Possibly was shaken emotionally. Possibly it was shorthanded and drained bodily. Possibly was simply that a lot better.
No matter why it occurred, coach B.J. Callaghan did not mince phrases concerning the his crew confronted on Could 9 at Geodis Park — the primary time Nashville has trailed by a number of targets in 2026.
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“Your entire first half was not like ourselves,” Callaghan stated. “It wasn’t how we ready and the way we deliberate, and I’d say the primary half was under our customary and unacceptable.”
The second half, significantly the ultimate 20 minutes, was extra to Callaghan’s liking. Nashville (7-1-3, 24 factors) got here again to tie D.C. United 2-2 on two late targets from substitute .
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC defender Jeisson Palacios (4) wins a header in opposition to D.C. United defender Kye Rowles (15) within the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC defender Jeisson Palacios (4) wins a header in opposition to D.C. United defender Kye Rowles (15) within the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC midfielder Bryan Acosta (6) stops an assault by D.C. United midfielder João Peglow (7) in the course of the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; D.C. United ahead Louis Munteanu (11) celebrates after scoring a objective in opposition to Nashville SC within the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; D.C. United ahead Louis Munteanu (11) heads the ball into the objective previous Nashville SC defender Jeisson Palacios (4) in the course of the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC defender Jack Maher (5) breaks up an assault by D.C. United midfielder Jackson Hopkins (25) in the course of the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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Could 9, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC midfielder Bryan Acosta (6) and D.C. United defender Lucas Bartlett (3) leap to move the ball in the course of the first half at Geodis Park. Obligatory Credit score: Alan Poizner-Imagn Photos
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It was Nashville’s first sport coming off a on Could 5 within the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The loss from the match, and defender , who has been with the membership since 2020, stated the morale within the locker room afterward was as little as he is ever seen it.
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Irrespective of how spectacular Nashville’s Champions run — it and within the spherical of 16, then grew to become the primary MLS crew to win at Estadio Azteca when it within the quarterfinals — there was at all times the query of what is subsequent. It has gone far in cup competitions earlier than, having reached the 2023 Leagues Cup closing and received the , however its MLS type has dipped as soon as these tournaments are over.
Nashville received simply two of its closing 12 video games after the Leagues Cup in 2023 and was eradicated within the first spherical of the 2025 MLS playoffs by Inter Miami. Earlier than waking within the second half, its play in opposition to D.C. (4-4-4, 16 factors) appeared like a recurrence of the identical drawback — turning the web page after deep match runs is rarely a simple activity.
Nashville’s schedule early this 12 months has featured loads of video games and never a lot time between them. It is no completely different now, as it is going to journey to face the on Could 13 earlier than coming again to host on Could 17. By then, it is going to have performed seven matches in 23 days.
“We simply proceed to work and give attention to the following sport,” Callaghan stated. “We do not attempt to consider issues that we do not management . . . The concept was to have an excellent efficiency and have an intense efficiency in entrance of our house crowd. We did that for under 45 minutes. We’ll regroup, we’ll get better, we’ll evaluate the sport and we’ll get able to go to New England.”
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Nashville nonetheless leads the Jap Convention, however staying there going into the FIFA World Cup break in June will not be straightforward. New England is 2 factors behind in second, and LAFC, which is third within the West, reached the CCC semifinals.
Nashville is also with out some key items: Ahead stays “week to week” with a again damage, per Callaghan, and injured midfielders Eddi Tagseth and aren’t anticipated again earlier than the break.
“The distinction with this crew and this group that we have now proper now’s that we’re a deep crew,” Maher stated. “It does not actually matter at this level who we’re throwing out . . . We’re seeing it with accidents and stuff like that. This group is absolutely deep, and we’ll proceed having that mentality, that perception, that it does not matter who we throw out on the sector, the expectation is at all times to win.”
Nashville must show Maher’s phrases true if it desires to buck previous developments.
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