NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville SC came back from a two-goal deficit on Saturday night at Geodis Park, with a brace from Warren Madrigal rescuing a 2-2 draw against DC United just days after their elimination from the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville were incredibly sluggish and flat to start the match. Head coach BJ Callaghan said the first 45 minutes were "not up to our standard," going down 2-0 inside the opening 33 minutes. They were significantly improved after halftime, though, and fully deserved the point after a good final 20 minutes.
- What we learned: This wasn't an especially good Nashville performance, but it was good enough given the circumstances. The finish the night with a two-point lead over Miami in the Eastern Conference, with a game in hand.
- Big picture: The "CCC hangover" has become somewhat legendary in MLS parlance, and Nashville especially have struggled in the past after finishing runs in tournaments. Post Leagues Cup in 2023, post Concacaf Champions Cup in 2024, and even after their US Open Cup win last season, the 'Yotes have seen their level drop in MLS. Perhaps it's not a surprise to see them struggle in their first game back, and while a point at home isn't a particularly good result, the way they fought back to earn a draw at least leaves fans with a little hope that their post-CCC struggles won't last too long.
Key moments
- 1' | DC nearly start the match with an instant goal, playing into space in the box before Jackson Hopkins smashes a shot directly at Brian Schwake. A yard to either side would have been a goal.
- 22' | Another save from Schwake, this time from point-blank range following a corner.
- 25' | DC United take the lead through Louis Munteanu, who beats Jeisson Palacios far too easily to a header to give the visitors the lead after a really sloppy turnover from Matt Corcoran.
- 30' | DC double the lead through Lucas Bartlett. The defender headed in from a corner, and while Jared Stroud was initially adjudged to have interfered with Schwake from an offside position, the goal was allowed after a lengthy VAR review.
- 40' | Cristian Espinoza has a great look from the right side of the box, and forces Sean Johnson into a fingertip save with a low drive towards the far post.
- 44' | Johnson pulls out a glorious save on Alex Muyl after Hany Mukhtar plays him clean in on goal. It's hard to draw up a more clear-cut chance than this one.
45+4' | Mukhtar rattles the bar from a really tight angle, curling a set piece over Johnson and off the woodwork. - 61' | Nashville look to have pulled a goal back through Jeisson Palacios, who pokes in a set piece from Espinoza to give the 'Yotes a lifeline, but VAR rules the defender offsides.
- 75' | DC go down to 10 men after Silvan Hefti is shown a second yellow for a foul on Warren Madrigal, setting the visitors in an even lower block.
- 76' | Nashville make DC pay instantly. Corcoran controls the ball beautifully in the box, turning and forcing Johnson into another save. This time, Madrigal is there to poke it home.
- 82' | Madrigal with another chance, but rifles into the side netting instead of squaring to Mukhtar in front of goal.
- 89' | Madrigal completes the brace at the death to give Nashville a point, bringing down a gorgeous cross from Andy Nájar and firing a half-volley past Johnson for a crucial equalizer.
- 90+6' | Nearly an unreal winner from Espinoza, whose shot takes a deflection and smashes the woodwork with virtually the last kick of the game.
Standout performers
- Warren Madrigal brought a badly-needed spark off the bench and some real quality in the final third. He was more aggressive and incisive than anyone else for Nashville, and it paid off with two excellent goals.
- Andy Nájar was Nashville's most consistent attacker. The ball seemed glued to his foot down the right flank, and he combined really well with Mukhtar and Corcoran, even putting in a few dangerous deliveries. He needed more help.
- Making his MLS debut, Charles-Émile Brunet was impressive in midfield. He moved the ball quickly from side to side, and even picked out a few field-switching diagonals to open up space. With the injuries in midfield, it was good to see him showing that he's able to perform at the MLS level.
Lineup notes
Nashville didn't take any time off after their Concacaf elimination, rolling out a lineup full of heavy hitters. Maxwell Woledzi was rotated out of the starting lineup, the first time he hasn't started an MLS match this season. Bryan Acosta and Matt Corcoran started in midfield, with Patrick Yazbek, Eddi Tagseth, and Sam Surridge all injured.
What it means
This was the first time Nashville had a multi-goal deficit all season, and just the second time they had given up multiple goals in all competitions in 2026. Certainly not a vintage performance, they at least showed tenacity to fight back.
Up next
Nashville's schedule doesn't get any easier. On Wednesday, they'll travel to second-place New England Revolution, who have won all six of their matches at Gillette Stadium this year, before taking on fellow Concacaf Champions Cup semifinalists LAFC in a marquee matchup at Geodis Park next Sunday.
Stats
Possession: NSH 74% – 26% DC
Shots: NSH 16 – 12 DC
Shots on goal: NSH 7 – 6 DC
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 DC
Goals: NSH 2– 2 DC
Expected goals: NSH 2.27 – 1.66 DC
Total Passes: NSH 479 – 117 DC
Fouls: NSH 9 – 15 DC
Yellow cards: NSH 3 – 1 DC
Red cards: NSH 0 – 1 DC
Announced attendance: 28,384
