MLS leaders Nashville aim to control the controllables

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

B.J. Callaghan urged Nashville SC to control the controllables as they aim to build on their lead at the summit of MLS.

Nashville beat Atlanta United 1-0 last week to open up a four-point lead at the top of the standings.

They lead the Eastern Conference by five points, while they are four points better off than Western Conference leaders, the Vancouver Whitecaps.

And ahead of taking on CF Montreal, Callaghan wants Nashville to keep focusing on what they can control.

“The foundation of what we always want to be is a team that competes with a really strong mentality and competes with intensity,” he said after the Atlanta game.

“Those are things that we can control. I think you saw that on display tonight, and really proud of the group, of the way that they just handled a bunch of different factors.”

Shak Mohammed got the crucial goal against Atlanta, extending Nashville’s winning streak to four games, while they are now unbeaten in nine.

It was only Mohammed’s second MLS goal.

“Every time you score a goal, it’s so emotional, because it’s so hard – it’s the hardest thing to do in football,” Mohammed said.

“It’s different at home than away. I don’t even remember what exactly happened – all the noise, I see Maxwell [Woledzi] tackling me, I see Hany [Mukhtar] running around, I see the whole team. God knows what it’s just chaos, and I don’t remember the moment.

“It’s amazing, and it is truly a blessing.”

— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) July 18, 2026

Muyl came off the bench and delivered an assist on Nashville’s lone goal in Friday’s win over Atlanta.

He became the fifth different Nashville player to have an assist as a substitute this season in MLS. The Philadelphia Union (six) are the only MLS team with more such players in 2026.

Synchuk led Montreal for shots (six) and touches in the opposition box (11) against Toronto FC last time out, though he could not find the target in a 0-0 draw.

If he has his shooting boots on, though, then the Ukrainian could prove a difference-maker.

Nashville have lost only one of 11 all-time meetings with Montreal (W6 D4).

In fact, they are unbeaten in six home matches against Montreal, including winning the last four by a combined score of 11-2.

Nashville are on their joint-longest winning streak in MLS (four games). The team’s longest such run in all competitions is a five-game streak in 2025.

Montreal, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four straight games across all competitions (W2 D2).

They have lost just twice in 11 competitive matches under Philippe Eullaffroy (W6 D3), after losing 27 of their 47 matches (W7 D13) since the beginning of 2025 prior to his appointment.

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