NASHVILLE, TN – Hany Mukhtar made history for Nashville SC on Saturday night, scoring his 99th and 100th goals in MLS play in a 2-0 win over Toronto FC that wasn't nearly as close as the scoreline indicated.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: Nashville were dominant in a first half that saw them go into the break up 2-0, creating a bevy of chances that they just couldn't finish. The trend continued after the break, with Sam Surridge in particular struggling to find the net from promising positions.
- What we learned: Despite the missed chances, Nashville were fully deserving of the win, their 13th home win of the 2026 season. One more would tie them for the MLS single-season record, set by Red Bull New York in 2018.
- Big picture: It's another three points for Nashville, who have reached the 60-point mark for the first time in club history. The win opens up a 14-point lead in the Eastern Conference before Inter Miami's Sunday night match.
Highlights
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Key moments
- 17' | After a dominant opening period, Hany Mukhtar opens the scoring. The goal is almost a mirror image of Sam Surridge's strike against Chicago, with Elias Saad playing a ball over the top for Cristian Espinoza to head across the goalmouth.
- 21' | In his first real involvement, Joe Willis gets down really well, getting a palm on a low shot bound for the bottom corner.
- 36' | Heroics from Willis to keep Nashville ahead. He gets a hand on a low shot and makes a spectacular kick-save to deny Josh Sargent on the rebound.
- 38' | Espinoza nearly doubles the lead, taking down a ball from Andy Nájar and testing Luka Gavran with a weighty shot.
- 43' | Mukhtar makes it a brace with a ridiculous shot from range, keeping Gavran completely frozen to the spot.
- 45+2' | It should have been a goal for Surridge, who gets on the end of a gorgeous cross from Espinoza, but smashes it wide. That's immediately after a shot he skied, but was called offside.
- 66' | Gavran makes an incredible save to deny Surridge from close range, almost reaching behind and pulling the header off the line.
- 68' | Another save from Gavran, this time to deny Matt Corcoran a chipped effort from inside the six-yard box.
- 69' | Yet another save from Gavran. Surridge's header from a corner kick looks destined for the top corner, but the Canadian somehow tips it over the bar.
- 75' | And another shocking miss from Surridge. Mukhtar has his hat-trick effort cleared off the line, and the Englishman somehow puts it over an open goal from just yards away.
Standout performers
- Hany Mukhtar continues his red-hot form following the World Cup break. With seven goals since the league resumed play, he's one of the most dangerous attackers in MLS, and just three behind Surridge for Nashville's Golden Boot.
- Matt Corcoran put in another stellar midfield shift. The 20-year-old hardly put a foot wrong on either side of the ball, controlling the tempo, breaking Toronto's defensive shape, and putting in a couple of mean tackles.
- In his first minutes of the season, Joe Willis made a few spectacular saves to earn Nashville's 13th clean sheet of the regular season, and his 61st in a Nashville shirt.
Lineup notes
BJ Callaghan's only two changes in the lineup were enforced by the international break. Joe Willis replaced Brian Schwake in goal, while Eddi Tagseth slotted into midfield for the absent Patrick Yazbek.
18-year-old goalkeeper Will Mackay also made his first appearance in a Nashville squad, called up on a short-term loan from Huntsville City FC.
What it means
Nashville have earned 40 out of a possible 42 points at home in 2026. No one in MLS has more than 29.
Up next
Nashville have a week off as the international break wraps up. They'll return to play on Saturday, October 10, on the road against Austin FC.
Stats
Possession: NSH 62% – 38% TOR
Field tilt (per Futi): NSH 65% – 35% TOR
Shots: NSH 23 – 11 TOR
Shots on goal: NSH 11 – 3 TOR
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 TOR
Goals: NSH 2 – 0 TOR
Expected goals: NSH 2.57 – 0.52 TOR
Total Passes: NSH 442 – 228 TOR
Fouls: NSH 12 – 9 TOR
Yellow cards: NSH 1 – 0 TOR
Red cards: NSH 0 – 0 TOR
Deserved win (per Futi): NSH 62% – 16% TOR
Announced attendance: 26,720
