USL Nashville SC

Nashville SC Seizes Opportunity to Take First Place with Win over Loudoun United FC

September 30, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


LEESBURG, VA - Nashville SC has had numerous opportunities to claim first place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference this season. Each time, luck has not been on Nashville's side.

That luck changed on Saturday night when the Boys in Gold took down Loudoun United FC 2-0 and jumped into first place in the Eastern Conference. They accomplished this feat after learning from the tough defeats and missed chances to take first place.

"We've been searching for that as a team for a good while, and we certainly missed out on a number of opportunities," said Head Coach Gary Smith. "But as always, the team and the group grow and appreciate moments more. I couldn't have asked for a better attitude and focus in tonight's game against a very dangerous side I have to say. They've improved enormously. Very, very pleased. Three games to go, first time in the top and it gives us something to fight for now."

Daniel Ríos opened the scoring in the first half off of a brilliant feed from Ropapa Mensah, and Mensah himself doubled the advantage in the second half on a fantastic individual effort on the right edge of the box. Despite Loudoun owning the majority of possession and looking dangerous in build-up play, Nashville SC maintained another clean sheet while allowing just two shots on target.

Defender Ken Tribbett lauded the entire team's effort in earning the club's third consecutive clean sheet.

"Honestly, it's the whole team," Tribbett said. "It's not the back four, it's not Pickens. It's the midfielders, it's the forwards, everyone worked hard. The midfield put in an incredible shift tonight. They listened well, and we moved as a unit, I think. We were in the right places to save ourselves the work, and we ended up making a couple of important clearances, important saves. Another big shutout for us."

Even when Loudoun owned possession and was driving forward, it still felt like Nashville was in control of the match, and that was cemented when Nashville finished off two of its scoring chances. Smith was thrilled with his team's overall performance on an unfamiliar surface in a brand-new stadium at Segra Field in Leesburg.

"If you look at two goals, I thought it was a terrific team display," Smith said. "There were moments we controlled the game a little bit more, moments where we were certainly aggressive and looked like chances were available to us. But I also thought there was a real disciplined edge to the group. When they got into good positions, and they certainly threw caution to the wind a lot. We stood firm and showed us the characteristics that give us at the moment the best away record in the league. That's something to be proud of as well."

With three points and the number one spot in hand after the final road match of the season, the hard work begins. Second-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is tied on points with Nashville and has a match in hand going into this week. Nashville SC is in control of its own destiny for a top four spot and a guaranteed home playoff match, and is also very much in the hunt to finish in first place.

However, securing that top spot will be no easy task with Louisville City FC and North Carolina FC coming to town in the next two weeks. Smith thinks his team is ready for this final challenge of the regular season.

"I think we all looked at today and hoped if the performance was good enough that there would be some results go out to give us a way to get the opportunity we had to sit at the top of this table," Smith said. "That's short lived if we don't back it up with other good results. However, what I will say is, when you've got your hands on that spot, and of course there's a chance that Pittsburgh, the most threatening team now, can obviously take that spot. When you've got your hands on it, I think everyone loves that feeling. They'll look at that and really let that sink in. That with three games to go, if we can grind out results out of those games, which will never be easy of course, it's going to be a permanent top spot. I do think maybe it's going to take all three wins, but we're more than capable of that for sure."



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 30, 2019


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