(NashvilleSC.com, 06.20.18)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The streak is over. Two Louisville City FC goals were too much to overcome for Nashville SC as the team lost its 11-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 loss to the hosts. Midfielder Matt LaGrassa was able to pull one back for SC, but it was too little, too late as Nashville was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup.

90 in a Nutshell

Louisville started the game on the front foot and its pressure resulted in a goal in the 24th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Nashville was able to make its way back into the match as time ran down in the first half, but would go into the locker room down 1-0.

SC looked to equalize early in the second half with multiple looks inside the box. Forward Ropapa Mensah almost tied the game, but his shot went off the post. Less than a minute later, Louisville doubled its lead off a corner kick. LaGrassa’s goal gave Nashville a chance late in the match to equalize, but the goal never came.

Quotable

Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith: “I don’t understand on a one-off occasion, with the run we are on, why we just wouldn’t go and feel more confident about ourselves. We were too slow to get into our rhythm. Saying that, they were certainly a better team in the first half, and we were the better team in the second half. We had enough chances to not only take that game into overtime, but possibly have won it. I think, with how the game unfolded, a draw was a fair result, but unfortunately, it was not to be.”

Up Next

Nashville will be back in USL action on Tuesday, June 26 against Indy Eleven at First Tennessee Park. The next three games will be at home, culminating in the pinnacle of the Summer of Soccer on July 7 at Nissan Stadium.