Nashville SC Wins First Round Match of 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs 3-1 Over Orlando City SC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 23, 2021) – Nashville SC will once again play in the Audi MLs Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals after a decisive 3-1 victory over Orlando City SC at Nissan Stadium on Tuesday in front of 26,043. This win came off a brace from MLS MVP Finalist Hany Mukhtar and a stoppage-time goal from Jhonder Cádiz.

Nashville SC will now head to the City of Brotherly Love to take on Philadelphia Union on Sunday, Nov. 28 with kickoff slated for 4:30 p.m. CT in a nationally televised match on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Nashville SC fans can also listen to the action on ESPN 94.9 (English radio) and El Jefe 96.7 (Spanish).

Powerful Playoff Performances: The Boys in Gold have now played in four postseason matches in their two years in MLS, owning a record of 3W-1L-0D. Over those four matches, Nashville SC has scored a total seven goals, with five different goal-scorers. Nashville SC has a total 20 shots on goal in the postseason and have only allowed 14 shots on target and three goals against, giving them a +4 goal differential.

The Streak Continues: Nashville SC became just the seventh team in MLS history to finish a regular season without a home loss. With tonight’s 3-1 result in front of a rowdy 26,043 fans in Nissan Stadium, Nashville’s home unbeaten streak extends to 19 consecutive matches. This is the longest active home unbeaten streak in the league, and it stretches over a full calendar year. Nashville SC’s unbeaten streak dates back to last season with a 3-0 win in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs against Inter Miami CF on Nov. 20, 2020.

NSC Keeps Making History: Nashville SC’s playoff berth crowned the Boys in Gold as just the fourth team in the modern expansion era to clinch a playoff berth in their first two seasons as an MLS franchise (Seattle Sounders FC, LAFC, Atlanta United FC). Nashville SC saw the largest jump from year one to year two in the standings among those four modern expansion era teams as it leapt from finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference in 2020 to finishing as the third seed in the Eastern Conference in 2021.

Match Timeline

ORL 14’: Mauricio Pereyra delivers a corner kick to Daryl Dike, who gets a head on it to send it to the back of the net 

NSH 21’: Hany Mukhtar rockets a shot from distance to equalize after connecting with Aníbal Godoy in the midfield 

NSH 74’: CJ Sapong delivers a ball to Hany Mukhtar, who crosses in front of the penalty box and slots the ball home 

NSH 90+4’: Jhonder Cádiz takes the ball and battles off an Orlando defender to knock the ball into the back of the net

Notes

• Nashville SC has earned 36 total points at home overall in the 2021 MLS season 
• Nashville SC owns a season record of 9W-0L-9D at home and an all-time home record of 14W-2L-14D
• Nashville SC owns a season record of 4W-3L-9D when conceding first 
• This marks the second time Nashville SC has scored three goals in a postseason match, the first being in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs against Inter Miami CF  
• Nashville SC has scored seven goals in the postseason, with five different goal scorers 
• Nashville SC has scored six of its seven postseason goals at home 
• Hany Mukhtar has scored three goals in Nashville SC’s four postseason appearances 
• Mukhtar’s brace marks the first Nashville SC brace in the postseason 
• This marks Jhonder Cádiz’s first postseason goal

BOX SCORE

Nashville SC 1W-0L-0D vs. Orlando City SC 0W-1L-0D

November 23, 2021 – Nissan Stadium

Final Score

NSH: 3

ORL: 1

Scoring Summary

ORL: Daryl Dike 14’

NSH: Hany Mukhtar 21’

NSH: Hany Mukhtar 74’ 

NSH: Jhonder Cádiz 90+4’ 

Discipline

ORL: Mauricio Pereyra (caution) 39’ 

ORL: Sebastian Méndez (caution) 65’ 

NSH: Jalil Anibaba (caution) 85’ 

Lineups

NSH: Joe Willis; Daniel Lovitz, Jack Maher, Alistair Johnston, Eric Miller (Jalil Anibaba 83’), Walker Zimmerman; Dax McCarty (C) (Alex Muyl 90 +1’), Hany Mukhtar, Aníbal Godoy; Randall Leal (Brian Anunga 90+1’), CJ Sapong (Jhonder Cádiz 82’)

Unused Substitutes: Abu Danladi,Taylor Washington, Luke Haakenson, Bryan Meredith, Aké Loba 

ORL: Pedro Gallese; Ruan, Emmanuel Mas (Silvester van der Water 90+2’), Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos; Sebastian Mendez (Alexandre Pato 65’), Chris Mueller (Tesho Akindele 81’), Mauricio Pereyra (C), Junior Urso; Daryl Dike, Benji Michel (Nani 75’)

Unused Substitutes: Rodrigo Schlegel, Uri Rosell, Andres Perea, Kyle Smith, Mason Stajduhar 

Referee: Ismail Elfath

AR1: Cory Richardson

AR2: Corey Parker

4th: Guido Gonzales Jr. 

VAR: Kevin Stott

AVAR: Andrew Bigelow 

Weather: Clear, 40 degrees. 

Statistics are unofficial.