Nashville SC and Monterrey are just one victory away from reaching the Leagues Cup final, and it couldn’t be due to teams from more different histories. While Monterrey has been a Concacaf powerhouse, winning the Champions League five times, Nashville is a relative newcomer, having just been created in 2016. Nashville has become into a dangerous league opponent under Gary Smith. With Hany Mukhtar in the lineup, Nashville can score on anybody in Concacaf, but defence is where the team might falter.
They’ve let up eight goals in League Cup play, and Monterrey may make them pay for it. Rayados blasted into this round of the competition after scoring three second-half goals against Los Angeles FC, who were also among the tournament’s contenders. The stakes couldn’t be greater, with a trophy and a place in the Champions Cup on the line.
Nashville will triumph if…
Mukhtar and Sam Surridge are the match’s most significant attackers. Given Nashville’s defensive woes, the squad will need to score as many goals as possible while remaining aggressive, since Rayados can score against the greatest teams in Concacaf. Surridge has been an excellent addition to the Nottingham Forest team, relieving some of the load on Mukhtar throughout the encounter. Nashville is aware of this, which is why, even after defeating Minnesota United, they kept their foot on the accelerator, scoring as many goals as possible.
Monterrey will triumph if…
Their defence is effective. Monterry will score; the issue is when, not if. Rogelio Funes Mori is a terrific attacker who leads the line and is coming off a Liga MX season in which he scored 18 goals. He is someone Nashville should keep an eye on. Monterrey has previously shut out Tigres in the tournament, which will give them confidence against Nashville.
What to Look For
• Tuesday, August 15th | 9:30 p.m. ET
• GEODIS Park is located in Nashville, Tennessee.
• No TV | MLS Season Pass live stream
Prediction
Using homefield advantage, Nashville will take an early lead before Monterry fights back to capture another Concacaf final. Nashville 1, Monterrey 2.
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