(Ari Liljenwall, MLSSoccer.com, 02.29.20)

Atlanta United spoiled the party on a historic night in Nashville SC’s first-ever MLS match, riding goals from Ezequiel Barco and Emerson Hyndman to a 2-1 victory at Nissan Stadium in front of a crowd of 59,069 onlookers — a Tennessee state record for a soccer match.

Walker Zimmerman scored the first goal in Nashville’s MLS history in the 28th minute to pull the home side level following Barco’s opener, but Hyndman’s rocket finish in the 37th minute would ultimately stand as the difference.

Barco put the visitors on top in just the ninth minute, slotting a well-taken curling finish from just outside the penalty box into the corner of the net off a feed from Franco Escobar, putting Nashville in an early hole.

But the home side would respond to the early adversity with a leveler from Zimmerman, who headed down a free kick from Hany Mukhtar in front of goal and slotted home his ensuing shot past Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan, notching the first goal in Nashville club history and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Hyndman would put Atlanta back on top just nine minutes later, however, controlling a clearance attempt inside the area with his chest and scorching a highlight-reel volley into the net, giving the Five Stripes a 2-1 lead they would take into the halftime break.

Atlanta were hit with an unsettling injury scare in the second half, when superstar forward Josef Martinez appeared to suffer a leg injury while chasing the ball. Martinez initially tried to stay in the match, but went down again shortly after and eventually was carried off the field on a stretcher. His status will be the big story to follow in the days ahead

Nashville had perhaps its best look at the equalizer in the 78th minute off a laser shot from Randall Leal, but the attempt clanged off the near post and Atlanta would eventually see out the 2-1 final.