Nashville rookie Brian Schwake duels NYCFC’s Matt Freese to scoreless draw for 11th clean sheet

NEW YORK (AP) — Nashville SC goalkeeper Brian Schwake dueled New York City FC’s Matt Freese to a scoreless draw at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

Schwake needed to make just one save to notch his 11th clean sheet in his first 23 starts for Nashville (16-2-5), which saw a four-match win streak end but its unbeaten run extended to six in a row. The 25-year-old rookie has surrendered only 17 goals this season, fewest in the league.

Freese finished with two saves to pick up his fourth shutout in 23 starts for NYCFC (7-8-8) — now winless in its last six matches after a third straight draw.

Hany Mukhtar missed a chance to give Nashville the lead in the 43rd minute following an NYCFC turnover, but he hit the cross bar on an empty net. Mukhtar had four goals and two assists in his previous four matches.

The first half ended without any stoppage time and the two clubs played only two minutes at the end of the second half.

Nashville beat NYCFC 2-1 at home in May but is 0-3-2 all time on the road in the series.

NYCFC is 4-4-4 at home on the season, while Nashville improves to 5-2-4 on the road.

Nashville has 53 points — 11 more than second-place Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference and 10 points ahead of the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps in the Supporters’ Shield race.

Up next

Nashville: At Toronto FC on Wednesday.

NYCFC: Hosts New England Revolution on Wednesday.

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