FC Cincinnati was shut out for the first time in nearly six months Aug. 29, falling 4-0 at Nashville SC at GEODIS Park.
Cincinnati (8-7-7, 31 points) remains in sixth place in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference, and drops to a negative number in goal differential, minus-two (49 to 51). Nashville (16-2-4) continues its record pace and keeps a 10-point lead over Miami in the Supporters’ Shield and Eastern Conference standings.
Nashville, which has allowed only 17 goals this season, handed Cincy its first shutout since March 8, a 1-0 loss to Toronto. Cincinnati scored a goal in the next 23 matches in all competitions, and has now had five goals in the last five matches.
The loss pretty much ends any slim chance FC Cincinnati had of winning the Supporters’ Shield this season, but that wasn’t the team’s focus.
“They’re at the top of the table,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “We’re not trying to catch Nashville right now. We’re trying to improve our play and improve our position in the table with each game.”
Nashville improved to 11-0-1 in MLS play at home, and Cincy drops to 1-5-5 on the road.
Nashville opened the scoring late in the first half. In the 43rd minute, Sam Surridge was left open near the left post and headed in a cross from Cristian Espinoza for his 13th goal of the season.
Nashville had 10 shots to only one for Cincinnati in the first half. Three of the home team’s were on target, and Nashville had 1.1 expected goals to 0.0 for the Orange and Blue.
In the second half, Cincinnati got some quality chances but Nashville keeper Brian Schwake had a great game, with five tough saves in the second half and six for the match. Cincy had 14 shots for the match, eight on goal, and an XG of 1.6.
In the 53rd minute, Hany Mukhtar scored an open shot from close range off a pass in transition by Elias Saad, a recent acquisition by Nashville who started for Tunisia in the World Cup. It was Mukhtar’s 10th goal.
In the 71st minute, Ayoub Jabbari had a close shot blocked by goalie Schwake. Evander got the rebound and fired a rocket but Maxwell Woledzi cleared it off the line.
Noonan brought in Jabbari and Bryan Ramirez to start the second half.
“Stretching the field was one thing that we did really well,” Noonan said. “We didn’t get a lot of that in the first half, but we also just didn’t get a lot of good decisions that allowed us to attack more. It’s a different type of game with some of the players that are on the field and it was effective tonight in the second half.”
Cincinnati’s Samuel Gidi left the game in the 66th minute on concussion protocol after a collision. He was replaced by Kyle Smith. Noonan did not have an update on him after the game.
Evander was shaken up late in the second half when he was kicked in the left ankle by Eddie Tagseth. Evander was checked out by trainers but stayed in the game. Tagseth was shown a yellow card. The Apple TV announcers felt Tagseth should have been sent off with a red. Noonan said he would need to see replays of the foul but noted that his players on the bench didn’t react as if it was an obvious red card.
“I think he walked off in a good way but we’ll see what it looks like in the coming days,” Noonan said.
Evander got a great shot from close range on Schwake but he blocked it away as part of his 10th clean sheet of the season.
Bryan Acosta came in for Tagseth late in the game, and right after coming in he scored from 25 yards out off a pass by Mukhtar. It was his third goal of the season.
Another late sub, Ahmed Qasim, came in for Mukhtar and immediately scored in transition, beating Roman Celentano one-on-one for his second goal in MLS play.
“The keeper made some good saves,” Noonan said. “Their effort was there, and those are big moments where a team that’s winning games, and play at a higher level, they make those plays. And those are plays that, on the other end, we didn’t make. As far as getting out in transition, and then the decisions they make going into goal, they were more efficient tonight than we were.”
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
Cincinnati returns home next weekend to host D.C. United 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at TQL Stadium. D.C. United is 5-7-10 for 25 points after playing LAFC to a 0-0 draw earlier Aug. 29.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati falls at Nashville SC
