Hany Mukhtar Retake the Golden Boot Lead with his 15th Goal of the Season

Nashville SC Travels to San Jose Earthquakes for Second Western Conference Road Trip of the Week

Nashville SC kicked off its two-match road trip with a decisive 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City with goals from Fafá Picault, Hany Mukhtar and Jack Maher. In the midst of a two-match Western Conference road trip, Nashville SC will head to San Jose Earthquakes next in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.

His Boots are Golden: Hany Mukhtar’s 66th minute goal put him back in sole possession of the 2023 MLS Golden Boot race lead. Mukhtar now has 15 goals this season, and 58 goals in 107 games. The double-goal contribution marked the third match of the season Mukhtar has recorded both a goal and an assist.

That Man Maher: Jack Maher’s 76th minute goal marked his first of the 2023 season and his first time seeing the score sheet since his brace at Vancouver on Aug. 27, 2022. Maher also helped anchor Nashville SC’s defense to a shutout victory with 10 clearances.

Shut out Sporting: Tonight’s clean sheet marked Nashville SC’s first shutout against Sporting Kansas City across four matches in series history. Joe Willis made two crucial saves to keep the clean sheet. Walker Zimmerman, in his first match since Leagues Cup 2023, contributed with four clearances to Maher’s 10.

Headed West Next: Nashville SC will continue its Western Conference road trip as it takes on San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, Sept. 23. The match will kick off at 9:30 p.m. CT and will be available on the MLS Season Pass.

Match Timeline:

NSH 29’: Dan Lovitz services a corner kick that finds Fafá Picault as he rises above the line to nod the ball into the back of the net

NSH 66’: Walker Zimmerman crosses the ball into the box and Hany Mukhtar picks up a ball from Picault to send it into the upper left corner

NSH 76’: Hany Mukhtar services a ball, and Jack Maher flicks the ball into the back of the net

Notes:

  • Nashville SC:
    • has not lost when leading at the half since Oct. 12, 2020
    • holds an 8W-0L-1D record this season when leading at the half
    • recorded its first road win in the Man in Black kit as it extended its overall record to 4W-3L-2D
    • extended its record against Western Conference teams to 3W-0L-1D this season
    • extended its weekday record to 2W-2L-1D this season, 17W-5L-11D all-time
  • Josh Bauer played in his seventh game this season, coming in as a sub for Walker Zimmerman in 70th minute
  • Teal Bunbury missed tonight’s game due to yellow card accumulation; will be available for selection on Saturday at SJ Earthquakes
  • Dan Lovitz recorded his fourth assist of the season, and is now two assists short from tying his 2021 season record (6)
  • Jack Maher scored his first goal of the 2023 MLS season and led the team with 10 clearances
  • Dax McCarty led the team in tackles (6) and tackles won (5)
  • Hany Mukhtar
    • leads the 2023 Golden Boot race with 15 goals
    • led the team with 100% shots on target
  • Fafá Picault
    • scored his first goal in MLS play since May 28, 2023 against Columbus Crew
    • led the team in expected goals (xG) with 0.39 and shots with three
  • Joe Willis secured his eighth clean sheet of the season with two crucial saves
  • Walker Zimmerman returned to the pitch after injury for the first time in MLS play since July 15 at FC Cincinnati

Box Score:

Nashville SC (12W-9L-7D, 43 pts) vs. Sporting Kansas City (9W-13L-8D, 35 pts)

Sept. 20, 2023 – Children’s Mercy Park

Final Score:

NSH:  3

SKC:  0

Scoring Summary:

NSH: Fafá Picault (A: Dan Lovitz) 29’

NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Unassisted) 66’

NSH: Jack Maher (A: Hany Mukhtar) 76’ 

Discipline:

NSH: Alex Muyl (Caution) 52’

NSH: Taylor Washington (Caution) 82’

NSH: Shaq Moore (Caution) 90’ + 1

SKC: Dany Rosero (Caution) 90’ + 4

Lineups:               NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz (Taylor Washington 81’), Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Walker Zimmerman (C) (Josh Bauer 70’); Dax McCarty, Hany Mukhtar, Alex Muyl, Aníbal Godoy (Tah Brian Anunga 69’), Sean Davis (Sam Surridge 81’); Fafá Picault (Jacob Shaffelburg 87’)

Substitutes: Randall Leal, Ethan Zubak, Luke Haakenson, Elliot Panicco

SKC Starters: Tim Melia; Adreu Fontas (Robert Voloder 78’), Dany Rosero, Jake Davis, Logan Ndenbe; Nemanja Radoja (Gadi Kinda 45’), Erik Thommy (Felipe Gutierrez 75’), Remi Walter; Johnny Russell (C) (Marinos Tzionis 75’), Alan Pulido (Willy Agada 72’), Daniel Salloi

Substitutes: John Pulskamp, Khiry Shelton, Roger Espinoza, Felipe Hernandez

Match Officials:

Referee: Victor Rivas

AR1: Kyle Atkins

AR2: Noah Kenyawani

4TH Official: Armando Villarreal

VAR: Edvin Jurisevic

AVAR: Peter Balciunas

Weather: Clear, 75 degrees

Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer on Feb. 29, 2020 in front of the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee. In its inaugural MLS season, Nashville SC defeated expectations by becoming the second MLS expansion side to win and advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville SC returned to the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in its sophomore season after becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home in a season. Nashville SC inaugurated GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, in front of a 30,109-sellout crowd on May 1, 2022. For more information, visit NashvilleSC.com and follow the club at @NashvilleSC on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and Spotify.