(NashvilleSC.com, 10.06.18)

RICHMOND, Va. — Nashville Soccer Club is three points closer to the playoffs. With a 3-0 win on the road against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night, Nashville SC took a massive step towards a USL playoff appearance in its inaugural season. Tucker Hume, Michael Reed and Alan Winn provided the goals, two in the first half, one in the second, as Nashville won its final road game of the season.

90 in a nutshell

The game played out eerily similar to the last time these two teams played in late August. Richmond started strong, but Nashville weathered the storm in the first 20 minutes. Then, the head of Tucker Hume struck the Kickers again. Taking a deflected pass from Ropapa Mensah, Hume headed in his eighth goal of the season into an open net to give Nashville the lead.

Reed doubled that lead less than 10 minutes later when Mensah again crossed in a pass into Reed’s path. The ball got tangled in the legs of the captain, but a lucky bounce saw the ball go from boot to twine.

Winn got SC on the board in the second half as he took a Matt LaGrassa feed and easily slotted it home to get on the board for the first time since June. That goal provided the final tally as keeper Matt Pickens logged his 14th shutout of the season, making a pair of saves.

Quotable

Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith

“If you are writing a script and you want to be in a particular spot in a particular time, this is an ideal scenario for us. We have to do all the right things to make sure this game on Tuesday goes honestly. It won’t be easy with the turnaround. My hope is that we can get the job done.

Watching the East

Nashville SC is back in the top eight in the Eastern Conference with the victory. In seventh place, Nashville is two points clear of the playoff line with 47 points and three more points on Tuesday night would clinch a playoff spot.

Up Next

Toronto FC II will come to the Music City on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. as Nashville SC tries to clinch its first trip to the USL Cup Playoffs.