Preview | LAFC vs Nashville SC 10/9/22

LAFC vs Nashville SC

Sunday, October 9

2:00pm PT

Location: Banc of California Stadium - Los Angeles, California

TV: KCOP 13, Estrella 62.2

Radio: ESPN LA App, 980 AM La Mera Mera

LAFC clinched the Supporters Shield after defeating the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Sunday, Oct. 2. The Back & Gold will now host Nashville SC on Sunday at Banc of California Stadium to close out the MLS regular season. 

The win in Portland improves the Club to 21-8-4 on year, which helped Steve Cherundolo set a new MLS record for most wins by a first-year head coach, surpassing Bob Bradley (1998 Chicago Fire) and Thomas Rongen (1996 Tampa Bay Mutiny) who both won 20 games in his first season as an MLS head coach.

This is the second Supporters’ Shield for the Black & Gold in the last four years of league play. The team’s 21 wins ties the club’s all-time record for most single season wins set in 2019.

Sunday will be a reunion on the pitch and the sidelines, as Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman returns to play against LAFC at Banc of California Stadium for the first time after spending two seasons with the Black & Gold. 

The matchup will be the second-ever clash between the two clubs. LAFC took the first matchup on July 17 defeating Nashville 2-1 at GEODIS Park. 

Nashville currently sits in fifth place in the Western Conference standings with 47 points through 33 games played.

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NASHVILLE IN-DEPTH

Led by head coach Gary Smith, Nashville is in the midst of the positioning battle in the Western Conference heading into MLS Decision Day. The team had its six-match unbeaten streak snapped last weekend with a loss against the Houston Dynamo and will now have to win or tie for a chance to host a game in the playoffs. 

Designated Player and Midfielder Hany Mukhtar leads the team and the league in goals scored with 23 goals and 11 assists. Mukhtar will take a two-goal lead into the final day of the MLS regular season in the race for the Golden Boot. 

LAFC WILL WIN IF

They can contain a hungry Nashville SC team, who is fighting for a higher seed in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. LAFC have locked up the top spot in all of MLS but will still aim to defend its home field and look to carry any momentum into the postseason. Carlos Vela will need to continue his late season goal surge as he has scored four of the team’s last six goals. 

NASHVILLE CAN WIN IF

Mukhtar has his way on the field. He has scored seven goals in his last five games and has not showed any signs of slowing down. Nashville SC will most likely come out in a 4-4-2 formation with Forward CJ Sapong also being a threat, who has scored five goals this season. Defender Walker Zimmerman will also look to have his way as he has scored four goals for the team.

Inspired by Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.