The Boys in Gold Earn Late Draw on Penalty Kick Goal by Forward Teal Bunbury 

Nashville SC Improves to 3W-0L-1D Against Rapids Across All Competitions

Nashville SC earned a late road point Saturday night after forward Teal Bunbury converted on a penalty kick in the 90th minute to secure a 1-1 draw for the Boys in Gold. The team is now 2W-0L-2D in all competitions (2W in Concacaf Champions Cup; 2D in MLS).

Rocky Mountain High: Following tonight’s draw, the Boys in Gold remain undefeated against the Colorado Rapids across all competitions. Nashville SC is 2W-0L-1D against the Rapids in MLS play and 3W-0L-1D overall (Nashville SC defeated Colorado 2-1 in Leagues Cup 2023 play).

Strong-Willed: Nashville SC goalkeeper Joe Willis has allowed just one goal in three starts across all competitions to begin his 2024 campaign. The back stop for the Boys in Gold shutout both Moca FC in the Concacaf Champions Cup and the New York Red Bulls in MLS play before giving up just one tally Saturday night against the Rapids.

Walk the Line: Nashville SC defender and team captain Walker Zimmerman made his first start of the 2024 MLS campaign against the Rapids Saturday night, logging 60 minutes.

Next up: The Boys in Gold will return to Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) play Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. CT at GEODIS Park to host Inter Miami CF for leg one of the Round of 16 in CCC. Tickets for Thursday’s match against Inter Miami CF are available here.   On Sunday, March 10, Nashville SC continues MLS play when it faces off against the LA Galaxy at 2 p.m. CT at GEODIS Park. Tickets for Sunday’s match against the Galaxy are available here.

Match Timeline:

COL 47’: A ball from Calvin Harris is headed into Nashville’s own goal by Shaq Moore

NSH 90’: A penalty kick from Teal Bunbury finds the lower left of the net  

Notes:

  • Nashville SC:

o   extended its record against the Colorado Rapids to 3W-0L-1D across all competitions, with a +6 goal differential

o   extended its record against Western Conference teams to 17W-12L-15D

o   extended its record to 14W-14L-30D when tied at half

o   extended its record on the road to 20W-24L-24D

o   recorded 2.17 expected goals (xG) to Colorado’s 0.66 xG

  • Teal Bunbury recorded his first goal of 2024, scoring the game-tying goal on penalty kick in the 90th minute
  • Aníbal Godoy recorded his first MLS regular season start for Nashville SC in 2024
  • Dan Lovitz

o   made his first MLS regular season appearance in 2024

o   is one of only two Nashville SC players (also, Walker Zimmerman) to appear in all four matches across series history against COL (across all competitions)

  • Jack Maher led the team with 92% passing accuracy
  • Joe Willis

o   has allowed only one goal in three starts across all competitions in 2024

o   recorded two saves on the night

  • Walker Zimmerman

o   recorded his first MLS regular season start for Nashville SC in 2024 after undergoing surgery in the offseason

o   is one of only two Nashville SC players (also, Dan Lovitz) to appear in all four matches across series history against COL (across all competitions)

Box Score:

Nashville SC (0W-0L-2D) vs. Colorado Rapids (0W-1L-1D)

March 2, 2024 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

Final Score:

NSH:  1

COL: 1

Scoring Summary:

COL: Shaq Moore (Own Goal) 47’

NSH: Teal Bunbury (Penalty) 90’

Discipline:

COL: Darren Yapi (Caution) 74’

Lineups:

NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Lukas MacNaughton, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Taylor Washington (McKinze Gaines 71’), Walker Zimmerman (C) (Dan Lovitz 60’); Dru Yearwood (Alex Muyl 60’), Aníbal Godoy (Tah Brian Anunga 81’), Sean Davis; Tyler Boyd (Jacob Shaffelburg 60’), Teal Bunbury

Substitutes: Amar Sejdić, Josh Bauer, Elliot Panicco, Brent Kallman

COL Starters: Zack Steffen; Keegan Rosenberry (C), Sam Vines, Andreas Maxso, Moise Bombito; Oliver Larraz, Connor Ronan, Cole Bassett; Rafael Navarro (Darren Yapi 72’), Djordje Mihailovic (Jonathan Lewis 86’), Calvin Harris (Omir Fernandez 64’)

Substitutes: Lalas Abubakar, Jasper Loffelsend, Sebastian Anderson, Adam Beaudry, Kevin Cabral, Jackson Travis

Match Officials:

Referee: Esteban Rosano

AR1: Eric Del Rosario

AR2: Chana Forstall

4TH: Deshun Beard

VAR: Dave Gantar

Weather: Clear, 57 degrees

Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer on Feb. 29, 2020 in front of the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee. In its inaugural MLS season, Nashville SC defied expectations by becoming the second MLS expansion side to win and advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville SC returned to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in its sophomore season after becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home in a season. The Boys in Gold again qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, becoming just the third team in league history to reach the postseason during the team’s first four years in existence. Nashville SC inaugurated GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, in front of a sellout crowd of 30,109 on May 1, 2022. For more information, visit NashvilleSC.com and follow the club at @NashvilleSC on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and Spotify.