Leagues Cup: NSC falls just short of glory

Normally in the month of August, a Tennessee sports fan would be following football. Whether it be high school, Titans training camp, or the fall camp of your favorite college team. This past week, however, what the rest of the world calls football stole the spotlight, and for good reason.

NSC found themselves within arms reach of the club’s first championship trophy and they needed to go through Lionel Messi and Inter Miami to win it. Needless to say, the atmosphere at Geodis Park Saturday night was electric from start to finish. The stands were full of fans of Messi and NSC supporters. Most fans probably expected Messi and Inter Miami to impose their will and cruise to victory, but NSC turned this game into an instant classic.

Messi did have his inevitable moment of brilliance in the 23rd minute with a beautiful strike from just outside the box that bent just enough to beat NSC keeper Elliot Panicco. NSC defended well for the rest of the half to go to the locker room with only a 1-goal deficit. Coming out of the half NSC was able to put more pressure on Miami’s backline. A corner in the 57th minute finally evened the score as a Fafa Picault header took a deflection before finding the back of the net. The rest of regulation was filled with drama starting with a Messi shot that hit the post in the 71st minute. NSC then made several advances toward the goal all being thwarted by stellar defending and key saves by Miami keeper Drake Callender. The last sequence of regulation was stressful for both sides as NSC nearly scored off a header from Sam Surridge, and then Miami’s Leonardo Campana failed to covert a 1-1 with Elliot Panicco sending the rebound off the post in the final seconds.

A long and gut-wrenching penalty shootout ensued. 10 rounds had seen 9 goals per side with both keepers only making 1 stop. All the field players had their turn, and it was in the 11th round that Miami’s Drake Callender etched his name onto the MVP trophy by burying his attempt and then stoning NSC’s Elliot Panicco to send Miami home victorious.

In all honesty, NSC should not be hanging their heads. Going 93 minutes and only allowing 1 goal to the best player in the history of the sport was proof that the best Defense in the MLS resides in Nashville. Furthermore, the fight shown by this squad throughout the entirety of this tournament bodes well for the rest of the MLS season and into the playoffs. NSC has now proven that they are capable of going toe to toe with the best the MLS has to offer.