Nashville scores late goal to spoil Sounders’ MLS opener in front of packed stadium
From bicycle kicks to diving interceptions in front of goal, the Sounders FC were splicing together an impressive defensive highlight reel Sunday – until Nashville SC worked its way behind the line late.
On a counterattack, the visitors found Panamanian midfielder Anibal Godoy at the back post to knock in an attempt in the 80th minute. It was enough for Nashville to leave Lumen Field with a 1-0 win.
Seattle (0-1-0) couldn’t piece together a scoring sequence for the majority of the match. The biggest threats were in desperation after Nashville’s goal. The club featured reigning two-time league defender of the year in Walker Zimmerman, a U.S. men’s national team standout, who wasn’t allowing any errors.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer did make an offensive rotation in the 65th minute, subbing on winger Leo Chu for Joao Paulo. Chu zipped his way to a solid shot in the 79th minute. The ball brushed over the corner of the crossbar.
The experience for the 30,013 in the driving rain Sunday was vastly different from Thursday’s match against Honduran side F.C. Motagua. The Sounders won the CONCACAF Champions League game 5-0 at Lumen.
The Rave Green continue MLS play Saturday with a road match against Real Salt Lake.
Sunday’s MLS opener was also the first game of the season for Nashville (1-0-0). The third-year franchise advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals the past two seasons. Nashville shifted to the West as MLS onboarded Charlotte FC, balancing each conference with 14 teams each.
Nashville midfielder Hany Mukhtar started to show how goal-dangerous he can be in the 23rd minute. The German split Joao Paulo and Xavier Arreaga for a forceful attempt center of goal in the 23rd minute that Sounders keeper Stefan Frei deflected.
Mukhtar tried again from outside the box, Frei cradling for the save.
The first applause of the MLS season for the Sounders was when the players exited the locker room together wearing white T-shirts with the image of the Ukrainian flag and the words “No War.” Russia invaded the country last week and there have been multiple demonstrations across the globe showing support for the Ukrainian people.
Schmetzer addressed the situation with his team Thursday. Sounders midfieldder Albert Rusnak is a Slovakian international who, according to Schmetzer, has family about 50 miles from the Slovakia-Ukraine border, and shared concerns with his teammates.
“We stand in solidarity with the people in Ukraine,” Schmetzer said during a postgame news conference Thursday. “When I watch the news and I see some of the scenes on TV, it should all give us a little bit of pause. There are bigger things in the world than our sport.
“The message I gave to our players was a little bit about being fortunate to live in a country that provides us freedoms. We’re able to play in front of good fans. What about some of the Ukrainian soccer players? Where are they going to play next? What’s going to happen there? … I asked the players to reflect a little bit, make sure they never take for granted the job that they have.”
Schmetzer made two changes to the starting lineup used Thursday against Motagua. Raul Ruidiaz was unavailable due to a hamstring injury while Nico Lodeiro was available on the bench. Sam Adeniran, who was signed in December from USL Championship side Tacoma Defiance, slotted in for Ruidiaz. Joao Paulo started in the midfield.
Lodeiro subbed on at halftime for Adeniran, moving Jordan Morris up top in the attack.