Nashville SC to Face Inter Miami CF in Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 After 4-0 Win over Moca FC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2024) – Nashville SC clinched its Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) Round One series Wednesday night after defeating Dominican side Moca FC 4-0. The Boys in Gold won the two-leg series 7-0 on aggregate to advance to the CCC Round of 16. The team will host the first leg of its two-leg, Round of 16 series against Inter Miami CF Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. CT at GEODIS Park in a rematch of last season's inaugural Leagues Cup Final.  

Media accreditation: Media accreditation applications for both Round of 16 legs, home and away, are now open. The deadline to apply for both matches is Friday, March 1 at 11 p.m. CT. Media must apply at: 

• For Thursday, March 7 at GEODIS Park: Nashville SC Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 Credential Application
• For Wednesday, March 13 at Inter Miami CF’s Chase Stadium: Inter Miami CF Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 Credential Application

We’re Closed: The Boys in Gold have begun the 2024 season with three straight shutouts across all competitions. Goalkeeper Joe Willis backstopped the club to clean sheets against Moca FC to start the CCC and the New York Red Bulls in MLS play, and Elliot Panicco kept the streak alive after stopping two shots against Moca FC Wednesday night. Nashville SC also started its 2023 campaign with three straight shutouts, all in MLS play. 

Twice as Nice: Forward Foster Ajago netted two goals to secure a brace in his Nashville SC debut Wednesday night. The club signed Ajago in December after he went undrafted in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas. Last season at Duke, Ajago tallied 14 goals in 18 games, earned Second Team All American Honors, was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and was a semifinalist for the MAC Herman Trophy.

A Night of Firsts: In addition to Ajago, forward McKinze Gaines notched his first tally as a Boy in Gold in the 13th minute to kick off the scoring for Nashville SC. Forward Jacob Shaffelburg closed out the first half with a goal of his own, his first of the 2024 campaign. In the second half, forward Amar Sejdić made his Nashville SC debut. 

Next up: The club hits the road this weekend for the team’s first MLS road match of the 2024 season. On Saturday, March 2, the Boys in Gold will face off against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 8:30 p.m. CT. Nashville SC is undefeated against the Colorado Rapids with a 3-0-0 record across all competitions. Nashville SC will then turn its attention back to the Concacaf Champions Cup when the club hosts Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30 p.m. CT in the first leg of the Round of 16. 

Match Timeline:

NSH 13’: Alex Muyl finds McKinze Gaines waiting in front of the box, and Gaines collects the cross to tap the ball in 

NSH 38’: Jacob Shaffelburg connects with Forster Ajago who slots the ball home

NSH 45’: Jacob Shaffelburg rifles off a shot that deflects into goal 

NSH 53’: Amar Sejdić sends a shot that is blocked by the Moca FC goalkeeper, and Forster Ajago collects the deflection to send the ball into the net 

Notes:           

• Nashville SC:       
  • hosted its first Concacaf Champions Cup match at GEODIS Park 
  • played its coldest game since opening GEODIS Park (38 degrees per National Weather Service, next coldest game 46 degrees on March 11, 2023)
  • recorded its third straight clean sheet of the season, under two separate goalkeepers
  • outshot Moca FC 21-2
  • saw three new goal-scorers on the season in McKinze Gaines, Forster Ajago and Jacob Shaffelburg 
  • fielded brothers together for the first time in club history (M. Gaines and J. Gaines), and fielded the Gaines brothers together for the first time in their professional careers
• Forster Ajago 
  • made his Nashville SC debut 
  • scored his first Nashville SC goal and recorded his first Nashville SC brace 
  • is the first Nashville SC player to record a brace on his debut 
  • is the youngest player to score for Nashville SC, the youngest player to score for Nashville SC upon debut, and the first Nashville SC player born after 2000 to score for the club
• Julian Gaines made his Nashville SC debut when he subbed on for Jacob Shaffelburg in the 62^nd minute 
• McKinze Gaines made his first start for Nashville SC and recorded his first goal for Nashville SC 
• Elliott Panicco has now started in goal for Nashville in 13 games across three separate tournaments (Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup) and has recorded five shutouts in tournament play 
• Amar Sejdić made his Nashville SC debut when he subbed on for Aníbal Godoy at halftime

Box Score:                  

Nashville SC vs. Moca FC

Feb. 28, 2024 – GEODIS Park

Final Score:                 

NSH:  4

MOC: 0

Scoring Summary:

NSH: McKinze Gaines (A: Alex Muyl) 13’  

NSH: Forster Ajago (A: Jacob Shaffelburg) 38’ 

NSH: Jacob Shaffelburg (Unassisted) 45’ 

NSH: Forster Ajago (Unassisted) 53’ 

Discipline:                 

MOC: Keudy Jiminez (Caution) 81’

Lineups:        

       
NSH Starters: Elliot Panicco; Dan Lovitz (Taylor Washington 62’), Josh Bauer, Walker Zimmerman (C) (Lukas MacNaughton 62’), Brent Kallman; Jacob Shaffelburg (Julian Gaines 62’), McKinze Gaines, Forster Ajago; Alex Muyl, Aníbal Godoy (Amar Sejdić 46’), Tah Brian Anunga 

Substitutes: Joe Willis, Jack Maher, Teal Bunbury, Dru Yearwood, Shaq Moore, Sean Davis

MOC Starters: Pascual Ramirez; Kelvin Duran, Carlos Rossell (Jose Francisco 67’); Jhonathan Cambindo (Keudy Jiminez 63’), Robeto Louima (Victor Sanchez 63’), Juan Angeles (Ronaldo De Pena 63’), Gustavo Ascona (Alex Rodriguez 85’), Enrique Etcheverry; Clifford Thomas, Richard Dabas (C), Eduardo Montenegro 

Substitutes: Robinson Robert, Juan De Jesus, Anniel Rojas, Sergio Ventura, Miguel Vasquez 

Match Officials:           

Referee: Oshane Nation

AR1: Caleb Wales

AR2: Ojay Duhaney

4TH: Mario Escobar 

VAR: Guillermo Pacheco 

AVAR: Benjamin Whitty 

Weather: Clear, 38 degrees