Nashville SC Sets New Winning Streak Record with Five Consecutive Home Victories

Mukhtar’s Fourth Career Hat Trick Sets Him as MLS Leader in Goals Scored with 13

Nashville Soccer Club (10W-3L-5D, 35 pts.) set a new club record with its 10^th consecutive match unbeaten in Major League Soccer competition with a 3-1 victory over expansion side St. Louis CITY SC (9W-6L-2D, 29 pts.). The victory in front of a sellout crowd of 30,109 at GEODIS marks the third consecutive year Nashville SC has recorded 10 or more wins in a season, and the first time to record five consecutive home wins.  

Hany Mukhtar got the party started with his fastest goal of the season in the 11^th minute after a cross in the box by Shaq Moore from the right side was deflected towards Mukhtar in the middle of the box who then hammered it home [WATCH]. 

Mukhtar converted a penalty for his second goal after Jacob Shaffelburg was taken down from behind in the box [WATCH]. 

The hat trick came after Dax McCarty set the German attacker with a nifty flick. Alone against the St. Louis keeper, Mukhtar delivered his final goal of the night [WATCH].  

Hat Trick Hany: Reigning 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Mukhtar scored his fourth career MLS hat trick, second of the season. Mukhtar has scored multiple goals 14 times, as Nashville has never lost when Mukhtar scored multiple goals owning a 12W-0L-2D record.

With his league leading 13 goals, Mukhtar became the third player in MLS history to record at least 50 goals and 30 assists in the regular season over a three-year span. The German joins Sebastian Giovinco (2015-17) and Robbie Keane (2012-14, 2013-15) as the only players to accomplish that feat.

When compared to his MVP season in 2022, Mukhtar has four more goals and two extra assists through Matchday 18 in 2023 (13G + 7A in 2023 > 9G + 5A in 2022).

History At The Castle: Nashville SC’s 10 match unbeaten run (7W-0L-3D) in MLS play dates back to April 22. The Boys in Gold have outscored its opponents 21-9 and have not allowed more than a goal per match.

Welcoming The New Kids: Nashville SC owns a 3W-1L-0D record against expansion sides in the first-ever meeting in MLS play, and has never lost to an expansion side in its first meeting in Nashville.

On the Road Again: Nashville SC will prepare for two road matches this Wednesday, June 21 against CF Montréal and then Saturday, June 24 against Columbus Crew with both matches kicking off at 6:30 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass.

Match Timeline:     

NSH 11’: After a period of possession in Nashville SC’s attacking third, Hany Mukhtar collects a ball off a deflection in front of the goal to open up the scoring

STL 41’: After a scrum in front of the goal, Nicholas Gioacchini knocks in a ball leveling the game

NSH 70’: Jacob Shaffelburg wins a penalty kick, which Hany Mukhtar successfully converts

NSH 75’: Dax McCarty nutmegs a St. Louis CITY SC defender to get the ball to Hany Mukhtar, who rockets a ball to the lower left corner of the goal     

Notes:

• Nashville SC:              
  • is 1W-0L-0D against St. Louis CITY SC in series history
  • has scored in its last 11 league matches including six on the road 
  • is 3W-2L-3D when tied at the half this season, 14W-13L-24D all-time
  • is 4W-0L-0D this season when scoring three or more goals and 16W-1L-0D all-time
  • has recorded five straight wins at home, a club record
• Josh Bauer
  • made his first career MLS start and fourth league appearance
  • led the team with two interceptions and five clearances
• Teal Bunbury
  • made his 355^th career regular season appearance   
  • led the team with 15 aerial duels 
• Sean Davis led the team with 10 possessions won
• Ján Greguš made his 100 career MLS regular season appearance
• Jack Maher led the team with 42 accurate passes
• Dax McCarty recorded his third assist of the season, 71^st of his career
• Shaq Moore led the team with four tackles won (100%)

• Hany Mukhtar  
  • served as captain for the eighth time, seventh this season; has led Nashville SC to a 6W-0L-2D record with a +12 goal differential as captain this season
  • recorded his fastest goal of the season in the 11^th minute
  • has contributed to at least one goal in the last six matches at GEODIS Park (6 goals, 4 assists)
  • has scored the opening goal in three MLS matches this season
  • has contributed to 90 of Nashville SC’s 15 goals in club history (56 goals, 34 assists)
  • has successfully converted four of four penalty kicks (100%)
  • is the second-fastest player to record four hat tricks in an MLS career, doing so in 97 matches (behind Mamadou Diallo in 74 matches)
• Jacob Shaffelburg led the team with three successful dribbles
• Joe Willis ended the night second in the league with a save percentage of 80.6% (minimum seven matches played)    
  

Box Score:       

Nashville SC (10W-3L-5D, 35 pts.) vs. St. Louis CITY SC (9W-6L-2D, 29 pts.)     

June 17, 2023 – GEODIS Park      

Final Score      
NSH: 3
STL: 1
    
Scoring Summary      

NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Unassisted) 11’

STL: Nicholas Gioacchini (Unassisted) 41’

NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Penalty) 70’

NSH: Hany Mukhtar (A: Dax McCarty) 75’

Discipline      

STL: Indiana Vassilev (Caution) 33’

NSH: Josh Bauer (Caution) 37’

NSH: Dax McCarty (Caution) 45’ + 1 

STL: Kyle Hiebert (Caution) 54’

STL: Kyle Hiebert (Ejection, Second Caution) 68’

NSH: Taylor Washington (Caution) 83’

NSH: Ethan Zubak (Caution) 87’ 

Lineups:    
NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Josh Bauer; Dax McCarty, Randall Leal (Jacob Shaffelburg 45’), Hany Mukhtar (C) (Tah Brian Anunga 90’ + 4), Teal Bunbury (Ethan Zubak 45’), Alex Muyl (Ján Greguš 79’), Sean Davis (Taylor Washington 79’)     

Substitutes: Laurence Wyke, Luke Haakenson, Tah Brian Anunga, Elliot Panicco, Ben Martino      

STL Starters: Roman Buerki (C); Jake Nerwinski (John Nelson 45’), Kyle Hiebert, Lucas Bartlett, Tim Parker; Tomas Ostrak (Akil Watts 72’), Jared Stroud (Celio Pompeu 79’), Rasmus Alm (Isak Jensen 79’), Miguel Perez; Nicholas Gioacchini, Indiana Vassilev (Aziel Jackson 79’)      

Substitutes: Josh Yaro, Selmir Pidro, Ben Lundt, Max Schneider  

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee: Nima Saghafi

AR1: Mike Rottersman

AR2: Brian Poeschel

4TH Official: JC Griggs

VAR: Carol Anne Chenard

AVAR: Craig Lowry

Weather: Clear, 87 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, Twitter and Spotify.