Morning Espresso: Chaos in Marietta, Nashville’s First Trophy, and Global Drama
- Jason Longshore
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to another edition of Morning Espresso on the SDH Network, brought to you by Oglethorpe University — Atlanta’s premier undergraduate learning experience and soccer powerhouse. Today’s headlines cover everything from Atlanta United 2’s playoff push, to Nashville SC’s long-awaited first piece of silverware, to late goals and controversy across the global game.
Atlanta United 2 Craziness in Marietta
If the MLS NEXT Pro playoff race wasn’t already dramatic enough, Atlanta United 2 are now facing one of the strangest scenarios in league history. Their home match against Chattanooga FC, abandoned last week after storms swept through Kennesaw, is being resumed today — right where it left off in the 71st minute. Atlanta trails 1-0, and only 19 minutes plus stoppage time remain to change the outcome.
The implications are massive. A shootout win or better would push the 2’s into seventh place in the Eastern Conference, giving them a crucial edge heading into Decision Day on Sunday. That finale, fittingly, will see Atlanta travel to Chattanooga once again, in what could effectively be a playoff eliminator.
Nashville SC Lifts Their First Trophy
After years of close calls, Nashville SC finally has silverware to celebrate. A 2-1 victory over Austin FC in the 110th U.S. Open Cup Final brought the club its first major trophy since joining Major League Soccer in 2020. The win also secured Nashville a place in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The deciding goal came from the penalty spot — and it’s one that will be debated for years to come. Referee Tori Penso called a foul on Dani Pereira for holding Jeisson Palacios during a corner, even though Palacios appeared to go down quite easily. Pereira had been warned earlier, but in a cup final, I expected a higher threshold. The controversy doesn’t matter now, though, as Nashville etched their name into Open Cup history and gave their fans a moment they’ll never forget.
Campeones Cup Delivers Chaos
The Campeones Cup once again provided drama until the final whistle. LA Galaxy thought they had done enough when Gabriel Pec scored in the 83rd minute to give them a 2-1 lead over Toluca. But the Mexican side responded with two goals in the final minutes, snatching a 3-2 victory in Los Angeles.
Franco Romero equalized in the 88th minute, before Federico Pereira stunned the Galaxy with a stoppage-time winner. The result was another reminder of Liga MX’s pedigree in these competitions, and of the fine margins that define knockout-style tournaments.
Whitecaps Rule Canada
In Canada, the Vancouver Whitecaps continued their dominance in the Voyageurs Cup, lifting the trophy for the fourth year in a row. A 4-2 win over Vancouver FC secured the championship once again and highlighted the strength of the ‘Caps in domestic competition.
Captain Ryan Gauld made his first appearance since March and immediately made an impact, while global star Thomas Müller scored his 300th career goal — and his fifth since arriving in Vancouver. Ali Ahmed added a brace to cap off the victory. The win not only secured silverware but also reinforced Vancouver’s status as the top club in Canadian soccer.
Champions League Headlines
The UEFA Champions League group stage continued with plenty of storylines. Paris Saint-Germain stunned Barcelona 2-1, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring a last-minute winner to punish Barca’s high defensive line. Newcastle United announced themselves on the European stage with a thumping 4-0 win at Union Saint-Gilloise, while Erling Haaland’s brace for Manchester City wasn’t enough to stop Monaco from snatching a 2-2 draw thanks to Eric Dier’s late penalty.
Elsewhere, Villarreal rescued a point against Juventus with a stoppage-time header from Renato Veiga, and Qarabag continued their surprising run with another victory — this time over Copenhagen.
U.S. Stories: Youth, Growth, and Dual-Nationals
On the home front, Gotham FC clinched a spot in the Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinals after a hard-fought 0-0 draw with the Washington Spirit. Their unbeaten run through group play keeps them on track for another year of international success.
Closer to Atlanta, Gonzalo Segares named a 24-player roster for the U.S. U-17 camp at McCurry Park in Fayetteville, GA, ahead of this fall’s World Cup in Qatar. Atlanta United academy midfielder Cooper Sanchez is part of the group, and all signs point toward him making the final roster.
Meanwhile, on the men’s national team front, the U.S. might lose a dual-national. Nathaniel “Nene” Brown, a left back eligible for both the U.S. and Germany, was called up by Julian Nagelsmann for Germany’s World Cup qualifiers this month. If he debuts, the door to the U.S. will be shut permanently. Brown, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt, has previously been in contact with U.S. Soccer but looks set to commit to Germany.
Growing the Game in Schools
The U.S. Soccer Federation unveiled the first phase of its new Soccer Forward Foundation Resource Hub, a digital platform designed to bring soccer into schools nationwide. The hub includes a “Soccer at Schools Starter Kit” with activities, advocacy tips, and guidance for integrating the sport into education settings.
As President Cindy Parlow Cone explained, soccer in schools is more than just physical activity: “Soccer in schools not only builds physical health but also strengthens teamwork, resilience, and social and emotional skills that last a lifetime.” It’s a critical piece of growing the game at the grassroots level and ensuring that more children have access to the sport.
What’s Next
Today’s spotlight is firmly on Marietta, where Atlanta United 2 will try to turn 19 minutes into a season-saving result. Kickoff for the resumed match against Chattanooga FC is at 1:00 p.m., and you can watch on MLSNEXTPro.com or listen on the SDH Network.
Decision Day arrives on Sunday with six teams fighting for two playoff spots in MLS NEXT Pro. Atlanta will once again meet Chattanooga in what will be a wild ride of scoreboard watching and playoff chasing. The first team is at LAFC this weekend, facing the high-flying Black & Gold attack led by Son Hueng-Min and Denis Bouanga (we'll be live Sunday starting at 8pm with kickoff set for 9:10pm). Beyond that, global football continues with the Copa Argentina heating up in Buenos Aires tonight as River faces Racing, big matches around the world this weekend, and international storylines building as October’s window approaches.
Subscribe to get the Morning Espresso newsletter delivered to your inbox during the week and also check out the audio edition on the SDH podcast feed: