The Red Bulls were beaten 1-0 in Foxborough following a run of four wins in five matches, with Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg among the big names missing due to international duty.
The result left them fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, six points adrift of Supporters' Shield frontrunners Inter Miami.
"We separated ourselves from the bottom half of the group and now we're kind of just lying there in the middle," centre-back Nealis said as he reflected on New York's last result.
"We'll learn from this. We'll get better from it. This is a young group out there.
"A lot got their first minutes of the season and I think we'll all learn how to get better and how to understand these environments and then get over the hump."
Nashville, meanwhile, sit ninth in the East, 10 points adrift of the Red Bulls.
They have taken four points from four games (one win, two draws, one defeat) since Rumba Munthali took over as interim head coach following the firing of Gary Smith.
They were also beaten by the Revs on their last MLS outing before the international break, and Munthali believes keeping players fresh will be key if they are to improve.
"It's a quick turnaround, and we have a lot of confidence in the group," Munthali said.
"We try to balance that, and we want to make sure guys are available for the whole season, not just game to game.
"It's about managing and making sure we're not straining guys and breaking them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Elias Manoel
Having seen the likes of Morgan and Forsberg go on international duty, the Red Bulls could be left to rely on Manoel.
He has three goals and three assists in MLS play this term, despite only making eight starts. Only Morgan (nine) and Forsberg (six) have outscored him for New York.
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar scored Nashville's only goal in their defeat to New England on June 1 from the penalty spot.
He has been directly involved in each of Nashville's last four MLS goals (two goals, two assists, with the last Nashville goal without a Mukhtar involvement coming on May 15.
MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
Nashville ended a seven-game run without an away victory by beating FC Cincinnati 2-0 on May 29, just their second win in their last 16 away league matches.
However, they may struggle on Saturday against a team unbeaten in 10 straight home games (seven wins, three draws), dating back to last year's playoffs.
The Red Bulls are also unbeaten in their last five meetings with Nashville, winning two and drawing three while only conceding once in that sequence.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 52%
Nashville SC – 23.5%
Draw – 24.5%
The Red Bulls currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, only behind city rivals New York City FC due to having one less win than them this season.
They bounced back in style from their derby defeat to NYCFC in midweek, beating Charlotte FC 3-1 with an impressive second-half performance.
Forsberg was full of praise for the way his team play, particularly in the final third.
"When we play with tempo, it's hard to get us," he said. "And I think that's the most important thing - to play with confidence.
"When we are straightforward, that's key for us. When we win the ball, we put those hard passes forward and go with everybody."
Orlando City, meanwhile, sit eight points below them in 11th after winning just one of their last four matches.
While they only drew with Chicago Fire on Wednesday, they did end a run of three games without hitting the back of the net.
Oscar Pareja reiterated the Lions’s need to improve if they want to reach the final series.
He said: "It's important that we can keep our minds calm and see the things that we need to get better. We take [the draw against Chicago Fire] and look to improve against New York."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Forsberg scored goals one minute and 45 seconds apart in the Red Bulls' win on Wednesday. It was the fastest two goals by a Red Bulls player since Daniel Royer scored one minute and 43 seconds apart against Seattle Sounders in July 2017.
Orlando City – Facundo Torres
Torres has scored four goals against the Red Bulls in regular-season play, tied for his most against any opponent along with Chicago Fire, whom he scored against on Wednesday.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
The Red Bulls have not lost any of their last nine MLS home matches (W6 D3, incl. playoffs) dating back to last October. New York has not had a longer home unbeaten run in MLS play (incl. playoffs) since a 14-game streak in April-October 2016.
However, Orlando are unbeaten in five matches against the Red Bulls in all competitions (W4 D1) after having never gone more than two in a row without a loss against New York before.
Orlando have lost only six of their 24 regular-season away matches since the start of last season, including going unbeaten in five straight on the road. Only FC Cincinnati (four) have fewer road losses since the start of last season than the Lions (tied with Real Salt Lake).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 51.3%
Draw – 24.7%
Orlando City – 23.9%
Ukraine broke the deadlock when a passing move just before the half hour found Oleksandr Zinchenko at the back post and his rasping half-volley was too strong for Robin Olsen.
Sweden equalised on the stroke of half-time through Emil Forsberg's deflected effort from distance and the striker twice hit the woodwork after the break.
Marcus Danielson was sent off in extra time and Ukraine made the extra man count when Zinchenko's cross was headed in from close range by substitute Dovbyk to set up a last-eight tie with England.
Sweden began with the greater intensity but it was Ukraine who carved out the first meaningful effort on goal when Roman Yaremchuk's low shot was kept out by the diving Olsen.
Alexander Isak dragged an effort wide of the post for Sweden before a slick Ukraine interchange culminated in Andriy Yarmolenko's deft cross with the outside of his boot which Zinchenko crisply finished.
Sweden almost hit back instantly when Sebastian Larsson's opportunistic curling free-kick from long distance had Georgi Bushchan scrambling across goal.
The leveller soon followed, Forsberg showing quick feet to create a shooting opportunity from outside the box as his strike took a defection off Illia Zabarnyi and flew beyond Bushchan.
Both sides struck the woodwork early in an open start to the second half as Larsson and Forsberg grazed the post either side of Serhiy Sydorchuk's shot which rebounded off it.
Bushchan produced a superb diving save to keep out a Dejan Kulusevski curling shot which seemed destined for the top corner before Forsberg jinked inside and bent another effort against the crossbar.
Kulusevski had a chance for Sweden at the end of normal time when he controlled a long ball but his angled shot was kept out by a last-ditch block from Oleksandr Karavaev.
Sweden's Danielson was sent off in extra time following a VAR review for a dangerous high tackle on Artem Besedin which left the Ukraine player unable to play any further part.
Spot-kicks loomed but Dovbyk popped up with the winner, heading in Zinchenko's cross from close range in injury time at the end of 120 minutes.
