A peach of a win
Nashville SC continued to roll Saturday night in Georgia, overcoming a tricky Atlanta United team 2-0 to secure its sixth win of the regular season and sustain its spot atop the Eastern Conference table. The Boys in Gold have now lost just once in their 14 games across all competitions in 2026, conceded just five goals and hold a plus-13 goal difference in MLS play, eight higher than Chicago in second.
Andy Najar — making his 200th MLS regular season appearance — was Nashville’s standout player throughout the first half. He owned both one of the clearest chances and two of its most vital denials of the first 45, sneaking behind Atlanta’s defense inside 15 minutes to latch onto a perfectly timed through-pass from Cristian Espinoza before smashing a shot against the goalkeeper, and blasting away a pair of perilous crosses. He also produced a superb bit of build-up play after dispossessing an Atlanta attack to release Espinoza and eventually Hany Mukhtar toward the end of the half, though the German’s shot was blocked.
But the Honduran’s greatest contribution was his engine, covering an absurd amount of ground in both defense and attack to stretch the hosts’ back line and limit opportunities for a talented front line of Matías Galarza, Aleksey Miranchuk and Emmanuel Latte Lath. Najar had seven recoveries, two clearances and an interception in the first half alone, holding a trio, which combined for eight goals in 2026 ahead of Saturday to noshots on target throughout the first half and just two by full-time.
Brian Schwake logged a pair of spectacular saves in the first half to keep Atlanta at bay as well, sending both teams into the locker room goalless.
The Boys in Gold continued to threaten out of the break, with both Mukhtar and Palacios going close within 15 minutes of the restart. Nashville’s breakthrough soon followed, courtesy in part of those two players. Palacios released an on-running Mukhtar in the 61st minute near midfield, allowing the captain to progress the ball toward the edge of the 18-yard box. Espinoza worked his way down the right flank, holding his run just long enough to avoid an offside call, before charging to meet Mukhtar’s layoff and slotting expertly into the far-left corner of the net.
The Argentine has made somewhat of a trademark from his ability to set up or score at make-or-break moments in matches — March’s equalizer at Miami and a last-gasp assist at Columbus come to mind — and Saturday was no different. That score allowed the Boys in Gold to earn a win against their Southern rival for the first time since 2024, marking Espinoza’s third goal and fifth goal contribution of the MLS regular season in the process.
Nashville held on after Espinoza’s goal, continuing to pepper Atlanta’s goal as it held the hosts within its own half. The Boys in Gold clawed back the overall possession ratio and won the shot and shot-on-goal battle 17-13, keeping Atlanta winless when conceding first and Nashville undefeated when scoring first.
Shak Mohammed put the match on ice with a composed finish in added time, scooping a layoff from Mukhtar into the bottom-right corner. The Ghana native had yet to make an MLS appearance for Nashville before Saturday — and left celebrating the first league goal of his career.
Nashville has a week of well-earned rest before returning to GEODIS Park next Saturday, April 25 for a rematch with Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Boys in Gold won their previous meeting in a 2-1 thriller in North Carolina a week ago.
