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USL Nashville SC

Nashville SC Seeks More Attack in Showdown with Ottawa Fury

April 5, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - A day before Nashville Soccer Club traveled north of the border for its only match on Canadian soil in 2019, head coach Gary Smith gathered his team for one final practice on Ensworth High School's turf soccer field to prep for Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday. A spirited training that included positional drills, 11 v 11 and set piece work in Thursday's 2-hour long session brought to an end a nearly two-week break between matches.

PREVIEW: NASHVILLE SC PREPARE FOR FURY IN OTTAWA

Smith and his staff have used the break to "reset," after a season-opening three-game stretch that saw Nashville SC go 1-1-1, and work primarily on the attacking third of the field, which has yet to yield the desired results.

"It's early on in the season, so I think the break has come at a decent time to really get dug into some of the aspects of our game that have had a little bit of a breaking in period is how I look at it," said Smith after practice on Thursday. "Not quite as creative or as much of a goal threat as I would have like. Two of three of the players in the attacking area of the field are looking for a connection or rapport. Nice that Daniel [Ríos] and Cameron [Lancaster] have got themselves off the mark and running, but we certainly needed and do need to be more of a goal threat. [This break] has given us a bit more time, care, opportunity to get more work done."

Ríos and Lancaster are the only two Nashville SC players to bag goals so far this season, with Ríos scoring the last two after Lancaster scored the club's first official goal of 2019. While it is comforting to know that Nashville SC's two MLS signings have already had an impact on the scoreboard, Smith knows secondary scoring will be necessary throughout the season.

That scoring should be especially important on Saturday against Ottawa Fury FC's stout defense. The Fury finished in the top half of the USL Championship in 2018 in goals allowed and appear to be even stronger on defense in 2019, having allowed just one goal in its first two games. At home, Ottawa is especially stingy, allowing just 14 goals in 17 home games last year.

"[Ottawa] has a tremendous amount of resilience, they're an experienced side, they're well-coached and they are well organized," said Smith. "They have a particular style and method and the place is not easy to go to and get a result. It's a difficult spot to get to, number one. They play their home field very well. I would imagine they'll have good support there for their home opener. So you have all the ingredients for a tough contest. We'll be ready for what they throw at us. I do think our group is getting better and better, week by week. I think the relationships are forming. They look bright and purposeful."

One Nashville SC player who knows plenty about the Ottawa Fury is forward Tucker Hume. The North Carolina FC product began his professional career as a rookie on the Fury in 2017, scoring three goals and adding two assists for the Canadian side. Hume is familiar with TD Place, Ottawa's home field, and the turf inside the stadium. Only a handful of USL Championship teams play on turf, and it can be difficult to play on.

"That turf is a little bit older now," said Hume. "It's a little hard and bouncy. It will be nice if it gets a little wet, because it plays nice when it is wet. It's why we have been out here [at Ensworth] on the turf working this week, just trying to get used to that surface."

The match will be the second of five road games out of a six-match stretch for Nashville SC, the longest such stretch of the season. After starting the road trek with a draw in New Jersey against New York Red Bulls II, Nashville will play in Ottawa, return home for a rivalry match against Memphis 901 FC, then hit the road again for a three-game trip that includes the Charleston Battery, Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Atlanta United 2.

"We do have a tough run, not just the Ottawa trip, but we do have a tough run of games," said Smith. "We need to make sure we are constantly adding points to the board and put ourselves in a position to be fighting for silverware at the end of the year."

The match will kickoff at 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed digitally on ESPN+ and can be heard locally on the radio on ESPN 94.9 Game2.



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