Cincinnati FC lost 3-0 at Nashville SC and ended a week without a win

NASHVILLE – After a busy week, Cincinnati FC didn’t have enough reserves to hunt down one of the best home teams in the MLS.

After both teams played their third game in a week, Nashville scored an early goal and beat Cincinnati 3-0 on Saturday at Nissan Stadium in front of 23,832 spectators.

The loss means a 0-2-1 record for FCC in the week and 3-7-4 in 2021.

“Not at all the result we wanted. We didn’t expect to win easily here, but our intentions were clear and I think people can see it too,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Jaap Stam . “We wanted to push them higher on the field and win that ball and hopefully come out in transition or keep the ball and move forward … you still have to make the decision to move forward. We weren’t determined enough today to create so many. ” Have chances or make it so difficult for them. “

Cincinnati only shot six shots and didn’t register any on goal, despite retaining around 66% of the ball.

The game marked the fifth time in 2021 that Cincinnati FC had been goalless.

“The players are tired too, they play three games a week and we expect a lot from them,” said Stam. “We also know that the opponent is playing with a chain of five (defenders), with good players, experienced players and that doesn’t make it easy either. Sometimes you can play well in terms of possession and move into the last third.” But in this last third one cannot be determined enough. You can’t do enough to be a threat again and again. You try to work on that. We always try to work on decision making, but today it didn’t happen. It’s not up to the players. The players are ready, but … sometimes it’s not there in certain games and that’s unfortunate. ”

07/24/2021;  Nashville, TN; Nashville, TN, USA;  Nashville SC forward CJ Sapong (17) handles the ball against FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund (14) in the second half at Nissan Stadium.

Given the unbeaten home record for Nashville SC (6-05), FC Cincinnati were already in a difficult position when CJ Sapong scored from close range in the 13th minute.

When Nashville doubled its lead from Randall Leal in the 35th minute, it seemed unlikely to get anything positive out of the game.

Stam reacted to the deficit with an increase in staff for the second half. He used Nick Hagglund and the fast Isaac Atanga in favor of Gustavo Vallecilla and Alvaro Barreal respectively.

These substitutions made little difference to the flow of the game, however, and Sapong’s second goal of the game in the 57th minute cemented FCC’s defeat.

Nashville pushed on, nearly scoring a fourth goal in a few moments before finally ending the 3-0 win.

“Both teams played three games in a week. Both teams played in the heat,” said Hagglund. “I just think when you lose a goal after a long week it’s mentally difficult, you have to overcome that to get back into the game to get a result. I think that in the end it hurts, that early goal to give up. Ultimately, we have to be able to. ” to dig ourselves out and find a way to win on the road like we did before. “

Nashville advanced to 6-1-8 that year and rose to second place in the Eastern Conference with 26 points.

After the game, Stam reiterated the need for recruitment during the ongoing summer transfer window. It was a subject that he was asked and raised on Friday and he again called for the list to be broadened from the bowels of the Nissan Stadium.

Most of the club’s key players started in all three games of the week, including Luciano Acosta, Brenner Souza da Silva, Alvaro Barreal, Haris Medunjanin and others.

With Allan Cruz and Ronald Matarrita in the international match of the Costa Rican national team, the club is already overwhelmed. The lack of depth was also compounded by the busy week, with Stam making it clear several times that he doesn’t think there aren’t enough viable options from the bank.

“We ask a lot of the players that we start every game, every game this week,” said Stam. “And then the players – you can see them – they get tired too and they find it very difficult to deliver the same quality. They still hope that these players can, but it’s difficult. Do we have a choice then? “Other players who can play the same level. It’s difficult for us. The players we have are players who work very hard and try to put their shift on, but like I said, hopefully we can do that They also add some players with certain skills that make it easier for them to get on the pitch to get things done, but also to give other players a break from time to time. “

The summer transfer window opened on July 7th and ends on August 5th. Cincinnati FC has not yet moved in or out of the window.

Cincinnati FC will play DC United at TQL Stadium on July 31st.

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