VANCOUVER, B.C (Aug. 27, 2022) – Nashville Soccer Club cruised to a 3-0 road win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday night in the club's longest road trip of the season. Jack Maher recorded his first career brace with Randall Leal adding to the tally with a sensational goal from distance.
Quite the Anniversary: On Aug. 27, 2019, Nashville SC signed Hany Mukhtar as the club’s first-ever Designated Player. With his two-assist effort tonight, Mukhtar, who wore the captain's armband for Nashville SC tonight, has now been involved in over half of the club’s regular season goals (63 of 120) in history and is the all-time leader in goals (36) and assists (27). Tonight, the MVP candidate became the 15th player in MLS history to record double-digit goals in multiple seasons after earning his 10th and 11th assists of the season.
Maher My Oh My: Nashville SC defender Jack Maher registered his first two goals of the season tonight. All three of Maher’s career goals have come against Canadian teams (also 06/23/2021 vs. TOR).
The Boys Are Getting Hot: Nashville SC have now rattled off back-to-back victories by multiple goals, out-scoring FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 7-0 in the last two matches. With the win, Nashville SC jumped to fifth in the Western Conference, just five points shy of third place.
Next Match: Nashville SC will return to Music City for a two-match homestand starting on Wednesday night against the Colorado Rapids, and followed by Austin FC on Saturday.
Match Timeline
NSH 19’: Randall Leal takes possession from the Nashville SC side of the field, goes coast to coast and fires a shot from distance that hits the left post and in the back of the net
NSH 23’: Hany Mukhtar delivers a ball off a corner kick that finds Jack Maher who sends in a powerful header
NSH 49’: After a ball delivered in from Hany Mukhtar off a set piece, Ethan Zubak gets a head on the ball in the box redirecting to Jack Maher who puts home the effort
Notes:
- Nashville SC:
- had a higher expected goals average than Vancouver (1.47-0.53)
- has held opponents to lower than a 1.00 expected goals in back-to-back matches
- scored three or more goals in back-to-back matches for the first time this season
- has outscored their opponents 25-11 in the first half of a match this season
- held Vancouver to zero shots on target
- recorded 520 passes
- is unbeaten this season when scoring the first goal of the match 9W-0L-7D
- is 27W-4L-12D when scoring the first goal all-time
- is 17W-1L-0D all-time when scoring three goals or more in a match
- is unbeaten with a 7W-0L-6D record when leading at halftime this year
- is 21W-1L-8D all-time when having a lead at the half
- Sean Davis
- appeared in his 200th career MLS match
- leads Nashville SC outfield players in minutes played with 2,329 this season
- Aníbal Godoy made his first start since June 19 vs. SKC, following injury
- Randall Leal
- added a goal tonight, registering two goals and six assists in 2022
- led the team with 10 passes in the final third tonight
- Hany Mukhtar
- is the team leader in goals (16) + assists (11) and leads all of MLS in goals + assists and tied for second in goals
- has contributed at least one goal in 13 of his last 16 MLS appearances
- is the first MLS player to reach 100 shots on the season
- Dave Romney led the side in completed passes with 74
- Taylor Washington made his first start since June 11 vs. San Jose
- Joe Willis earned his 47th career clean sheet, 29th with Nashville SC
- Ethan Zubak recorded his second career assist, first with Nashville SC
Box Score:
Nashville SC (10W-9L-9D, 39 pts.) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (9W-12L-7D, 34 pts.)
August 27, 2022 – BC Place
Final Score
VAN: 0
NSH: 3
Scoring Summary
NSH: Randall Leal (Unassisted) 19’
NSH: Jack Maher (Hany Mukhtar) 23’
NSH: Jack Maher (Ethan Zubak & Hany Mukhtar) 49’
Discipline
VAN: Javain Brown (caution) 31’
VAN: Tristan Blackmon (caution) 44’
VAN: Lucas Cavallini (ejection) 53’
NSH: Taylor Washington (caution) 63’
NSH: Sean Davis (caution) 76’
NSH: Dan Lovitz (caution) 90+1’
Lineups
NSH: Joe Willis; Dave Romney, Jack Maher Defender, Eric Miller, Taylor Washington, Alex Muyl; Anibal Godoy (Tah Brian Anunga 78’), Sean Davis (Dax McCarty 85’), Randall Leal (Jacob Shaffelburg 65’); Hany Mukhtar (C) (Luke Haakenson 65’), Ethan Zubak (Daniel Lovitz 78’)
Unused Substitutes: Shaq Moore, Longmire Ahmed, Walker Zimmerman, Elliot Panicco
VAN: Thomas Hasal; Ranko Veselinovic, Tristan Blackmon, Javain Brown (Marcus Godinho 66’); Sebastian Berhalter (Cristian Dájome 46’), Alessandro Schopf (Pedro Vite 66’), Julian Gressel, Andres Cubas, Ryan Gauld (C); Ryan Raposo (Lucas Cavallini 46’), Brian White (Tosaint Ricketts 73’)
Unused Substitutes: Florian Jungwirth, Jake Nerwinski, Russell Teibert, Cody Cropper
Referee: Jon Freemon
AR1: Felisha Mariscal
AR2: Meghan Mullen
4th Official: Fabrizio Stasolla
VAR: Carol Anne Chenard
AVAR: Claudiu Badea
Weather: Roof Closed, 67 degrees
