Nashville SC vs. Club América was not for the faint of heart.
There were dramatic stoppage time goals, a late goalkeeper substitution, and a massive celebration that had to be reversed. After all of that, one team eventually went through to the quarterfinals while the other was left with a disappointment far deeper than a normal loss.
Here’s how Nashville SC survived and eliminated Club América to advance to the quarterfinals.
América seemed to seal a win when new signee Julián Quiñones converted a penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give his club a 2-1 lead. But in the 9th minute of stoppage time, on Nashville’s last gasp, Sam Surridge headed home a to make it 2-2 and force penalties.
Then, just before the match officially ended, Nashville subbed out their starting goalkeeper Joe Willis for penalty kick specialist Elliot Panicco.
Club América kicked first and Quiñones converted his kick to start the penalty shootout. Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar missed his shot.
In round two, América’s Miguel Layún missed his shot while Nashville’s Sam Surridge converted his to make it 1-1.
Both clubs converted all of their shots over the next three rounds of kicks to make it 4-4 before chaos ensured.
América’s Álvaro Fidalgo hit his shot down the middle to give his club a 5-4 advantage. Then, Nashville’s Jack Maher stepped to the spot. Maher shot to his right, but goalkeeper Luis Malagón guessed correctly and dove to stop the shot and seemingly give América the win.
Malagón and his teammate ran to embrace each other and celebrate advancing to the Leagues Cup 2023 quarterfinals. Maher slowly walked back to his teammates, head down, upset he couldn’t keep his team’s quarterfinal chances alive.
What no one on the pitch immediately knew was that Malagón’s save was under video review for stepping off his line before the shot. Even before the review could be completed, the refers had to clear the field of the technical staffs and substitutes who had come onto the pitch to celebrate. There was even time needed to escort fans who came onto the pitch.
After the chaos died down, Maher was given another opportunity to make his spot kick. Like his previous kick, Maher went to his right. But the América goalkeeper guessed the wrong way, and Nashville was still alive, 5-5.
In the final round, Jonathan Dos Santos stepped up to the spot and fired his shot off the crossbar, giving Nashville the opportunity to clinch the win.
Daniel Lovitz stepped up to the spot and cooly converted his kick to send Nashville into the quarterfinals.
