Nashville SC come from behind to beat the Red Bulls and set two records ahead of the final match

Having trailed the New York Red Bulls 2-0 before half-time, Nashville SC turned the match around to win 3-2 at GEODIS Park on Sunday 1 November. Sam Surridge’s stoppage-time goal took the club to 74 points, level with the record set by Inter Miami in 2024. Nashville also recorded its 15th home win of the season, a new MLS record. There is still one matchday to play, however, so the points record is not yet definitively settled.

A night that changed its script

New York had taken the lead, with Julian Hall opening the scoring in the 34th minute before Rafael Mosquera doubled the advantage six minutes later. Nashville had already survived a penalty, saved by goalkeeper Brian Schwake. The comeback began just before half-time, when Andy Najar’s cross was diverted into his own net by Tim Parker. A second own goal, this time from Julian Bazan in the 78th minute, brought the teams level. In the 91st minute, Surridge headed in a ball from Cristian Espinoza to complete the turnaround. The Associated Press report confirms the sequence of events and the goalscorers; Nashville SC’s [official recap](https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/renas ant-recap-nashville-soccer-club-ties-mls-record-for-most-points-in-a-single-season) details the goals and the match sheet. (Corrected official link: [Nashville SC](https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/renas ant-recap-nashville-soccer-club-ties-mls-record-for-most-points-in-a-single-season).)

The result matters as much for its outcome as for the context. New York were still playing for a place in the play-offs, and the defeat ended their hopes of qualifying, according to the AP. For Nashville, who had already won the Supporters’ Shield, the home campaign ended unbeaten: 15 wins and two draws in 17 matches.

The points record remains within reach — and undecided

With 74 points, Nashville have matched the best total in an MLS regular season, previously held by Inter Miami in 2024. But the Tennessee club have not yet completed their schedule: they travel to Cincinnati on Saturday 7 November. A win would take them to 77 points; a draw, to 75. Either would break the record. A defeat would leave both teams level on 74 points. These scenarios are set out in the [club’s recap](https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/renas ant-recap-nashville-soccer-club-ties-mls-record-for-most-points-in-a-single-season) and MLS’s report.

The distinction matters: it would be premature to describe Nashville as already holding the outright points record. The 74-point total has indeed been reached and the record equalled, but the final regular-season standings are not yet settled. The next match will therefore be more than a fixture to complete the schedule: it could redefine the league benchmark.

A new home record already secured

The home-wins record, by contrast, is set. Nashville have recorded 15 wins in a single regular season, one more than the previous record of 14, held by the New York Red Bulls since 2018. The club have also completed their home programme unbeaten, with two draws. The official MLS website notes that the players scored 48 goals and conceded 14 at GEODIS Park across those 17 matches.

This record offers a more concrete measure of Nashville’s consistency than Sunday’s drama alone. A spectacular comeback can depend on particular circumstances — here, two own goals — but 15 wins and no defeats across the full home schedule point to sustained performance. That run is not, however, a guarantee in the play-offs: the post-season brings different opponents and different pressure, and the regular-season record does not determine the future winner of the MLS Cup.

Espinoza and Surridge, two decisive contributions

Surridge scored his 19th regular-season goal, while Espinoza provided his 15th assist of the campaign for the winner. The club also say Espinoza has reached 100 career assists in MLS, counting both the regular season and play-offs. That statistic should be understood within this precise scope: it does not refer only to assists in the current season. The figures appear in Nashville SC’s [official recap](https://www.nashvillesc.com/news/renas ant-recap-nashville-soccer-club-ties-mls-record-for-most-points-in-a-single-season).

The two actions sum up the players’ different roles in the turnaround. Surridge finished the chance that swung the result; Espinoza created the final pass, having also contributed to Nashville’s second goal. But reducing the win to that pair would overlook Najar’s work on the first goal, Schwake’s role in saving the penalty and the element of fortune in the two deflections into the New York net.

The Shield secured, the Cup still to be won

Nashville have already secured the Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the best team in the regular season. MLS say the trophy guarantees them home advantage throughout the play-offs and, if they reach the final, through to the MLS Cup on 18 December. These are two distinct stages: the Shield rewards the results accumulated over the season, while the Cup is decided by knockout matches. The club can therefore add a points record to its honours, but the MLS championship title is not yet theirs.

The 1 November win is therefore more than a dramatic comeback: it confirms a home record and leaves Nashville one match away from a historic points total. But, as of 2 November, the accurate description remains a record equalled — not yet broken. The trip to Cincinnati will show whether this remarkable season ends on 74 points or adds a new total to the MLS record books.