Pacius and Surridge Shine in Nashville’s Victory Over Ottawa
Nashville SC defeated Atlético Ottawa 2-0 in the first leg of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One. Woobens Pacius and Sam Surridge scored second-half goals, while Alex Muyl was named Superior Player of the Match. The teams will face off again in the second leg next Tuesday.
Woobens Pacius and Sam Surridge scored second-half goals as Nashville SC earned a 2–0 win over Atlético Ottawa on Tuesday night in the first leg of their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One series.
The match marked Atlético Ottawa’s debut in the continental competition.
After a scoreless first half at Hamilton Stadium, Nashville broke through in the 66th minute. Pacius moved past Ottawa’s defensive line inside the penalty area and finished into the centre of the net to give the Major League Soccer side the lead.
Nashville extended its advantage deep into stoppage time. In the 90th minute plus five, Cristian Espinoza delivered a pass into the area that Surridge converted to make it 2–0.
Midfielder Alex Muyl was named the Superior Player of the Match. Muyl recorded 51 touches, completed 30 passes, made three tackles and registered three shots along with two key passes. He finished with an 80 per cent passing accuracy.
The result gives Nashville a two-goal cushion heading into the second leg, scheduled for next Tuesday at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The aggregate winner will advance to the Round of 16.
