Nashville, TN — In their first match of the season, former UFL rivals Nashville SC and FC Cincinnati met at Geodis Park for a battle that saw the visiting team take a 2–1 win in the final minutes of the game, after a contested penalty led to a victory-clinching goal by FC striker Kevin Denkey off the penalty kick.
Today was an exceptionally busy day in Music City. It’s opening weekend for minor league baseball team the Nashville Sounds. Arena football team Nashville Kats were back in action today. The annual recording industry soiree, Tin Pan South, was winding down after a week of musical joy. Today also marks my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary—which I assume the city is celebrating as well. With all of the events going on, and the looming threat of showers, 25,640 souls came to Geodis Park to watch the home team kick it with FC Cincinnati.
The first half was pretty aggressive on both sides. Nashville SC and FC Cincinnati were both peppering the goal with six and nine shots, respectively. There were definitely opportunities for either team to take the lead early on. Barely ten minutes in, NSC fan favorite Hany Mukhtar received a perfect cross from left winger #37 Ahmed Qasem. Mukhtar was able to make contact with a leaping foot deflection but was unable to put the ball on net as it veered wide right. Mukhtar would get a second attempt later in the half when he went one-on-one against FC goalie Roman Celentano for a penalty kick. That attempt left the home team scoreless again, as the visiting goalie was able to dive for the block.
Nearing the closing minutes of the first half, SC midfielder Edvard Tagseth passed a high cross in front of the FC goal that found the foot of #22 Josh Bauer, who kicked it on net. While Celentano was able to make a play for it, he just nicked the ball, merely diverting it to the upper portion of the net.
Considering the evenly played match so far, it would’ve been easy for the hometown crowd to believe they were going into the break with a lead—but that excitement was short-lived. As the end of regulation was in sight, FC center midfielder Evander (like greats Pelé, Maradona, and Oprah—he only needs the one name) was set to take a free kick just outside of the Nashville box. The boot soared over the defenders, past the airborne dive of keeper Joe Willis, and went deep into the left side of the net.
While the game stayed high-energy for most of the second half, the scoreboard remained unchanged, with 1–1 illuminated for much of the 45-minute back-and-forth. That is, until a shocking penalty came with about 120 seconds left in regulation.
Within the goalie box, SC center back Walker Zimmerman had been strong all evening. He had frustrated the visiting team with on-point blocking that stifled the offense throughout the contest. While making a play on the ball inside the box, he was called for a handball—one that was inadvertent at best. As Nashville coach BJ Callaghan would note later, “I have not gotten any information [on the penalty]. The call on the field stands and would probably take a lot to overturn.” The coach’s response was far more subdued than the ire of the fans—especially since the penalty kick by striker Kevin Denkey was buried in the net.
There simply was not enough time left for the Nashville team to recover and match the point, and the match ended with an FC Cincinnati victory, 2–1.
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