Major League Soccer’s two stingiest teams faced off Saturday night in Nashville and to no one’s surprise the result was a goalless draw. Sounders FC had given up just 31 goals which was just behind Nashville SC‘s league-leading 28 goals against mark. Both stepped into the game looking to cement their playoff positions. The draw was a victory for the visiting Sounders FC despite coming home with just one point. For Nashville, the result was fair but not optimum. The home was sitting at number seven in the Eastern Conference.
LACK OF FIREPOWER
The Sounders were missing two of their top offensive weapons Raul Ruidiaz a late-game scratch due to back pain and Jordan Morris who stayed home to attend to his family’s newborn. Midfield threat Albert Rusnak missed the game due to illness. Add the absence of Nouhou due to yellow card accumulation the total number of missing starters for the Sounders was four.
FULL STRENGTH NASHVILLE
Nashville on the other hand had most of its starters and most importantly Hany Mukhtar. The crafty elusive and lethal striker was last year’s League MVP and is currently in a three-way tie for the Goal Boot Award with 15 goals. Of the four starters that were missing for the Sounders Nouhou was the most troubling because of Mukhtar. Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer inserted Reek Baker Whiting at left back and Josh Atencio as a second holding midfielder next to Joao Paulo.
TEAM DEFENSE
The game had minimal legitimate chances. Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis was called upon to make three saves while Stefan Frei was credited with one save. The first half was a stalemate due to the Sounder’s excellent team defending. Baker-Whiting stayed compacted on defense which allowed Atencio, and center backs Jackson Ragen and Yeimer to help with Mukhtar when he made inside runs. The back marking of Joao Paulo helped clod the middle of the field making it difficult for Nashville midfielder Dax McCarty and Nibal Godoy to find any room in the middle to operate the few times they received the ball in the middle of the pitch.
BAKER-WHITING
In addition to his decision-making on defense, Baker Whiting was cutely in tune with the game and made timely runs up the left-side flank to put the Nashville defense on its back heels. The defenders were struggling with containing Leo Chu on the left and Nicolas Lodiero’s runs from the middle of the pitch. While his coach downplayed his performance as a good Baker- Whiting had his best game as a Sounders FC player. When you can mark out the League’s reigning MVP player and cause some constatation to your opponent while sticking to the game plan a moment of celebration is in order. Given the Sounders play on Wednesday the celebratory moment has to be short and sweet.
BIG TAKE AWAY
While the spotlight was on Baker- Whiting the tie was a team effort. It is not clear when the Sounders made a recommitment to team defense but it was in the last three weeks. The last time the Sounders earned a clean sheet draw or win was a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Saturday’s clean sheet was the 12 for Frei who is tied with Steven Clark of the Houston Dynamo.
Major League Soccer’s two stingiest teams faced off Saturday night in Nashville and to no one’s surprise the result was a goalless draw. Sounders FC had given up just 31 goals which was just behind Nashville SC ‘s league-leading 28 goals against mark. Both teams stepped into the game looking to cement their playoff positions. The draw was a victory for the visiting Sounders FC despite coming home with just one point. For Nashville, the result was fair but not optimum. The home was sitting at number seven in the Eastern Conference.
LACK OF FIREPOWER
The Sounders were missing two of their top offensive weapons Raul Ruidiaz a late-game scratch due to back pain and Jordan Morris who stayed home to attend to his family’s newborn. Midfield threat Albert Rusnak missed the game due to illness. Add the absence of Nouhou due to yellow card accumulation the total number of missing starters for the Sounders was four.
FULL STRENGTH NASHVILLE
Nashville on the other hand had most of its starters and most importantly Hany Mukhtar. The crafty elusive and lethal striker was last year’s League MVP and is currently in a three-way tie for the Goal Boot Award with 15 goals. Of the four starters that were missing for the Sounders Nouhou was the most troubling because of Mukhtar. Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer inserted Reek Baker Whiting at left back and Josh Atencio as a second holding midfielder next to Joao Paulo.
TEAM DEFENSE
The game had minimal legitimate chances. Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis was called upon to make three saves while Stefan Frei was credited with one save. The first half was a stalemate due to the Sounder’s excellent team defending. Baker-Whiting stayed compacted on defense which allowed Atencio, and center backs Jackson Ragen and Yeimer to help with Mukhtar when he made inside runs. The back marking of Joao Paulo helped clod the middle of the field making it difficult for Nashville midfielder Dax McCarty and Nibal Godoy to find any room in the middle to operate the few times they received the ball in the middle of the pitch.
BAKER-WHITING
In addition to his decision-making on defense, Baker Whiting was cutely in tune with the game and made timely runs up the left-side flank to put the Nashville defense on its back heels. The defenders were struggling with containing Leo Chu on the left and Nicolas Lodiero’s runs from the middle of the pitch. While his coach downplayed his performance as a good Baker- Whiting had his best game as a Sounders FC player. When you can mark out the League’s reigning MVP player and cause some constatation to your opponent while sticking to the game plan a moment of celebration is in order. Given the Sounders play on Wednesday the celebratory moment has to be short and sweet.
BIG TAKE AWAY
While the spotlight was on Baker- Whiting the tie was a team effort. It is not clear when the Sounders made a recommitment to team defense but it was in the last three weeks. The last time the Sounders earned a clean sheet draw or win was June 24th against Orlando. Saturday’s clean sheet was the 12 for Frei who is tied with Steven Clark of the Houston Dynamo.
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