Nashville SC have just one last match before the MLS season pauses for the World Cup, with 55 days between matches for the Boys In Gold. The 'Yotes, currently in first place in the Supporters' Shield standings, will take on New York City FC at Geodis Park on Saturday night to cap off the first phase of their season.
For the latest on the Pigeons, we checked in with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. The Journal is a new publication started this season, with many writers who covered NYCFC for the now-defunct Hudson River Blue transferring their coverage over to the new outlet. For anyone looking for high-quality reporting on soccer in New York, look no further than the Journal.
Onward!
Soccer news and analysis through a New York lens.
Ben Wright (SixOneFive Soccer): Despite no real activity in the transfer window this winter, NYCFC look steadily like a playoff team. What's gone right for them this year, and what have been some of the bigger challenges?
Matt Mangam (New York Soccer Journal): The season started off great: NYCFC were undefeated in their first four games, including three straight wins. But from there, New York City went seven league games without a win, as the defense struggled and the offense was inconsistent. Now, the club has bounced back a bit — winning two straight games, then drawing with Red Bull New York — but the injuries have started to pile up: Talles Magno, Aiden O’Neill, Maxi Moralez, and Kevin O’Toole have missed games and will continue to miss them. Some should be back after the World Cup break, but O’Toole (groin/abdomen) and Moralez (ACL) are expected to be out for quite some time.
One big shining positive is Nico Fernández Mercau, who has a team-leading nine goals this season. He’s playing out of position, but has still found a way to consistently score and impact games. Matt Freese, despite not having the eye-popping stats he did in 2024 and 2025, is still saving shots and scoring points for NYCFC.
