Ronald Hernandez scored a header in the 24th minute on Saturday to propel visiting Atlanta United to a rare 1-0 victory over Nashville SC.
Atlanta (5-12-11, 26 points) snapped an 11-game winless stretch, picking up three points for the first time since posting a 3-2 win over Orlando City on May 28. Rookie Atlanta goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert made seven saves for Atlanta, which was outshot 21-9 — including a 7-4 margin in shots on goal.
Nashville (15-9-5, 50 points) dropped its fourth game in its last five attempts and was held scoreless for just the second time since May 17. Nashville failed to beat the lowly Atlanta club for the second time this season, following a 1-1 draw on May 3.
Nashville had a pair of chances late to knot the score, as Walker Zimmerman’s header missed in the 80th minute, before Daniel Lovitz’s left-footed attempt two minutes later sailed high.
From there, Teal Bunbury and Sam Surridge’s headers missed in added time, while Jeisson Palacios’s attempt missed in the third minute of added time.
Atlanta struck for the game’s only score in the 24th minute, as Steven Alzate found Hernandez for a header on a free kick, marking Hernandez’s first goal of the season.
Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar’s attempt was saved by Hibbert in the sixth minute of added time in the first half, before Atlanta’s Jamal Thiare had a chance at the other end a minute later, but Joe Willis made the save to hold Nashville’s halftime-deficit to 1-0.
Both sides totaled six shot attempts and two on goal apiece in the opening half.
–Field Level Media
