In pursuit of MLS’ regular-season title — and perhaps more — as the league returns to play Friday night, Nashville SC had hoped to be fresh and healthy following a 54-day World Cup break.
The fresh part? Check.
kAm%96 962=E9J A2CEn !6C92AD ?@E BF:E6 J6E]k^Am
kAm}$r 9625D :?E@ :ED 9@>6 4@?E6DE 282:?DE pE=2?E2 &?:E65 ur H:E9 2? :?;FCJ =:DE E92E :D D@>69@H =@?86C 27E6C 2 C@F89=J EH@\>@?E9 DEC6E49 H:E9@FE 82>6D E92? :E H2D AC:@C E@ }2D9G:==6’D 7:?2= 4@?E6DE 367@C6 E96 3C62<]k^Am
kAm|FDE 92G6 366? D@>6 >:89EJ E@F89 AC24E:46D @G6C E96 =2DE D6G6C2= H66<D]k^Am
kAm%96 8@@5 ?6HD 7@C }2D9G:==6 :D E92E DFA6C DEC:<6C $2> $FCC:586[ H9@ A=2J65 :? ;FDE E9C66 @7 E96 E62>’D =2DE `` 4@?E6DED W2 E@E2= @7 ff >:?FE6DX 367@C6 E96 9:2EFD[ :D 7F==J 7:E 2?5 C625J E@ C@==]k^Am
kAmw6 =625D E96 q@JD :? v@=5 W`_\`\bX H:E9 ?:?6 8@2=D :? 6:89E 82>6D 2?5 :D @?6 @7 }2D9G:==6’D =628F6\9:89 7@FC A=2J6CD D6=64E65 7@C E96 |{$ p==\$E2C 82>6 =2E6C E9:D >@?E9]k^Am
kAm%96 4@?46C?:?8 ?6HD :D E92E }$r H:== 567:?:E6=J 36 H:E9@FE DE2CE:?8 >:57:6=56C !2EC:4< *2K36< W=@H6C 3@5JX[ H9:=6 D:I @E96C A=2J6CD — 2== 6:E96C C68F=2C DE2CE6CD @C <6J 4@?EC:3FE@CD — 2C6 =:DE65 2D BF6DE:@?23=6 H:E9 =@H6C\3@5J :?;FC:6Di >:57:6=56C rC:DE:2? tDA:?@K2 WH9@ =625D E96 E62> H:E9 6:89E 2DD:DEDX[ p==\$E2C 5676?56C p?5J }2;2C[ 46?EC2= 5676?56C y6:DD@? !2=24:@D[ =67E 324< #665 q2<6C\(9:E:?8[ >:57:6=56C t55: %28D6E9 2?5 7@CH2C5 (2CC6? |25C:82=]k^Am
kAm}@?6E96=6DD[ }$r 4@249 q]y] r2==2892? DECF4< 2? @AE:>:DE:4 E@?6 E9:D H66< 2D 9:D E62> AC6A2C65 E@ 3F:=5 @? 2 `c\82>6 @A6?:?8 24E E92E :D E:65 7@C E96 36DE DE2CE E@ 2? |{$ D62D@? :? E96 A2DE ad J62CD]k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 a_ 82>6D C6>2:?:?8 :? E96 C68F=2C D62D@?]k^Am
kAm“u:CDE 2?5 7@C6>@DE[ ,H6 925. 2 =:EE=6 3:E @7 C6DE 2?5 C64@G6CJ[ H96E96C E92E’D 2 A9JD:42= @C >6?E2= 5:D4@??64E E@ 86E 2H2J 7@C E96 8FJD[ 2?5 E96? ;FDE 2 D@CE @7 C6?6H65 6?6C8J H:E9 E96 8C@FA H96? J@F 86E 324< :? EC2:?:?8[” r2==2892? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H6 925 2 8@@5 @AA@CEF?:EJ ,E@ =@@< 2E. H96C6 H6 H6C6 A6C7@C>:?8 H6== 2?5 >2J36 2? 2C62 @C EH@ H96C6 H6 ?66565 E@ D@CE @7 E:89E6? FA 2 =:EE=6 3:E[ 2?5 H6 925 2 =@?8 CF?H2J E@ 5@ E92E FA F?E:= E9:D H66<[ H96C6 J@F 7@4FD 6G6CJE9:?8 @? pE=2?E2]”k^Am
kAm}$r 4@F=5 86E D@>6 25565 C6:?7@C46>6?ED 2D 62C=J 2D uC:52J :? E96 7@C> @7 C646?E=J D:8?65 H:?86C t=:2D $225[ H9@ 92D 4@>A6E65 :? v6C>2?J’D qF?56D=:82 2?5 2=D@ DE2CE65 EH@ (@C=5 rFA 82>6D 7@C %F?:D:2]k^Am
kAm%96 ae\J62C\@=5 92D E9C66 8@2=D 2?5 EH@ 2DD:DED :? ag 42C66C qF?56D=:82 2AA62C2?46D 7@C ur pF8D3FC8 Wa_ad\aeX 2?5 ur $E] !2F=: Wa_ac\adX[ 2?5 ?:?6 8@2=D 2?5 D:I 2DD:DED :? d_ 42C66C qF?56D=:82 a >2E496D 7@C w2??@G6C he Wa_ad\aeX 2?5 ur $E] !2F=: Wa_aa\acX] k^Am
kAmxE’D ?@E 46CE2:? $225 H:== 36 2G2:=23=6 :>>65:2E6=J[ 9@H6G6C[ 2D A=2J6C 2?5 4=F3 2C6 562=:?8 H:E9 E96 FDF2= G:D2 A2A6CH@C< E92E 4@>6D H:E9 :?E6C?2E:@?2= EC2?D76CD]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 G6CJ :?E6?E:@?2= :? E96 A=2J6CD H6 =@@< E@ :56?E:7J[ E96 AC@7:=6D E92E H6 =@@< 7@C[” r2==2892? D2:5] “x E9:?< ,$225. :D 2 A=2J6C H6 6IA64E E@ 36 23=6 E@ 96=A @FC 2EE24<[ 3FE 2 G6CD2E:=6 A@D:E:@? E92E 4@F=5 A=2J :? E96 H:56 A@D:E:@? @C FA E@A[ D@>6@?6 H9@’D ;FDE 2D ,4@>7@CE23=6. 8@:?8 @?6 G6CDFD @?6 @C :? 36EH66? E96 =:?6D] $@ x E9:?< 96’== 36 2 8@@5 255:E:@? E@ 255 E@ 2? 2=C625J 2EE24<:?8 8C@FA]”k^Am
kAmp?@E96C C646?E 255:E:@?[ $6?682=6D6 >:57:6=56C u2>2C2 r2>2C2[ D9@F=5 D@@? @77:4:2==J 36 25565 E@ E96 C@DE6C 2D H6==]k^Am
kAmx? E96 >62?E:>6[ E96 q@JD :? v@=5 H:== D66< E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 5@ H92E E96J 5:5 36DE :? E96 7:CDE 76H >@?E9D @7 E96 D62D@? — H9:49 :D 7:?5 H2JD E@ H:? 56DA:E6 562=:?8 H:E9 :?;FC:6D 2?5 56DA:E6 724:?8 D66>:?8=J :?DFC>@F?E23=6 @55D 2E E:>6D]k^Am
kAm}2D9G:==6 ?@E @?=J D:ED 2E@A |{$[ 3FE 92Di @FED4@C65 :ED @AA@?6?ED 3J 2 =628F6\36DE b`\`` >2C8:?j 8@?6 6:89E DEC2:89E =628F6 82>6D H:E9@FE 2 =@DD We\_\aXj <?@4<65 :?E6C?2E:@?2= DFA6CDE2C {:@?6= |6DD: 2?5 x?E6C |:2>: ru @FE @7 E96 r@?42427 r92>A:@?D rFAj 2?5 62C?65 |{$’ 7:CDE H:? :? E96 =686?52CJ tDE25:@ pKE642 :? |6I:4@[ D9FEE:?8 @FE r=F3 p>6C:42 5FC:?8 r@?42427 r92>A:@?D rFA 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H96? H6 =@@< 324< ,2E E96 7:CDE `c 82>6D.[ H92E H6’C6 AC@F5 23@FE :D H6 H6C6 23=6 E@ H:? 82>6D :? 5:776C6?E H2JD[” r2==2892? D2:5] “(6 H6C6 @3G:@FD=J 23=6 E@ FD6 6G6CJ3@5J @? @FC C@DE6C E9C@F89 >F=E:A=6 4@>A6E:E:@?D] (6 H6C6 23=6 E@ D4@C6 8@2=D :? >F=E:A=6 H2JD[ 2?5 E96? ,E96C6 H2D. E96 4@?D:DE6?4J @7 @FC 5676?5:?8] %92E’D H96C6 H6 G:6H @FC 7@F?52E:@? @7 E9:D E62>]”k^Am
