Match Preview: Nashville SC vs FC Cincinnati
(Image courtesy of Nashville SC)
Rise and shine, it’s matchday in the Music City. On offer this fine early spring evening is a matchup, rarely enough for Nashville, which is steeped in history. Nashville SC takes on FC Cincinnati in a rivalry that dates back to 2018, when both clubs were still in USL Championship.
These clubs enter this game on opposite trajectories. Nashville has started the year with 10 points from five games, including wins in each of their last three. Cincinnati has collected 7 points from their first five, however they’ve only won one game in all competitions since Opening Day, that lone victory being a 2-0 defeat of Toronto FC at home on March 8th.
Let’s dive in.
Match Details
Location: GEODIS Park, Nashville, Tennessee
Time: approx. 7:30PM CST (local)
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
Home Radio: 104.5 The Zone
Referees: Drew Fischer (REF), Brian Poeschel (AR), Justin Howard (AR), Ben Meyer (4TH), Shawn Tehini (VAR), Logan Brown (AVAR)
Head Coaches: BJ Callaghan (NSH), Pat Noonan (CIN)
The History
As mentioned, this game has roots that go deeper than Major League Soccer. In December 2017, Nashville SC was granted an MLS expansion slot before having played a single game in USL Championship, the league they were set to take the field in starting in 2018.
Many FC Cincinnati fans at the time felt they deserved that bid, having been a finalist in the past, and having a demonstrated fan support in USL. 160 days later, the Cincinnati faithful got their MLS wish, but a fan-led rivalry had already been born.
To date, overall, these clubs have met 13 times, four games in USL Championship, eight games in Major League Soccer, and once in Leagues Cup. In those 13 matchups, Nashville has won three, Cincinnati has won two, and six have been draws. The eagle eyed among you may notice I left two games out. Those two were decided on penalty shootouts. Let’s discuss.
The first penalty shootout between these two clubs took place on October 20, 2018 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal of USL Cup. After three draws in the regular season, these clubs met again in the playoffs, and again, after 90 minutes, the scores were level, this time at 0-0.
Extra time kicked off, and Corben Bone found the back of the net in the 95th minute for the host Cincinnati. Time began to tick, until in the 115th minute, Nashville’s Bradley Bourgeois equalized, and the game went to a shootout.
The first five takers for both teams came and went, before Nashville’s Justin Davis sent his penalty over the crossbar, which was followed by the winner for the Garys, coming from Kenney Davis.
Cincinnati would lose in the next round of the playoffs to New York Red Bulls II, ending their time in USL ahead of a debut in MLS in 2019.
The second time these clubs played to a shootout came nearly five years later, also in Cincinnati, though in a much shinier and more luxurious stadium. It was August 4th, 2023, and it was the Leagues Cup Round of 32.
Nashville were heavy underdogs after a series of embarrassing league losses coming into the tournament, including a 3-1 loss in that very building to Cincinnati on July 15th, a game in which Nashville was reduced to nine men.
Anibal Godoy opened the scoring for Nashville in a bit of a shock moment in the 64th minute. Cincinnati immediately piled on the pressure, and eventually found a breakthrough when Jack Maher fouled Brandon Vazquez in the box, giving the now-Austin FC man a penalty he would convert to level the scores.
Just before the full time whistle, Nashville made a bold change. Off came keeper Joe Willis, and in his place, Elliot Panicco filled the sticks. One save by Panicco was all that was needed as Nashville bagged all five of their opening kicks, and they got it in the third round as Panicco saved the effort of Matt Miazga.
Nashville would of course go on a remarkable run to Leagues Cup Final, which they would lose, also on penalties, to Inter Miami.
Injury Report
Nashville SC
OUT- Bryan Acosta, Tyler Boyd, Julian Gaines, Maximus Ekk
QUESTIONABLE- None
FC Cincinnati
OUT- Teenage Hadebe, Matt Miazga, Yuya Kubo
QUESTIONABLE- None
Lineup Prediction
Nashville is bolstered by the return of Andy Najar from international duty, as well as the reported returns of both Patrick Yazbek and Ahmed Qasem, who missed last week’s game against CF Montréal due to illness.
This, in my opinion, returns the starting lineup to what it was before the international window started. There’s a couple question marks, perhaps the club takes it easy on Andy Najar after his international games, and starts Josh Bauer, but its hard to predict.
For now, we resume as we were.
Sam Surridge is oncemore supported by a trio of Hany Mukhtar, Alex Muyl, and the aforementioned Qasem.
Yazbek returns to the starting lineup alongside Eddi Tagseth, as does Andy Najar at right back. Joining Najar at the back is, as always, Dan Lovitz, Jack Maher, and Walker Zimmerman with Joe Willis in goal.
There will undoubtedly be shifts in the lineup over the course of the year, for example as playtime has to be found for Julian Gaines and GastĂ³n Brugman, but not on this day.
Analysis & Prediction
We can talk all day about the team FC Cincinnati should be. They should be a Supporters Shield contender. They should be healthier than they are. But right now, they’re not.
That really defines this game. Cincinnati should have Miles Robinson back in some capacity, be it on the starting lineup or the bench, which improves their defensive capabilities, but there’s additional headache at the back with Teenage Hadebe now out.
This is a Cincy team that, in large part due to their woes in defense, has a -6 goal differential in their last three games in all competitions. Another question mark, does Kevin Denkey start after playing twice for Togo and only returning to the Queen City for training on Friday?
All of the above is to say Nashville is catching Cincinnati at an opportune moment. The next time these clubs meet, in September, Cincinnati could be fielding a full strength 11, or close to it.
Nashville is getting an injured, fatigued Cincinnati at home, while a three game wi streak. For a club with the talent and coaching acumen of the level the Garys have, this is about as good a time to play them as you are ever going to find.
As for a prediction, in my opinion Nashville use their advantage for good, and Sam Surridge bags a second consecutive brace at home against the Garys, en route to a 2-1 home win for the Boys in Gold.