Nashville SC are flying after their dramatic 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew last Saturday, and are set to take on MLS's other Ohio team tomorrow night at Geodis Park.
Nashville have lost their last three matches against FC Cincinnati, with their last win happening all the way back in May 2024. Can the 'Yotes break the trend and continue their Supporters' Shield pace, or will the Garys thwart them on the road?
Here's everything you need to know heading into the match.
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Match info
Teams: Nashville SC vs FC Cincinnati
Referees: Armando Villarreal (Ref), Kathryn Nesbitt (AR1), Diego Blas (R2), Rubiel Vazquez (4th), Edvin Jurisevic (VAR), Jonathan Johnson (AVAR)
Odds: NSH (-125), Draw (+290), CIN (+275)
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 7:30 pm CT, Geodis Park, Nashville, TN, United States
TV: Apple TV
Apple TV Commentary: Tony Husband & Ross Smith (English), Rodolfo Landeros (Spanish)
Radio: Super Talk 99.7 WTN
Radio Commentary: Will Boling
Forecast: 90º/66º. 82º at kickoff. Sunny. 2-4 mph winds. 0% chance of rain. 60% humidity.
Head-to-head
Nashville wins: 3
Nashville goals: 24
Draws: 6
Cincinnati wins: 6
Cincinnati goals: 22
Last meeting: CIN 2-1 NSH (September 25, 2025 | MLS)
Availability report
SixOneFive Soccer Staff
FC Cincinnati
The numbers
Goal leaders: Evander (13), Kevin Denkey (11)
Assist leaders: Evander (11), Pavel Bucha (8)
Last match: CIN 1–1 SEA (August 22, 2025 | MLS)
Data Power Rankings: 14th (18.61 score)
FC Cincinnati snapshot
FC Cincinnati head into this match in a strange position. Through 21 matches, they're fourth in MLS history for most goals scored per game (2.33) and fifth for most goals allowed per game (2.25). They've also lost just twice since April.
Both of those stats, says Queen City Press's Laurel Pfahler, are somewhat misleading.
"Since the World Cup break, the defense has been better over longer stretches, but FCC have not been scoring quite as many goals," she told SixOneFive Soccer. "It's taken some late-game comebacks to get a lot of those points, but this is definitely a team with a lot of character and fight. You can't count them out at any point."
SixOneFive Soccer Staff
Cincinnati matches this season have averaged a stunning 4.57 goals per game, and Evander has been at the heart of it all. The Brazilian is playing at certainly a Best XI level – perhaps even an MVP level – with 13 goals and 11 assists in 2026. He's contributed to a whopping 49% of Cincinnati's total goals. Playing as the No. 10 underneath Kevin Denkey and Kenji Mboma Dem, he's a lethal mix of playmaking vision in the final third and the most deadly long-range shooting in MLS history.
Evander is unreal pic.twitter.com/MrpxceDC7P
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 5, 2026
Cincinnati have cleaned things up defensively to an extent after the World Cup break. In their six league games since returning, they've conceded just 1.67 goals per game (they've played four of those at home).
They've struggled away from home this season, with just one win in 10 matches, although they've managed five draws. Under head coach Pat Noonan, they've very much adopted a "grind-it-out" mentality. Since 2023, they have an astonishing 75.4% win rate in matches decided by a single goal (for contrast, Nashville have a 49.0% win rate in that same period).
Their ability to score goals makes them an incredibly difficult opponent, even if their defense remains suspect. They're also coming into the match with three wins in a row over Nashville – all by a 2-1 margin – and will look to put a dent in the Coyotes' points record aspirations.
Predicted XI
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Nashville SC
The numbers
Goal leaders: Sam Surridge (12), Hany Mukhtar (9)
Assist leaders: Cristian Espinoza (10), Hany Mukhtar (6)
Last match: NSH 3–2 CLB (August 22, 2025 | MLS)
Data Power Rankings: 2nd (36.72 score)
Nashville SC snapshot
Nashville head into Saturday's match looking to break a three-match losing streak against Cincinnati, while also needing a win to continue their quest for the MLS single-season points record.
Through 21 matches, the 'Yotes have earned 49 points, the most in MLS history. They need 26 points from their remaining 13 matches to break Inter Miami's 2024 record of 74 points. Essentially, they need seven wins, five draws, and one loss, or eight wins, two draws, and three losses to finish with 75 points and break the record.
Ben Wright
It won't be easy. Head coach BJ Callaghan is very familiar with Noonan, with whom he spent a year on staff with the Philadelphia Union.
"They're a fearless team, they're a team that's going to attack and go after each and every game," he said. "I think that's a credit to Pat and the way that he's built that mentality. They have a lot of experience on the team as well, so I don't think that being in tight games at the end is something that makes them nervous."
Nashville have yet to lose at Geodis Park in MLS regular season play this season, and have dropped points just once at home all season, a 2-2 draw to DC United. They'll need a similar effort against a much more difficult opponent on Saturday.
In terms of availability, Warren Madrigal remains out with an unspecified muscle issue suffered in their Leagues Cup opener against Club Léon, although he was a participant in the portion of training media were allowed to observe on Friday. Aside from him and defender Chris Applewhite, also present in training, Nashville's squad should be fully fit.
Predicted XI
Staff predictions
Ben Wright
Score: NSH 2–1 CIN
Scorers: Hany Mukhtar, Matt Corcoran
MOTM: Matt Corcoran
Bold prediction: Corcoran comes off the bench in the second half and scores his first goal for Nashville SC to win it.
Harold Espinoza Lopez
Score: NSH 2–1 CIN
Scorers: Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge
MOTM: Hany Mukhtar
Bold prediction: Hany scores the winner from the penalty spot in the second half.
Jeff Remlinger
Score: NSH 2–2 CIN
Scorers: Sam Surridge, Cristian Espinoza
MOTM: Cristian Espinoza
Bold prediction: Evander bags two goals from outside the box.
