Nashville SC game in Nissan Stadium may be biggest soccer crowd in U.S. this weekend

Nissan Stadium may house this weekend's largest crowd for a soccer game in the United States.

More than 17,000 tickets have been sold. Depending on factors including weather (forecast Saturday is for a chance of rain and a high of 67), Nashville SC is prepared for a good walk-up crowd to push attendance toward 20,000 for the team's first home opener, which will be played at the home of the Titans.

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Six MLS games and 15 USL contests will be played this weekend. If 20,000 or more fans show up to Nissan Stadium, the only game that likely would threaten Nashville SC in attendance is New York Red Bulls hosting Minnesota United. Though the Red Bulls averaged more than 20,000 fans each of the past two seasons, every March home game dipped below that mark.

Nashville SC's slated goal has been to topple the USL inaugural home opener attendance record of 20,231 set by Sacramento Republic in 2014.

Here are four more things to watch for Nashville SC's home opener against Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Importance of inaugural home game

Last week, coach Gary Smith said the opener should not be valued any differently than any of the other 33 USL games on the schedule. His tune has changed this week.

"If you are not looking forward to occasions like this, you really should not be involved in the game," Smith said Thursday. "It's a wonderful opportunity."

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Saturday also marks the start of the Bob Lilley era for Pittsburgh, which finished toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season and endured a large roster overhaul over the offseason.

Energy in the right place

After a less than stellar start to the scrimmage portion of the practice, Smith huddled his first-team lineup together to establish more sense of urgency, with a focus on the first 10 minutes of game action.

Perhaps the sluggish start to the season opener — a 2-0 loss to Louisville City — plus the certainty of a live atmosphere Saturday in Nissan Stadium, compelled Smith to make a point.

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"We have to find a way to find a way, in this brand new surface and brand new field, to really take the game to Pittsburgh," Smith said. "We have to ask them plenty of questions in the attacking third that unfortunately we were unable to ask of Louisville."

Bourgeois finding more time with the ones

Center back Bradley Bourgeois spent the entirety of Thursday's practice working with the defensive backline that played against Louisville City, replacing London Woodberry.

Bourgeois did not play Saturday but was on the 18-man roster as a potential substitute.

Nashville SC captain Michael Reed said that Bourgeois' straightforwardness is the Houston native's biggest asset.

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"You know what you are getting from him," Reed said. "He tells you, what he has is what he has."

If Bourgeois starts on Saturday, it is likely that he will play as the right-hand center back, alongside wing back Kosuke Kimura.

Attacking combinations still not set

Smith has four rotating strikers as options at the top of the attack.

Robin Shroot and Michael Cox, two veteran options, started against Louisville City and have been with the first-team lineup for most of the preseason. But Tucker Hume and Ropapa Mensah, 22 and 20 years old respectively, have impressed with the ability to keep moving the attack forward. Hume's entrance Saturday in Louisville provided the team with more activity at the top of the formation, while Mensah's energetic style lifts an attack more often than not.

All four players have rotated with each other during training this week, and Smith is still trying to find the right combination to unlock the best style of attack.