NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 18, 2024) – Nashville Soccer Club earned a 1-1 draw with Atlanta United FC at GEODIS Park on Saturday afternoon in Interim Head Coach Rumba Munthali's debut. Midfielder Hany Mukhtar scored for the Boys in Gold.
Salute to service: Saturday's matinee at GEODIS Park served as Active-Duty and Veterans Appreciation Day. Prior to the opening kick, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) based at Fort Campbell, known as the Nightstalkers, conducted a flyover. Sergent First Class Christine Permenter performed the National Anthem, and the 101st Airborne Division Brass Band provided halftime entertainment.
Celebrate good times: Mukhtar converted a penalty kick in the match's 40th minute for his third goal of the MLS season and his seventh against Atlanta United across all competitions. Three of Mukhtar's seven tallies against the Georgia side have come via penalty kicks. Mukhtar celebrated his goal by announcing he and his wife, Ashley Mukhtar, are expecting their first child.
Georgia peaches: Georgia natives and Nashville SC's defensive duo of Shaq Moore and Walker Zimmerman started together Saturday against Atlanta for the first time since March 2 at the Colorado Rapids. It was Moore's first start since suffering an injury March 23 at LAFC. Nashville SC has now started 10 different backlines this season.
Double-header: Nashville SC’s Special Olympics Unified Team competed in its second match of the year Saturday at GEODIS Park, falling to Atlanta United FC’s Unified Team 2-0. Nashville Soccer Club, in partnership with Special Olympics Tennessee, hosted the match following the Boys in Gold’s draw against The Five Stripes.
Next up: Following a stretch of five matches in 21 days, the Boys in Gold will begin a run of three fixtures in seven days starting Saturday, May 25 when the club travels north to face CF Montréal. Nashville SC defeated Montréal 4-1 on May 4 at GEODIS Park.
Match timeline:
NSH 40’: Hany Mukhtar wins a penalty then steps up to the spot and buries it in the lower right corner
ATL 56’: Tristan Muyumba sends a ball to Bartosz Slisz, who sends a shot into the back of the net
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- is on a three-match unbeaten streak at GEODIS Park (2W-0L-1D)
- owns a 35W-26L-35D record all-time against Eastern Conference teams
- extended its series history record against Atlanta United FC to 4W-3L-4D and its series record at home to 3W-1L-3D
- Atlanta United FC has not won at Nashville since the series opening match on Feb. 29, 2020 at Nissan Stadium
- extended its record to 11W-2L-7D all-time in May
- extended its all-time record to 44W-7L-20D when scoring first
- had 1.47 expected goals (xG) to Atlanta’s 0.59 xG
- recorded 11 shots and five shots on goal
- ‘s Special Olympics Unified Team played its second match of the season following the first team’s match
Nashville SC Interim Head Coach Rumba Munthali made his debut
Nashville SC’s America’s VetDogs Service-Dog-in-Training Cash was recognized pre-game for his final match at GEODIS Park before moving on to his final training
Sean Davis recorded his 250th career MLS regular season appearance
Aníbal Godoy
- led the team with 91% passing accuracy on the day (minimum 30 passes)
- is one match away from 100 regular season appearances as a Boy in Gold
Brent Kallman led the team with three clearances (also, Jack Maher)
Jack Maher led the team with three clearances (also, Brent Kallman)
Hany Mukhtar
- recorded his third MLS goal of the season which he celebrated by announcing he and his wife Ashley are expecting their first child
- recorded his third penalty kick goal across all competitions against Atlanta United FC
- recorded his sixth goal contribution against Atlanta United FC at GEODIS Park
- sits eighth among all active MLS players with 61 regular season goals scored
- led the team 0.94 expected goals (xG) on the day
Alex Muyl is Nashville SC’s only player to have appeared in all 13 games this season
Shaq Moore recorded his third consecutive appearance and first start since returning from injury on May 11 at Charlotte FC
Box score:
Nashville SC (3W-4L-6D) vs. Atlanta United FC (3W-6L-4D)
May 18, 2024 – GEODIS Park
Final score:
NSH: 1
ATL: 1
Scoring summary:
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Penalty Kick) 40’
ATL: Bartosz Slisz (A: Tristan Muyumba) 56’
Discipline:
ATL: Brad Guzan (Caution) 38’
ATL: Stian Gregersen (Caution) 44’
NSH: Sam Surridge (Caution) 45’ + 3
NSH: Josh Bauer (Caution) 90’
Lineups:
NSH starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore (Josh Bauer 46’), Walker Zimmerman (C) (Brent Kallman 64’); Hany Mukhtar, Jacob Shaffelburg, Aníbal Godoy (Amar Sejdić 80’), Sean Davis (Tah Brian Anunga 90’ + 1); Sam Surridge, Tyler Boyd (Alex Muyl 64’)
Substitutes: Elliot Panicco, Teal Bunbury, Taylor Washington
ATL starters: Brad Guzan (C); Ronald Hernandez (Xande Silva 64’), Stian Gregersen (Luis Abram 64’), Brooks Lennon, Noah Cobb (Efrain Morales 72’), Caleb Wiley; Bartosz Slisz, Tristan Muyumba (Dax McCarty 84’), Saba Lobjanidze, Nicola Firmino (Jamal Thiare 46’); Daniel Rios
Substitutes: Josh Cohen, Edwin Mosquera, Luke Brennan, Jay Fortune
Match officials:
Referee: Drew Fischer
AR1: Lyes Arfa
AR2: Mike Nickerson
4TH: Alexis Da Silva
VAR: Chris Penso
AVAR: Craig Lowry
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 76 degrees
