Shaffelburg, Gaines Find Net for Boys in Gold
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Nashville SC commenced its 2024 preseason campaign on Friday in Florida, offering fans their first glimpse into 5th-year head coach Gary Smith’s new squad. The match concluded 2-2 as the Boys in Gold finished level with St. Louis City SC, courtesy of goals from Jacob Shaffelburg and McKenzie Gaines.
Although the match was played behind closed doors, Smith presumably deployed his standard 4-2-3-1 formation, but we do know for certain the Starting XI that comprised the club’s first lineup of the new year:
Surridge
Shaffelburg | Leal | Boyd
Davis | Anunga
Washington | Maher | McNaughton | Muyl
Willis
Winger Tyler Boyd was the only new addition to Nashville’s 2024 roster that received a starting nod following his transfer from LA Galaxy in the offseason. Dru Yearwood, another one of NSC’s offseason acquisitions, replaced midfielder Sean Davis midway through the half.
As is customary for preseason soccer, the start of the second half saw all 11 players replaced in favor of Elliot Pannico in goal, Josh Bauer, Joey Skinner, Adem Sipić, Teal Bunbury, McKenzie Gaines, and a handful of trialists looking to earn a spot on the club’s regular-season roster.
Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore, Dan Lovitz, and Aníbal Godoy did not appear in the match.
Ok, so how about goals?
Shaffelburg opened the scoring in the first half off a dish from Boyd, a play that Nashville SC fans couldn’t be happier to see. Both Shaffelburg and Boyd will likely see heavy usage in 2024 following the offseason departures of forwards Fafà Picault and Luke Haakenson, therefore the two combining for the club’s first preseason goal of the campaign could foreshadow good things to come for Nashville’s attack.
Second-half substitute McKenzie Gaines increased his side’s advantage to 2-0 in his first Nashville friendly. The second-year MLS man was acquired from Charlotte FC in exchange for Nashville’s second-round 2024 MLS SuperDraft selection.
The club conceded two goals late to St. Louis to end things at two apiece.
Nashville’s next preseason match will take place on January 30 vs. Sporting Kansas City.
Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC
