MLS Season Opener
Nashville SC vs New York City FC
Game Info
Date/Time: Feb. 23rd, 2023, 1:30 pm Local Time (EST)
TV: Apple TV
Location: Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
The MLS season kicks off with a star-studded rivalry between two playoff hopefuls who will compete for a chance to start their season on the right foot.
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New York City Football Club Preview
Two years removed from their championship season, New York City FC have begun a new era as many of their long-tenured players have now left the club. Most notably, the skilled midfielder Maxi Moralez left the MLS to join his boyhood club in Argentina, and Goalkeeper Sean Johnson, the club’s all-time appearance leader, transferred to their Eastern Conference foes Toronto FC.
In addition to their off-season losses, last season NYCFC lost their manager Ronny Diela to Standard Liége of Belgium and arguably their best player Taty Castellanos to Girona in La Liga. Even with all the departures mid-season, The Pigeons were able to turn their fortunes around and finish last season strongly heading into the playoffs before they would eventually lose in the Conference Finals to Philadelphia Union.
The additions of attacking midfielder Santiago Rodriguez and Gabriel Periera helped rebuild the team and after a full off-season with the club, this young team seems poised to make another playoff run. Mattias Pelleigrini, a former Designated Player (DP) for Inter Miami also added this off-season to add some depth to their midfield and to bolster their offensive output.
With all the new additions to the lineup, NYCFC is a talented squad but lacks experience playing with each other which could cause problems on the back end.
Nashville Soccer Club Preview
Four years removed from their expansion into the MLS, Nashville SC is coming off three consecutive playoff appearances and hopes to continue that streak this season. After spending a season in the Western Conference, they are rejoining the Eastern Conference this year and have revitalized some of their rivalry matchups with their Eastern Conference foes.
Reigning league MVP and Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar is the driving force for NSC, as his 23 goals and 11 assists propelled Nashville into the playoffs and championship contention. The addition of Shaq Moore near the end of last season added even more depth to their strong back line that has been another bright spot for Nashville, but the lack of additional scoring across from Mukhtar is what held them back last season.
The Boys in Gold didn’t acquire any big-name attackers in the off-season transfer window, so manager Gary Smith hopes some of their young talents can step up and contribute on the offensive end. Attackers like Teal Bunbury and CJ Sapong will be counted on to relieve some of the scoring duties from Mukhtar and put pressure on the defense in a variety of ways.
Nashville vs. New York City Match Preview
Due to Nashville’s move to the Western Conference last season, the last time these two teams played each other was in October of 2021 which resulted in a 0-0 draw. In their previous matchup during the 2021 season, Nashville defeated New York City 3-1 with Hany Mukhtar scoring two goals and each team receiving a red card.
When these teams have played in the past, things have gotten chippy numerous times and it is always a competitive match. The on-field rivalry that has developed as a result of their close games in years past has made this matchup an intriguing one and is a big reason why it opens the MLS season this year.
With both teams as legitimate contenders to win the MLS Cup this season and a history of bad blood between each other, this season opener should be an exciting one to watch.
Predictions and Picks
Here are our picks for the MLS Season Opener match between Nashville SC and New York City FC (odds via Bet365)
Moneyline – Nashville SC (+115) (2.15)
With so many new faces entering New York City FC’s lineup, it will take time for their new players to gel with each other and find their form. Nashville’s experience playing with each other gives them an advantage in the early stages of the season when teams are still trying to figure out their identity and how to play off of one another. With Nashville’s strong back line and electric goalscorer in Hany Mukhtar, the safe bet is to go with the home team favorite to win the match.
Totals – Alternate under 1.5 goals scored in the match (+250) (3.50)
Nashville is known for its strong defensive unit and is focused on defending its own end first. They tend to play conservatively in the early stages of the match and use their counter-attack to generate chances on the offensive end.
NYCFC is talented offensively but isn’t particularly efficient with their chances. With their lack of experience playing together against a quality defense, we suspect NYC will struggle to score and Nashville will try to control the ball after they take the lead. With a projected score of 1-0, the alternate under of 1.5 goals scored in the match is not a flashy pick, but a practical one considering it is the opening match of the season for both teams who are trying to find their footing.
Prop Bet – Hany Mukhtar First Goal Scorer (+350) (4.50)
Hany Mukhtar scored 23 goals for Nashville last season which was 18 more than their second-leading scorer and 44% of all goals scored as a team.
If Nashville is able to score first, chances are Mukhtar will be the one to hit the back of the net. With new additions on the back end of NYCFC’s formation, including transfer goalkeeper Matt Freese, there should be many chances for Nashville to enter the attacking third of the pitch and get plenty of opportunities at the net.
Freese does not have much MLS experience, as he started only 1 match last season for Philadelphia Union and has only 13 starts in his MLS career, making NYCFC very susceptible to giving up an early goal to the most prolific goal scorer in the entire MLS.
