- The Boys in Gold are just four points behind the Philadelphia Union for first place in Major League Soccer
- Hany Mukhtar scores his 12th goal of the season on penalty kick
LOUIS (Aug. 9, 2025)– Nashville Soccer Club fell 3-1 against St. Louis CITY SC Saturday night at Energizer Park with its lone goal coming from Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player candidate Hany Mukhtar on a penalty kick in the 85th minute. Despite the loss, the Boys in Gold are only four points behind the Philadelphia Union for first place in MLS and the Eastern Conference.
Men down: Nashville SC was missing two regular contributors on the backline due to injury in Dan Lovitz (foot), who had started all 25 of the club's MLS matches prior to Saturday night, and captain Walker Zimmerman (knee).
Movin' up: Mukhtar’s penalty kick conversion was the 18th of his career, moving him into a tie with Seattle Sounders FC’s Albert Rusnak for the third most among active MLS players behind the San Jose Earthquakes’ Josef Martinez (22) and the Philadelphia Union’s Daniel Gazdag (24). The 2025 MLS All-Star also became the 14th player in league history to record 20 or more goal contributions (12 goals, eight assists) in four or more seasons (2021-23, 2025).
Next up: Nashville SC will conclude a stretch of three-straight road matches when it visits New York City FC at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17 at Yankee Stadium.
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- is 13W-6L-4D in its last 20 matches across all competitions
- is to 5W-6L-2D in MLS road matches this season
- is 1W-1L-0D all-time vs. St. Louis CITY SC (regular season)
- is 72W-59L-62D all-time (regular season + playoffs)
- is 29W-40L-29D all-time on the road (regular season + playoffs)
- is 19W-18L-18D all-time vs. Western Conference opponents (regular season + playoffs)
- is 48W-47L-50D all-time on weekends (regular season + playoffs)
- is 39W-37L-37D all-time on Saturdays (regular season + playoffs)
- is 7W-9L-6D all-time during August (regular season)
Gastón Brugman reached 5,000 career regular season minutes played at the 53rd minute
Dan Lovitz did not dress for the match due to injury (foot)
Wyatt Meyer made his first MLS start since March 1 at the New York Red Bulls
Hany Mukhtar
- scored his 12th goal of the season and 18th career MLS penalty kick conversion in the 85th minute
- is tied for third among active players in career penalty kick conversions
- reached 20 goal contributions (12 goals, eight assists) for the fourth time, becoming the 14th player in MLS history to record four or more seasons with 20-plus goal contributions (also 2021-2023)
- was voted Nashville SC Man of the Match
Andy Najar made his 150th career MLS regular season start
Tate Schmitt appeared on his first matchday roster for Nashville SC since signing as a free agent on May 21
Walker Zimmerman did not dress for the match due to injury (knee)
Box score:
Nashville SC (14W-7L-5D) at St. Louis CITY SC (5W-14L-6D)
Aug. 9, 2025 – Energizer Park
Final score:
NSH: 1
STL: 3
Scoring summary:
STL: Jaziel Orozco (A: Devin Padelford) 23’
STL: João Klauss (A: Eduard Löwen) 39’
STL: Sang Bin Jeong (A: Simon Becher) 66’
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Penalty Kick) 85’
Discipline:
STL: Alfredo Morales (Caution) 55’
STL: Mykhi Joyner (Caution) 90’ + 3
NSH: Alex Muyl (Caution) 90’ + 6
Lineups:
NSH starters: Joe Willis; Jeisson Palacios, Jack Maher, Wyatt Meyer (Josh Bauer 74’), Andy Najar; Gastón Brugman, Patrick Yazbek (Jacob Shaffelburg, 90’), Hany Mukhtar (C), Eddi Tagseth (Alex Muyl 62’), Jonathan Pérez (Ahmed Qasem 61’); Sam Surridge (Teal Bunbury 74’)
Substitutes: Brian Schwake, Tate Schmitt, Bryan Acosta, Chris Applewhite
STL starters: Roman Bürki (C); Devin Padelford, Timo Baumgartl, Jaziel Orozco, Fallou Fall; Tomas Ostrak (Mykhi Joyner 70’), Eduard Löwen, Marcel Hartel (Jake Girdwood-Reich 86’), Alfredo Morales (Akil Watts 86’), Sang Bin Jeong (Celio Pompeu 70’); Joao Klauss (Simon Becher 62’)
Substitutes: Ben Lundt, Henry Kessler, Tomas Totland, Kyle Hiebert,
Match officials:
Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez
AR1: Kyle Atkins
AR2: Eduardo Jeff
4TH: Joshua Encarnacion
VAR: Sorin Stoica
AVAR: Joshua Patlak
Weather: 85 degrees and cloudy
