Match Recap: Nashville SC dominates Portland Timbers for 2-0 victory

(Image courtesy of Nicole Leonard, Nashville SC)

For the first time in 141 days, Nashville SC scored a goal and won a competitive match.

After a thorough beatdown of the Portland Timbers at GEODIS Park on Saturday, Head Coach BJ Callaghan and General Manager Mike Jacobs’ “Nashville 2.0” officially has a proof of concept.

However, the start for Nashville in this game was incredibly frustrating, to say the least. In just the sixth minute, Nashville was awarded a penalty after Zac McGraw brought down Sam Surridge in the box. Hany Mukhtar stepped up, fired a shot towards the bottom left corner and… James Pantemis made the save.

Then, just ten minutes later, Ahmed Qasem was also brought down in the box. Whistle, referee points to the spot, and this time it’s Surridge to take. He lines up, fires a shot towards the bottom left corner and… James Pantemis saved once more.

It was actually Pantemis’ third consecutive penalty save, having also stopped a 16th minute spot kick from Sebastian Driussi of Austin FC last season.

However, Portland’s inability to deal with Nashville’s dominance of the ball finally proved costly in the 47th minute, as Andy Najar fired a low driven shot through Pantemis’ legs with the last kick of the first half to put the hosts up 1-0.

The Boys in Gold continued their dominance into the second half, and this hard work was further paid off when Ahmed Qasem headed home a Dan Lovitz cross and proceeded to drop potentially the goal celebration of the year so far. Nashville rode this 2-0 advantage to the finish line, and left with a comfortable three points. Let’s dive in.

(Image courtesy of Nashville SC)

Don’t call me a psychic, but this is the exact lineup predicted in our Match Preview. Not to toot my own horn here or anything.

Nonetheless, the lineup perfectly reflected the 11 for the final half hour against the Red Bulls, inarguably Nashville’s most productive period of that game.

A front four of Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, Alex Muyl and Ahmed Qasem was backed up by a midfield two consisting of Eddi Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek.

At the back, as always at this point, was Dan Lovitz, Walker Zimmerman, Jack Maher, and Andy Najar with Joe Willis in goal.

Homegrown signing Chris Applewhite made the Nashville bench for the first time, while 2024 MLS Cup Final MVP Gastón Brugman also made the squad for the first time, eventually making his debut late.

The Numbers

Nashville SC

Shots- 23

Shots on target- 11

Possession- 55.3%

Corners- 5

xG- 3.8

Yellow Cards- None

Portland Timbers

Shots- 9

Shots on target- 4

Possession- 44.7%

Corners- 2

xG- 0.5

Yellow Cards- 2 (Zac McGraw, David Ayala)

Between The Whistles

There’s no sugarcoating it. Nashville completely ran Portland off the pitch Saturday night.

Wherever the Timbers tried to move the ball, there was a gold jersey there to harass them. I don’t use that word lightly, it felt at times Nashville took it as a personal affront if they didn’t have the ball.

It’s hard to pick out any one standout or group of standouts because the Boys in Gold were a cohesive unit on Saturday, and every cog in the machine executed BJ Callaghan’s vision flawlessly.

Were it not for the two missed penalties, the night would’ve been perfect. It’s important to not get too far ahead of ourselves here, as Portland is a team that has many struggles right now, both on the pitch and with the players who are currently off it.

However, as mentioned in the intro, if you wanted a proof of concept on this new project, this 90 minutes is it. Nashville was moving the ball around at a lightning fast pace, there were touches and dribbles in incredibly tight areas, and almost always, at the end of it, someone in a gold jersey was getting the ball facing the goal.

There’s a legitimate argument to be made this is as comprehensive a dismantling of another MLS opponent as Nashville SC has ever put on display. Portland offered absolutely zero threat, and never looked like they knew what hit them right from the opening kick.

But, the Boys in Gold have a serious test ahead of them. Next Sunday, March 16th, Nashville travels to Philadelphia to take on a Union squad that has scored ten goals and allowed just three in their opening trio of fixtures. Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell also operates a similar system to the one that just gave Nashville all sorts of problems against the New York Red Bulls.

That Red Bulls game gave Nashville a lot to think about. In Philadelphia, we will find out what they learned.