Nashville SC Hits the Road to Face Defending Western Conference Champion LAFC

March 22, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Nashville SC News Release

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville SC will seek to remain unbeaten in MLS play when the club heads west to visit defending MLS Western Conference Champion LAFC on Saturday, March 23 at 9:30 p.m. CT. Saturday night’s match marks the first time this season the Boys in Gold will play just once during the week following a run of eight games in 24 days to begin their 2024 campaign.

Here are five things to know for Saturday’s match, airing live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and on Nashville SC’s flagship station 104.5 the Zoneand Sirius XM.

1. The Boys in Gold made history the last time they took the pitch, earning their 50th MLS win with Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC at GEODIS Park. Since makings its MLS debut in the 2020 season, Nashville SC became one of only three clubs to advance to the MLS playoffs each of its first four years (also, Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders), reached and hosted the inaugural Leagues Cup final last season, and made its debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup this year, reaching the Round of 16 after sweeping its Round One series 7-0 on aggregate against Dominican side Moca FC.

2. Despite a congested schedule to kick off its season that included both Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS fixtures, Nashville SC enters play Saturday night as one of just four unbeaten clubs in the 15-team Eastern Conference (also, Cincinnati, Columbus, Philadelphia). The Boys in Gold are 1W-0L-3D with a +1 goal differential, good for eighth place in the East.

3. The Boys in Gold hold a record of 1W-1L-1D against LAFC across series history. The last time the club’s met, Nashville SC earned a 1-1 draw against the California side on April 22, 2023 at GEODIS Park. The club’s only win in the series came in Los Angeles, a 1-0 victory on October 9, 2022 that saw NSC goalkeeper Joe Willis make a career-high 14 saves for the shutout.

4. Saturday night’s tilt is the first of two consecutive matches against defending champs for the Boys in Gold. Following the team’s trip to LA to face off against the 2023 Western Conference champion, Nashville SC returns home to host 2023 MLS Cup Champion the Columbus Crew at GEODIS Park on Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for the match against the Crew are available here.

5. When the Boys in Gold take the pitch Saturday night, they will be without midfielder Aníbal Godoy and forward Jacob Shaffelburg. Both Godoy (Panama, 134 caps) and Shaffelburg (Canada,…