Defense does the Union no favors as Nashville hands them their first loss

When you’re defying expectations, everyone is out to prove the hype isn’t real. Many thought an offseason overhaul of personnel at key positions juxtaposed against a new style enacted by a new coach would make this a rebuilding year for the Union.

The season’s first three games might have already proved naysayers wrong. On Sunday, against Nashville SC in their second home game of the season, the Union showed flashes of the play that saw the team get out to its blistering start, but the holes also showed, particularly along the right side of the back line.

As a result, the Union (3-0-1) dropped their first game of the season, 3-1, giving Nashville (2-1-1) its first win at Subaru Park in four all-time meetings.

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It could be argued that the only real weakness was in the back four, where Frankie Westfield and Jakob Glesnes struggled to keep up with Nashville’s attack, especially striker Sam Surridge.

Surridge opened the scoring in the 15th minute, getting the better of both Westfield and Glesnes, taking a switch from right to left into the box, using a deft cut to outsmart a sliding Westfield and a quick touch to push it past both Glesnes and goalkeeper Andre Blake for the game’s first goal.

“I’m really proud of the boys for doing what they do,” said Union manager Bradley Carnell, choosing the high road instead of acknowledging the glaring deficiencies defensively postgame.

“Every game is not going to be a cakewalk, and not going to be as easy as we’d like it, so we have to dig deep and I thought today we dug deep and just lost momentum at certain times, but we aren’t going to say it was one mistake on one position on one player, we believe it’s a culmination … we all go down together.”

The Union got one back off a Jovan Lukíc volley in the 33rd minute, which might be an early contender for goal of the year in Major League Soccer — just four games into the season. A fast-moving, in-swinging corner was cleared off the far post from Nashville goalkeeper Joseph Willis but lofted right into the run at the top of the box from Lukíc, who hit a first-time volley that rifled into the net.

Ironically, the goal triggered a Union promotion with Chick-fil-A, rewarding fans with a free chicken sandwich. It wasn’t lost on anyone that fans would need to wait a day to cash in on their prize.

However, it wasn’t chicken sandwiches that rained down but hot dogs in the second half after a Hany Mukhtar penalty gave Nashville a two-goal lead following what appeared to be an unintentional yet dangerous headbutt. The shot to the back of Mukhtar’s head by Glesnes saw both go down and need medical attention in the box in the 83rd minute.

After a lengthy video review, referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere awarded a penalty that saw fans in the River End throw debris on the field, mainly dollar dogs from another Union promotion.

Not to be outdone, Glesnes’ centerback partner Olwethu Makhanya was ejected from the game in second-half stoppage after picking up a red card for throwing the ball toward the head of Nashville forward Jacob Shaffelburg. Shaffelburg pushed Makhanya out of bounds and the Union player responded with the retaliation that will see him miss the team’s next match.

The ejection came just minutes after the Union could have brought one back after a penalty was awarded in second-half stoppage. Quinn Sullivan stepped up to take the shot but was stymied by Willis, who then got his hands on a rebound shot from Kai Wagner.

Ahmed Qasem scored in the 44th minute for Nashville. Interestingly, Nashville didn’t necessarily expose the Union, whose high-pressing nature kept the visitors on their toes, but rather it was defensive struggles — especially from one center back — that proved costly.

“It wasn’t good enough [from] me today,” Glesnes admitted. “On all three of their goals, the PK either, I have to learn from that and raise my head again. This game is over and it’s a new day already and we have another game on Saturday.”

It’s a quick turn of the page for the Union, who will welcome St. Louis City FC at Subaru Park on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s undoubtedly a game that Carnell has circled, as it will be the first meeting between his new club and his old one.

In 2023, Carnell led St. Louis to an MLS playoff appearance after an electric expansion season but could not replicate that success last year. He was relieved of his duties in July and was replaced by former Union assistant coach John Hackworth as interim in July.

A little retribution? One would say so.

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