NASHVILLE – This is the halftime reset, but Nashville SC likely wishes we could hit the restart button on the entire game this evening. Maybe Indy Eleven just has their number, but his NSC side doesn’t look like one of the best in the USL. On their home turf, Indy is making the Boys in Gold (Blue this evening, perhaps a bit of bad luck) look like they’re a hopeful playoff side.
Nashville started the contest controlling the run of play, particularly through the left side with winger Ish Jome making a few dangerous runs and left back Ryan James holding firm defensively.
A counter-attack for Indy led to a fantastic save out of Matt Pickens, but it was only to delay the inevitable. Ayoze Garcia Pérez perfectly placed the corner kick onto the head of centerback Karl Ouimette, and Nashville SC trailed at home for the first time this season – and only trailed in any location for the first time since the last time these two sides squared off, April 14 in Indianapolis.
Perhaps the Eleven just have Nashville’s number, because the two worst halves NSC has played this year have both been in the opening frame against this team. Indy would compound the advantage on yet another counter-attack – a Lebo Moloto shot was easily saved by Indy keeper Owain Fon Williams, who distributed to Ayoze, with a through ball to Justin Braun that broke Nashville’s lines and led to a simple lefty finish. It was the first truly poor attempt at a save by Matt Pickens this season, and it came at an inopportune time, to say the least.
After the 35th-minute goal, Indy took control of the contest, beginning to not only find its feet in the possession game, but to even dominate the ball. Only another Pickens save kept this one from getting uglier.
A few chances to pull one back in stoppage time were left wanting, and Nashville has it all to do after the break.
Starting lineups
Nashville
- 5 Liam Doyle
- 7 Ryan James
- 10 Lebo Moloto
- 11 Ish Jome
- 17 Michael Reed
- 18 Matt Pickens
- 20 Matt LaGrassa
- 22 Bradley Bourgeois
- 28 London Woodberry
- 30 Bolu Akinyode
- 32 Brandon Allen
Indy
- 1 Owain Fon Williams
- 6 Nico Matern
- 7 Ayoze
- 8 MAtt Watson
- 16 Juan Guerra
- 17 Justin Braun
- 18 Seth Moses
- 19 Carlyle Mitchell
- 20 Karl Ouimette
- 22 Kevin Venegas
- 99 Jack McInerney
Match events
- 16′ IND GOAL – 20 Karl Ouimette (headed), assist to No. 7 Ayoze (corner kick)
- 35′ IND GOAL – 7 Justin Braun (right foot)
- 45’+3 – Half time.
Club and Country 