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Nashville Cruises to Victory Against Rapids

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/06/18, 11:07PM EDT

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Goals in either half earn place in Open Cup’s Round of 16


Photo courtesy John Wilkinson III / Nashville SC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville SC scored in either half as it advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer before a crowd of 4,453 on Wednesday night at Vanderbilt Stadium.

The Rapids had the first real look on goal in the 25th minute when former Charlotte Independence loanee Dominique Badji fired a shot just wide of the right post, while Sam Nicholson also fired wide for the visitors seven minutes later as Colorado looked to claim an advantage.

A defensive mistake allowed Nashville to take the lead six minutes before halftime, however, as a cross from the right by Ish Jome was redirected into his own net by Rapids midfielder Michael Azira for an own goal.

Two minutes later Lebo Moloto fired just over the crossbar for the hosts, but as the second half progressed the hosts remained comfortably in the lead. Both Moloto and Jome sent shots off target 11 minutes apart midway through the half, but more importantly the hosts limited the Rapids’ clear looks on goal to try and find an equalizer.

Nashville then added to the hill the Rapids had to climb with 12 minutes to go as a header by Liam Doyle from a set piece found Ropapa Mensah, who just a minute after coming on as a substitute gave the hosts a two-goal lead. Colorado tried to find a way back into the game, but Nashville saw out its shutout comfortably to advance to the Round of 16.

Scoring:
39’ – NSH – Micheal Azira (own goal)
78’ – NSH – Ropapa Mensah (Liam Doyle)

Nashville SC: GK Matt Pickens; D London Woodberry, Bradley Bourgeois, Liam Doyle, Justin Davis; M Bolu Akinyode, Matt LaGrassa (Kosuke Kimura 85’), Lebo Moloto, Michael Reed, Ish Jome (Ryan James 73’); F Brandon Allen (Ropapa Mensah 77’)

Substitutes Not Used: GK C.J. Cochran, Taylor Washington, Tucker Hume, Alan Winn

Colorado Rapids: GK Zac MacMath; D Deklan Wynne, Tommy Smith, Johan Blomberg (Bismark Boateng 74’); M Sam Nicholson, Enzo Martinez, Marlon Hairston (Jack McBean 70’), Micheal Azira, Jack Price; F Dominique Badji, Dillon Serna

Substitutes Not Used: GK Tim Howard, Kip Colvey, Sam Hamilton

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