In a gritty, tactical battle at Yankee Stadium, Nashville SC held firm on the road to secure a hard-fought 0-0 draw against New York City FC. BJ Callaghan’s side relied heavily on defensive organization to absorb second-half pressure, though Hany Mukhtar nearly snatched all three points when his first-half strike rattled violently off the crossbar. It wasn't the most fluid performance from the Boys in Gold, but leaving New York with a clean sheet and a road point is a job well done.
Ben Wright
Let's dig into some ratings!
• Players begin with a base grade of 6 and can increase or decrease their rating based on performance.
• Players must play a minimum of 15 minutes to earn a rating.
Brian Schwake - 7.0
A poised performance to secure the shutout. While his backline shielded him from a high volume of shots, he commanded his box excellently and was alert to snuff out any dangerous loose balls.
Stock: Up
Adding to this: Brian Schwake is currently preventing 0.37 goals per game, according to @americansocceranalysis.com. That's the best-ever for a goalkeeper with at least 2,000 minutes in their database, which goes back through 2013. An all-time elite season so far from Schwake.
— Ben Wright (@benwright.bsky.social) September 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM
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Andy Nájar - 7.0
Andy Nájar used his extensive experience to expertly manage the tempo on the right side. He provided a brilliant cross in the 62nd minute that set up a dangerous Sam Surridge header and kept his flank locked down before coming off late.
Stock: Unchanged
Jeisson Palacios - 7.5
Partnered perfectly with Woledzi to build an absolute wall in the central defense. He was physically dominant, positionally flawless, and rarely allowed the home side clean looks at goal.
Stock: Up
Maxwell Woledzi - 7.5
The bedrock of the clean sheet. Maxwell Woledzi was absolutely immense in the defensive half, consistently putting out fires, winning his aerial duels, and neutralizing NYCFC's central attacking threats.
Stock: Up
Reed Baker-Whiting - 7.0
An incredibly mature and active shift at fullback. After a rough opening 20 minutes, he excelled defensively, winning a crucial late free kick under intense pressure, and was active offensively, providing a key late cross for Shak Mohammed's blocked chance.
Stock: Unchanged
Eddi Tagseth - 6.0
Put in a gritty, combative performance in midfield. He won several important free kicks to disrupt NYCFC's rhythm, but a high foul count kept him on the defensive before making way in the 89th minute.
Stock: Unchanged
Patrick Yazbek - 6.5
An intense, high-energy performance in the midfield engine room. He set up Surridge for a blocked second-half shot but walked a tightrope after picking up an aggressive yellow card in the 49th minute before being subbed off.
Stock: Unchanged
Elias Saad - 7.0
A lively performance on the wing. He set up an early opportunity for Yazbek, drew multiple tactical fouls to relieve pressure, and worked tirelessly in tracking back before being substituted in the 81st minute.
Stock: Unchanged
Cristian Espinoza - 7.0
The primary source of service early in the second half. He delivered a pinpoint cross right after the break to set up Surridge's best chance of the night and drew a yellow card against Kevin O'Toole with his dynamic wing play.
Stock: Unchanged
Hany Mukhtar - 7.0
Hany Mukhtar was incredibly unlucky not to leave New York with a goal after his 43rd-minute strike rattled violently off the crossbar. While he picked up a frustrated yellow card in the second half, he remained Nashville's most dangerous creative spark.
Stock: Unchanged
Sam Surridge - 7.0
Had the best chances of the game for Nashville but couldn't find the breakthrough. His sharp left-footed effort in the 47th minute was saved well, and he missed a header wide in the 62nd. Battled hard despite heavy coverage, but his struggles scoring on the road continued – only one of his 13 regular-season goals has come away from Geodis Park.
Stock: Down
Substitutes
Matt Corcoran - 6.0
Brought calm and stability to the midfield for the final 25 minutes. He linked up cleanly with Mukhtar, setting up a late blocked shot to keep NYCFC on their toes.
Stock: Unchanged
Shak Mohammed - 6.0
Injected immediate energy. He saw a great right-footed shot blocked in the 82nd minute and was later caught just offside in a frantic ending.
Stock: Unchanged
Ahmed Qasem - N/A
Helped shore up the midfield shape during the closing stages to secure the away point.
Stock: Unchanged
Bryan Acosta - N/A
Had a chaotic cameo. Despite only playing a few minutes, he picked up a stoppage-time yellow card for a tactical foul to halt a late NYCFC counter-attack.
Stock: Unchanged
Dan Lovitz - N/A
Brought on to add defensive insurance and successfully helped lock down the 0-0 result.
Stock: Unchanged
Manager
BJ Callaghan - 7.0
BJ Callaghan Set up Nashville for a performance good enough to get three points. They controlled possession and created several clear scoring chances in a venue that is typically difficult for the away team. The poor finishing can't be put on him.
