Sports stats

USL Nashville SC

'Moments' Elude Nashville in Loss to Tampa Bay

May 9, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - Soccer is a game of moments, small moments, within a 90-minute match make the difference between 0, 1 or 3 points. It's what makes it so frustrating and elating for coaches, players and fans. Nashville Soccer Club unfortunately experienced most of the former on Wednesday night in its return to First Tennessee Park.

Two moments defined 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay Rowdies on national television.

In the 16' minute, wingback Taylor Washington sent in a pinpoint cross into the box. Nashville crossed the ball 19 times on the night, and this was the best one. It glided perfectly to the head of a rising Kharlton Belmar. Belmar has been snakebit so far this season, doing everything offensively except get on the scoresheet. This looked like the perfect opportunity to get off the mark.

Instead his header flew just wide of the far post, and with it went Nashville's best scoring chance against a stout Rowdies defense.

"In tight games against a team that have shown already that they're going to be a pretty tough nut to crack, you're never going to get too many sights on goal," said Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith. "So when you do, you've got to take advantage of it."

The second moment came nearly 20 minutes later when Tampa Bay won a free kick on the right side of the 18-yard box. A ball sent far post, headed back near post and poked in was the Rowdies first shot on target in match and one of their two total. All of a sudden, Nashville was trailing despite, to that point, being the better side.

From there both defenses flexed proverbial muscle, holding the opposition to half-chances at best. At the end of the match, it was two moments not going Nashville's way that made the difference.

"It's about moments," said midfielder Bolu Akinyode after the match. "[Gary] looks at the game, and he thought we started off alright and got a couple of chances, but we didn't really make the most of it and they got one off a set piece and buried that and the whole complexion of the game changed. Goals change games at the end of the day. They score, and they sit back and don't have to do much, and that's the game right there. It's not like they shredded us open and created a lot of chances, and it's not like we shredded them open. It was the one moment and unfortunately that's football sometimes."

Nashville SC players have already moved on from the loss. Defender Bradley Bourgeois said following the loss that "it's gone" and "already done." Luckily, the bad taste can be washed out of the mouth of everyone that supports Nashville SC with another game on Saturday against Swope Park Rangers. Kickoff is at 7 p.m., and tickets are still available.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 9, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central