Tag: Nashville SC

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – At long last, Hany Mukhtar made his preseason debut for the Boys in Gold on Friday vs. Toronto FC. Unfortunately, Nashville came up short in the affair by way of a 2-1 defeat to conclude its stint in the Sunshine State with a trip back to Geodis Park awaiting.

The match was a 120-minute affair split into four quarters rather than halves, and Gary Smith’s Starting XI featured only one change from Nashville’s previous outing – Sean Davis back in for Brian Anunga.

Surridge
Shaffelburg | Boyd | Gaines
Davis | Yearwood
Washington | MacNaughton | Maher | Moore
Willis

Toronto’s Italian duo of Lorenzo Insigne and Bernardeschi opened the scoring, each accounting for a goal apiece, before the 2022 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player entered the match for his first preseason appearance of the new campaign.

Mukhtar subbed on at halftime and the playmaker instantly altered the trajectory of the match, supplying the assist to incoming rookie Forster Ajago before the end of the third quarter.

Following the defeat, Nashville SC returns home to Geodis Park for its penultimate preseason match where the club will host USL Championship-side Birmingham Legion FC. Nashville enters the match with a picket-fence record through three Spring matches, 1W-1L-1D.

Player	Goals	Assists
Jacob Shaffelburg	2	–
Tyler Boyd	1	1
McKenzie Gaines	1	1
Forster Ajago	1	–
Hany Mukhtar	–	1

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – After opening its 2024 preseason campaign with a draw vs. St. Louis just days ago, Nashville SC earned its first win of the year vs. Sporting Kansas City by way of a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

For the second consecutive match, several of Gary Smith’s MLS stars including Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman, and Dan Lovitz did not receive minutes.

Below is the Starting XI from the match, a group consisting of three changes from the preseason opener.

Surridge
Shaffelburg | Boyd | Gaines
Yearwood | Anunga
Washington | Maher | MacNaughton | Moore
Willis

Tuesday’s lineup differences included McKenzie Gaines, an offseason acquisition that accounted for Nashville’s second goal in the previous content, replacing Randal Leal, Dru Yearwood in Sean Davis’ stead, and Shaq Moore receiving his first preseason action in place of Alex Muyl.

At halftime, Gary Smith subbed Sean Davis on for Yearwood and made another wholesale swap later in the half, one that provided Aníbal Godoy with his first preseason minutes in 2024.

Once again, Shaffelburg opened the scoring in the first half, just as the 24-year-old did in his last outing. McKenzie Gaines was credited with the assist on the play, his second goal contribution of the preseason after scoring in his first match to boot.

Tyler Boyd accounted for what would prove to be the match-winner in the second half, his second goal contribution as well.

Although Nashville’s target forward Sam Surridge has not scored through two matches, Gary Smith’s attacking trio of Shaffelburg, Boyd, and Gaines who sit just below the Englishman appear to be firing on all cylinders through limited action, accounting for all four of Nashville’s preseason goals to date and supplying the final pass on two of them.

Nashville’s final preseason match away from home will be played on Friday vs. Toronto FC.

Player	Goals	Assists
Jacob Shaffelburg	2	–
Tyler Boyd	1	1
McKenzie Gaines	1	1

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

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