NASHVILLE, TN – Hany Mukhtar scored his 99th, 100th, and 101st goals in Nashville gold on Sunday night, propelling Nashville SC to a statement win over Los Angeles FC.
The vibe check (TL;DR)
- What happened: This was an all-time great performance from Hany Mukhtar, who dominated every facet of the game in an incredible showing.
- What we learned: Nashville continue to put in statement performances, earning 11 points from their last 12 matches to build a commanding lead in the East.
- Big picture: While it's certainly early to be table watching, the 'Yotes move into first place in the Supporters' Shield standings after their win, and will enter the World Cup break in prime position to contend for silverware.
Highlights
Key moments
- 5' | Brian Schwake comes up huge for Nashville. A sloppy turnover from Matt Corcoran puts Heung-Min Son through on goal, but Schwake comes off his line quickly and gets low to deny the former Tottenham star.
- 13' | Hany Mukhtar opens the scoring after a fantastic interchange with Reed Baker-Whiting and Warren Madrigal, all started by a driving run from Jeisson Palacios. The goal came against the run of play, with LAFC looking by far the more threatening side in the opening exchanges.
- 21' | Nashville's captain grabbed his 100th goal in gold with a world-class free kick, curling a ball from just outside the box past 'keeper Thomas Hasal.
- 22' | LAFC responded instantly through David Martínez after Dénis Bouanga dances past Baker-Whiting on the dribble to set the youngster up for a tap-in.
- 59' | Mukhtar makes it a hat-trick with another world-class free kick, becoming the seventh player in MLS history with at least five hat-tricks.
- 68' | LAFC pull another goal back, with Madrigal deflecting a corner kick in at the near post to give the visitors a lifeline.
- 72' | Schwake pulls out a jaw-dropping save to deny Son, who curled his shot towards the top corner from just outside the box.
- 89' | Another match-winning save from Schwake, somehow reacting to stick out a glove and knock down a point-blank Ryan Hollingshead shot.
Standout performers
- In a career that already looks like one of the best of all time in MLS, Hany Mukhtar put in one of his absolute best showings in a Nashville shirt. He scored all three goals on the night, including two genuinely world-class free kicks, his 100th and 101st goals in gold. Aside from the scoring, though, he was at the heart of everything Nashville did, dropping into midfield to progress the ball and putting in a few crucial defensive interventions. Absolutely elite.
- Bryan Acosta didn't put a foot wrong in midfield and managed the game really well. His ability to slow the game down at a few key moments helped Nashville avoid turning it into a track meet, and had one of the best open-field tackles you'll ever see to deny what looked like a certain goal.
- After struggling in the opening 15 minutes, Dan Lovitz recovered superbly to put in a really composed performance. He positioned himself incredibly well to deal with Martínez, progressed the ball well, and helped keep the backline compose.
- Ok, one more... Jeisson Palacios continues to prove himself one to be one of the best center backs in MLS. He advanced the ball forward for Mukhtar's opener with a driving run, and played a pinpoint pass to Madrigal to set up the free kick for Mukhtar's third. He is nothing short of dominant in the back.
- Ok, last one... Brian Schwake made seven saves on the night, including a few stunning stops. His stature is growing with every passing match.
Lineup notes
There were no real surprises in the team selection from BJ Callaghan. Dan Lovitz came back into the XI to replace the injured Andy Nájar, while Reed Baker-Whiting slid over to the right side.
What it means
Nashville end the night on top of the Supporters' Shield standings with another statement win over one of the league's best teams.
Up next
Nashville have one final game before the World Cup break, taking on New York City FC next Saturday night at Geodis Park. They won't play another competitive match until July 17.
Stats
Possession: NSH 52% – 48% LAFC
Shots: NSH 7 – 21 LAFC
Shots on goal: NSH 4 – 9 LAFC
Penalty kicks: NSH 0 – 0 LAFC
Goals: NSH 3 – 2 LAFC
Expected goals: NSH 0.66 – 2.44 LAFC
Total Passes: NSH 497 – 445 LAFC
Fouls: NSH 11 – 10 LAFC
Yellow cards: NSH 3 – 2 LAFC
Red cards: NSH 0 – 0 LAFC
Announced attendance: 27,948
