1 – 4
“Reed Baker-Whiting opens the scoring after Nashville pile on pressure from a blocked shot and resulting corner.”
Pivotal“Elias Saad doubles Nashville's lead after a flurry of close chances from Saad and Mukhtar.”
Pivotal“Brandon Vazquez pulls one back for Austin after Shak Mohammed hit the post moments earlier, giving the hosts brief hope.”
“Shak Mohammed restores Nashville's two-goal cushion after a corner and a missed header from Vazquez.”
Pivotal“Hany Mukhtar puts the finishing touch on the rout with a stoppage-time goal to make it 4-1.”
Austin
Nashville SC
Outstanding performance
Nashville SC•MidfielderAustin actually matched Nashville for long stretches of the first half, trailing only 1-0 to Reed Baker-Whiting's 30th-minute strike despite being thoroughly outplayed territorially. But Nashville's control, evident in their 57% possession and 24 shots to Austin's 11, eventually told as Elias Saad doubled the lead just after the hour mark. Brandon Vazquez's goal on 76 minutes briefly gave Austin hope and cut the deficit to one, but Nashville's superior quality shone through immediately, with Shak Mohammed and Hany Mukhtar both scoring in the final 15 minutes to turn a nervy finish into a comfortable 4-1 victory. The result underlines Nashville's title credentials with their clinical finishing from a stacked bench of attacking substitutes, while Austin's defensive frailties, highlighted by 9 big chances conceded, will raise serious concerns ahead of their run-in.
How entertaining was this match?
Sam Surridge takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Hany Mukhtar scores with a right-footed shot.
Shak MohammedShak Mohammed scores with a right-footed shot.
assist: Hany Mukhtar
Goal! Shak Mohammed scores, making it 1-3, assisted by Hany Mukhtar.
Brandon Vazquez attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Facundo Torres takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Besard Sabovic takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Brian SchwakeYellow CardYellow card issued to Brian Schwake.
Yellow card issued to Shak Mohammed.
Daniel Lovitz replaces Andy Najar.
Edvard Tagseth is on, and Patrick Yazbek is off.
Brandon VazquezBrandon Vazquez takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
assist: Facundo Torres
Goal! Brandon Vazquez scores to make it 1-2, assisted by Facundo Torres.
Shak Mohammed takes a shot with his right foot, but it hits the post.
Brandon Vazquez takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Przemyslaw Placheta comes on for Mikkel Desler.
Substitution: Shak Mohammed comes on for Elias Saad.
Elias SaadElias Saad takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
Cristian Espinoza takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
assist: Cristian Espinoza
Goal! Elias Saad scores, making it 0-2.
Hany Mukhtar takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Hany Mukhtar takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Elias Saad takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Cristian Espinoza takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Besard Sabovic is on, and Jorge Alastuey is off.
Christian Ramirez replaces Myrto Uzuni.
Offside.
Hany Mukhtar takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Elias Saad takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Brandon Vazquez takes a shot with his head, but it's saved.
Hany Mukhtar takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Offside.
Brendan Hines-Ike comes on for Jon Bell.
First half ends with the score at 0-1.
Facundo Torres takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Facundo Torres takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Jon Gallagher takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Brandon Vazquez attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Yellow card issued to Guilherme Biro Trindade Dubas.
Corner awarded.
Sam Surridge takes a right-footed shot, but it hits the post.
Shot by Reed Baker-Whiting using another body part results in a goal.
Patrick Yazbek takes a right-footed shot, but it hits the post.
Shot - Sam Surridge Head Shot Blocked
Goal! Reed Baker Whiting scores, making it 1-0.
Corner awarded.
Sam Surridge's right-footed shot is blocked.
Reed Baker-Whiting takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Elias Saad takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Jeisson Andres Palacios Murillo attempts a header but misses the shot.
Andy Najar takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Offside.
Cristian Espinoza takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Myrto Uzuni takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Sam Surridge takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Kick-off! The referee is Ismail Elfath.
Runaway Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC head to Q2 Stadium chasing another step toward the Supporters' Shield, while Austin fight to keep faint playoff hopes alive. It's also a rematch of last year's U.S. Open Cup final, which Nashville won on this very ground.
