NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 22, 2023) – Nashville Soccer Club earned a 1-1 result against reigning MLS Cup Champions LAFC in front of a sellout crowd of 30,109 at GEODIS Park. Hany Mukhtar scored the opening goal in the first half before LAFC found their equalizer in the 59th minute of play. Midfielder Dax McCarty recorded his 400th Major League Soccer regular season career start, as defender Josh Bauer made his MLS debut.
Most Valuable Player Strikes Again: Reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar notched his third goal of the season, now scoring in three of his last four matches for the Boys in Gold. Mukhtar has been involved in 40 of Nashville’s 60 goals (26 goals + 14 assists).
Dax Reaches 400 Starts: Nashville SC midfielder Dax McCarty made his 400th career MLS regular season start. McCarty is just one of three outfield players in MLS history to start at least 400 MLS regular season matches (also Kyle Beckerman and Chad Marshall).
Point Earning Recipe: After scoring the opening goal of the match, Nashville SC has not lost in its last 32 matches when scoring the first goal of a match, a streak that dates back to Aug. 8, 2021.
Magic Of The Open Cup: Nashville SC’s next match will see the Boys in Gold take on San Antonio FC in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live for free on the Bleacher Report (B/R) app and B/R Football YouTube channel.
Match Timeline:
NSH 35’: Hany Mukhtar connects with Teal Bunbury to strike the ball into the back of the net from inside the box
LAFC 59’: Dénis Bouanga fires off a low shot from distance to equalize for LAFC
Notes:
- Nashville SC:
- has allowed the fewest goals in MLS (5)
- has not lost since Aug. 8, 2021 when scoring first
- owns a 3W-0L-1D record this season and a 33W-4L-15D record historically when scoring first
- has allowed just two goals at GEODIS Park this season
- recorded its first draw against LAFC in series history (1W-1L-1D)
- vs. next MLS opponent: Atlanta United FC
- will face Atlanta United FC for the first of two meetings this season
- has not lost to Atlanta United FC since Aug. 8, 2020
- owns a 2W-2L-3D record against Atlanta United FC in MLS regular season series history
- will be looking for its first MLS regular season win over Atlanta at GEODIS Park in series history (0W-0L-1D)
- Josh Bauer made his MLS debut in the 78th minute of the match
- Teal Bunbury
- recorded his first assist since 2020, and his first assist for Nashville SC
- made his 346th career regular season appearance
- Dan Lovitz led the team in tackles won with four at 100% and duels won with seven at 63.6%
- Jack Maher led the defense with nine clearances
- Dax McCarty made his 447th career regular season appearance
- Hany Mukhtar
- recorded his first goal in GEODIS Park in the 2023 season
- has never gone more than two home matches in his career without a goal contribution
- has contributed to 76 of Nashville SC’s total 139 goals in club history
- finished week nine with three goals and three assists, in comparison to his 2022 MLS Landon Donovan Most Valuable Player showing in 2022, where he ended week nine with two goals and four assists
- Alex Muyl made his 199th career regular season appearance, just one shy of 200
- Joe Willis
- recorded five saves, marking the third time this season he’s recorded five or more saves (also, at Orlando, vs. Cincinnati)
- sits at third in the league with 33 saves (at the end of the match)
- is two regular season starts shy of becoming the first Nashville SC player to reach 100 MLS appearances
Box Score:
Nashville SC (3W-3L-2D, 12 pts.) vs. Los Angeles FC (5W-0L-3D,18 pts.)
April 22, 2023 – GEODIS Park
Final Score
NSH: 1
LAFC: 1
Scoring Summary
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (A: Teal Bunbury) 35’
LAFC: Dénis Bouanga 59’
Discipline
LAFC: Denil Maldonado (caution) 8’
LAFC: Erick Dueñas (caution) 69’
LAFC: Jésus Murillo (caution) 88’
Lineups:
NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Daniel Lovitz, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Walker Zimmerman (C) (Taylor Washington, 55’); Dax McCarty (Ján Greguš, 78’), Hany Mukhtar, Teal Bunbury (CJ Sapong, 67’), Alex Muyl (Josh Bauer, 78’), Aníbal Godoy; Fafà Picault (Jacob Shaffelburg, 67’)
Substitutes: Ethan Zubak, Luke Haakenson, Tah Brian Anunga, Elliot Panicco
LAFC Starters: John McCarthy; Denil Maldonado, Jésus Murillo, Diego Palacios, Erik Dueñas, Sergi Palencia (Ryan Hollingshead, 82’); Ille Sánchez (C) (Kellyn Acosta, 69’), Mateusz Bogusz (Carlos Vela, 69’), José Cifuentes; Stipe Biuk (Kwadwo Opaku, 69’), Dénis Bouanga
Substitutes: Daniel Crisostomo, Nathan Ordaz, Abraham Romero, Noah Dollenmayer
Referee: Ted Unkel
Ar1: Ryan Graves
Ar2: Chris Elliott
4th Official: Cory Richardson
VAR: Drew Fischer
AVAR: Claudiu Badea
Attendance: 30,109
Weather: Clear, 65 Degrees
