BJ Callaghan believes there is still plenty more hunger within his Nashville SC ranks as their record-equalling regular season ends with a trip to FC Cincinnati this weekend. 

Nashville produced a stunning comeback to beat the New York Red Bulls 3-2 at GEODIS Park, and in doing so, got themselves up to 74 points. 

The Coyotes matched the record for the most points in a single MLS season, equalling Inter Miami's total from the 2024 season when they won the Supporters' Shield.

Julian Hall and Rafael Mosquera had put NYRB two goals to the good, with Cade Cowell also missing a penalty early on before Tim Parker's own goal reduced the deficit.

Nashville were level when Julian Bazan also turned into his own net, with Sam Surridge scoring a 91st-minute winner to ensure his team had the chance to be out on their own with a win against Cincinnati on Decision Day. 

"For us, we have continually tried to push and be one of the elite teams not only in the MLS, but also in North America too," Callaghan said after Nashville's win over NYRB. 

"I think the body of work that we have shown this season is continually taking steps in that direction. 

"It's obviously a big honour for these guys to be in that discussion of being one of the best teams ever to play in the MLS, but I know that they will be hungry for more."

A dream 10 years in the making https://t.co/GKILe7KxaD

— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) November 3, 2026

Cincinnati, meanwhile, clinched their spot in the playoffs with a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union, with Ayoub Jabbari scoring the only goal in the 70th minute. 

It looked as though Cincinnati would miss out on the postseason for the first time in four seasons following a wretched run of form from August until the middle of October. 

During that stretch, Pat Noonan's side managed just one win from eight league matches (D2 L5), leaving them adrift of the top nine in the Eastern Conference. 

But a four-game unbeaten run since then ensured their spot in the playoffs, and Noonan says the team are hitting form just at the right time. 

"It feels that way," Noonan said of the building belief in the squad. "You can always sense these things. I'm sure you're feeling it, the fans are feeling it, people from the outside.

"We know internally what we're capable of and what we haven't been doing at the level that we need to. And all year long, we've been able to produce goals, but we haven't been able to win enough 1-0 games.

"And I think the feeling, the energy, what the group now knows we need to do and feels we can do has been evident recently with how we're playing. And it's not always pretty.

"But the guys have been able to adjust to different ways of defending against the opponent, preparing for the opponent and finding success.

"I like the energy of the group right now, and wins always help that, but I also just like the way we're going about it, and there are a lot of guys contributing and guys coming back into the mix, so I think that makes for a promising final week in preparation for Nashville."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati – Evander

Evander enters the final day of the 2026 regular season with 14 goals and 17 assists.

With one more goal, Evander would join Lionel Messi as the only players in MLS history to record 15+ goals and 15+ assists in three consecutive seasons.

Nashville – Sam Surridge

Surridge scored his league-leading seventh game-winning goal of the 2026 season in the win over the weekend.

His 16 game-winners since joining MLS in 2023 are tied with Brian White for third-most in the regular season, behind only Denis Bouanga (24) and Messi (17).

NEVER OUT OF IT https://t.co/ChbLwrEZoX

— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) November 1, 2026

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Nashville recorded a 4-0 win over Cincinnati in August, the largest margin of victory by either team in the history of the series. It was Nashville's third time recording a shutout victory in the fixture, while Cincinnati have kept one clean sheet against Nashville (1-0 win in March 2023).

The Coyotes registered their 22nd win of the season last time out, tying for the most wins in MLS' post-shootout era, joining three others. A win or draw against Cincinnati would give Nashville both the most points and highest points per match in a single season in MLS history.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, have two clean sheets over their last three games, including a 1-0 win last weekend, after going 20 regular-season matches without one prior to that.

The club have not recorded consecutive MLS shutouts in 2026 after having a streak of three straight and two different two-game streaks last season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 35.7%

Draw – 26.1%

Nashville – 38.2%