Soaring Nashville has date with struggling Union

Nashville SC will look to continue their winning ways when they return to MLS action Saturday night against the Philadelphia Union in Chester, Pa.

Nashville (7-1-1, 22 points) is unbeaten in its last three matches in league play but returns to the pitch Saturday following a 1-0 midweek loss to Tigres UANL in CONCACAF Champions Cup action.

Sam Surridge, who leads Nashville with nine goals through seven MLS appearances this season, is out week-to-week with a back injury and likely to miss Saturday's match.

It's the second injury this season for the English forward, who missed two contests in April due to a hamstring injury.

Despite multiple injuries, Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan isn't concerned about the overall health of his star goal-scorer.

"I would say they're two separate types of injuries," Callaghan said. "We'll lean on the medical team and doctors to guide his recovery and his return to play."

Surridge is tied with Dallas' Petar Musa early in the Golden Boot race.

Saturday is the first of two MLS meetings between Nashville and Philadelphia this season. Nashville hosts Philadelphia on Oct. 28 to conclude the season series.

Nashville swept the season series in 2025, winning 3-1 at the Union before posting a clean sheet in a 1-0 home victory.

Philadelphia (1-7-2, 5 points), on the opposite end of the Eastern Conference standings, returns home aiming to snap a three-match winless skid.

The Union's lone win of the season came away at Montreal 2-1 on April 11. Philadelphia is without a win at home (0-3-1).

"It's not good enough for the club standards that was set many years before us," forward Milan Iloski said. "Especially at home, we have to be better. We have to pick up three points. We're in a must-win mindset, and we have to come out with three points, no matter what it looks like or how it happens."

Iloski and midfielder Danley Jean Jacques pace Philadelphia with two goals apiece.

--Field Level Media

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 6:22 PM.