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For a while, New York City FC was doing well. They were winning games where they won eight of nine matches. They were on a five-game winning streak when the Columbus Crew ended their joyful period. The Pigeons then went on to lose a second straight match when they visited the Los Angeles Galaxy. The 2-0 loss was not the worst this season, but old habits of struggling to score and making mistakes returned.
Therefore, the pressure is on for NYCFC to win on the road against Nashville SC. The Music City team is not having the best season, for they are in eighth place with a 5-5-8 record. Despite firing their longtime head coach Gary Smith, they cannot tune their guitar to where it needs to be. Notably, two of their five wins have come in the last five fixtures. Perhaps they are slowly moving in the right direction, so the Pigeons need to play their best.
NYCFC has also beaten Nashville just once while drawing once and losing the other two. It is a small sample size, so this record can easily change. It all depends on whether the Pigeons play as they did against Toronto FC and the Philadelphia Union on the road. They cannot play like they did in 2023 where they won once away from home.
Meanwhile, just when the tide was changing for Nick Cushing, fans are questioning the head coach again. It would take a few more losses for the Cushing Out crowd to be back in full force, but the statement of Talles Magno after the LA Galaxy match to J.R. DiBart speaks volumes. He said he has been training well but is not getting game time and his conversations with the NYCFC head coach are not great. He also implied a possible summer move. This sticks out since many veterans left the club after 2022 and then there was the summer transfer drama with Maxime Chanot. This will be something to keep an eye on.
How to watch, time, and more of the battle between NYCFC and Nashville SC
Date
Time
8:30 PM ET, with expected kickoff at 8:40 PM ET
How to watch on TV and streaming
The MLS Season Pass via Apple TV
How to watch in person
Fans could take a flight to Nashville or drive the long drive
How to listen
newyorkcityfc.com/radio or via the NYCFC app
How to follow
If NYCFC fans cannot watch or listen to the game, they can follow along via NYCFC’s X account and MLS Soccer’s timeline.
Final Notes
As nice as it would be for Mounsef Bakrar to score more regularly, it would be the right move to give him time off the bench instead. Cushing should give Jovan Mijatović the chance. If he does not score or if NYCFC is losing, then the head coach should bring on Alonso Martínez early in the second half.