Nashville SC's busy return: Anthem controversy, franchise's first win and a trade

AP photo by Smiley N. Pool / Nashville SC forward David Accam, left, celebrates with forward Dominique Badji after scoring during the 86th minute of Wednesday's win over FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas. Accam's goal held up in a 1-0 win that was the first victory in franchise history.
AP photo by Smiley N. Pool / Nashville SC forward David Accam, left, celebrates with forward Dominique Badji after scoring during the 86th minute of Wednesday's win over FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas. Accam's goal held up in a 1-0 win that was the first victory in franchise history.

FRISCO, Texas - Nashville SC, an expansion club that has played even less than most teams during this pandemic-interrupted Major League Soccer season, had a busy first 24 hours back in action.

David Accam scored in the 86th minute to give Nashville a 1-0 victory over FC Dallas on Wednesday night in the first match for both since MLS shut down the season in March because of the coronavirus after each of the league's 26 teams had played just twice.

It's the first victory in franchise history for Nashville, which lost to Atlanta and Portland in its matches before the shutdown.

Because of positive COVID-19 tests for their players, Dallas and Nashville were forced to withdraw from the MLS is Back Tournament just before it started in early July in Florida. Wednesday's game between the teams at Toyota Stadium was the first of the league's restart of the regular season schedule after the tournament ended Tuesday night with Portland beating Orlando 2-1 in the title match. MLS is Back matches count in the season standings as well.

Fans were allowed in the stands for Wednesday's game, but at a reduced capacity because of local regulations. Although 5,100 were allowed, the crowd appeared much smaller.

Nashville was without coach Gary Smith for the game because of COVID-19 testing results. Although he ultimately tested negative, it was too late for him to make the trip for the game.

The return to competition, though, wound up being overshadowed by what happened before the first kick. Players from both teams and the officials took a knee when the national anthem was played before the game, and there were some boos from the crowd.

photo AP photo by Smiley N. Pool / Players for FC Dallas, left, and Nashville SC kneel during the national anthem before Wednesday night's MLS game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

Dallas defender Reggie Cannon said he was disgusted by the boos when players and officials knelt to call attention to racial injustice.

"I think it was absolutely disgusting," Cannon said. "You've got fans booing you for people taking a stand for what they believe in? When millions of other people support this cause?"

Cannon said teammate Ryan Hollingshead turned to him afterward and said he was sorry.

"You can't even have support from your own fans in your own stadium. It's baffling to me," Cannon said. "As a team we try to give the best possible product on the field, and these last six months have been absolute hell for us. Absolute hell."

The May 25 death of George Floyd spurred a number of MLS players to form the group Black Players for Change, which seeks to address systemic racism in soccer and society.

Last month at the opening game of the tournament at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World, members of the group collectively stood in silence, fists raised, for more than eight minutes. Players and coaches wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts throughout the event.

Eight minutes, 46 seconds is the length of time prosecutors say Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer's knee before he died.

The anthem was not played before games at the tournament. Cannon said the players had asked that "The Star-Spangled Banner" not be played before Wednesday's game because they didn't feel it was right "for the anthem to be played in this moment."

"We had someone chanting USA, but they don't understand what kneeling means. They don't understand why we're kneeling. They can't see the reason. They think we're the ignorant ones," Cannon said. "It's incredibly frustrating. I'm sorry to have this tone, but you have to call it for what it is."

Cannon said he expected to have some negative pushback over the unified response.

"It hurts me because I love our fans, I love this club, and I want to see the support that the league has given us, that everyone has given us, from our fans," he said.

Because they have played fewer games than other MLS teams, Dallas and Nashville will play three times during the first phase of the regular season relaunch, meeting again Sunday in Frisco and later in the season in Nashville.

FC Dallas team owners came to Cannon's defense Thursday after he faced a backlash on social media, including comments that were racist and threatening. That prompted the release of a statement from team owners Clark and Dan Hunt.

"We want to be clear: We love and support Reggie Cannon. The racist comments and death threats he has received are repulsive and unacceptable," the Hunts said. "There is no place in our sport, or in our country for that matter, for the kind of horrific vitriol Reggie has had to endure today. Hateful or violent threats are never warranted - especially when they are directed toward a member of our FC Dallas family."

MLS commissioner Don Garber joined the Hunts in condemning the threats.

"As we have stated consistently over many years, Major League Soccer supports players and staff who protest peacefully on behalf of equality and social justice," Garber said in a released statement. "Some of the comments made on social media following the match were appalling. We want to be very clear that MLS will not tolerate any abuse or threats to any individual player or team who decides to exercise their right to peaceful protest during the playing of the national anthem or any other pregame ceremony."

There were reports that a fan was ejected from the game because of a bottle thrown on to the field, but it was unclear if it was connected to the anthem or the players' actions.

The MLS Players Association expressed its support for Cannon on Twitter: "Your teammates support you. Your opponents support you. Your PA supports you. Keep demonstrating. Keep speaking up."

Nashville SC was busy off the field Thursday, when the New York Red Bulls on Thursday traded midfielder Alex Muyl to the Tennessee club for an an international roster spot through the end of 2021.

The Red Bulls said they could also receive an additional $50,000 in general allocation money in 2021 based on Muyl's play.

A member of the Red Bulls Academy from 2011 to 2013, Muyl signed a homegrown deal with New York in December 2015. The New York native scored his first professional goal in a win over New York City FC in May 2016.

Over four-plus seasons, Muyl had 12 goals and 19 assists in 140 games, including 91 starts. His 12 goals are the most among the franchise's homegrown players, while his 19 assists are tied for first with Sean Davis.

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