Nashville Triumphs Over Toronto 1-0 as Surridge Shines

Nashville SC secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Toronto FC on March 16, 2024, thanks to a goal from Sam Surridge and a stellar performance by goalkeeper Joe Willis. This win marked the ninth home victory for Nashville this season and set a franchise record for the most wins during a regular season, surpassing the previous high of 13 achieved in both 2022 and 2023.

Surridge’s goal, his 18th of the season, came in the 28th minute. After Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson made a diving save on a powerful left-footed shot by Hany Mukhtar, the ball deflected into Surridge’s path, allowing him to finish easily. This achievement places Surridge among an elite group, as he became the 10th player in Major League Soccer history to score at least 18 goals in his team’s first 24 matches of a season. Notably, he is the first to reach this milestone since Carlos Vela and Josef Martínez in 2019.

Nashville’s strong defensive display was highlighted by Willis earning his ninth clean sheet of the season, bringing his career total to 76 clean sheets in MLS regular season play. This victory also contributed to his overall tally of 101 wins in MLS regular season matches.

Nashville remains in strong form, now unbeaten in their last six encounters against Toronto, with a cumulative score of 8-3 over this stretch. The team holds a perfect record of 3-0-0 against Toronto when Surridge finds the net.

This latest win places Nashville SC at the top of their game as they look to build on their promising season. Their performance not only demonstrates their growth as a franchise but also sets a competitive tone as they continue through the remainder of the Major League Soccer season.