- The Boys in Gold extend club-record unbeaten streak to 14 (10W-0L-4D overall, 8W-0L-4D in Major League Soccer) after defeating the Union which entered the match leading MLS in wins and points
- Nashville is now second in the Eastern Conference and MLS as of the final whistle, just one point behind FC Cincinnati
- NSC holds the longest active overall (14) and MLS (12) unbeaten streak
- Most Valuable Player candidate Hany Mukhtar scores added time penalty kick to seal victory
Nashville, Tenn. (July 5, 2025) – Nashville Soccer Club moved into second place in the Eastern Conference and Major League Soccer (one point behind FC Cincinnati) and extended its team-record unbeaten streak to 14 when it defeated the Philadelphia Union 1-0 Saturday night at GEODIS Park after Hany Mukhtar scored the match’s loan goal on a penalty kick during added time. Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis earned his second consecutive shutout despite playing down a man after Jonathan Pérez received a red card in the 63rd minute.
Captain clutch: Mukhtar’s 90 + 11th minute goal marked his 75th career MLS regular season goal and his 17th converted regular season penalty for the Boys in Gold. His game-winning penalty kick was his second converted against Philadelphia this season (also, March 16 at Subaru Park). The midfield maestro is now tied with teammate Teal Bunbury for fifth all-time in regular season goals scored among active players as he continues to assemble an MVP-caliber season. His 75 regular season goals are the most in MLS since the start of the 2020 season, 12 more than Chicho Arango’s 63.
I said no...: Willis, who made two saves for his second consecutive shutout and seventh of the season, is tied for the third-most in MLS behind league-leading Yohei Takaoka (VAN) with nine and Dayne St. Clair (MIN) and Pedro Gallese (ORL) with eight.
Crowded at the top: The Boys in Gold kept pace in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and MLS, just one point back of Supporters’ Shield and Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati, which took over first from Philadelphia after defeating Chicago Fire FC 2-1.
Next up: Nashville SC will seek to reach the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time in club history when it faces D.C. United in the Quarterfinal round at GEODIS Park on Wednesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. CT.
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- moved into second place in the Eastern Conference and MLS (41 points) behind FC Cincinnati (42)
- played in front of its largest home crowd this season (28,896); consecutive games with over 28,000
- is the only club to go unbeaten in the second match of each two-game series its played this season (CLT, CHI, DC, NE, RBNY, and PHI)
- extended its club-record unbeaten streak across all competitions to 14 (10W-0L-4D) and MLS to 12 (8W-0L-4D)
- set a new club record for wins (12) and points (41) through 21 regular season matches
- swept the regular season series against Philadelphia for the first time in club history
- defeated the Union at GEODIS Park for the first time in club history
- improved to 3W-4L-3D all-time vs. the Philadelphia Union (regular season and playoffs)
- improved to 2W-2L-1D all-time at home vs. the Union (regular season)
- is 70W-56L-62D all-time (regular season + playoffs)
- Is 41W-19L-33D all-time at home (regular season + playoffs)
- is 51W-40L-44D all-time vs. Eastern Conference opponents (regular season + playoffs)
- is 47W-45L-50D all-time on weekends (regular season + playoffs)
- is 38W-35L-37D all-time on Saturdays (regular season + playoffs)
- is 6W-10L-5D all-time during July (regular season)
Hany Mukhtar
- scored his ninth goal of the season and 16th career regular season game-winner with a penalty kick in the 90th plus 11th minute, his second converted PK vs. Andre Blake this season
- is second on the team and fourth in MLS this season with 17 goal contributions (nine goals, eight assists) behind league-leader Anders Dreyer (SD) with 23
- has 75 career regular season goals, the most in MLS since 2020
- earned Man of the Match honors
Jonathan Pérez
- made his fifth MLS start of the season, a new career high
- was ejected in the 63rd minute after receiving his first career red card
Eddi Tagseth led the match in distance with 7.27 miles covered
Joe Willis made two saves for his seventh clean sheet of the season, his second in as many matches
Patrick Yazbek led the team with 94.6% passing accuracy (minimum 35 passes completed)
Walker Zimmerman
- is away from the team representing the United States Men’s National Team in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup
- the U.S. plays Mexico in the Gold Cup Final Sunday, July 6 at 6 p.m. CT on FOX and TUDN
Box score:
Nashville SC (12W-4L-5D) vs. Philadelphia Union (12W-5L-4D)
July 5, 2025 – GEODIS Park
Final score:
NSH: 1
PHI: 0
Scoring summary:
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Penalty) 90’ + 11
Discipline:
PHI: Cavan Sullivan (Caution) 46’
NSH: Jonathan Pérez (Ejection) 63’
PHI: Kai Wagner (Caution) 71’
PHI: Jakob Glesnes (Caution) 73’
PHI: Ben Bender (Caution) 79’
NSH: Eddi Tagseth (Caution) 89’
Lineups:
NSH starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz, Jeisson Palacios, Jack Maher, Andy Najar (Josh Bauer 82’); Patrick Yazbek (Bryan Acosta 90’), Hany Mukhtar (C), Alex Muyl (Ahmed Qasem 79’), Eddi Tagseth, Jonathan Pérez; Sam Surridge (Teal Bunbury 90’)
Substitutes: Brian Schwake, Gastón Brugman, Matthew Corcoran, Julian Gaines, Chris Applewhite
PHI starters: Andre Blake (C); Jakob Glesnes, Olivier Mbaizo, Kai Wagner, Olwethu Makhanya; Jovan Lukic, Cavan Sullivan (Ben Bender 61’), Indiana Vassilev (Alejandro Bedoya 72’), Danley Jean Jacques; Bruno Damiana, Chris Donovan (Tai Baribo 61’)
Substitutes: Andrew Rick, Jeremy Rafanello, David Vazquez, Markus Anderson, Neil Pierre, Sal Olivas
Match officials:
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
AR1: Ryan Graves
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4TH: Sergii Boiko
VAR: Shawn Tehini
AVAR: Tom Supple
Weather: 91 and clear
