Loons face fellow MLS club Nashville in Leagues Cup
7:30 p.m. Friday at Nashville * Apple TV MLS Season Pass
The Loons will play without versatile midfielder Hassani Dotson, who was ejected from Tuesday's 2-2 penalty-kick victory after his two yellow cards in the game got him a red card. Loons coach Adrian Heath indicated Joseph Rosales could move from left back to Dotson's spot. Heath also said new defender Ethan Bristow has proven himself ready for a bigger role. … Both teams advanced to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals by winning in a penalty-kick shootout Tuesday. The Loons triumphed over Liga MX's Deportivo Toluca and Nashville beat famed Club America in a controversial shootout just when it seemed like Club America had won and was headed to Allianz Field. … Loons attacker Bongokuhle Hlongwane has scored in each of his team's four Leagues Cup games, two each in the first three and a single goal against Toluca. He's tied with Inter Miami's Lionel Messi for most goals in the competition. ... The winner faces the winner of Friday's late Los Angeles FC-Monterrey game. If the Loons advance, they'd play either at L.A. or host Monterrey at Allianz Field. … The Loons are 1-0-2 in their all-time series against a Nashville team now featuring Hany Mukhtar, who leads the MLS regular-season Golden Boot race with 13 goals. … The Loons listed veteran Ismael Tajouri-Shradi as questionable, but Heath indicated he's ready to play. Robin Lod, Kervin Arriaga and Ryen Jiba all remain out for the season.
