SerpApi.Org
Nashville SC's goal over their final 19 matches of the regular season is to extend what has been a historic start while positioning themselves for just the second trophy in club history.
Nashville, the Supporters' Shield leaders, host CF Montreal on Wednesday night.
Though a bit rusty at times due to a nearly two-month-long World Cup break, Nashville SC (11-1-3, 36 points) rode Shakur Mohammed's goal in the 79th minute to a 1-0 win over Atlanta United.
The win ran Nashville's unbeaten streak to nine matches (7-0-2) and opened up its lead atop the league standings to four points over the Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose Earthquakes. Vancouver, though, has a match in hand.
Sam Surridge leads the squad with nine goals in only nine games played.
"For us, it's just about coming to work every day, turning the page, sticking to the process of how we prepare, how we recover, how we train, and continuing to drive a standard that we want to be a consistent elite performer every single day," Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan said.
CF Montreal (4-8-3, 15 points) managed three shots on goal against Toronto FC, but Toronto generated none of its own in Thursday's 0-0 stalemate.
Montreal, which sits just three points behind the ninth and final playoff spot in the East, was without leading scorer Prince Owusu (nine goals) against Toronto due to yellow-card accumulation.
"I'm hungry to show more quality and get where we want to go, personally, and collectively," Owusu said. "(Against Toronto) I think we showed a very mature and collectively disciplined performance (and) this is now what we need again against a (much) stronger team."
Montreal is 0-1-3 in its last four matches against MLS opponents, with its last regular-season win a 2-0 victory over Orlando City on May 9.
Nashville is unbeaten in eight home matches this season (7-0-1). Montreal is 1-6-1 on the road.
Nashville is 6-1-4 all-time against Montreal and is unbeaten in the series' last four matches (2-0-2). The two squads played to a 1-1 draw last October.
Montreal's lone win against Nashville was a 1-0 home triumph on June 21, 2023.
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