Matchup: Nashville SC (12–5–5) vs. Columbus Crew SC (11–3–8)
Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Venue: GEODIS Park — Nashville, TN
Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
Eastern Conference Clash — High Stakes at GEODIS Park
| Team | Record | Points | Standing |
| Nashville SC | 12–5–5 | 41 | 3rd |
| Columbus Crew SC | 11–3–8 | 41 | 4th |
Both teams enter this MLS Week 23 showdown tied on points and chasing Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati at the top of the Eastern Conference. With playoff seeding and Supporters’ Shield implications, this is a marquee matchup.
Venue Advantage: GEODIS Park
Nashville is unbeaten in 11 straight home matches
Only 9 goals conceded at home all season
Columbus has just 1 win in their last 5 road games, conceding 12 goals in that span
Recent Form Snapshot
| Team | Last 5 Matches | Goals Scored | Goals Conceded |
| Nashville SC | W-W-W-W-L | 11 | 5 |
| Columbus Crew SC | W-W-D-W-W | 12 | 6 |
Nashville’s 12-match unbeaten run ended with a 2–1 loss to Inter Miami, despite a goal from Hany Mukhtar
Columbus staged a 4–2 comeback win over FC Cincinnati, with Diego Rossi and Max Arfsten starring
Key Players to Watch
Nashville SC
Sam Surridge — 16 goals; tied with Lionel Messi atop the MLS Golden Boot race
Hany Mukhtar — 9 goals, 5 assists; scored in back-to-back matches
Jacob Shaffelburg — Doubtful (hip); Alex Muyl likely to start in his place
Joe Willis — 7 clean sheets; anchors one of MLS’s stingiest defenses
Columbus Crew SC
Diego Rossi — 11 goals, 5 assists; scored in 3 of last 4 matches
Jacen Russell-Rowe — 7 goals; expected to return after minor knock
Dániel Gazdag — 6 goals, 4 assists; key link between midfield and attack
Patrick Schulte — 6 clean sheets; recovering from abdominal strain
Tactical Breakdown
Nashville SC (4-2-3-1)
GK: Willis
DEF: Najar, Palacios, Maher, Lovitz
MID: Tagseth, Yazbek; Qasem, Mukhtar, Muyl
FWD: Surridge
Compact defensive shape with quick transitions
Mukhtar and Qasem drive creativity behind Surridge
Columbus Crew SC (4-3-3)
GK: Schulte
DEF: Moreira, Zawadzki, Cheberko, Arfsten
MID: Nagbe, Chambost, Gazdag
FWD: Rossi, Russell-Rowe, Aliyu
Possession-heavy build-up with high pressing
Rossi and Gazdag exploit half-spaces and overloads
Injury Report
Nashville SC
Jacob Shaffelburg (hip) — Doubtful
Maximus Ekk, Taylor Washington, Tyler Boyd — OUT
Columbus Crew SC
Malte Amundsen (knee), Rudy Camacho (thigh), Nicholas Hagen (thigh) — OUT
Jacen Russell-Rowe — Expected to be available
MATCH ODDS
Nashville SC + 100 Draw + 260 Columbus Crew SC + 235
Over 2.5 – 150 Under 2.5 + 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, July 15, 2025
