FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bryan Acosta found the net for the first time since 2019, scoring in each half with assists from Cristian Espinoza, to lead Nashville SC to a 3-0 victory over New England on Wednesday night behind rookie goalkeeper Brian Schwake.
Nashville (8-1-3) ended New England’s seven-match unbeaten run — six of them victories — by handing the Revolution (7-4-1) their first home loss after winning six straight to begin a season under first-year coach Marko Mitrović for the first time in club history.
Nashville sent a message after New England entered with a chance to grab the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, Nashville will maintain its lead in the East — held since the third week of the season.
Schwake, 24, had two saves in posting his sixth clean sheet in his first 12 starts.
Acosta took a pass from Cristian Espinoza in the 34th minute to give Nashville the lead with his first goal since scoring his only two previous times while playing for FC Dallas.
Rookie Warren Madrigal scored for the second time against New England this season for a 2-0 lead seven minutes later. Madrigal had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Revs in the season opener in Nashville. Madrigal has five goals in his first 12 appearances,
Acosta capped the scoring in the 74th minute with another assist from Espinoza — his seventh this season.
Matt Turner saved one shot for New England, which came in on a 6-0-1 streak.
The Revolution had a seven-game winning streak spanning the 2004-05 seasons to set the club record.
Up next
New England: Hosts Minnesota United on Saturday.
Nashville: Hosts Los Angeles FC on Sunday.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
