MLS Nashville SC

What to Watch for as Nashville SC Returns Home to Face Toronto FC 

Published on June 22, 2021 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


Nashville SC is back at home for the first time in a month this Wednesday night for a clash against Toronto FC. 

The Boys in Gold will look to extend their home unbeaten run to six matches after dropping its first contest of the season on the road on Friday. They'll do so against a Toronto FC side that will be seeking to avenge Nashville's Audi MLS Cup Playoff victory over the Reds in 2020. 

Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday's match:

Date: Wednesday, June 23

Time: 7:30 p.m. CT

Location: Nissan Stadium

TV: MyTV30

Stream: NashvilleSC.com/stream

English Radio: ESPN 94.9

Spanish Radio: El Jefe

Crucial Stretch - As the summer heats up, Nashville SC is entering a vital portion of the 2021 season. The Boys in Gold will play six of its next seven matches at home through the end of July. After that stretch, Nashville will play just six of its remaining matches at home between August and November. 

In addition to having home field advantage for much of the next month, this stretch of matches will test Nashville SC's depth and chemistry as a number of players could miss time with the club while being out on international duty.  

"What I would like to see, of course, is our strongest group out every time," Head Coach Gary Smith said. "There's a real understanding and appreciation with a core of players in the group. That's not to say we don't have individuals who can't come in and get the job done, but we do have a group that's always nice to put on the field. However, the opportunity for others is closely coming. As we run into Gold Cup, and we'll have omissions from our group -- as other teams will -- and it opens the door for other players to step up and to really take advantage of that. So the games coming up are very important to us."

Friendly Confines - After a month without a home match, Nashville SC is looking forward to being in front of its fans at Nissan Stadium once again.

The last time the club played at home, over 23,000 fans saw Nashville SC beat Austin FC 1-0. Smith says the fans have made a big impact as more have been allowed to attend matches. 

"The fans have been terrific since we've had the opportunity to have them back on the ground," he said. "It creates a wonderful atmosphere and environment for the players to work. I think the players have gained confidence from the fixtures we've had up to date. Our record has been good. That itself creates an internal belief that we're capable of earning points when we're at home." 

Bounce Back Mentality - Nashville will be seeking to bounce back from its first defeat of the season on the road at the hands of New York Red Bulls last Friday night. 

Goalkeeper Joe Willis says the quick turnaround from Friday's match will help bury the memory as the team prepares for a new challenge against Toronto.  

"Our first loss of the season -- it's interesting to see how the team reacts to it. It's a new experience for us this year," Willis said. "It's always nice to play games in such quick succession because you can kind of forget about it and focus on the next one. We looked at video of the New York game and put it in the past, and now we focus on Toronto."

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