On Wednesday night, Huntsville City FC will host Nashville SC in the second-annual "Space Cowboy Match", an exhibition game between the MLS club and their MLS NEXT Pro affiliate.
Huntsville, the reserve team for Nashville, play in one of the most vibrant atmospheres in MLS NEXT Pro, regularly selling out Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium. Wednesday night is set to be another vibrant atmosphere, celebrating the relationship between the two clubs.
Match info
Teams: Huntsville City FC vs Nashville SC
Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm CT, Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville, AL, United States
Forecast: 82º/64º. 76º at kickoff. Partly cloudy. 3-5 mph winds. 15% chance of rain. 96% humidity.
Tickets: Here
Head-to-head
Nashville wins: 1
Nashville goals: 2
Draws: 0
Huntsville wins: 0
Huntsville goals: 0
Last meeting: HNT 0-2 NSH (September 5, 2024)
Huntsville City
The numbers
Goal leaders: Christian Koffi & Alan Carleton (10), Jordan Knight & Gunnar Studenhofft (5)
Assist leaders: Alan Carleton (6), Christian Koffi (5)
Last match: ATL 2-0 HNT (MLSNP)
Huntsville City snapshot
Huntsville City FC are in a much better place than they were when the two sides met last year. In third place in MLS NEXT Pro's Eastern Conference, Huntsville are one of the more balanced team in the league. Their 27 goals allowed are second-fewest in the league, and while their attack isn't quite among the elite, they've scored enough to end up with a very respectable +17 goal differential.
Chris O'Neal arrived last summer, shortly after BJ Callaghan began with Nashville, and the former Inter Miami U17 head coach has established a clear style of play, one that mirrors the first team and allows players to come in and out of the lineup, without losing effectiveness.
"I think what we've done a very good job of this year is that our principles and the way that we want to play through certain things," O'Neal told local media on a call before the match. "We have zero issue when our first team needs a player. We can send a player and understand that they're getting the same message there as they're going to get with us as well. So I think the big thing is being adaptable."
With a lot of rotation at the No. 9 position (Gio Miglietti and Gunnar Studenhofft have each played less than 900 minutes, while Adem Sipić and Alioune Ka less than 400 each), the real strength of the attack has come from the line of players underneath.
Alan Carleton and Christian Koffi have been two of the standout attackers, not just for Huntsville but in the entire league. The duo has combined for 20 goals and 11 assists, and they're the creative hub of the team. Carleton has levied this form into involvement with the first team, receiving three short-term callups to Nashville SC so far this season and becoming the first Huntsville player to make an MLS appearance earlier this year.
Ben Wright
O'Neal was quick to point out a few other players to keep an eye on. Noting that a few players will be withheld with injuries, he singled out Moisés Véliz and Bryce Boneau as two key players for Huntsville.
"Bryce Bonneau has battled a little bit of injuries and is starting to come in a little bit later on in terms of having his impact and actually having playing time," he said. "Just building him and in terms of getting him to be able to play for longer periods is where we are right now. But he's an exciting prospect as well."
As Huntsville continues to develop, the club has had an increased impact on the first team. Chris Applewhite played over 1,500 minutes and made 18 starts for Huntsville last season, before signing a homegrown contract this winter. The 18-year-old has gone on to play eight times for Nashville this year.
Similarly, Ethan O'Brien, Christian Koffi, Jordan Knight and Alan Carleton have each been involved with the first team, with O'Brien and Carleton getting on the field and playing meaningful minutes for Nashville. General Manager and President of Soccer Operations Mike Jacobs says this has been crucial to maintaining a high level.
"It's so important for us to have that," he said. "We talk a lot internally about not only raising the ceiling of our group and the quality of players we have in the top end, but raising our floor as well to make sure that we have a strong enough player pool. Because the reality is that when you're in a salary cap league and you have roster restrictions, [it's important to have] the ability to draw from players from your second team."
Predicted XI
Nashville SC
The numbers
Goal leaders: Sam Surridge (20), Hany Mukhtar (14)
Assist leaders: Hany Mukhtar (11), Andy Nájar (10)
Last match: NSH 0-1 ATL (MLS)
Nashville SC snapshot
Nashville won't play in MLS this weekend because of the FIFA international window. Like they did for last year's match, they'll likely rotate significantly, with key players like Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, Walker Zimmerman and Gastón Brugman unlikely to be involved in a bid to avoid injuries and keep them fresh for the stretch run of the season.
Nashville SC Starting XI vs Huntsville City FC
— SixOneFive Soccer (@615Soccer) September 4, 2024
Panicco; Washington, Maher, Kallman, Gaines; Sejdić, Godoy ©, Jones; Bunbury, Sipić, Pérez
BENCH: Dowd, Anunga, Pacius, Applewhite, Tropeano, Knight#EveryoneN #HuntCityFC #HNTvNSH pic.twitter.com/cdaMZgqWPz
It wouldn't be a shock to see Tyler Boyd get a few minutes on the pitch as he continues to work towards full fitness after his ACL injury, with Maximus Ekk potentially making his first appearance for Nashville after signing a first-team contract this winter. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see a few Huntsville players like Carleton or Knight switch sides and play with the first team.
Like last year, several academy players will likely be involved as well. While academy players are able to play in MLS NEXT Pro matches without requiring a professional contract, they're unable to do the same with Nashville. This means that Wednesday is a rare opportunity to get standout players like Gabriel Alonso or MLS NEXT Pro All-Star Liam Devan on the pitch with the first team.
This is not so much a competitive match as a celebration of Huntsville City and the partnership between the two clubs. That being said, it's also a chance for Huntsville and academy players to impress against first-team players and in front of key decision makers from both clubs. Like last year, expect some fun, entertaining football from both teams.
Predicted XI
How to follow
The match won't be broadcast. SixOneFive Soccer is sending a team down to Huntsville to cover the match. Stay tuned to our socials for live updates, and make sure to check back at SixOneFiveSoccer.com after the match for an extensive recap.
Related reading
At the start of the year, a group of SixOneFive Soccer staff travelled to Huntsville to spend some time with the key figures at the club as they prepped for the 2025 season.
Check out the exclusive series here:
Valair Shabilla
Valair Shabilla
Ronan Briscoe
