Nashville secures playoff spot with 6-3 win over Cincinnati

CINCINNATI (AP) — C.J. Sapong and Randall Leal each scored two goals, and Nashville beat Cincinnati 6-3 to clinch a playoff spot. Nashville scored four unanswered goals in the second half to hand Cincinnati its 10th straight loss. Nashville scored three goals in nine minutes to take a 5-3 lead in the 80th minute. Sapong tied it at 3 in the 71st by redirecting Walker Zimmerman’s header of a free kick. Leal scored from distance in the 76th and Aké Arnaud Loba won a one-on-one battle with goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer for his first MLS goal. Sapong capped it in second-half stoppage time with a calm finish on a breakaway for his 12th goal of the season. Leal’s first goal came in first-half stoppage time.