US Open Cup Match Recap: Nashville SC overcomes injury and sickness, defeats Orlando City SC 3-2
Well what do I know anyway?
The Open Cup and surprises, a match made in heaven. On a muggy Wednesday evening in Orlando, Nashville SC eked out a 3-2 win over Orlando City SC despite being forced into some pretty heavy changes to the lineup.
Let’s take a look.
Orlando Lineup
Orlando made just two changes to the side that beat Inter Miami 3-0 at the weekend, but remained largely intact.
Pedro Gallese started in goal, behind a back four of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel and Alex Freeman. The midfield was a pair as usual, that pair being Cesar Araujo and Joran Gerbet.
Providing the attacking threat for Orlando was Martin Ojeda, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Ramiro Enrique and Marco Pasalic.
Off the bench, Luis Muriel, Ivan Angulo, Duncan McGuire, and Rafael Santos saw action as Orlando chased the game.
Nashville was forced into some heavy rotation, with head coach B.J. Callaghan noting some knocks picked up both at the weekend against DC United in addition to some during the early parts of the week in training. Wyatt Meyer also reportedly played through an illness.
Brian Schwake started in goal behind a back four of Andy Najar, Chris Applewhite, Jeisson Palacios and Wyatt Meyer. The midfield pairing of Matthew Corcoran and Patrick Yazbek supported a front four of Ahmed Qasem, Teal Bunbury, Bryan Acosta and Jonathan PĂ©rez.
Off the bench, Callaghan called on Josh Bauer, Ethan O’Brien, Jacob Shaffelburg, Alex Muyl and Jack Maher.
Between the Whistles
Given the on-paper strength of the two lineups, you’d be forgiven for feeling surprised how even the first quarter of an hour of this game was, but eventually, Orlando gained a bit of control.
In the 17th minute, Marco Pasalic did as he seems to always do, and cut in on his left foot and placed a ball with his left foot that the goalkeeper had no chance at. He’s just one of the best players I’ve ever seen in MLS when shooting from long distance.
However, Nashville wouldn’t go down easy. In the 23rd minute, Ahmed Qasem took the ball off a throw in, dribbled into the area, and pulled back for Teal Bunbury, and in the resulting scrum, the ball trickled under Pedro Gallese’s five-hole off the defending Rodrigo Schlegel for an own goal.
Nashville likely would’ve been incredibly happy to take a 1-1 scoreline into the break, but Qasem wasn’t finished. On the turn, outside the box, he lasered a ball into the bottom of the far post, catching Gallese with some pretty shocking positioning in the process.
Out of the break, Orlando regained the initiative, and eventually Ramiro Enrique found a gap between the centerback Chris Applewhite and the left back Wyatt Meyer to exploit, and got the ball in behind to finish first time to level the game in the 58th.
The teams traded substitutions, and then came some controversy. After another ball forward towards Enrique, Applewhite booted the ball clear, and off the arm of the retreating Meyer. The referee seemingly judged Meyer’s arm to be in a natural position (this is the only justification that makes sense really) and waved off calls for handball.
Then, not long after in the 78th minute, it was Qasem’s dribbling again causing problems for Orlando, as he cut in and poked the ball to Patrick Yazbek, who flicked the ball behind to an on rushing Meyer, who curled the ball outside the far post and then back in, giving Nashville the lead and leaving Gallese no chance.
The final 12 minutes or so would come and go with no particularly threatening moves from either team, and Nashville advance to the quarterfinals.
The Numbers
Orlando City SC
Shots: 15
Shots on goal: 3
Corners: 8
Possession: 52%
Yellow Cards: 1 (Alex Freeman)
Nashville SC
Shots: 7
Shots on goal: 3
Corners: 4
Possession: 48%
Yellow Cards: 2 (Patrick Yazbek, Matthew Corcoran)
Analysis
For Orlando, this result is shambolic. A 12 game unbeaten run in all competitions comes to an end, at home, against a weakened Nashville. They’ll pick themselves up off the canvas, but this was an opportunity for something more.
The defending for Orlando was almost never good enough, and Nashville attackers, particularly Ahmed Qasem, were allowed way too much time on the ball. I mentioned in the preview that the weather may turn this game into a slog, and though the scoreboard doesn’t really reflect that, that’s how much of the game played out.
The ball, for both teams to be clear, was moving slowly, and there wasn’t much pressing intensity for large stretches of the game. To a point, I get it. It’s a midweek game, and Orlando have another good team coming to town at the weekend, to begin the bookend of a busy month. They don’t want to overdo it. I really understand. But results like these just can’t happen against a team missing five of its six best players, including all three DPs.
Next up for Orlando is a home date with the Portland Timbers on Saturday, and of course they’re knocked out of the US Open Cup, but they do still have Leagues Cup to look forward to in July and August.
For Nashville, what a heroic performance. Ahmed Qasem, take a bow young man. He’d started incredibly hot when he got to this country at the start of the season, and cooled off a bit, losing his spot to Jacob Shaffelburg in the process. He was pretty easily man of the match tonight.
I also mentioned earlier Wyatt Meyer reportedly played through illness. Imagine running around for more or less two hours while you’re sick and its hot and humid outside. More plaudits must go to the pair of teenagers in this lineup, Chris Applewhite and Matthew Corcoran.
Both made their mistakes, as young players do, but the good moments far, far outnumbered the bad. All things considered, one of the best top to bottom performances in Nashville SC history from this squad.
Next up for Nashville is a trip north of the border to take on Toronto FC on Saturday. In the Open Cup, they’ll find out their quarterfinal opponent on Thursday morning.
The other teams still in the tournament are DC United, Philadelphia Union, San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas, Austin FC, Minnesota United, and the New York Red Bulls.