Elias Saad

Uh, a couple of rotational pieces were different.

Uh, Lovitt started for Rebak or Whiting, and Shaq Mohammed started for Elias Saad on the left wing.

Mohammed's turning into a ver- really versatile piece.

They can play him where they need to on the top of the formation.

Christian Espinosa doesn't run in behind.

Sam Surridge doesn't really run in behind.

Elias Saad doesn't run in behind.

Hany Mukhtar can, but it's usually, like, receiving a knockdown from a, a target striker, and I don't, I don't think they have a, a real hold-up player either.

But overall, we saw Nashville really push for that second goal and San Jose kind of backing out and being like, we're OK with the point.

You know, it was very clear with Bruce Arena substitutions, with the way that the team handled itself, that San Jose were okay to come out with a point, and Nashville were a little bit more of the aggressors, and they got close with Elias Saad a few times.

If we are looking at things we learned, I learned a few things in the last, let's say, four games or so, rather than just these two games.

First of all, Elias Saad.

really needs, I mean, we know what he's capable of and we know what he's not capable of.

The other thing is Shaq Muhammad is second in line in the pecking order, regardless of what's happening.

And he's been very, very effective for Nashville SC and seems to take instructions really well.

And I think Nashville need those players.

Nashville picked up in the second half where it left off, and Hani Mukhtar was probing and giving Austin's defense all sorts of trouble.

And welcome to the score sheet, Elias Saad, who in the 67th minute converted an Espinosa cross into his first goal in Nashville uniform for a 2-0 lead.

In the 76th minute, Austin pulled one back with a really terrific shot from Brandon Vasquez, who somehow pulled a cross out of midair with the outside of his foot around a Nashville defender while going in the opposite direction to bring the score to 2-1 and make the match a bit more tense.

I've got to say, just really quick, I've watched that sequence like half a dozen times and I still don't understand how he got enough power on that shot to get it in the goal.

Reed Baker-Whiting gets his second career MLS goal over the weekend.

Elias Saad, the new winger they brought in from the German league.

Yeah.

He scores his first MLS goal over the weekend at Austin.

Yeah.

So this Elias Saad goal comes in the 67th and kind of a half transition moment.

They play a long ball.

We don't really clear it out, and then they win it again and are kind of back in transition mode.

But like, I wish refs, if you tell him four times, give him a card on the fifth.

And so that annoyed me.

Elias Saad was on long balls.

Credit to him for doing it and getting away with it.

The second half saw National SE extend their lead.

In the 67th minute, Elias Saad found the back of the net, making it 0-2.

Austin FC managed to pull one back in the 76th minute through Brandon Vasquez, making the score 1-2.

Shakur Mohamed scored in the 88th minute, making the score 1-3.

Reed Baker Whiting, who's the player on the back line who is not a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, should also be on those ballots.

And then the front three of, I didn't even mention Eddie Tagseth, and the front three being your three high-level DP players is like, I mean, this is a, and then bringing in Elias Saad.

This is a nuts team.

It's like a

the one key acquisition, man, I think is a huge one.

It's number 11, Elias Saad, 26-year-old forward.

Originally born in Germany, Saad represents Tunisia at the international level.

If you watched any Tunisian games at the World Cup, you saw Saad out there working with his national team.

He is on loan from Augsburg in the Bundesliga, so I'm sure Mace is excited to see some Elias Saad here-

Mm

... uh, at Q2 on Saturday.

They get Christian Espinosa as a free agent in the offseason.

Then this season they bring in Elias Saad, who is also a very good player.

I think has three assists in just a handful of games already.

And so the attack is stacked.