With their MLS playoff hopes on the line, Nashville SC travel to Red Bull Arena on Sunday for a date with New York City FC.
On Wednesday, the Pigeons moved up to fifth in the Eastern Conference thanks to a 3-2 victory over FC Cincinnati, while the club from the Music City fell four points below the post-season line with a 4-3 loss at home to DC United.
Match preview
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Throughout the 2024 campaign, New York City FC have been among the streakiest teams in MLS, and that trend has continued down the stretch of the regular season.
Heading into their Hudson River Derby clash with the New York Red Bulls late last month, the Boys in Blue were on a nine-match domestic winless run, but they come into this contest having won two in a row.
Nick Cushing's men are assured of a place in the post-season, currently on 47 points and with a chance to reach at least 50 for the first time since 2022 (55).
On their current two-match winning run this group have found the back of the net a combined eight times, as many as they had in their previous six matches combined across all competitions.
As the home team, NYCFC have claimed nine victories in the league this year, one more than in 2023, while they can reach the double-digit mark for wins on Sunday for the first time since 2022 (10).
The Boys in Blue are undefeated in their previous two MLS encounters against Nashville at home, hanging onto a 2-1 triumph at Citi Field last year and collecting a 0-0 draw the first time the two teams met at Red Bull Arena in 2021.
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In the Music City, Nashville SC are in real danger of missing the post-season for the first time since their MLS journey began in 2020.
For the majority of the campaign, this team have been playing catch-up, winning just one of their first nine matches of the regular season.
Since the appointment of BJ Callaghan as manager in July, victories have been few and far between for this club, winning two of their previous 12 domestic affairs.
Callaghan has won just one away match in this competition since taking charge, and his side will need to improve their form as the visitors to remain in the playoff conversation.
Nashville's final two games of the regular season will be away from home, where they have lost six of their last seven domestic encounters outside GEODIS Park.
Never in their MLS history have they won a regular-season contest at Red Bull Arena, with the Boys in Gold failing to score a single goal in New Jersey.
Team News
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After picking up a knock in their victory over the Red Bulls last weekend, Keaton Parks did not feature for NYCFC on Wednesday, and Malachi Jones was sidelined due to a broken tibia.
Parks's traditional holding midfield partner, James Sands, will not be available for this encounter after collecting another yellow card in midweek.
Alonso Martinez now has three goals in his last two games, as he was one of three players to find the back of the net for them against Cincy, with the others being Mitja Ilenic and Santiago Rodriguez.
Nashville will not have Tyler Boyd at their disposal for the remainder of the season after he tore his ACL, while Lukas MacNaughton is dealing with an ankle injury.
Despite the loss in midweek, Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis achieved another milestone, collecting his 150th regular-season cap for this team.
Alex Muyl had a brace against DC, setting a new single-season career high for goals in this competition (four), while Hany Mukhtar notched his seventh of the domestic campaign.
New York City FC possible starting lineup:
Freese; Gray, Martins, Haak, O'Toole; Wolf, Perea, Rodriguez, Ojeda; Moralez, Martinez
Nashville SC possible starting lineup:
Willis; Moore, Zimmerman, Maher, Lovitz; Shaffelburg, Leal, Godoy, Muyl; Mukhtar; Surridge
We say: New York City FC 2-1 Nashville SC
The Pigeons should be brimming with confidence after finally beating an elite MLS team this week in Cincinnati, and we expect them to continue that momentum into this encounter.
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