NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville SC continue to roll early in the 2026 season, grabbing a resounding 3-1 win over Minnesota United at Geodis Park.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville rumbled past Minnesota in a comfortable and professional performance, showing their quality in the final third.
- What we learned: Forward Sam Surridge continues to bag the goals, grabbing his third and fourth of the MLS season. Cristian Espinoza also scored his first as a Nashville SC player.
- Big picture: Nashville continue to be dominant at Geodis Park, rolling to their third win in as many games and piling on the points early in the MLS season. They finish the night in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Key moments
- 18' | Eddi Tagseth nearly grabs his first goal for Nashville SC, rattling the post from outside the box. Sam Surridge eventually bumbles the rebound across the line, but is offside.
- 26' | Patrick Yazbek curls a shot towards the far post. It looks like it's heading just wide, but a falling Sam Surridge deflects it in on his way down
- 33' | Cristian Espinoza bags his first Nashville SC goal, following up a shot from Hany Mukhtar and burying the rebound after goalkeeper Drake Callender spills the save.
- 35' | Nectarios Triantis pulls a goal back for the Loons, striking an absolute laser into the top corner from deep in midfield.
- 47' | Another goal from Surridge after a lung-busting run from Yazbek to set up a near-post rocket.
Standout performers
- Patrick Yazbek has been a revelation for Nashville early in 2026, and he continued his form against Minnesota. The young Australian was everywhere and added some real quality with the ball at his feet.
- Sam Surridge continues his form in front of goal, grabbing two goals and looking dangerous all night.
- Cristian Espinoza added another strong showing, and this time got the goal that had eluded him in Dallas. He finished his chance well and showed good chemistry with the rest of the frontline.
Lineup notes
There were no surprises in the lineup for Nashville. Head coach BJ Callaghan unsurprisingly opted for his strongest possible team, giving Alex Muyl the start ahead of Warren Madrigal and Ahmed Qasem on the left flank.
What it means
Nashville continue their unbeaten start to the 2026 season, and they've been dominant at Geodis Park. In three matches in all competitions, they've scored 12 goals and allowed just two. They'll hope that form continues midweek.
Up next
It's a huge midweek matchup for Nashville, taking on Inter Miami and Lionel Messi in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16. With just one win against Miami in 11 attempts since Messi joined in 2023, they'll be looking for a statement result on Wednesday.
Stats
Possession: NSH 58% – 42% MIN
Total Passes: NSH 497 – 355 MIN
Shots: NSH 15 – 14 MIN
Shots on goal: NSH 6 – 3 MIN
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 MIN
Goals: NSH 3 – 1 MIN
Expected goals: NSH 1.75 – 0.92 MIN
Fouls: NSH 11 – 10 MIN
Yellow cards: NSH 1 – 1 MIN
Red cards: NSH 0 – 0 MIN
Announced attendance: 24,387
