After handing over Philadelphia Union’s first loss of the season, Nashville SC will look to make it three wins in a row when they meet visits CF Montreal on Saturday night.
On Sunday, Nashville (2-1-1, 7 points) Ahmed Qasem saw the possible match winner in the 44th minute before Hany Mukhtar gave an insurance case from the penalty site in the 82nd minute.
It was another step in the right direction for Nashville SC, which-in its first full season during head coach BJ Callaghan-Vill restore a winning culture in Music City after missing the MLS final in 2024 for the first time in its seventh season.
“For us, I think we have been really happy with most performances,” Callaghan said. “We have been able to learn some things, we have been able to remove some positive effects, and now (we will try) to turn them into not only winning performances but into performances that we are proud of and can continue to build from.”
Sam Surridge produced the opening goal for Nashville against the Union and served the MLS team for match day’s awards for their performance.
At the same time, CF Montreal (0-3-1, 1 point) could at least go from the pitch with its first point and clean sheet-after the year after playing host DC United to a 0-0 draw in its last outing.
A worrying trend for Montreal was still continuing: an inability to find the back of the net. The team has not done since Prince Owusus 71 minutes into a season opening, 3-2 loss against Atlanta United on February 22.
“We just need to be hungry to get points every game,” said Montreal defender George Campbell. “We should demand more of ourselves every game. We know how we want to play. We are a good team on the ball, so we know we will get points eventually, and we just need to print a little more and play as a collective even more and fight to keep clean sheets.”
Montreal will be without Joel Waterman, who was called into the Canada Concacaf Nations League squad with Nashvilles Jacob Shaffelburg. Canada fell 2-0 to Mexico in the semi-finals on Thursday and will meet the United States in a consolation match on Sunday.
Nashville will also be missing Andy Najar, who is with Honduras’ Concacaf Gold Cup qualifier.
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