CHICAGO – Nashville was the stronger team for much of the first half in the Windy City Saturday evening – even without reigning league MVP Hany Mukhtar in the starting lineup – but a crucial mistake cost the Boys in Gold, and they couldn’t recover en route to a 1-0 loss against the Chicago Fire. It was Nashville’s third loss in four games, and a defeat for a third-straight road game.
A Jack Maher giveaway in the 34th minute led to a Fire counter, and winger Maren Haile-Selassie slid a pass aacross the top of the box to midfielder Fabian Herbers to finish.
That would be enough, as each team created more danger throughout the match. Mukhtar, as a halftime sub, rang the right goalpost, then couldn’t get a shot off before being clattered into in the 77th minute. Teal Bunbury’s rebound attempt was blocked, and Luke Haakenson put a final chance from the sequence just wide.
The Fire saw a long-distance strike from Mauricio Pineda barely nick the outside of the crossbar in the top corner late in the match. The 84th-minute blast would certainly have ended the match, but the hosts ended up not needing it anyway.
Nashville did welcome the return of Fafa Picault from international duty, with the former US International suiting up for Haiti during the group stage of the Gold Cup. Les Grenadiers bowed out with a last-place finish in Group B. Nashville still awaits Panamanian Aníbal Godoy (whose squad advanced to the semifinal with a comfortable win against Qatar Saturday) and Canadian Jacob Shaffelburg (who will try to lead the Canucks past the United States n a quarterfinal Sunday evening).
With the loss, Nashville misses on a crucial opportunity to make up ground on East-leading FC Cincinnati, who struggled to a draw in Charlotte, or to open up space on third-place new England, with the Revs slumping to a loss at New York Red Bulls. Nashville next takes the field Wednesday, welcoming Philadelphia Union to GEODIS Park. The match kicks at 7:38 p.m.
Nashville SC lineup
Match events
- 34′ CHI GOAL – 21 Fabian Herbers (right-footed, first time), assisted by 7 Maren Haile-Selassie (square pass in box)
- 37′ NSH Yellow card – 8 Randall Leal (professional foul)
- 45’+1 Half time
- HT NSH Substitution – On 10 Hany Mukhtar, off 54 Sean Davis
- 64′ CHI Substitutions –
- On 4 Carlos Terán, off 30 Gaston Giménez
- On 23 Kei Kamara, off 19 Georgios Koutsias
- 71′ NSH Substitutions –
- On 24 Jan Gregus, off 19 Alex Muyl
- On 26 Luke Haakenson, off 7 Fafa Picault
- 77′ CHI Substitutions –
- On 27 Kendall Burks, off 24 Jonathan Dean
- On 20 Jairo Torres, off 7 Maren Haile-Selassie
- 87′ NSH Yellow card – 2 Dan Lovitz (foul)
- 87′ NSH Substitutions
- On 11 Ethan Zubak, off 8 Randall Leal
- On 23 Taylor Washington, off 2 Dan Lovitz
Club and Country 