MLS Nashville SC

Nashville SC Update

Published on April 18, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville Soccer Club returns to GEODIS Park to host reigning MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles FC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first 10,000 fans inside of GEODIS Park will receive a Walker Zimmerman bobblehead presented by Renasant Bank. Limited tickets are available at www.NashvilleSC.com/Tickets.

For those not in attendance, Saturday's match is available on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV App and on radio at 104.5 The Zone.

Yesterday, MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer's social responsibility platform, kicked off its 6th Annual Greener Goals Week of Service which highlights the League's commitment to environmental sustainability, including efforts around waste reduction.

Nashville SC will host its annual Greener Goals Night on Earth Day which falls on this Saturday. To underscore the League's commitment to raising awareness about ocean plastic waste and eliminating CO2-emitting plastics production, MLS players will be sporting adidas OnePlanet jerseys, a kit made with Parley recycled ocean plastic. Nashville SC will be sporting Acid Green while LAFC wears the Black version of these jerseys.

As part of the celebration, the club will also honor youth recipients of the Nashville SC Greener Goals award, which in partnership with the Mayor's Youth Council and Cumberland River Compact, provides grant funds for youth-led climate change projects, as Heroes of the Match. Nashville SC will also highlight representatives of Water Warriors, an organization that brings together youth, professional artists, and environmental agencies to create art representing water conservation out of plastics.

Nashville SC (3W-3L-2D, 11 pts.) will face LAFC (5W-0L-2D, 17 pts.) for the first and only time this season. The two sides have met twice in their young history, both coming in 2022 when Nashville SC was a member of the Western Conference. The season series was split with both teams earning road wins. Goalkeeper Joe Willis set a career-high with 14 saves in the 1-0 shutout victory on Decision Day.

Last matchday, reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar recorded his 45th career MLS regular season goal of the match against New York City FC. Since the 2022 season, Mukhtar has been involved via a goal or assist in 29 of Nashville's 59 goals (25 goals + 14 assists).

In the lead-up to the weekend, fans will be able to catch Designated Player Walker Zimmerman and right back Shaq Moore representing the United States Men's National Team in the inaugural Allstate Continental Clásico, a new annual event that will feature the USMNT hosting a top-tier opponent from North, Central and South America. The inaugural match will see the USMNT face Mexico at State Farm Stadium on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT on TBS, Telemundo, HBOMax, NBC Universon and Peacock. In preparation for the match, Zimmerman spoke to the media. Footage can be found here.

Nashville SC's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Huntsville City FC will travel to Florida to take on Inter Miami CF at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday. Fans can gather at Straight to Ale Brewery to be part of the official Huntsville City FC watch party or watch it on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app

104.5 The Zone for English radio

MEDIA NOTES:

Nashville SC:

is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference

has conceded the fewest goals in MLS this season (4)

LAFC has allowed the second fewest (5)

has recorded five clean sheets in eight matches this season; tied for the league's lead with FC Cincinnati

leads MLS in save percentage at 87.5%

has allowed just one goal in the first half of a match this season

ranks fourth in the East in accurate long balls (238)

has not lost in its last 31 matches when scoring the first goal of a match, a streak that dates back to August 8, 2021

is 24W-1L-9D all-time when leading at the half and is unbeaten in its last 32 matches when leading at the half (23W-0L-9D)

is 27W-1L-8D when scoring two goals or more in an MLS match

owns a 1W-1L-0D all-time record against LAFC

the two sides are deadlocked with each having two goals for and two goals against in series history

the home side has never won in its series history

Head Coach Gary Smith

is two wins shy of tying his personal record for most wins at an MLS club (Colorado Rapids, 43 wins)

spent three and a half seasons with Colorado (2008-11) managing 111 matches, while managing a total of 108 matches with NSC in MLS since 2020

Teal Bunbury made his 345th career regular season appearance over the weekend, ranking seventh all-time among active players

Sean Davis leads the team with 15 interceptions, tied for seventh among players in the Eastern Conference

Aníbal Godoy

leads the team in passing accuracy at 90.7% (minimum 90 minutes played)

has led Nashville SC to a 12W-7L-5D record in his appearances since 2022

Jack Maher leads the team in accurate passes (226) and total passes attempted (375)

Dax McCarty

ranks second all-time in MLS history among outfield players in games played (446), first among active players

is one regular season start from reaching 400 in his career and is second all-time in regular season starts

Shaq Moore

was called in by the United States Men's National Team for their midweek match vs. Mexico

is seventh in MLS in tackles won (16)

is one assist shy of tying his total from last year in three fewer matches

Hany Mukhtar

recorded his second goal of the season this past weekend (tied for the team-lead with Jacob Shaffelburg)

leads the team in assists (3)

has been involved in over half of Nashville SC's regular season goals in club history (75 of 138)

CJ Sapong made his 349th career regular season appearance, ranking tied for fourth all time among active players (also, Graham Zusi)

Joe Willis

leads all goalkeepers in save percentage at 87.5 % (minimum 3 matches played)

ranks fourth in MLS with 28 saves

has recorded 36 of his 54 career shutouts with Nashville SC

appeared in his 97th MLS regular season match for Nashville SC, the most of any player in club history

Walker Zimmerman

was called in by the United States Men's National Team for their midweek match vs. Mexico

has 24 career goals, including the playoffs, 23 of which have been scored on set pieces (15 corners, eight free kicks)

Check out the Nashville SC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 18, 2023


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