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Nashville Ends Road Drought, Moves into Playoff Place

By JOHN ARLIA - john.arlia@uslsoccer.com, 09/27/18, 10:43AM EDT

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NSC earned its first road win in fourth months with a 2-0 victory over ATL UTD 2 at Coolray Field


Ropapa Mensah celebrates his opening goal against ATL UTD 2. | Photo courtesy Karl L. Moore / ATL UTD 2

GWINNETT, Ga. – Nashville SC picked up its first road victory in four months to snap a four-match winless run and jump into the Eastern Conference playoff places with a 2-0 victory over ATL UTD 2 on Wednesday night at Coolray Field.

The visitors had managed just 10 goals in 15 previous road matches this season on their way to a 2-6-7 record, but forwards Ropapa Mensah and Tucker Hume scored either side of halftime to ensure NSC picked up three points away from First Tennessee Park for the first time since its 1-0 win over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Highmark Stadium on May 30.

Nashville Head Coach Gary Smith was “delighted” to see both of his forwards find the back of the net, especially after the pair had spurned plenty of opportunities in final 30 minutes of NSC’s 1-1 home draw with the 10-men Charleston Battery last time out.

“As a pair, Tucker [Hume] and Ropapa [Mensah] looked fantastic,” Smith said after the game. “The combinations and qualities that the two lads have complement each other very well. That front pair have paid dividends for us tonight.”

Mensah gave Nashville the lead in the seventh minute when he pounced on a rebound and tapped it home from close range after Ish Jome’s low shot was parried into his path by Atlanta goalkeeper Paul Christensen. The 21-year-old Ghanaian was heavily involved in his team’s second goal as well, getting behind the Atlanta defense and forcing Christensen into a save before Hume slotted the rebound into the left corner for his second goal in as many contests.

“I definitely enjoyed playing with him up top,” Hume said of Mensah. “He played with a lot of energy. His hold up play was awesome and he was at right spot at the right time on his goal. He was a handful for their defenders.”

Nashville will hope that its forward partnership continues to pay dividends down the stretch as the club attempts to mark its inaugural season with a trip to the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs. The side’s victory over Atlanta, coupled with defeats elsewhere for North Carolina FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, propelled NSC into the eighth and final playoff spot in the East with four games remaining in the regular season.

Nashville will try to retain its playoff position on Saturday when it returns to the friendly confines of First Tennessee Park for a crucial clash against the ninth-place New York Red Bulls II. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their only previous meeting back in May, but Smith hopes his side can exploit New York’s winless road record and come out with all three points this time around.

“We have to make sure we take advantage of the situation at home,” Smith said. “I would hope the confidence taken out of the game tonight will give everyone the right mindset heading into the weekend.”

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