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A look back at our Nashville SC preseason predictions at halfway point of 2025 MLS season
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- A look back at our Nashville SC preseason predictions at halfway point of 2025 MLS season
Before the 2025 MLS season began, The Tennessean made five predictions for Nashville SC 's first full year under coach B.J. Callaghan.
With 17 of 34 games down and Nashville (8-4-5, 29 points) sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, it's a good time to revisit those predictions.
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Nashville will score — and concede — at least 50 goals
Callaghan has accomplished one of the biggest things he set out to do : revamp Nashville's attack. The team has scored 30 goals, and if it continues at that pace, it would beat its MLS season high by five, and last season's total by 22. The Boys in Gold are eighth in the league in goals per game.
But Nashville is off to such a strong start because Callaghan's more open system hasn't come at the expense of its defense. In fact, its back line has been one of its best units, with Walker Zimmerman , Jack Maher and Jeisson Palacios leading a deep cadre of center backs, and fullbacks Daniel Lovitz and Andy Najar enjoying revelatory seasons. NSC has given up only 21 goals, tied for ninth out of 30 teams.
One — or both — of Hany Mukhtar or Sam Surridge score 15 goals
Surridge isn't just on pace to hit the 15-goal mark — he has a legitimate shot at the Golden Boot. The designated player striker is currently second in MLS with 11 goals, nine of them coming in his past eight games. That's only one fewer than he scored in all of 2024.
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Mukhtar's goal-scoring tailed off from 23 in 2022 to eight last season, a trend that seemed to be continuing when he didn't score an open-play goal in any of Nashville's first six games. Turns out, rumors of his scoring demise were greatly exaggerated. Nashville's other designated player attacker has seven goals, with most of that production coming since the start of April. Mukhtar hasn't always been the fastest starter, so there's reason to believe he can find an even higher gear during the back half of the season.
A teenager will play a key role
Not just one, but two. Matthew Corcoran started the season opener against the New England Revolution , five days after turning 19. The midfielder then became the youngest player in NSC history to record a goal or an assist, with two pristine long passes against New York City FC on May 31. Center back Chris Applewhite , 17, became the club's first-ever academy product to start an MLS game, helping Nashville shut out D.C. United on May 17.
Corcoran and Applewhite haven't gotten much MLS action due to the veterans above them, but the pair have started both games of Nashville's U.S. Open Cup run.
May 17, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC defender Chris Applewhite (33) and Nashville SC midfielder Edvard Tagseth (20) high-five before the match against D.C. United at Geodis Park. Mandatory Credit: Casey Gower-Imagn Images
Nashville reaches the U.S. Open Cup semifinals
Speaking of the Open Cup, Nashville's strong form has translated to that competition as well. It beat the Chattanooga Red Wolves on May 6 and won at Orlando City on May 17, using a starting lineup consisting mostly of youngsters and reserves. NSC hosts D.C. United in the quarterfinals on July 9 with its first-ever semifinal berth on the line.
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While Nashville managed only a 0-0 draw with D.C. on May 17 in a regular MLS game, United has been one of the worst teams in the league, with a 4-7-6 record and goal differential of minus-13.
MORE: These Nashville SC players are participating in international soccer in June
Nashville avoids the play-in game
So far, so good. Right?
While Nashville has been undeniably impressive, so has the rest of the Eastern Conference. Nashville is just four points above current eighth-place Charlotte FC — and Charlotte led the conference at one point, showing how quickly a team can be overtaken in a conference where 11 teams are on pace for at least 49 points. For comparison, last season's No. 8 vs. No. 9 play-in game featured CF Montreal (43 points) and Atlanta United (40).
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If Nashville, which hasn't lost in its past eight league games, remains in form, it will earn one of the top seven seeds. If it doesn't, a tough East could swallow it whole.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC: Looking back at 2025 MLS predictions at midseason
