Renasant Recap: Nashville SC scores twice in final three minutes for 3-2 comeback win over Columbus

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 22, 2026) – First place Nashville Soccer Club defended home turf again Saturday night, scoring twice in second half added time for its tenth MLS win at GEODIS Park this season, 3-2 over the Columbus Crew. 

All-Star Hany Mukhtar started the scoring in the 27th minute with his third goal in his last three games. After falling behind 2-1, Reed Baker-Whiting (first career MLS goal) and Andy Najar scored in the match’s final three minutes to extend the Boys in Gold’s lead atop the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings.

A record start: With their win, the Boys in Gold are off to the best 21-match start in MLS history with a record of 15W-2L-4D and 49 points.

Home dominance: Nashville SC continued its home dominance, improving its MLS record at GEODIS Park this season to 10W-0L-1D while outscoring opponents 32-12.

Leaving it late: Nashville SC scored multiple goals after the 90th minute in a regular season match for the first time in club history. Reed Baker-Whiting scored his first career MLS goal and his second goal in his last five matches (MLS, Leagues Cup) and Andy Najar scored his second MLS goal in his last three matches.

A memorable evening: Hany Mukhtar, making his 200th career MLS regular season appearance, scored his 10th goal of 2026 in all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup) and his third in his last three matches. 

Next up: Nashville SC will conclude a stretch of eight matches in 29 days when it hosts FC Cincinnati at GEODIS Park on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. CT for Kids Night presented by Vanderbilt Health. 

Notes:   

Nashville SC:  

• is off to the best start through 21 matches in MLS history at 15W-2L-4D and 49 points
• is in first place in MLS at 15W-2L-4D and 49 points
• is unbeaten in 14 of its last 15 MLS matches at 11W-1L-3D
• is the only unbeaten home team in MLS this season at 10W-0L-1D
• is outscoring opponents 32-12 at GEODIS Park in MLS play this season
• is unbeaten in 26 of 32 matches this season across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup)
• is 19W-6L-7D across all competitions this season
• is unbeaten all-time vs. the Columbus Crew at home at 3W-0L-2D (Nissan Stadium, GEODIS Park)

Bryan Acosta recorded his second MLS assist of the season

Reed Baker-Whiting scored his first career MLS goal and second career Nashville SC goal

Dan Lovitz recorded his second MLS assist of the season

Warren Madrigal did not dress due to a lower body injury

Hany Mukhtar

• scored his ninth MLS goal of the season and his third in his last three games
• made his 200th career regular season appearance

Alex Muyl recorded his second MLS assist of the season

Andy Najar

• scored his second MLS goal of the season and his second in his last three games
• earned Man of the Match honors

Jeisson Palacios recorded his fourth MLS assist of the season

Patrick Yazbek made his first start since May 2 at the Philadelphia Union (lower body injury) 

Box score:                  

Nashville SC (15W-2L-4D) vs. Columbus Crew (5W-11L-5D)

Aug. 22, 2026 – GEODIS Park

Final score:                 

NSH: 3

CLB: 2

Scoring summary:

NSH: Hany Mukhtar (A: Dan Lovitz, Alex Muyl) 27’

CLB: Mohamed Farsi (A: Malte Amundsen, Brais Mendez) 58’

CLB: Andre Gomes 68’

NSH: Reed Baker-Whiting (A: Hany Mukhtar) 90’ + 3

NSH: Andy Najar (A: Jeisson Palacios, Bryan Acosta) 90’ + 5

Discipline:

NSH: Dan Lovitz (Caution) 39’

CLB: Cesar Ruvalcaba (Caution) 49’

Lineups: 

        
NSH starters: Brian Schwake; Dan Lovitz (Reed Baker-Whiting 62’), Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar; Patrick Yazbek (Eddi Tagseth 62’), Matthew Corcoran (Bryan Acosta 88’), Alex Muyl (Elias Saad 62’); Cristian Espinoza (Shak Mohammed 88’), Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar (C)

Substitutes: Joe Willis, Jack Maher, Josh Bauer, Ahmed Qasem

CLB starters: Patrick Schulte; Steven Moreira, Malte Amundsen, Cesar Ruvalcaba, Sean Zawadzki (C); Mohamed Farsi (Brooks Lennon 60’), Tarun Karumanchi, Andre Gomes (Dylan Chambost 76’), Taha Habroune (Lautaro Giaccone 84’); Brais Mendez (Daniel Gazdag 84’), Chase Adams (Josef Martinez 59’)

Substitutes: Nicholas Hagen, Andres Herrera, Amar Sejdic, Christopher Rogers

Match officials:           

Referee: Victor Rivas

AR1: Corey Parker 

AR2: Gianni Facchini

4TH: Allen Chapman 

VAR: Daniel Radford 

AVAR: Fabio Tovar

Weather: 85 degrees and partly cloudy

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