Coming off one of the most lopsided wins in MLS history, the New York Red Bulls will try to keep the momentum going when they visit Nashville SC on Wednesday.
The Red Bulls’ 7-0 rout of the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday tied for the largest margin of victory in league history and tied New York’s club record for most goals in a single match. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg (two assists) led the onslaught with two goals apiece.
“We played forward, we played fast, we tried to hurt them as much as we could. … We had fun today on the pitch together as a team,” Forsberg said.
The Red Bulls (5-4-3, 18 points) have a dominant 5-1-1 home record, which includes a 2-0 win over Nashville on March 1. Away from home, however, they are winless (0-3-2) in five matches.
Nashville (6-4-2, 20 points) has posted similar home/away splits. The club’s 1-3-1 road record has been offset by its own 5-1-1 home record.
The Tennessee side continued that impressive home form in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win over Charlotte FC. Liel Abada’s 48th-minute goal was answered by Hany Mukhtar’s equalizer just a minute later, and Jacob Shaffelburg added to the sudden attack with the game-winning strike in the 54th minute.
“I’m really proud of the response of the guys, you know?” Nashville coach BJ Callaghan said of Abada’s goal. “Coming out of halftime (we were) not our sharpest, but (showed) the quick ability to respond, regroup, and then get those two goals,” Callaghan said.
Nashville SC is on a three-match unbeaten streak (2-0-1) in MLS play. This is the first time in Nashville’s franchise history that the club has six wins and 20 points through the first 12 matches of a season.
Both clubs have been powered by a pair of elite playmakers. Choupo-Moting and Nashville’s Sam Surridge each have six goals and an assist this season, while Forsberg and Mukhtar each have five goals and four assists.
–Field Level Media
