Nashville SC 2022 season ends with 1-0 loss to LA Galaxy in MLS Cup Playoffs

CARSON, Calif. — For the first time in its Major League Soccer history, Nashville SC's season ended in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, losing 1-0 to the LA Galaxy on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Nashville had won playoffs games in 2020 and 2021, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinal each year. Not in 2022, as a member of the West. The Galaxy's Julian Araujo scored his first goal of the season in the 60th minute.

"I thought the effort was actually pretty good from us," said Nashville center back Walker Zimmerman. "There was a lot of energy, a lot of food fight. Not a lot of (scoring) chances from either side."

Nashville's season ends having reached historic landmarks in 2022, winning a club-most 13 games, opening the largest soccer-specific stadium in North America, Geodis Park, and having two players named as MLS All-Stars (Walker Zimmerman, Hany Mukhtar).

Here are a few takeaways from the game.

Nashville's defensive lapse

Nashville had just been bailed out 10 minutes earlier, when the Galaxy's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored a goal later denied by the video assistant referee (VAR), due to a Galaxy foul on Nashville forward Hany Mukhtar in the run-up.

VAR wasn't in play when Galaxy winger Samuel Grandsir dribbled toward the end line and chipped a cross to Araujo at the back post. Araujo had dashed from Grandsir's wing position, through the penalty box, opposite the direction of the shifting Nashville defense. As Nashville collapsed on Grandsir, Araujo snuck in front of wingback Shaq Moore for the wide open header for the score.

Not the best on the ball

Nashville's game plan was the same Saturday as it was for the other 17 road games it played in the regular season: remain organized defensively, absorb pressure, win the ball in favorable areas of the field and launch a blistering quick counter attack with forwards Hany Mukhtar and Teal Bunbury.

Nashville did the first three but consistently turned the ball over before it could unleash Mukhtar, the league's top scorer in 2022. The Galaxy controlled the pace of the game, but neither LA nor Nashville had the upper hand in attack. Guppy, however, saw things differently.

"Maybe they had more possession than us, but we had the better chances," Guppy said. "We certainly stifled them and we won the ball in high areas (up field). But on the day, we just lacked a bit of quality on the ball. We tended in the first half, especially, to give (the ball) right back to them."

"Like I said, two or three passes, and we could've really caused them some problems."

Mukhtar had a quiet game. The MLS Golden Boot winner and all-star had one shot, one key pass that led to a shot, on 40 touches.

Gary Smith missed game

Gary Smith was not the coach on Saturday for Nashville, nor did he travel with the team Thursday afternoon, after coming down with the flu, The Tennessean learned Saturday.

First assistant coach Steve Guppy took Smith's place on the sideline. Smith had not missed a game since Aug. 12, 2020, when Smith falsely tested positive for COVID-19. Nashville beat FC Dallas that day, 1-0, for its first MLS win.

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer and on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC season ends with 1-0 loss to LA Galaxy in MLS Cup Playoffs