The game started with both teams trying to control the ball and the midfield. At 11 minutes, Zelarayán and Etienne combined right outside the box and Lucas took the shot to goal, but Joe Willis repelled. Crew took control of the game, arriving with possibilities at the NSC box, however, after a few minutes, Nashville managed to balance the game, although with very few options upfront. At minute 20, Hany zigzagged into the area and finished off a shot that was deflected for a corner kick. At minute 27 a great cross from Taylor Washington after a pass from Hany Mukhtar and Alex Muyl opened the goal count by crossing his header to the far post of Eloy Room taking advantage of the fall of Pedro Santos who came first for the ball. At 31 Randall Leal and Hany Mukhtar combined very well and Hany served CJ an excellent pass, Sapong decided to take a low shot, but Room was very aware and deflected. At minute 33, a play by Nashville SC, a stumbling CJ Sapong gave the ball to Hany who after several feints finished off weakly, the ball bounced off the farthest vertical, and Room saved on the line. However, it seemed that the ball had entered the frame in its entirety. Lucas Zelarayán -in overtime- released a tremendous shot from outside the area, but exceedingly high.
Crew entered the second half ready to level the numbers and raised the pressure to three-quarters of the pitch. Nashville withstood the gale and little by little managed to advance its lines, but it was Nagbe at 51 who from outside the area released a powerful shot, but very wide. At 55 Alex Muyl arrived once again with a header against a great cross from Taylor, but this time he was late and with a foul. Randall Leal tried his luck from outside the area at 61 after combining with Hany Mukhtar and Sean Davis but it went wide. Joe Willis saved a terrific opportunity for the Crew by laying down very well at 62 against a run inside the area by Luis Díaz and a great cross from Moreira reached the head of Miguel Berry who went up first but could not straighten his shot. The last four options would all be for Columbus at 68, 69, 72 and 76, the first from Artur inside the area who finished off, but the ball found CJ on the way and was rejected. In the next two opportunities, it was Lucas Zelarayán from outside the area once again but remarkably high and a great free-kick of his that went slightly wide to the right corner of Willis’s goal, and at 76 Willis made a good save down after a Yeboah’s shot.
Before 23,071 fans at Lower.com Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, this is how we saw Nashville SC:
Joe Willis (1): Efficient in his interventions, Joe was instrumental in the victory.
Alex Muyl (19): Good start by Alex, running the entire right-wing effectively crowned with his great shot to open the score sheet.
“Taylor [Washington] breaking down left side we see it so many times what he does, he drags in down the line and puts in a good ball. For me, as the opposite side wingback I know I have to get in the box if I want to be dangerous if I want to be a threat. So, [Pedro] Santo’s slipped, which is unlucky for him but with the quality of the ball, I think I would have gotten a chance anyway. For me, it was about hitting the target. Those balls can be tough because they don’t come with so much pace. I just guided it and luckily for me it had some spin on it and made its way into the far post.”
Eric Miller (15): Very busy first half, but he came out well, the line of three fullbacks fits him much better.
Dave Romney (4): Great game from Dave in a very tough game for the Nashville SC defense.
Jack Maher (5): Huge as center full back on the left, he did an excellent job.
Taylor Washington (23): He ran the left corridor in an excellent way and his wonderful cross to the Muyl’s head was worth the ticket and the win.
Brian Anunga (27): He recovered many balls with exceptionally good midfield dynamics, although he could contribute little offensively.
Sean Davis (54): Tireless work, Sean was high NSC’s performance once again.
Randall Leal (8): He continues to do a commendable job on both sides of the ball, he shines in his performance, if only in an unusual way.
Hany Mukhtar (10): Great deployment and tactically excellent holding the ball and driving the opponents to despair.
CJ Sapong (17): CJs gave his usual earnest effort keeping the home defense busy and aware at all times.
Substitutions:
Aké Loba (9): Again, little of his football to highlight.
Aníbal Godoy (20): He arrived at a very opportune moment to fill a huge need for Nashville SC to control the ball and space in the midfield.
Walker Zimmerman (25): Walker’s arrival negated a lot of the Crew’s attempts to even the numbers, especially on high balls to the box.
Luke Haakenson (26): He entered to refresh the middle when Nashville was pushing hard to keep its victory.
Coach Gary Smith: Gary’s tactical scheme could have been different looking to risk more, but the danger of his rival in terms of figures and game control were not good ingredients to try much more. However, Nashville managed to take advantage of the spaces left by Crew with their tactical defense and took control of the game, especially in the first half. Beyond the imminent danger of the continuous advances of Columbus during the second half, it was clear again how Nashville managed to keep the rival’s incursions at bay by populating the entrances to the box. The coach managed to establish a strong defensive effort in the last two defensive blocks near Lewis’s goal and thereby achieved an extraordinary victory in a stadium that has always been a huge headache for the Music City team.
“Yeah, wonderful victory here. This is a tough environment, tough, tough team, very, very talented Columbus group made some good additions in the offseason to reinforce this group. We had our own problems coming into the game. The guys that stepped up in this game were imminent. I think overall we were the better team first half, they were the better team in the second half. The one Alex Muyl goal that separates us is a great feeling because I think we have been in some good positions; we’ve been denied victories for different reasons. Tonight, we’ve been able to get it across the line and I think the guys deserve that.”
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