On Tuesday, Nashville SC kicked off their 2026 season with a 2-0 win against Atlético Ottawa in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Goals from Woobens Pacius and Sam Surridge propelled the 'Yotes to a commanding lead heading into next Tuesday's second leg.
🟡 The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Resting most of their key players ahead of Saturday's MLS opener, Nashville SC looked flat to start, but eventually showed their quality in the second half.
- What we learned: Woobens Pacius proved to be a goal-dangerous option up top, grabbing a goal in his Nashville debut. Nashville's trio of Designated Players also showed their quality late, combining for a goal late in stoppage time to ice the result.
- Big picture: It wasn't pretty by any stretch, but the 2-0 win puts Nashville comfortably in the driver's seat heading into next Tuesday's second leg, allowing them to focus fully on Saturday's MLS opener at Geodis Park.
🎥 Highlights
⚡ Key moments
- 38' | Ahmed Qasem received a cut-back pass at the top of the box after a wonderful run from Jordan Knight, but he puts his shot well over the bar.
- 50' | A gorgeous cross from Alex Muyl is punched clear and falls to Josh Bauer, who has an open goal but his shot takes a deflection and goes wide.
- 66' | Making his Nashville SC debut at his former home with Forge FC, Woobens Pacius scored what proved to be the winner, receiving a slipped pass from Matt Corcoran in the box and finishing with authority.
- 90' | Kamron Habibullah takes a shot to equalize from close range, but Josh Bauer makes an exceptional goal-line clearance to save the lead for Nashville.
- 90+5' | Nashville's three Designated Players combine for an electric goal in transition. Hany Mukhtar found Cristian Espinoza in space, and the new signing found Sam Surridge in stride to cap off the win.
🧠 What it means
It wasn't the most thrilling performance from a Nashville perspective. They struggled to move the ball incisively in the opening 45 minutes, with Ottawa looking to overload central areas and force Nashville wide.
Nashville came out of the halftime break with a much higher tempo and a much more aggressive approach. By the time Callaghan put in his big-name attackers, Nashville had already put themselves ahead, a testament to the new attacking depth they've been able to accumulate.
The tie isn't over, but heading into the home leg with a 2-0 lead and two away goals puts Nashville in a very comfortable position.
⭐ Standout performers
- Josh Bauer made a crucial goal-line clearance to preserve a 1-0 lead for Nashville towards the end of the match, a moment that BJ Callaghan called "the play of the game." He was industrious in attack, too, making plenty of selfless runs down the left flank to open up space in possession.
- Woobens Pacius also acquitted himself well, holding the ball up well and linking play between the midfield and forward lines. He did a lot of unheralded dirty work before being rewarded with a well-deserved goal.
📋 Lineup notes
With their MLS opener set for Saturday, BJ Callaghan rotated his squad in Hamilton, leaving most of the first-choice players on the bench.
Brian Schwake got the start in goal, seemingly confirming his spot as Nashville's No. 1 option to start the season. Thomas Williams, Woobens Pacius and Warren Madrigal each made their Nashville debuts, with Jordan Knight also making his first start. Cristian Espinoza also made his Nashville debut off the bench, quickly grabbing his first assist.
⏭️ Up next
Nashville will head back to Geodis Park for their MLS season opener against the New England Revolution. That match will kick off at 7:30 pm CT on Saturday night.
📊 Stats
Possession: OTT 55% – 45% NSH
Total Passes: OTT 532 – 423 NSH
Shots: OTT 5 – 18 NSH
Shots on goal: OTT 1 – 7 NSH
Penalty kicks: OTT 0 – 0 NSH
Goals: OTT 0 – 2 NSH
Expected goals: OTT 0.42 – 2.41 NSH
Fouls: OTT 5 – 10 NSH
Yellow cards: OTT 0 – 0 NSH
Red cards: OTT 0 – 0 NSH
Announced attendance:
