Heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs, we were not seeing the strongest form from Gary Smith, Hany Mukhtar, and Nashville SC. In their final five MLS regular season games, they had only scored three goals… all coming in one game. Being held scoreless in six of their last last ten games as well. Things were not going this club’s way which really hurt fans as it was not too long ago that Nashville SC was flying high and pushed a Lionel Messi led Inter Miami squad to penalty kicks in a Leagues Cup Final.

On the other side, Orlando City SC had to be feeling pretty good heading into the playoffs. Finishing the regular season as the two seed in the Eastern Conference and riding a five game unbeaten streak heading into their series with Nashville. Orlando didn’t fare too well in the U.S. Open Cup or Leagues Cup earlier in the year, but this team had finished the year playing some of the best (if not the best) soccer within MLS.

This Southern U.S. battle saw leg 1 down in Orlando, Florida where we got what we expected, a tight battle. This game took a wonder goal from Peruvian international midfielder Wilder Cartagena to decide things. Cartagena hit a top corner curler that allowed for fans at the stadium and on social media to explode with excitement! But the 1-0 scoreline wasn’t really the most indicative of the play on the field. I’d argue that Nashville SC looked like the better side on the day, but alas, that is soccer and sometimes luck can break one way or the other. But this lined things up for game 2 in Nashville. At home, Nashville SC had their season on the line. On the road, Orlando, one of the better road sides in MLS, could see themselves advance to the conference semifinals. Unfortunately for the fans that filled GEODIS Park… another 1-0 scoreline would go in favor of Orlando City. This time it was a rare defensive mistake from Nashville and a high energy Ivan Angulo who would eventually score. Angulo fought through some defensive pressure from Walker Zimmerman and would eventually get the ball up and over Joe Willis in net. The Colombian international who has had a great 2023 season would play hero for the fans of the purple lions.

Now, with Nashville SC’s season in the books and Orlando City celebrating their way into the next round we have to wait. Orlando must wait till the result of the game 3 needing to be played between Columbus Crew and Atlanta United.