Nashville SC head coach B.J. Callaghan expressed his desire to win trophies with the club this season after booking their place in the U.S. Open Cup final in midweek.

Nashville beat Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union 3-1, led by Sam Surridge's hat-trick, setting up a meeting with Austin FC in the showpiece match on October 1.

The Coyotes are within touching distance of a first major trophy, having come close to the Leagues Cup title in 2023, but lost to Inter Miami in the final.

The U.S. Open Cup champion will earn a berth in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Callaghan is aiming to deliver next month.

"They're so committed to each other," Callaghan said. "They're committed to everything that they've talked about that they want to accomplish.

"This season has helped us be battle-tested. To make that hurdle to the final is just a great accomplishment."

But before that date with destiny, Nashville are in MLS action this weekend, making the trip to Inter&Co Stadium to take on fellow playoff hopefuls Orlando City SC.

Nashville can secure their spot in the postseason with a win if the New York Red Bulls drop points to CF Montreal, and Surridge believes their midweek win has given the team confidence.

"It's great because from that Leagues Cup final we still have a lot of lads that have been there and experienced it," Surridge said. "We can take that into the Open Cup.

"It's great for the club, but our next step is winning trophies. That's what we want to do this season. We're in a final, but we also want to do well in the league.

"We've hit a bit of a sticky patch, but a game like Philadelphia is almost certainly going to give us a lot of confidence."

Orlando, meanwhile, have slipped out of the top seven in the Eastern Conference after failing to win their last two league matches, the latest seeing them draw with D.C. United.

It was a dominant display by Oscar Pareja's team, who generated an expected goals (xG) total of 1.6 from their 25 shots, while also playing the last 30 minutes with a man advantage following Lukas MacNaughton's red card.

While the Orlando boss was pleased with his side's display, he bemoaned the inability to find a clinical edge in the final third, something he highlighted would be needed against Nashville.

"We have reasons to feel frustrated tonight for not winning the game and getting the three points," Pareja said. "Especially after we tied the game and we have one more player.

"That feeling is there. But at the same time, I want to recognise that from the first minute, I thought Orlando dictated the tempo and the pace of the game and the majority of the options and many of the plays we could have scored, as well, has to be evaluated.

"And this frustration is part of the game. We have to polish in the last third again and be the team that we are when we create the options and score and that's what makes you win games.

"But other than that, I thought the behaviour of the boys tactically and the overall game, it was as you all saw it, very dominant for Orlando."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando City – Alexander Freeman

Freeman scored his fifth goal of the MLS season in Orlando's road draw with D.C. United, and he will be out to increase his league tally here.

Indeed, Freeman is the fifth City player with five or more league goals this season, the second-most such players by any MLS team in 2025 (Charlotte FC with six).

Nashville – Sam Surridge

Surridge extended his Golden Boot lead over Miami's Lionel Messi with his 21st goal of the regular season last time out and now leads the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner by one.

He is the second English player to score more than 20 goals in an MLS season, joining Bradley Wright-Phillips, who did so in both 2014 (27) and 2016 (24).

MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

Nashville's 5-1 home win over Orlando last month was the largest margin of victory by either side in the 16 all-time matches in all competitions between the clubs. Those five goals also equalled the Coyotes' goal output from the previous seven meetings combined.

But Callaghan's team come into the game off the back of a defeat to Cincinnati, the club's fifth defeat in their last six MLS matches (W1). Prior to the current span, Nashville had just five league losses this season in 24 matches (W14 D5).  

Orlando, meanwhile, are on a four-match winning streak at home in all competitions, scoring 15 goals during that run. The 15 goals are the most in a span of four home matches (all competitions) in the club's MLS era.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City – 54.7%

Draw – 23.3%

Nashville – 22%