NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville SC were untroubled in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round One matchup with Atlético Ottawa, rolling to a 4-0 win in which the Boys In Gold never had to get out of second gear.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville SC advanced to the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 5-0 win (7-0 on aggregate), thoroughly outclassing the Canadian side at Geodis Park.
- What we learned: With another heavily rotated squad, the 'Yotes got key performances from all parts of squad, showing their improved depth.
- Big picture: The win keeps Nashville's momentum rolling, setting up a Round of 16 matchup with Inter Miami. It's Nashville's second time competing in Concacaf, and the second in which they've met Miami at this stage.
Highlights
Key moments
- 21' | Woobens Pacius snaps a header off the post, and Alex Muyl taps in the rebound from point-blank range.
- 36' | Matt Corcoran pings a ball over the top for Jordan Knight, who blasts a shot in for his first Nashville goal
- 55' | Pacius adds to his early Nashville tally, burying a rebound after a low drive from Ahmed Qasem
- 63' | Wearing the captain's armband, Jack Maher adds to Nashville's lead, flicking on a set piece from Bryan Acosta
- 83' | Qasem finishes off the night with a spicy goal, finishing off a slick flick from Shak Mohammed by dancing around the 'keeper
Standout performers
- Matt Corcoran ran the show from midfield, pulling Ottawa's defense apart with some choice balls over the top, including a silky pass for Knight's debut goal.
Filthy ball here from Matt Corcoran.
— Ben Wright (@benwright) February 25, 2026
pic.twitter.com/5sLjtpOv2r
- Woobens Pacius grabbed his second Concacaf Champions Cup goal for Nashville, and his holdup play impressed throughout the night.
- Charles-Émile Brunet made his professional debut after being selected with the 80th-overall pick in the SuperDraft, and his quality and ambition on the ball was evident.
Lineup notes
Head coach BJ Callaghan made 10 changes to the side that beat New England Revolution last week, with only goalkeeper Brian Schwake keeping his spot. Goalscorer Warren Madrigal wasn't included in the squad.
What it means
Nashville were always expected to get through this round without too much trouble, but doing it so handily while giving valuable minutes to most of their depth players is important for a side still building chemistry and confidence.
They come out of their early continental test without injury and are able to focus on MLS for the next few weeks.
Up next
Nashville will travel to take on FC Dallas this weekend. The first leg of their Round of 16 match with Inter Miami will take place between March 10-12.
Stats
Possession: NSH 48% – 52% OTT
Total Passes: NSH 473 – 524 OTT
Shots: NSH 11 – 4 OTT
Shots on goal: NSH 8 – 1 OTT
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 OTT
Goals: NSH 5 – 0 OTT
Expected goals: NSH 3.19 – 0.22 OTT
Fouls: NSH 13 – 12 OTT
Yellow cards: NSH 0 – 0 OTT
Red cards: NSH 0 – 0 OTT
Announced attendance: 11,849
