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Recap: Toronto FC vs. Nashville SC 11/24/2020 | Matchcenter – MLSsoccer.com

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2020

Nashville SC pulled off the Round One upset Tuesday night at Rentschler Field, using a Daniel Rios game-winner in the second half of extra time to beat Toronto FC 1-0 and book a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Rios scored in the 108th minute after the expansion squad mounted pressure, following up a Hany Mukhtar shot that Toronto goalkeeper Quentin Westberg initially stoped. Rios’ shot came into an open net, emphatically helping Nashville bounce the 2019 MLS Cup finalists, who were the No. 2 seed and chased the Supporters’ Shield all season.

Before Rios’ tally, Nashville (No. 7 seed) saw three goals called back for players being in an offside position. Designated Player forward Jhonder Cadiz twice thought he gave his team a 1-0 lead, heading home in the 13th and 54th minutes after finding holes in the Toronto defense. Mukhtar’s inch-perfect chip in the 100th minute was also waived off, having evaded Michael Bradley with a midfield run before slipping his shot underneath the crossbar.

If that wasn’t enough, Nashville’s frustrations grew in the second half when Mukhtar (72nd minute) and Alex Muyl (75th minute) both missed close-range headers. Mukhtar skied his effort after Alistair Johnston’s cross from the right, and Muyl couldn’t sneak his header inside the post after Randall Leal picked him out.

The near-misses continued as extra time loomed, with Mukhtar looping a header off the crossbar in the 90th minute and Walker Zimmerman seeing his shot smothered by Westberg in the 91st minute.

Toronto struggled to generate many quality chances, but nearly scored in the 26th minute through Nick DeLeon. The midfielder latched onto a Pablo Piatti cross from the right, only for Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to stop him on the doorstep. The Reds were outshot 21-10.

Goals

108′ – NSH – Daniel Rios | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Toronto FC could’ve made it four trips to MLS Cup in the last five years. Instead, head coach Greg Vanney’s team departs the playoffs early, even as key players like Jozy Altidore returned to health. The Reds were outplayed for large chunks, too, and now Nashville will look to keep defying the odds. Just how far can head coach Gary Smith’s team go?
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Last year, Daniel Rios was playing in the USL Championship. Now, he’s scored the biggest goal in Nashville SC history and sent his team through to the next round. What a moment for the second-half substitute, who had four regular-season goals.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Hany Mukhtar was at the heart of most attacking moves for Nashville, finishing with a game-high six shots. He could’ve finished a coupe chances, sure, but will be most remembered for creating the late winner.

Next Up

TOR: End of season
NSH: Sunday, Nov. 29 at Columbus Crew SC (8 pm ET) | Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

57 mins ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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Arch Manning to get first start for No. 1 Texas as Ewers continues recovery from abdomen strain

Published

3 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — No. 1 Texas will start Arch Manning at quarterback Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe while regular starter Quinn Ewers continues to recover from a strained muscle in his abdomen, coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.

It will be the first career start for Manning, a second year freshman. He relieved Ewers in the second quarter last week against UTSA, and passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in a 56-7 Texas victory.

Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning.

Ewers missed several games over the previous two seasons with shoulder and sternum injuries.

The Longhorns are No. 1 for the first time since 2008 and Saturday’s matchup with the Warhawks is Texas’ last game before the program starts its first SEC schedule against Mississippi State on Sept. 28.

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