Nashville SC Faces Atlanta United Without Top Scorer Sam Surridge

East-leading Nashville may be without its leading goalscorer for Saturday's match against struggling Atlanta.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:38pm

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A fractured, geometric painting in vibrant blues, golds, and reds, depicting an abstract soccer match between two teams, with no identifiable players or logos.The high-stakes Eastern Conference clash between Nashville SC and Atlanta United is rendered in a cubist, deconstructed style that captures the intensity and unpredictability of the matchup.Chattanooga Today

Nashville SC, the current Eastern Conference leaders in MLS, may have to take on Atlanta United on Saturday without their top scorer Sam Surridge, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. Surridge, who is tied for the MLS lead with 7 goals, missed Nashville's midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup match and is questionable for the Atlanta game. Despite Atlanta's poor start to the season, Nashville head coach BJ Callaghan expects a tough match between the two Southeastern rivals.

Why it matters

Nashville SC is looking to extend their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings, but losing their leading goalscorer could make that task more difficult against an Atlanta United team desperate for a positive result to boost their confidence and turn around their slow start to the season.

The details

Sam Surridge suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out of Nashville's midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup match. Nashville head coach BJ Callaghan said Surridge has made good progress, but still has some hurdles to clear with the medical and performance staff to determine if he can play against Atlanta on Saturday. Atlanta United is coming off a U.S. Open Cup win over Chattanooga FC, snapping a three-match losing streak across all competitions. However, they will be without key players Miguel Almiron and Steven Alzate due to injuries.

  • On Tuesday, Surridge missed Nashville's CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal match.
  • On Saturday, Nashville will face Atlanta United.

The players

Sam Surridge

Nashville SC's leading goalscorer with 7 goals, who is dealing with a hamstring injury and is questionable for Saturday's match against Atlanta United.

BJ Callaghan

The head coach of Nashville SC.

Tata Martino

The head coach of Atlanta United.

Miguel Almiron

An Atlanta United player who will be unavailable for up to two weeks due to a knee injury.

Steven Alzate

An Atlanta United player who will be unavailable due to an adductor injury.

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What they’re saying

“He's made some good progress ... and so, right now, it's just (him having to) clear a few hurdles with medical and performance to see if we can get him ready for (Atlanta).”

— BJ Callaghan, Nashville SC Head Coach

“The poor results are something we can resolve before the World Cup break, but it's also important to confidence and the emotional state of the team.”

— Tata Martino, Atlanta United Head Coach

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.