For Teal Bunbury, Nashville SC's 2025 MLS season compares favorably to Revolution run of '21
Surridge, the league's leading scorer (15 goals), provides an aerial threat the Revolution have lacked since Buksa's departure on a $7 million transfer to France's RC Lens after the '21 season. Leo Campana, 6-1½, could fill the bill but has been limited by injuries.
Nashville displayed a winning formula: a possession style based on quick passing that kept the defense off balance; plus difference-makers Surridge and Hany Mukhtar, whose very presence boosts the team's confidence level.
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Against Nashville, a couple seemingly innocuous misplays, followed by a controversial non-call, proved costly. The Revolution attacked effectively on the wings to start the second half, and Brayan Ceballos headed in Tomas Chancalay's free kick for a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute. Then, near-whiffs on clearances chain-reacted into Surridge equalizing off Mukhtar's corner kick in the 51st minute.
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First, Mamadou Fofana failed to connect with a low-bouncing cross near the top of the penalty area. Peyton Miller followed by blooping the cross over the goal for a corner. No statistic can measure the affect of those miscues, but they are the type of incidents that can become turning points.
And that is what happened. Daniel Lovitz headed on the corner kick to the back post, and the ball appeared on the verge of crossing the goal line when Surridge, possibly in an offside position, poked it. Had Surridge not touched the ball, Lovitz would have been credited with the score, and there would have been no dispute. Instead, a VAR replay apparently validated the goal, crediting it to Surridge, a baffling decision that ended up rewarding Surridge for making a questionable play.
Caleb Porter's Revolution sit 12th in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference table with 23 points.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
'It seemed like Surridge tapped it in at the back post, but maybe it was over the line before he tapped it in,' Revolution coach Caleb Porter said. 'I think that's what they've ruled. So, was it over the line? I think that's the question. But he was definitely off, and he definitely touched the ball. But they're claiming that it was already over the line when he touched it.'
Yet, the Revolution seemed capable of regaining control. But Mukhtar beat Fofana to a cross, earning a penalty kick, converted by Surridge in the 58th minute. The Revolution attempted to rally, aided by the return of Campana and Luca Langoni , but failed to break through over 42 minutes (including more than 10 minutes of added time).
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'For me, it was just two guys that mis-cleared the ball that led to it,' Porter said of the equalizer. 'If we clear the ball, it's not a corner. It was just very uncharacteristic out of a couple guys at the back that have had really strong, solid seasons.'
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Positives included two goals off free kicks, both earned by Carles Gil, the first by Chancalay with an impressive left-footer off Gil's feed from the halfway line in the 15th minute. Porter and Revolution players credited Marc Orti Esteban's set piece coaching for the goals. But there were questions about corner kick defending, a man marking/zone mix, but neglecting to place a defender at the back post — where Surridge was positioned on the second goal.
The result also revealed Revolution leadership deficiencies, along with the possible effects of family situations.
The lack of on-field communication among Revolution players, exacerbated with midfielder Matt Polster (illness) missing, can't be quantified, but is as crucial as any stat. Part of the problem results from reticency, part from differing first languages — the roster lists players from 12 countries.
Also, Ceballos and Fofana have been dealing with personal issues.
Ceballos celebrated his goal by showing a shin guard with the images of his wife and four-year-old, who have been stuck in Colombia due to visa problems.
'He lost his dad a couple weeks ago and he's traveled a lot on the break,' Porter added.
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The game also featured a duel between former league MVPs — Gil (2021) and Mukhtar ('22) — who exemplify a good profile for MLS imports. They are below the national team radar, but provide highlight-show performances, and never miss action due to international callups.
The Revolution defer to Gil's superior technical ability and vision, the only drawback being that can slow the pace because it takes time to get him possession. Nashville allows Mukhtar to pick his spots, meanwhile keeping the ball moving and, when in doubt, going high to Surridge. Might seem like a no-brainer, but give them a couple more Bundesliga and/or La Liga teammates, and you might have a title team.
Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at
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NBC Sports
31 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Candace Parker set to have first of 2 jersey retirements this weekend in Los Angeles
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New York Times
3 hours ago
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San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Candace Parker set to have first of 2 jersey retirements this weekend in Los Angeles
Candace Parker has been on the go since she announced her retirement from the WNBA in 2024. From broadcasting college and pro games to taking over as the president of Women's Basketball for Adidas, the future Hall of Famer has been busy. She's also had more time for what she calls her most important job — being a mom to her daughter Lailaa and sons Airr Larry and Hartt Summitt. 'I am doing more now than I have. I used to be able to use basketball as a crutch,' Parker said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'Now it's like, you ain't going to rest up for nothing. I think this first year of retirement has kind of been my like 'What do I want to do more of in this first year?' My main priority is being there for my family. My daughter's going to be a junior next year and is going to start to get recruited for volleyball.' Next up for Parker is the Los Angeles Sparks game on Sunday to have her jersey retired. She brought a championship to the franchise in 2016 and the Sparks will be playing Chicago, Parker's hometown team that she went to and helped win a title for in 2021. The Sky will retire her No. 3 jersey later this summer, making her only the second WNBA player to have her number retired by two different teams. Lindsay Whalen had her jersey retired by both Connecticut and Minnesota. 'It's surreal to be honest,' Parker said of the two jersey retirements. 'I would be lying if I didn't say that when I go into an organization, I want to be one of the best. I want to be remembered as one of the best. And sometimes one of the best doesn't always get their jersey retired.' Parker, who also wrote a book "The Can-Do Mindset" that was just published, said when she was drafted by Los Angeles No. 1 in 2008 she wanted to win championships there. 'My main thing when I look up into the rafters is like, I want to hang a banner, I wanted to hang banners,' she said. She brought one title to Los Angeles. Coming to Chicago she wanted to help her hometown win its first championship. It was something she accomplished in her brief time there. 'To be able to do that and walk around the city and know you have a championship, I think is super special for me,' she said. Parker never wanted a retirement tour when she decided to end her playing career before the start of last season. 'I never got a chance to stop and like, really live in the moment and be where my two feet were,' she said. 'Now I'm able to. And because of that, I realized how much I missed out on by not stopping and, like, smelling roses. And so now I'm, like, smelling every flower, every rose, every letter.' One area that Parker is trying to get into, but hasn't had success yet is WNBA ownership. She was part of the expansion bid put in by Nashville. 'I can't think of why the league wouldn't want a team in Nashville. I feel like it's kind of the birthplace of women's basketball,' Parker said. 'In terms of Pat Summitt and what she's meant to the rest of women's basketball, why can't or why shouldn't we have a team in Tennessee. I think it would be a state team and wouldn't just be a team from Nashville.' If Nashville was to get an expansion team, that would just add more to Parker's plate which is quite full right now. She's busy trying to make women's basketball at Adidas into the next big thing. 'Where women's basketball is in general, it was looked at as a negative balance, and now it's actually looked at as a business. It is the future of where sports are. We at Adidas have to be on our horse and make sure we understand the power of the dollar sign behind women. Women sell the numbers. That's the thing that's changed with women's sports. It went from being looked at as a charity to now it's a runway.' ___
