After losing 2-1 in their opener, the New York Red Bulls will attempt to bounce back when they host Nashville SC at Red Bull Arena in their first home game of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season on Saturday.
The Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati played a narrow match, as the Red Bulls fell 1-0, and Nashville played to a scoreless tie with the New England Revolution. Both sides are looking for their first win of the campaign, and will be looking to stamp their authority early in the Eastern Conference.
Match Preview
It was an inauspicious beginning to the new season for the New York Red Bulls, who managed little in the way of dangerous chances against Cincinnati. It was their third consecutive loss in the regular season, each by a single goal, and it prolonged a worrying habit from the last campaign.
Sandro Schwarz’s men have had their struggles at Red Bull Arena also as of late. The team did not win any of their last five home league matches in 2024, and their only home victory in the final three months of the regular season was in the playoffs. But they have usually performed well in home openers, having last lost their first match at Red Bull Arena in 2022, when they lost, 1-0, to Minnesota United.
The Red Bulls will be eager to avoid opening an MLS season with back-to-back losses for the first time since 2021. Their problems frequently come when surrendering first, with the last six league games they lost coming when they were behind.
On the bright side, Nashville SC has never beat them in MLS. All-time, the Boys in Gold are 2-4-6 (W-L-D) against the Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena, with their only win against the hosts in Harrison coming back in 2021 (2-0), and the two clubs played to three draws over their last three meetings at Red Bull Arena, including a 0-0 draw in their previous meeting.
Nashville SC has historically been noted for their defensive solidity since joining MLS in 2020, and they carried that reputation into matchday one. They held the Revolution to two shots on target, recording a clean sheet in their season debut. Nashville has a new head coach in BJ Callaghan, though they’re still emphasizing defensive discipline as they seek more consistency in attack.
Although their defensive record is still impressive, Nashville’s form in the league has been patchy. They have one victory in their last six MLS games, their lone win coming on Decision Day in 2024 against the Chicago Fire.
Their road record has been solid over the years, winning four regular-season road games in four of their five MLS trips. Their best away-game record came in 2022 when they claimed seven such victories. Moreover, they have earned points in all of their last four opening away games, which in 2024, included a 1-1 draw at Colorado Rapids.
But history isn’t on Nashville’s side against the Red Bulls. They have lost five of their six all-time meetings with New York, finding the net just once. Each of their last three trips to Red Bull Arena have ended 0-0, underscoring their struggles in the attacking third against Schwarz’s men.
Team News
New York Red Bulls have quite a few injury concerns going into their home opener. Ronald Donkor missed the game against Cincinnati due to a shin issue, while Serge Ngoma, Marcelo Morales, Kyle Duncan and Roald Mitchell continue to be out with knee injuries.
Adri Mehmeti was ruled out last weekend with a thigh problem and Wiktor Bogacz is still recovering from a back injury, so both are unlikely to be involved.
For Nashville SC, Patrick Yazbek, Jacob Shaffelburg, Julian Gaines, Gaston Brugman and Bryan Acosta all missed their season opener with thigh issues, so their availability for this weekend is uncertain.
Maximus Ekk and Tyler Boyd were also missing through knee injuries, with their availability to be seen over the next few days.
Predicted Lineups
New York Red Bulls projected starting XI:
Coronel; Eile, S. Nealis, Hack; Harper, Carmona, Edelman, Valencia; Morgan, Forsberg; Choupo-Moting
Nashville SC projected XI:
Wilis; Najar, Zimmerman, Maher, Lovitz; Perez, Corcoran, Tagseth, Muyl; Mukhtar, Surridge
Prediction
With both teams putting an emphasis on defensive organization, expect a cautious approach from both sides early in the season. Nashville’s slate of low-scoring games against the Red Bulls hints at yet another close affair, but New York, like Nashville, will be eager to start its home campaign with a victory.
Our prediction: New York Red Bulls 2, Nashville SC 0.
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