Becomes One of Four Teams in Expansion Era to Earn Playoff Spot in Inaugural Major League Soccer Season
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 28, 2020) – Nashville Soccer Club has officially clinched a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs after earning a 1-0 road victory over Montreal Impact on Tuesday night and following tonight’s losses by Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United to FC Dallas and Orlando City SC, respectively.
“A great deal of congratulations needs to go to not only the players and staff of Nashville Soccer Club, but to all of the club’s supporters for their encouragement throughout the season,” said Nashville SC General Manager Mike Jacobs. “Most expansion teams in any professional sports franchise are happy to simply be competitive in their first year, so to be able to advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs in our inaugural season is something special that everyone can share.”
The club continues to make history in its inaugural Major League Soccer season becoming just the fourth team in the expansion era to clinch a spot in the playoffs along with Atlanta, LAFC and Seattle Sounders FC, and to earn at least 28 points through 20 matches.
Guided by 2010 MLS Cup Champion Head Coach Gary Smith, Nashville SC has maximized the potential of its full roster while building an identity based on an organized and disciplined style of soccer with consistent goal-scoring that has allowed the club to climb the standings in the Eastern Conference. In the club’s inaugural campaign, Nashville is currently tied for first in MLS with nine shutouts and ranks third in the Eastern Conference with the fewest amount of goals conceded with 18.
“I am absolutely delighted for everyone at the club: players, ownership, staff, and the front office. Reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs is a wonderful achievement for everyone in our first season,” said Smith. “As we look into the next three matches, we must continue to push on, challenge the teams ahead of us and see what we can achieve this year. All in all, it’s a fabulous achievement.”
Led by veterans Walker Zimmerman, Dax McCarty, Aníbal Godoy and newcomers Hany Mukhtar, Randall Leal and Daniel Rios, the Boys in Gold have built an impressive resume heading into the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
The club’s 2020 campaign began with 59,069 fans setting a new attendance record for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee, which was then followed by adversity with a tornado that ripped through Middle Tennessee, a stoppage of play due to COVID-19 and a withdrawal from the MLS is Back Tournament.
Since then, Nashville SC has found their run of form down the stretch of the season, only losing four of 18 matches since Aug. 12 while recording seven wins and seven draws in that span.
With three matches remaining in the 2020 MLS Regular Season, two of them in Nashville, the Boys in Gold have made of Nissan Stadium their fortress earning their way into the playoffs with a 4W-1L-4D record. Currently undefeated since returning to play on Aug. 12, (4W-4D), Nashville will aim to preserve their form when hosting Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, Oct. 31 and FC Dallas on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Tickets for those fixtures are available at www.nashvillesc.com/tickets.
