While New York City FC knows they will reach the playoffs, Nashville SC are hoping to remain mathematically alive for an Eastern Conference postseason spot by the time the teams convene Sunday in Harrison, N.J.
NYCFC (13-11-8, 47 points) enter this weekend fifth in the East and are hoping to avoid falling more than two points behind fourth-place Orlando City. NYCFC are seeking another impressive offensive showing after scoring a total of eight goals in wins over the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati.
Alonso Martinez has three of his team-high 15 goals in those contests, which marks NYCFC's first winning streak since beating Orlando City and Montreal on June 28 and July 3. NYCFC were 0-3-6 in nine matches before the rout against the Red Bulls and are seeking three straight wins for the first time since winning five in a row May 11-31.
"The whole aim of not having a mental slip up is to focus on fourth place," NYCFC coach Nick Cushing said on Friday. "Fourth place is everything to us. We could be playing top of the league. ... Our mentality, our focus, has to be on performing, and on getting intensity into the game and doing the things that have helped us win football games lately. Because if we continue to win and somebody around us slips up, that fourth place is open for us."
Nashville (8-15-9, 33 points) needs some significant help to even be in contention by Sunday. Nashville entered this weekend needing losses by D.C. United, Philadelphia and Toronto on Saturday to avoid being eliminated. If those teams all lose, Nashville must win Sunday to remain in the playoff race.
Nashville finished third in 2021 in its second MLS season and was fourth last season. But it is 2-10-1 in its past 13 contests since going 4-1-3 from May 15-June 22 in a stretch that ended with a 1-0 home win over NYCFC.
On Wednesday, Nashville scored three goals for the second time this season but gave up two goals in second-half stoppage time for a 4-3 loss to D.C. Alex Muyl scored a brace and Hany Mukhtar also scored but Nashville missed plenty of chances to score and blew a 3-1 lead.
"You can focus immediately on the end of the game and how it fell apart," Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan said. "There's not a single person in this organization who believes that that's good enough."