Nashville SC beats DC United 1-0 on Sam Surridge goal, extends unbeaten streak to 13 games
This season's Nashville SC team has done in 20 games what last season's squad couldn't accomplish in 34.
Sam Surridge scored his league-leading 16th goal of the season as Nashville beat D.C. United 1-0 on June 28 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
With the win, Nashville (11-4-5, 38 points) surpassed its points total from its dismal 2024 season (36) and extended its club-record undefeated streak to 13 games.
This was the second of at least three Nashville-D.C. showdowns this season. The two teams tied 0-0 at Geodis Park on May 17, and will face off in Nashville in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on July 9 (8 p.m. CT).
But before that game, Nashville will return to Geodis Park on July 5 for a showdown with the Philadelphia Union, who currently sit atop the MLS standings with 40 points. It's an unexpected marquee clash between two teams that finished 12th and 13th in the Eastern Conference a season ago.
"History will tell us where this season falls in the totality, but that's not what we're focused on," Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan said. "We're focused on coming to work every day, playing the best we can, playing the way we want to play."
Sam Surridge scores again
Surridge, who vaulted atop the Golden Boot standings with his hat trick in a 3-2 win over the New England Revolution on June 25, put Nashville on the board with a penalty kick in the 18th minute. Right back Andy Najar, a newly minted MLS All-Star, laced a long pass behind the D.C. defense to Hany Mukhtar, who was fouled in the penalty box by Lucas Bartlett.
Surridge has now scored in six straight games, becoming the first NSC player to do so. The Englishman nearly made it two in the 37th minute when Najar set him up with another long pass, but United goalkeeper Luis Barraza came out to make the save.
"Sam is showing he can be a dual threat," Callaghan said. "He's coming down in between the lines and laying balls off or switching the points of attack, and if you're starting to get aggressive and you want to try to pressure him, he's able to run behind."
Shorthanded midfield has success
Nashville's normal midfield trio of Alex Muyl, Edvard Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek was broken up against D.C. (4-10-6, 18 points) as Tagseth was suspended for the match due to yellow card accumulation.
Still, NSC dominated the ball to the tune of 57% possession and completed nearly 200 more passes than D.C. Gaston Brugman, who filled in for Tagseth in the starting lineup, hit on several key passes into the attacking area.
"Gaston had another really good performance," Callaghan said. "A player that wants the ball, comfortable with the ball, attracts pressure, is able to bring the opponent to us, and then you saw moments where he was able to break the lines. He does a very good job of controlling the tempo and really helping our buildup."
Alan Carleton makes Nashville SC debut
Alan Carleton has been one of the best players this season for Huntsville City FC, which is NSC's MLS Next Pro affiliate, with four goals and four assists in 11 games. The 20-year-old midfielder was rewarded when Nashville signed him to a short-term contract against D.C.
Carleton isn't the first Huntsville player on a short-term contract to play for Nashville — Ethan O'Brien did so in a 3-2 U.S. Open Cup win at Orlando City on May 21 — but he is the first to do so in an MLS game. He played the final 20 minutes against D.C. and impressed Callaghan with his ball control and defensive work.
"What we're most proud of tonight is he came in understanding what the game needed," Callaghan said. " . . . Just a really mature debut for him."
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.