The Pitch (Week 9): Nashville Inaugurates GEODIS Park This Sunday; MLS Stadium Boom Continues

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This Sunday, Nashville SC will celebrate the highly-anticipated, sold-out grand opening of the 30,000-seat GEODIS Park – the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States. The team’s inaugural home match will see Nashville SC face the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded Philadelphia Union on Sunday, May 1, and will be showcased nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

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With 10 stadiums built or renovated for an MLS team in the last six years (2017-2020), the opening of GEODIS Park marks a major milestone for the league, giving MLS the greatest number of new stadiums opened by any major league sport in recent years.

Those stadiums mean nearly a quarter million total new seats (245,500) have been installed to host soccer fans since 2017 - a total that surpasses the NFL’s 211,000 new seats accounted for in three new 70,000-plus capacity venues.

With an eye on community, the construction of GEODIS Park has employed more than 6,000 people over the course of construction – 49 percent of which were women or people of color.

*Note: Later in the year, St. Louis CITY SC will complete construction on Centene Stadium, ahead of the club’s inaugural season in 2023. With the addition of new stadiums in Nashville and St. Louis, MLS will have 26 stadiums built or reimagined for MLS clubs.

Reese Witherspoon, Derrick Henry Join Nashville SC Ownership Ahead of Stadium Opening

The good news keeps coming for Nashville SC, as the Music City club welcomes Nashville native, actor and producer Reese Witherspoon along with media and technology investor Jim Toth, and Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back Derrick Henry as new minority owners of the club.

These three high-profile additions are the latest testament to the team’s growth and success, as the club remains authentically rooted in Nashville culture.

Nashville Comes Home after Season-Opening Road Trip

After a season-opening, eight-game road trip, Nashville SC will play their first home match of the year at the brand-new GEODIS Park against the tough opposition of the Philadelphia Union on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN / ESPN Deportes). 

Among the 12 teams in MLS history to open a season with six or more consecutive road matches, Nashville is one of only five teams to record 11 or more points over that stretch, and they could have a bit of new stadium fortune on their side. In the 22 inaugural matches played in newly constructed MLS stadiums, the home team has a 13-2-7 record. 

Behind its leaders Hany Mukhtar and Walker Zimmerman, will Nashville’s new pitch, to the tune of a 30,000-fan homefield advantage, hit all the right notes for a Music City win?

Roldan, Montero Stoking Seattle’s CCL Title Contention

As Seattle Sounders FC face Pumas UNAM in Mexico City for Leg 1 of the two-match Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League finals on Wednesday, April 27 (10:30 p.m. ET, FS1 / TUDN), an uphill climb could get off to a fast start if they can do something no MLS team has ever done – win the first leg of the two-game CCL final.

Seattle carries a 3-1-1 record against LIGA MX opponents in all competitions across 2021-22, with U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Cristian Roldan racking up production against Mexico’s top flight over that span. The club has also been propelled by 11-year MLS veteran Fredy Montero, who tied the league record with his three quarterfinal goals against Club Leon, improving his tally to match the 10-goal record for the most scores all-time by a single player in the competition.

On several recent occasions, Roldan has had himself a match against LIGA MX, notching a goal against Club Leon and an assist against Tigres UANL in 2021 Leagues Cup matches before adding two helpers – again against Leon – in the 2022 CCL quarterfinals.

Seattle is unbeaten in all Concacaf Champions League outings this year, having tied every road match before earning winning results on each return leg at home. If Sounders FC can channel the dual forces of Roldan and Montero against LIGA MX sides, Wednesday could be their history-making moment.

Timbers to host PTFC for Peace Mixed Teams Charity Match

The Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns will host “PTFC for Peace” - an historic, mixed teams, U.S. first-division charity match to raise funds for Ukrainian children and families affected by the war – on Wednesday, April 27, at Providence Park. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET) and is free to the public with an encouraged donation.

Timbers midfielder Diego Chara and Thorns FC defender Kelli Hubly will co-captain one team, while Thorns FC forward Christine Sinclair and Timbers midfielder Sebastián Blanco will co-captain the other team. Tonight, a streamed draft available to watch on the Timbers and Thorns FC’s websites and YouTube channels (or by clicking here), will take place to select players for each team with final rosters set to be announced on www.timbers.com and www.thornsfc.com ahead of the match.

All donations, which will be matched by the club up to $100,000, and proceeds surrounding the event will support UNICEF’s relief efforts in Ukraine and bordering countries. Flexible contributions from donors will enable UNICEF and partners to take prompt actions to meet the growing needs and fulfill the rights of children and their families affected by the war. All seating for the event will be general admission and redeemable through SeatGeek with an option to donate to UNICEF USA while acquiring a ticket. For tickets and more information click here.

Player Spotlight: Inter Miami CF’s Leonardo Campana

Twenty-one-year-old forward Leonardo Campana has emerged as a dynamic young force in his first MLS season, while leading upstart Inter Miami CF to a three-game winning streak – tied for the longest such streak in club history. 

In the club’s Week 8 victory over Atlanta United, Campana scored the equalizer for his fifth goal of the season and added a game-winning assist to now sit just one goal off the Golden Boot presented by Audi leaders Austin FC’s Sebastián Driussi and Toronto FC’s Jesús Jiménez, who have six goals apiece.

Since becoming a regular in the club’s starting XI in Week 6, Campana has been the key figure in Miami’s resurgence, sparking an offense that had only scored three goals through five games and doubling that output with six goals over the last three matches. Campana has contributed to each of those six goals during their recent winning streak, scoring four times and providing two assists over the span. His streak – all of which has taken place in the club’s past three MLS contests – ties Gonzalo Higuaín's club record of six consecutive goal involvements, set from May 16, 2021, to July 31, 2021, a span of nine games. Campana also added the club’s lone goal in its midweek Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory against Miami FC. 

“Last season when I was looking at all the other MLS teams, you look at [Taty] Castellanos at NYC, [Adam] Buksa in New England, Josef Martínez – every team seems to have a striker that scores goals,” said Inter Miami CF head coach Phil Neville. “Every team seems to have a striker that is their figurehead, that is the anchor that you can always rely on through good and bad, whether you're playing good or whether you’re playing bad, to create and score something, and he is becoming that.”

Campana and the Herons will look to set the club record for the most consecutive regular season wins as they travel to Gillette Stadium to face off against the New England Revolution on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+).

Dynamo and Austin FC Meet in Lone Star Showdown
The Houston Dynamo return to PNC Stadium as they welcome a scorching hot Austin FC team to town on Saturday (1:30 p.m. ET, UniMas / TUDN / Twitter - English audio). Austin won two of the three meetings between the two clubs last season, although Houston’s win came in its lone home match. This marks the second consecutive in-state showdown for the Dynamo, who surrendered two goals in the waning moments of a 2-1 loss to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium last week. Behind a first-half brace from Maxi Urruti , Austin FC (17 points, 5-1-2) maintained their strong start with a 3-0 victory over Vancouver in Week 8. Austin is one of only five teams in MLS history to score at least 20 goals and have a plus-10 or better goal differential through eight games of a season.

Real Salt Lake Returns to Rio Tinto, Faces Off Against LA Galaxy
In a Saturday matinee (3:30 p.m. ET, Univision / TUDN / Twitter - English audio), Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy - two teams in early-season playoff position in the West – face off at Rio Tinto Stadium. In search of its first win since March 19, RSL (13 points, 3-2-4) will welcome the return home, where the club is 2-0-1 in three matches this season. They’ll look to slow a hot LA Galaxy team which is unbeaten in its last four following late-game heroics from 22-year-old Dejan Joveljic , who scored his first goal of the 2022 season in the 86th minute of the club’s 1-0 victory against Nashville SC last week.  

Clash of Style Closes Sunday’s Slate as LAFC Plays Host to Minnesota United
Two of the Western Conference’s top squads square off in Sunday’s nightcap (10 p.m. ET, FS1 / FOX Deportes) as LAFC welcomes Minnesota United FC to Banc of California Stadium. Sitting atop the Western Conference, LAFC (19 points, 6-1-1) rank second in Major League Soccer with 19 goals and a plus-11 goal differential, led by Carlos Vela ’s four goals and three assists. Vela, who will be playing in his 95th MLS match on Sunday, needs one goal or assist to reach 100 in his career and would tie Sebastian Giovinco (58 goals, 42 assists in 95 games) for the fewest MLS games to reach that milestone.

Fresh off a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Fire last week, the Loons (14 points, 4-2-2) look to win their third consecutive match. Minnesota has allowed one or fewer goals in seven of its eight matches this season and will look to keep the explosive LAFC offense in check.

Houston Remains Perfect in MLS NEXT Pro
In a battle of unbeatens over the weekend, Houston Dynamo 2 prevailed, maintaining its perfect record so far in the inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro. Houston (15 points, 5-0-0) defeated North Texas SC (11 points, 3-1-1) 3-2 on Saturday, as Dynamo Dos handed North Texas SC its first loss of the season. Houston is the lone MLS NEXT Pro club with a perfect record through the first five weeks.  

Up next: Houston Dynamo 2 will look to make it 6-0-0 on Sunday when the club plays at Tacoma Defiance (6:00 p.m. ET, mlsnextpro.com). Tacoma (6 points, 1-2-2) is coming off a 2-2 draw against Earthquakes II on Monday, where the Defiance gained the extra point in the shootout (5-4). 

New England Revolution II (9 points, 2-0-2) is the only other unbeaten club remaining in MLS NEXT Pro. Revs II host Inter Miami II (10 points, 3-1-1) in Week Six on Sunday (1:00 p.m. ET, mlsnextpro.com). Miami and New England currently sit in second and third place, respectively, in the Eastern Conference, behind Columbus Crew 2 (12 points, 4-1-0). With Crew 2 on a bye this weekend, Revs II and Inter Miami II have a chance to shake up the standings.