NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville SC had plenty of chances in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 clash with Inter Miami, but couldn't put the ball away in a 0-0 draw.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville SC and Inter Miami fought to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the two-legged series, with Nashville unable to capitalize on their many chances.
- What we learned: The 'Yotes did a great job defensively to hold the Herons' high-powered attack without a goal, and they showed that they're able to consistently create against the Miami backline. The final ball consistently let them down, though, with missed chances set to haunt them.
- Big picture: Nashville have all to play for in the second leg. Keeping Miami without an away goal at Geodis gives them a boost, but shutting down this attack again away from home is a big ask.
Key moments
- 42' | Sam Surridge gets on the end of a long throw in, but his half-volley is saved well by Dayne St. Clair.
- 57' | Lionel Messi goes on a break and drives a low shot at goal, but Brian Schwake gets down quickly to make a crucial save. German Berterame gets to the rebound first, but can't hit an open goal.
- 62' | Nashville begin to cause Miami real problems on the counter attack. The three Designated Players combine for an excellent breakaway, and the ball is eventually cut back to Warren Madrigal, who pulls his shot just wide.
- 70' | Another fantastic break from Nashville is pulled wide from Mukhtar, after an excellent pass from Andy Nájar to set him up with time in the penalty area.
Standout performers
- Patrick Yazbek continued to set the tempo for the 'Yotes on both sides of the ball. The Australian made several crucial defensive interventions and sprung multiple counterattacks with crisp entry passes.
- Maxwell Woledzi was once again a rock at the back for Nashville. He raised fans' heart rates carrying the ball out of the back, but did a good job advancing possession and was defensively solid.
- Reed Baker-Whiting was exceptional in his second Nashville start, putting in a crunching tackle in his own box and delivering some tasty service. He nearly scored from a corner, but was denied by a brilliant save from St. Clair.
Lineup notes
BJ Callaghan made three big decisions with his lineup. Matt Corcoran replaced Eddi Tagseth in midfield, while Warren Madrigal slotted in on the left wing. Reed Baker-Whiting made his second start after making the move from Seattle earlier this year, replacing Dan Lovitz at left back.
What it means
Nashville certainly looked capable of hanging with Miami, and were even the better side for long stretches. The missed chances were plentiful, though, and could come back to bite them if they're unable to put in a similar defensive performance next week.
Up next
Nashville head on the road this weekend, traveling up north to take on the Columbus Crew on Saturday. The second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series with Miami will take place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, next Wednesday.
Stats
Possession: NSH 41% – 59% MIA
Total Passes: NSH 317 – 503 MIA
Shots: NSH 15 – 8 MIA
Shots on goal: NSH 4 – 1 MIA
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 MIA
Goals: NSH 0 – 0 MIA
Expected goals: NSH 1.21 – 0.49 MIA
Fouls: NSH 8 – 9 MIA
Yellow cards: NSH 0 – 1 MIA
Red cards: NSH 0 – 0 MIA
Announced attendance: 25,616
