It may not have been pretty – games featuring extensive #Lilleyball rarely are – but Nashville SC was able to head to the Steel City and take all three points from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. That was the first this season anyone has dealt defeat to head coach Greg Lilley’s side, regardless of location.
Despite losing striker Ropapa Mensah to injury in the 34th minute, being outshot 16-10, and giving up nine corner kicks while earning only two, NSC was able to find the winner in the 69th minute. It came when one of those corner kick opportunities paid off, with Lebo Moloto’s service finding defender Liam Doyle at the back post. While captain Michael Reed’s attempt didn’t pay off in an assist for Doyle, it did find new signing Brandon Allen at the goalmouth, and the 2016 USL Rookie of the Year continued his run of scoring form since joining Nashville SC midseason (two goals in 181 minutes across three appearances).
Allen was forward-looking with his postgame comments.
“It’s nice to get rewarded for my hard work,” he said, “but we need to keep working hard to get three points Saturday and the game after that.”
Aside from starting two pure strikers – Moloto came off the bench to replace Mensah – there were a few other differences from what we’ve come to expect as Nashville’s first-choice lineup. In his return to the lineup in league play, defender London Woodberry was drawn in as a right fullback (he’d previously played mostly centerback), while the versatile Ryan James played left fullback – giving typical starter Justin Davis his first rest of the year.
That rest is much-deserved, and much needed in the third game of a stretch that includes six in 18 days.
“London and Ryan were very terrific,” said Nashville SC coach Gary Smith. “The guys that came in did a sterling job. Quite honestly, the depth of group will be tested on Saturday and then the big game midweek next week.”
Playing Pittsburgh’s game (the Riverhounds dominated possession, and only two of Nashville’s 10 shots were on-target) and still coming away with a win is indicative of Smith’s ability to adapt in the second matchup against the same team – the Boys in Gold also beat Louisville City FC 2-0 at First Tennessee Park after a 2-0 road loss to begin the year.
“Really good win: really, really tough place to play,” Smith said. “The field is very difficult to try and deal with. It’s very quick and tight, and [Pittsburgh] is very well organized. They are extremely committed to their cause. There weren’t too many chances either way, but we were able to capitalize on the set piece.
“It’s a bit of your experience of the team you are playing against. It’s an improvement of the team and individuals. We are that much further down the line, and we are seeing a reward from it. They are all very competitive and really tight games in this league. It’s an even league.”
Penn FC looms after just a couple days’ rest. After a scoreless draw in Harrisburg earlier this season, Nashville would certainly prefer a better result at First Tennessee Park Saturday evening – and recent history in rematches indicates they stand a heck of a chance to earn one. Then, the squad will head across town to Vanderbilt Football Stadium for a Wednesday US Open Cup tilt against MLS side Colorado Rapids (whom Smith led to the 2010 MLS Cup title, along with goalkeeper Matt Pickens and defender Kosuke Kimura, who both suit up for his NSC side).
With the win, Nashville moves up to eighth in the Eastern Conference, losing the “games won” tiebreaker to Tampa Bay Rowdies, despite a better goal differential (which breaks ties in the table in other leagues around the world). The Boys in Gold have a game in-hand on the majority of the teams ahead of them (all except league-leading Louisville City and fourth-place Charlotte Independence), and two in-hand on Charleston Battery, whom they battled to a draw Saturday.
With some of the more difficult games already in the rearview mirror (two against Louisville City, two against Pittsburgh, road matches in Charleston, Indianapolis, and New York), and five of the next six contests in Music City, Nashville SC could be poised to keep climbing.
Lineups
Match events
- 34′ NSH Substitution – On 10 Lebo Moloto, off 3 Ropapa Mensah (injury)
- 44′ NSH Yellow card – 23 Taylor Washington (foul)
- 45’+4 – Half-time
- 58′ NSH Yellow card – 20 Matt LaGrassa (foul)
- 61′ PGH Yellow card – 3 Raymond Lee (foul)
- 66′ PGH Substitutions – On 10 Kevin Kerr and 27 Romeo Parkes, off 4 Joseph Holland and 14 Noah Franke
- 69′ NSH GOAL – 32 Brandon Allen (left foot)
- 70′ NSH Substitution – On 11 Ismaila Jome, off 23 Taylor Washington
- 83′ PGH Substitution – On 15 Dennis Chin, off 12 Connor Maloney
- 84′ NSH Substitution – On 12 Tucker Humer, off 32 Brandon Allen
- 90’+5 – Full-time.
Club and Country 