Nashville SC continues unbeaten streak, but can't break through in scoreless tie with D.C. United

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4 days ago

On May 3, Nashville SC played Atlanta United to a 1-1 tie which felt more like a win.
The Boys in Gold were the better team for the final 70 minutes, rallied from a first-half deficit on the road and left Mercedes-Benz Stadium feeling they'd delivered, in coach B.J. Callaghan's words, a "complete, professional performance."
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An 0-0 draw with D.C. United at Geodis Park on May 17 had the same net result. But afterwards, Nashville (7-4-3, 24 points) seemed to rue the two points it didn't earn more than it savored the one point it did pick up in the MLS standings.
"We're not happy at all with the result," Callaghan said. "There's no one in the locker room that's satisfied."
Nashville, which did extend its unbeaten streak to six games, plays at Orlando City in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 on May 21 (6:30 p.m., Paramount+).
Revenge not on Nashville's mind
Callaghan had previously said Nashville wouldn't be motivated by what happened the last time it faced D.C. (3-6-5, 14 points), when Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to hand NSC a 4-3 loss and all but eliminate it from playoff contention last October.
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While that game featured a combined 50 shots — 31 from United — this meeting had almost nothing in common with last season's hectic affair.
Nashville took eight shots, five on goal, while D.C. took just three. NSC goalkeeper Joe Willis only needed one save, stopping a speculative try from former teammate Randall Leal, to record his fourth shutout of 2025.
"(D.C.) made it difficult to play tonight, and they have a lot of numbers behind the ball," Callaghan said. "So you're in a pretty combative game that there wasn't a lot of space."
Nashville lacks finishing touch
Despite having the advantages in shots and possession (55%), Nashville only put the ball in the back of the net once — a goal which was called back due to Teal Bunbury being offside before he passed to Hany Mukhtar for a tap-in.
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There were other missed moments: Nashville couldn't take advantage of a 3-on-1 break just after halftime, while Sam Surridge skied an open shot in the 87th minute.
"We weren't clean with the ball," Callaghan said. "We missed a few passes, couple balls got blocked. I just think from the beginning to the end we could have probably executed a little better."
In fact, D.C. nearly stole all three points in stoppage time: Andy Najar lost the ball deep in the defensive third, leaving Jacob Murrell with an open shot at goal from a tight angle, but the striker blasted his shot well over the net. With an expected goal figure of 0.26, per FotMob, it was the best chance of the night for either team.
Heavily rotated lineup
Nashville's game at Orlando will be its seventh game in 18 days. Callaghan's lineup decisions against United reflected that congested schedule as well as the priority NSC is placing on the Open Cup.
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In were Bunbury, Chris Applewhite, Josh Bauer, Gaston Brugman and Ahmed Qasem. Out were Najar, Surridge, Alex Muyl, Jacob Shaffelburg and Jeisson Palacios, who had started Nashville's last four MLS games.
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Applewhite, 17, became the first homegrown player to start a league game for NSC. The center back won seven of nine aerial duels, a game high for both teams, and threaded a long ball to Bunbury in the first half to set up a free kick in prime scoring position.
"You forget that he's only 17," Willis said. "He plays and acts so much more mature than that. ... They wanted to play a lot of long balls and hope to win knockdowns and second balls. For him to step in and dominate in the air the way he did was a huge boost."
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [e-mail] and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC ties D.C. United in scoreless game