SAN JOSE, CA – Nashville SC weren't able to officially clinch the Supporters' Shield on Saturday night, but came away from their longest MLS road trip of the season with a solid point, drawing 1–1 against San Jose Earthquakes.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Hany Mukhtar put Nashville ahead in the first half, scoring in his fifth-consecutive game and giving fans visions of lifting the Supporters' Shield. San Jose fought hard in the second half and equalized with 20 minutes to go, putting the party on pause.
- What we learned: Heading into the match, San Jose were unbeaten in eight consecutive matches, pushing for a top four spot in the Western Conference. Nashville certainly weren't perfect, ceding control of the match in the second half, but did enough to find a winner. While BJ Callaghan and the players are never happy with less than three points, it was a solid enough performance given the circumstances.
- Big picture: Nashville and San Jose's fifth all-time meeting ended in a fifth draw. The 'Yotes close the week with a 12-point lead over Vancouver Whitecaps in the Supporters' Shield race, and officially clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. A win or draw at CF Montréal next Saturday (12:30 pm CT) will win the Shield, while any dropped points from Vancouver and Miami later that day would also seal things.
Highlights
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Key moments
- 6' | Striker Sam Surridge goes down in the box under a challenge from defender Daniel Munie, but referee Joe Dickerson is having nothing to do with it.
- 8' | San Jose get their first look at goal, with Preston Judd heading just over the bar.
- 14' | Andy Nájar winds up from the top of the box, but his shot curls over the bar.
- 19' | So close to a go-ahead goal from Judd, flicking a nifty effort just past the post.
- 21' | A scary sight for Nashville, as Maxwell Woledzi goes down holding his knee, but the Ghanaian is able to walk it off and continue.
- 35' | Fittingly, it's Hany Mukhtar who gives Nashville the lead. The captain scores his fifth goal in six matches, hammering the ball in from the tightest of angles to put one hand on the Shield.
- 43' | Mukhtar goes down under a challenge from San Jose captain Ronaldo Vieira. He wins the call, but kicks out at Vieira afterwards in what looked like a possible red card. VAR took a long look, but nothing further was given.
- 65' | 'Quakes wingback Jack Jasinski hits a low shot towards the bottom corner, but Brian Schwake gets down quickly and holds it well.
- 70' | San Jose finally equalize, with Judd flicking a set piece from Eduard Löwen to the back post, hitting the side netting past Schwake.
- 80' | Elias Saad makes a great run into the box, but his shot is blocked by a sliding Dave Romney.
- 90' | It's nearly an incredible moment for Saad, who smashes the far post with a shot that leaves goalkeeper Angus Gunn completely flat-footed.
- 90+1' | Another incredible effort from Saad, whose shot takes a deflection and forces Gunn into an unreal kick save, somehow keeping Nashville from a late winner.
Standout performers
- For yet another season, Hany Mukhtar has proved to be Nashville's best and most clutch player. The captain was fortunate not to be sent off for his kick-out and Vieira, but otherwise put in a strong all-around performance. Even when Nashville's attack struggled, he was a level above any other Nashville attacker.
- Brian Schwake didn't get his 14th MLS clean sheet of the year, but he made a few important saves to keep San Jose from finding a winner.
- On as a halftime substitution, Elias Saad changed the game for Nashville. The Tunisian international tore San Jose's backline apart on several occasions, and was an inch away from securing a trophy when his shot rattled the upright.
Lineup notes
Head coach BJ Callaghan rotated slightly, making three changes to Wednesday's lineup against Sporting KC. Shak Mohammed replaced Elias Saad on the left flank, with Dan Lovitz and Patrick Yazbek slotting into defense and midfield, respectively.
What it means
While the celebrations are delayed, the Shield is still Nashville's for the taking. The single-season points record is also still within reach, with the 'Yotes needing eight points from their final four matches to hit 75.
Up next
Nashville will have a full week off before traveling to CF Montréal for the first game of Matchday 32, kicking off at 12:30 pm CT.
Stats
Possession: SJ 47% – 53% NSH
Field tilt (per Futi): SJ 43% – 57% NSH
Shots: SJ 14 – 6 NSH
Shots on goal: SJ 2 – 4 NSH
Penalty kicks: SJ 0 – 0 NSH
Goals: SJ 1 – 1 NSH
Expected goals: SJ 0.99 – 0.56 NSH
Total Passes: SJ 308 – 392 NSH
Fouls: SJ 11 – 15 NSH
Yellow cards: SJ 3 – 1 NSH
Red cards: SJ 0 – 0 NSH
Deserved win (per Futi): SJ 44% – 22% NSH
