NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville SC are heading to Game 3 against Inter Miami CF.
The Coyotes fought to a memorable 2-1 win at GEODIS Park on Saturday, keeping their Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs hopes alive behind goals from Sam Surridge and Josh Bauer.
Lionel Messi pulled one back late for the Herons, but Nashville held on to send the Round One Best-of-3 Series down to the wire.
Both sides will play for a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Nov. 8 at Chase Stadium.
"I think our group was committed to responding to play our way here at home," said head coach B.J. Callaghan, praising his side's response from a 3-1 loss in Game 1.
"We did that from the opening whistle. And it's just about making sure that we take that mentality with us, no matter if we're home or away, in another game where it's win or go home."
Statement performance
After conceding eight goals to Miami across their last two meetings, the Coyotes put in a monumental defensive effort to hold the visitors to just a single, late goal.
"You can talk a lot about tactics and on-the-field stuff. I think this game wasn't so much about that," said Bauer, who started at left back in place of the injured Daniel Lovitz. "You know, we made little tweaks and we watched the video and did some things differently.
"But this game, this game was between the ears and in your hearts. And you could see that, I think, from everyone tonight. Little cold and rainy. Perfect for us just to be dogs out there."
Saturday was Nashville's 10th meeting against Miami since Messi's arrival in the summer of 2023. They hadn't won any of those, notably losing the Leagues Cup 2023 final and being knocked out of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup by the South Florida side, among other setbacks.
For the Coyotes, it was important to remind themselves – and the league – that it's not as one-sided a rivalry as recent history might indicate.
"We can go toe to toe like we did tonight and play the type of game that we want to play," said Bauer. "We talk about the game within the game and all the little extra stuff that goes on. We've got to be nasty. We've got to show that. But I think this gives us a lot of confidence, the first time beating Miami and kind of getting that monkey off our back."
2024 all over again?
Heading into a pivotal Game 3, Nashville hope to ensure Miami exit the playoffs in Round One for the second year in a row.
The 2024 Supporters' Shield winners suffered an all-time upset last season when No. 9 seed Atlanta United overcame a Game 1 loss by winning the next two matches to send that year's favorites packing.
While that certainly has to be in the back of Nashville's mind this week, they're focusing less on Atlanta's performance last year and more on the successes they've already had in 2025. Winning the US Open Cup, their first trophy in club history, has given them the belief – and the hardware – to validate the idea that they can win crucial, knockout matches against great teams.
"We're in a constant state of trying to get better... and we get better from using those past experiences," said Callaghan. "There's a lot of things that we can point to. Like playing in an elimination tournament like the Open Cup... There's that pressure of it's win or go home. That's an easy one."
"It's hard to win on the road in this league, and we know it's going to take an effort even greater than what we had tonight to beat them on the road," added Bauer. "I know that B.J. and the rest of the staff are going to have us prepared and ready to go and put our best foot forward.
"These are when the lights are the brightest. We've got to be up for it."
