Nashville SC vs Orlando City SC
2026 MLS Regular Season | Matchday 5
Saturday, Mar. 21 | 5:00 p.m. CT
GEODIS Park | Nashville, TN
Broadcast Details
Watch | Apple TV
Listen | 104.5 The Zone
Nashville SC returns to MLS play at GEODIS Park Saturday after a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup clash, looking to stay unbeaten on the year against Orlando City SC. The Boys in Gold sit joint-top of the Eastern Conference after four matchdays, having scored the second-most goals in conference and conceded the fewest.
Key Storylines
Milestones loading
2026 has been a season of milestones for the Boys in Gold. Sam Surridge hit 50 career MLS goal contributions with his score against Minnesota a couple weeks back. Hany Mukhtar hit 150 MLS goal contributions with his winner against Columbus last weekend. Brian Schwake is, remarkably, still unbeaten as Nashville’s starting goalkeeper through 13 games. And then, of course, there’s the Boys in Gold’s record-shattering start, with five wins and three draws through eight games (their best start to a season in club history) in addition to a first-ever berth in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.
And yet, Saturday’s match against Orlando offers plenty of opportunities for further milestones. Dan Lovitz will reach 300 career MLS regular-season appearances if he plays. Cristian Espinoza is one goal contribution shy of 125 in MLS play and Surridge one shy of 50. Schwake could continue his unbeaten run, as could Nashville, and the Boys in Gold’s supercharged start to 2026 could become even more impressive.
Three record-breaking attackers (Mukhtar, Surridge, Espinoza) is a luxury many teams in MLS are not afforded, nor is a goalkeeper of Schwake’s caliber, or a veteran full-back with more than a decade in the league, or an eight-game unbeaten start. The numbers themselves might be somewhat arbitrary, but what they indicate is decidedly not: that the Boys in Gold have one of the best teams in MLS and are playing like it.
Fit and firing
The well-roundedness of Nashville’s attack has been one of its undisputed superpowers this season. The forward trio — also Nashville’s triad of Designated Players — of Mukhtar, Surridge and Espinoza has looked as dangerous as any unit across the league in 2026, combining for seven goals across four games in addition to three assists. Surridge’s four goals, a pair of braces against New England and Minnesota, lead the way for the Boys in Gold, and place the Englishman joint-second in the Golden Boot race.
Beyond its overwhelming firepower and impressive numbers, however, the best aspect of Nashville’s attack has been its resiliency. The Boys in Gold created plenty of chances against Miami in the Round of 16 first leg but ended the match scoreless, prompting an aggressive second leg that culminated in Espinoza’s superb goal to send his team through. The Boys in Gold struggled to crack Columbus’ defense on the road last weekend but kept the pressure on, securing a memorable last-minute winner.
The mark of a great team is its ability to win no matter the circumstances. A 1-0 win counts the same as a 4-1 win; just as a 1-1 win on the away goals rule counts the same as a 7-0 triumph over two legs. Nashville’s ability to overcome adversity when it arises, score when it matters and pile goals on when it can bodes incredibly well for its hopes this season. And against an Orlando team that has shipped 12 goals in just four games, but routinely steps up against the Boys in Gold, that’s precisely what they need.
Series History + What's Next
Nashville and Orlando have been frequent foes throughout their shared existence, squaring off 17 times previously in all competitions — a figure only bested by Miami. The Boys in Gold have secured five wins in that span to their Eastern Conference rival’s seven, with five draws scattered between.
Nashville enjoys a well-earned two-week rest upon the conclusion of Saturday’s match for the March international break, before returning to the pitch April 4 for an away clash at Chicago Fire.
