Nashville SC are hoping to clinch the second overall seed in the Eastern Conference by the end of the weekend if they can win at Orlando City on Sunday afternoon.
As for the hosts, they’d just like to make sure they don’t crash out of the playoff picture altogether.
Nashville (12-4-16, 52 points) is already guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference field after coming from two goals down to romp past FC Cincinnati 6-3 on Wednesday evening.
Randall Leal and CJ Sapong each scored twice in Cincy, as the second-year club followed one of its worst halves of soccer in its brief history with one of its best. Sapong is now second on the club with 12 goals, and Leal has eight to go with eight assists.
“The only question was are the goals going to come,” manager Gary Smith said afterward of that second-half effort. “And they did. I’m delighted that we’ve obviously added three points, we’ve clinched. Just as importantly, away from home we’ve added some goals to the board, which has been difficult.”
Even with those six goals, Nashville have only 19 away on the season. They’ll probably need more than one to win in Orlando, which has been shut out only three times in its previous 16 home games. A win, coupled with a Philadelphia loss or draw later Sunday, would seal second place for Nashville.
Home or away, the Lions have scored in nine straight since a 3-0 loss to Atlanta United FC on Sept .10.
But they’re winless in their last three following a hard-to-swallow 3-2 defeat at the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night, one ultimately decided by a goal from Lucas Zelarayan that was easily one of the best in MLS this season.
Orlando City has arguably created a greater number of quality chances in each of its last three games with only two points to show for them. They entered the weekend with only four points of room above the playoff line, with three of the four teams immediately beneath them holding a game in hand.
Daryl Dike is on a modest run of five goals in seven games, with three of those coming from the penalty spot.
“We have to refocus again,” manager Oscar Pareja said of the loss to Columbus. “We have, with the proximity of these games, there’s not much time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to just go on and try to focus on Nashville. This is what we have (to do).”
–Field Level Media
