NEW YORK — New York City FC battled Nashville SC to a scoreless draw Friday night at Yankee Stadium, earning a clean sheet against one of Major League Soccer’s top sides but once again struggling to turn promising opportunities into goals.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese made several important saves to keep Nashville off the scoresheet as NYCFC’s defense delivered a composed performance throughout the night. At the other end, the Boys in Blue created opportunities through Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustín Ojeda, Bénie Traoré and Malachi Jones, but couldn’t find the decisive touch.
The result extended NYCFC’s unbeaten run at home against Nashville to five MLS regular-season matches, with New York holding a 3-0-2 record during that stretch.
Head coach Pascal Jansen viewed the performance as a positive step, particularly after defensive lapses had cost NYCFC points in previous matches.
“I think overall, we did a very good job today, given the fact that you are playing against the best team in the league at this moment in time,” Jansen said.
Jansen noted that Nashville’s most dangerous opportunities predominantly came from set pieces, while NYCFC remained organized defensively. However, the inability to capitalize on a handful of scoring chances continued a recent trend.
Malachi Jones provided one of New York’s best opportunities after entering in the second half. Ojeda worked his way to the end line before sending a ball across goal, but Jones came agonizingly close to connecting for what could have been the winner.
According to Jansen, those narrow margins have become the missing piece for NYCFC.
“You have to put those moments in the back of the net because that will create your momentum going forward,” he said.
O’Neill Makes His Return
One encouraging development came in the 69th minute when midfielder Aiden O’Neill entered the match for his first MLS regular-season appearance since May 3 against D.C. United.
O’Neill represented Australia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite dealing with an ankle injury and underwent surgery following the tournament. Jansen praised the midfielder’s immediate impact Friday, noting his ability to settle the game and provide stability in the middle of the field.
The night also represented another important step toward the return of Alonso Martínez.
Martínez was included in the matchday squad exactly nine months after suffering an ACL injury. Although Jansen acknowledged he was tempted to use the forward, NYCFC instead treated the night as an opportunity for Martínez to reacclimate himself to the rhythms of matchday after his lengthy absence.
Martínez has recently increased his training intensity and returned to full-contact work, but Jansen stressed that the club intends to remain patient before putting him back on the field.
Freese Adds Another Clean Sheet
Freese recorded his first MLS regular-season clean sheet against Nashville, bringing him to 4 on MLS play and 7 if you include Leagues Cup and World Cup.
Thiago Martins and Tayvon Gray also reached milestones in the matchup, with Gray extending his club record to nine regular-season appearances against Nashville.
For NYCFC, the point provides something to build upon defensively. The larger question remains whether the Boys in Blue can rediscover their finishing touch as the regular season moves toward its final stretch.
Against Nashville, they were once again close.
Just not quite close enough.
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