Jhonder Cadiz's added-time goal lifts Nashville SC over Orlando City

Updated: May 17, 2023, 12:12 am

Jhonder Cadiz's header three minutes into second-half stoppage time completed a late comeback and lifted visiting Nashville SC to a 3-2 victory over Orlando City on Sunday afternoon on Decision Day, the final day of the regular season.

Nashville, only the seventh expansion team to earn a playoff berth in its first season, finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and will host Inter Miami in a play-in game.

Cadiz's game-deciding goal began with a crossing pass on a free kick by Hany Mukhtar, who had tied the score in the 88th minute of regulation with a header.

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Mukhtar's tally came off a centering pass from the left by Alex Muyl as Nashville sprinted past the Lions in the end, handing Orlando City its first home loss of the season.

The Lions, who finished fourth in the East, will host New York City FC in a first-round playoff game.

Orlando City wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, tallying in the fourth minute on Daryl Dike's goal after an assist by Chris Mueller. Mueller intercepted a lazy pass in the Nashville end and carried the ball down the pitch until reaching the top of the box.

Dike was running alongside and Mueller threaded a pass to his mate's right foot; after steadying the ball, Dike ripped a shot to the right of Nashville keeper Joe Willis and just inside the left goalpost.

Jhonder Cadiz
Jhonder Cadiz
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Nashville answered on Daniel Lovitz's goal in the 20th minute. The scoring play began with a corner kick by Daniel Leal, with the initial kick cleared out of the zone by Dike's header.

Lovitz gathered the ball and ripped a left-footed shot off Orlando midfielder Andres Perea, but the rebound came right back to Lovitz, who fired a right-footed shot into the left side of the net past Orlando goalkeeper Brian Rowe.

Orlando took a 2-1 lead on Nani's gorgeous, bending goal on a free kick from just outside the penalty area in the 61st minute.

Nani, a Brazilian whose real name is Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha, wasn't supposed to play in this match because of a red card in Orlando City's match on Wednesday against Columbus, but had his suspension lifted after a review by an Independent Review Panel.