Depleted Nashville SC squeezes point out of MLS opener

Nashville SC survived its MLS opener on Sunday.

That’s about the best way to describe the 0-0 outcome — and the one point gained — against New York Red Bulls at Geodis Park.

The visitors dominated the vast majority of the contest, outshooting Nashville 16-5 and maintaining possession for 53 percent of the contest. The Red Bulls hit the crossbar twice and the post once, while forcing Nashville goalie Joe Willis into multiple point-blank saves.

But before we judge the Boys in Gold too harshly, let’s take a look at a look at the circumstances.

Nashville opened the game without all three of its designated players — midfielder Hany Mukhtar, forward Sam Surridge and defender Walker Zimmerman — as well as starting defender Daniel Lovitz and midfielder Randall Leal. All five were on the team’s injury report, and only Zimmerman would get any time on the pitch, entering the game in the 62^nd minute.

Throw in the fact that Nashville had opened CONCACAF Champions Cup play with a win in the Dominican Republic on Thursday night, and it’s fair to say the home team was operating at far less than 100 percent.

“We have an incredibly challenging period of time, the same as any team that are in Champions Cup right now,” Nashville SC coach Gary Smith said. “So we have to do our very best, certainly I do, of putting out a team that’s going to be competitive, that’s going to put points on the board, that is going to show the sort of spirit and fortitude when under pressure.

“Today was a tough, tough point. I’ve said to the guys I don’t know if there will be a harder-fought point for us all year. But [it’s] definitely a much nicer way to [start] the season than a defeat, that’s for sure.”

Nashville could barely take a breath in the first half, suffocated by New York’s high-pressure attack.

The Red Bulls outshot the Boys in Gold 10-0 in the opening 45 minutes, a total that didn’t include Dante Vanzier’s chip that eluded Willis before slowly rolling off the post behind the keeper.

Nashville steadied itself in the 62^nd minute when Zimmerman, along with midfielders Anibal Godoy and Brian Anunga, entered the contest. Still, the Boys in Gold had to survive a pair of Red Bulls shots that rattled off the crossbar, one that was barely tipped by Willis.

Nashville finally managed some possession in the last 20-25 minutes of the contest, which included Tyler Boyd’s rocket from just inside the box that forced a split-second save from Carlos Coronel.

“I would have to say probably man of the match for me today,” Smith said of Willis. “When called upon, he came up trumps again, two or three excellent saves, great presence in the goal. He’s been one of the most reliable signings that we’ve made from day one. Incredible individual character and professional.”

The good news for Nashville SC is that Smith sounded optimistic about injury timetables, saying he hoped Mukhtar (hip) might be available as early as Wednesday for the second leg against of the team’s series against Moca FC. The coach added that Surridge’s shoulder injury doesn’t appear as significant as it did when Surridge was hurt on Thursday.

“The news on Sam was much, much better than we expected about his shoulder,” Smith said, “and I would hope his return is going to be far, far sooner than we thought leaving the Dominican.”

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.