Nashville SC Routs New England Revolution in Season Opener

Sam Surridge scores twice as Nashville cruises to 4-1 victory

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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In their regular-season opener, Nashville SC defeated the visiting New England Revolution 4-1 on Saturday night. Sam Surridge scored a pair of first-half goals, while Hany Mukhtar and Warren Madrigal also found the back of the net for Nashville. Leo Campana scored the lone goal for New England, who were playing under new head coach Marko Mitrovic.

Why it matters

This win gives Nashville SC an early advantage in the Eastern Conference standings as they look to build on their successful 2025 campaign. For New England, the loss is a disappointing start to the Mitrovic era as the team looks to bounce back and compete for a playoff spot.

The details

Surridge opened the scoring in the 5th minute, and then doubled Nashville's lead in the 16th minute. Mukhtar made it 3-0 in the 39th minute before Madrigal added a fourth goal for the home team. Campana pulled one back for New England early in the second half, but that was as close as they would come.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • Surridge scored his first goal in the 5th minute.
  • Surridge scored his second goal in the 16th minute.
  • Mukhtar scored in the 39th minute.
  • Madrigal scored in the second half.

The players

Sam Surridge

A striker for Nashville SC who scored two goals in the season opener.

Hany Mukhtar

A midfielder for Nashville SC who scored one goal in the victory.

Warren Madrigal

A midfielder for Nashville SC who scored one goal and had two assists.

Leo Campana

A forward for the New England Revolution who scored their lone goal in the loss.

Marko Mitrovic

The new head coach of the New England Revolution, taking over for Caleb Porter in the offseason.

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What they’re saying

“We came out strong and took it to them from the start. It was a great team performance and a good way to open the season.”

— Sam Surridge, Striker, Nashville SC (statenews.net)

“We have a lot of work to do, but I'm confident we can turn this around. The guys gave a good effort, we just came up short today.”

— Marko Mitrovic, Head Coach, New England Revolution (statenews.net)

What’s next

Nashville SC will look to build on this win when they host the Philadelphia Union next weekend, while the New England Revolution will try to bounce back at home against the Chicago Fire.

The takeaway

Nashville SC showed they are a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference, dominating the season opener against a New England Revolution team that is adjusting to a new head coach. The early-season win gives Nashville momentum as they aim to return to the playoffs in 2026.