned to the United States and signed with the Rapids, where he'd stay for five years and win an MLS title in the process.

Pickens made his way to Tampa Bay and the Rowdies in 2014 and proceeded to take the then-NASL club by storm, quickly becoming a fan favorite and helping guide them as they moved from the NASL to the USL. He led the club to a third-place finish in the USL Eastern Conference standings in 2017 and a berth in the Conference Semifinals.

In addition to his extensive club career, Pickens has been invited to five different U.S. Men's National Team camps.

Kosuke Kimura

Throughout his career, Kimura has been a trailblazer in American soccer. Drafted in the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft by the Rapids, becoming the first Japanese-born player in the MLS. He became a more regular player for the Rapids in 2009, scoring two goals and adding two assists.

In 2010, he became a mainstay, playing in 24 matches en route to the MLS Cup. The next season, he started in every single match for Colorado. After a brief stint with the Portland Timbers in 2013, Kimura ended up with the New York Red Bulls and helped them capture the MLS Supporters' Shield.

From there, he bounced around the soccer world until he ended up in the USL last season with Tulsa Roughnecks FC. Last December, he had the chance to reunite with Smith and Pickens and be a part of Nashville SC's inaugural season.

Nashville Soccer Club would like to extend our congratulations to both Matt and Kosuke on reaching such an incredible milestone.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 18, 2018


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