USL Nashville SC

Nashville SC Looking to Continue Strong Form in Return to First Tennessee Park vs. Ottawa

June 21, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - Going on the road and earning strong results is never an easy task. However, Nashville Soccer Club has done that extremely well this season, winning five road matches already this season and taking 10 out of a possible 12 points in its recent four-match road swing.

The challenge now becomes translating that road form to Nashville's home turf at First Tennessee Park, and the Boys in Gold have their first chance to do that this Saturday night against Ottawa Fury FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Head Coach Gary Smith hopes the squad's recent strong run carries over to Saturday's match, even as the team mentally prepares to be back at home.

"It would be easy for me to say, 'Look this is what we need to do, and this is how we need to do it, and we'll get it done,'" Smith said. "It's just sad it doesn't work that way. What you tend to find, as I've said before, when you're at home teams will come in with a slightly different mentality. Our challenge is to make sure that, in as many ways as possible, we can replicate some of the qualities away from home. When I say that, it's not always as easy as it seems because the game opens up away from home. The pressure's not on us to force the game. Teams tend to be a little more positive and open minded when they are playing at home. The reinforcements for us are: can we control the game with the ball and are we able to create opportunities?

Saturday's match will also be Nashville's first rematch of the season, as these two teams faced off back in April with Nashville SC winning across the border in Canada 3-0. Forward Daniel Ríos remembers that match fondly.

"I remember I scored two goals," Ríos said. "We won that game. It was a difficult surface over there. It was the first game at home for them and a big win for us. I think a lot of weeks have passed and the team has performed better. It's a different team right now. They coming with a good run like we are on."

While Nashville SC had success against Ottawa last time, a lot has changed for both sides in the two months since that afternoon in Canada's capital. Nashville has cycled through a number of players due to injury, and has started to find some winning combinations during this six-match unbeaten streak. Meanwhile, Fury FC is on an eight-match unbeaten run, the longest in the USL Championship.

Nashville will have to be prepared to face a heavy possession-oriented squad in Fury FC.

"Well I honestly think their defensive record is based around having the ball," Smith said. "I'm not saying they aren't capable defensively because they are, but if you look at their stats, they maintain the game longer than any other team in the league. They pass the ball more than any other team in the league, which means they have the ball more or certainly for longer periods. The key for us is to take the ball back. The more we can have it, the less they can grow in confidence, and we can certainly exploit one or two areas of their team. I do believe we are capable of doing that, but you have to have the ball. They are going to make it tough for us. They are a good footballing team, and they are very confident. But we are also looking to keep ourselves on a good run and reinforce some of our good form. It should be an excellent game."

Overall, the players are feeling the good vibes that come with a six-match unbeaten run, and they'll be looking to keep that energy up in front of the Nashville faithful at First Tennessee Park.

"We've come into this year with a good group of guys," said midfielder Lebo Moloto. "You can tell there's a lot of chemistry that is already forming, and I think the last two games have been proof of that. From being down a goal and coming back just shows the resilient connection and the belief we have in each other. The last game was basically proof of that.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 21, 2019


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