Nashville SC pulled off a historic result on Tuesday night, beating Club América 1-0 in Mexico City and advancing to the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals.
Nashville are the first Major League Soccer club to ever win a match at the famous Estadio Azteca, and are now within touching distance of the most prestigious trophy in North American soccer.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville more than weathered the storm at one of the most historic venues in soccer, executing their game plan to perfection and pulling off an unforgettable win.
- What we learned: Nashville held their own against América, and fully deserved their victory. This was a statement victory for Nashville, one that cements them as one of the best teams in MLS and in North America.
- Big picture: It's a historic night for Nashville SC, becoming the first-ever MLS team to win a competitive match at the Azteca. It's hard to overstate how daunting a venue this has been for visiting teams across North America, and for Nashville to go in and not just win, but play the game their way and stay true to their principles, was a monumental achievement.
It was also fittingly poetic that Hany Mukhtar, the captain, the all-time leading scorer, and the most important player in the history of the club, was the one to score the winning goal. Nashville should already be comissioning his statue.
Highlights
Key moments
- 21' | Alejandro Zendejas pounces on a turnover and drives at Nashville's backline, beating Reed Baker-Whiting before Brian Schwake tipped his shot onto the post and out.
- 22' | Schwake is forced into another save, this time after he misshits a pass and gifts América possession in midfield.
- 30' | Hany Mukhtar makes a trademark run from midfield, throwing a few stepovers at a defender before hitting a left-footed shot straight at goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota.
- 51' | After a strong start to the second half, Nashville pull ahead through their captain. Jeisson Palacios wins a crucial tackle to send Nashville on a break, before a perfect cross from Cristian Espinoza finds Mukhtar open in the box, and he buries the finish.
- 74' | A rare mistake from Schwake, as the 'keeper comes off his line and completely misses a cross. Palacios steps in with a crucial intervention to clear the ball before América can capitalize.
- 90+2' | Espinoza has a golden chance to kill the game off after an incredibly turn from Andy Nájar, but the winger flashes the chip just wide.
Standout performers
- Hany Mukhtar is the obvious standout. The captain was uniquely up for the challenge, playing at a higher tempo than any other Nashville player, seemingly unaffected by the 7,200 feet of altitude. He was relentless on and off the ball, dictating everything the 'Yotes did. His goal will go down as one of the most important in his Nashville career.
- Somehow Brian Schwake keeps getting better. The young 'keeper made nine saves to keep yet another clean sheet, his eighth of the season and his sixth in Concacaf Champions Cup. He was calm with his distribution, as is expected, but has really cemented his standing as a high-end shot stopper.
- Jeisson Palacios looks like one of the best center backs in MLS, and overcame a slow start to make a massive impact on the game. He made a crucial intervention to cover for Schwake after a missed cross, and his tackle started the move that resulted in the winning goal. A monster performance from Palacios.
- Jack Maher deserves a special bonus mention here, thrown into the match for the final 20 minutes after Palacios went down injured and called on instantly to make some key plays. He took absolutely no time to get up to speed, showing his maturity and confidence as América threw everything forward in search of a goal.
Lineup notes
Sam Surridge was a surprise absence from the matchday squad. The striker didn't make the trip to Mexico City, with a hamstring injury putting him in "day-to-day" status. The rest of the lineup was as expected.
Up next
Nashville have a quick turnaround, heading to Atlanta on Saturday for a rivalry match in MLS. They'll find out their opponent in the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinal tomorrow night, taking on either the Seattle Sounders or Tigres. Seattle will have to overcome a 2-0 deficit at home to advance.
Stats
Possession: AME 58% – 44% NSH
Shots: AME 18 – 8 NSH
Shots on goal: AME 9 – 2 NSH
Penalty kicks: AME 0 – 0 NSH
Goals: AME 0 – 1 NSH
Expected goals: AME 1.28 – 0.38 NSH
Total Passes: AME 426 – 304 NSH
Fouls: AME 10 – 7 NSH
Yellow cards: AME 0 – 2 NSH
Red cards: AME 0 – 0 NSH
Announced attendance:
