Luis Barraza made five saves to help visiting D.C. United escape with a scoreless draw against streaking Nashville SC on Saturday night.
In a match in which Nashville (7-4-3, 24 points) generated most of the scoring chances, it still struggled to get clean looks against Barraza, who notched his second straight clean sheet.
The tie snapped Nashville’s run of five consecutive all-competition wins at home and prevented the Coyotes from completing a four-game homestand sweep, including a 1-0 U.S. Open Cup win last week over the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
It was the second straight scoreless draw and third straight match without a goal for D.C. United (3-6-5, 14 points).
D.C. generated just three shots and took one corner, making it an easy night for Nashville keeper Joe Willis, who made just one save to record his fourth clean sheet.
Jacob Murrell had D.C.’s best opportunity, coming in stoppage time of the second half after Nashville botched a clearing attempt, but his shot was off to the right.
D.C. United had surrendered more goals (25) than any side in the MLS Eastern Conference, but bottled up Nashville’s top two threats Hany Mukhtar (six goals, four assists) and Sam Surridge (six goals, three assists).
Nashville SC took five corners and had several other set-piece opportunities but they had difficulty making connections. Barraza also stopped two free kick attempts by Mukhtar from just outside the penalty box.
In the seven all-competition matches Barraza has started, D.C. has given up just eight goals, with one an own goal.
D.C. was without top scorer Christian Benteke (six goals), who is out for multiple weeks after sustaining a sprained ankle in Wednesday’s scoreless draw with New York City FC.
Jackson Hopkins, who was coming off January ankle surgery, made his first start of the season for D.C., which also welcomed back Joao Peglow, who had missed five all-competition games with a hamstring injury after scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over the Red Bulls on April 19.
–Field Level Media
