Match Preview: Nashville SC vs Philadelphia Union
After over a month away, Nashville SC finally returns home with a 13-game unbeaten streak to protect against Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union. The Boys in Gold currently sit third, just two points behind Philadelphia, with second place Cincinnati splitting the difference between them.
This fixture has already been played once, with Nashville picking up an impressive 3-1 win in Chester, PA on March 16th. Both teams enter this one on roughly equal form, as has been the case for essentially the entire top six in the East recently, though the Union did suffer a 1-0 defeat on the road to fourth place Columbus last weekend.
Let’s take a look.
Match Details
Date: Saturday, July 5th, 2025
Time: 7:30PM CST (local)
Location: GEODIS Park, Nashville, Tennessee
Referees: Rubiel Vazquez (REF), Ryan Graves (AR1), Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho (AR2), Sergil Boiko (4TH), Shawn Tehini (VAR), Tom Supple (AVAR)
Head Coaches: B.J. Callaghan (NSH), Bradley Carnell (PHI)
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
Listen: WGFX 104.5FM The Zone (Nashville)
Injury Report
Nashville SC
OUT- Taylor Washington, Tyler Boyd, Maximus Ekk, Tate Schmitt, Walker Zimmerman (int’l)
QUESTIONABLE- Andy Najar, Jacob Shaffelburg, Wyatt Meyer
Philadelphia Union
OUT- Jesus Bueno, Mikael Uhre, Ian Glavinovich, Frankie Westfield, Quinn Sullivan (int’l), Nathan Harriel (int’l)
QUESTIONABLE- Tai Baribo, Olivier Mbaizo
Lineup Prediction
There’s some things at play before considering any changes to the first-choice eleven here. First, Nashville has a US Open Cup quarterfinal with a very not-good DC United to think about in midweek, and thus needs to save some legs for that one.
You’d think a shot at chasing the Supporters Shield might be a bit prioritized over a game you should win anyway (knock on wood).
So I’ve gone full strength here, with Joe Willis in goal behind a back four of Dan Lovitz, Jeisson Palacios, Jack Maher and Andy Najar.
The midfield is bolstered by a return from suspension as Eddi Tagseth rejoins Patrick Yazbek in the center. They support an unchanged front four of Alex Muyl, Hany Mukhtar, Jonathan Pérez, and Golden Boot leader Sam Surridge.
Analysis & Prediction
Philadelphia enters this game… depleted.
Even with goalkeeper Andre Blake back after Jamaica’s Gold Cup exit in the group stage, they’re still missing two very important players in Nathan Harriel and Quinn Sullivan to international duty.
Tai Baribo is unlikely to be healthy enough to start, which places added responsibility to, likely, Markus Anderson and Bruno Damiani up top. Damiani has been good, if perhaps a bit inconsistent in Baribo’s absence lately.
The loss of Quinn Sullivan also hurts Philly’s chance creation, with Sullivan’s passing range being vital to the team at times. This sounds like I’m predicting a Nashville blowout right?
Wrong. This team is too good to lose like that, and too good to lose two in a row, I think.
Give me a 2-2 draw, with Nashville goals coming from Alex Muyl and Eddi Tagseth. The unbeaten run continues for Nashville, and in the end they take four from six off Philadelphia, but this heavyweight bout ends in a draw.