- The Boys in Gold are 7W-1L-1D in MLS for the first time in club history; remain undefeated at GEODIS Park in 2026 (4W-0L-0D MLS, 5W-0L-2D overall)
- Ahmed Qasem records first MLS goal and assist of the season
- Sam Surridge scores brace off bench in return to lineup from injury
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 25, 2026) – First place Nashville Soccer Club is unbeaten in 14 of its first 15 matches this season (10W-1L-4D in MLS and Concacaf Champions Cup) after defeating Charlotte FC 4-2 at GEODIS Park Saturday night.
Hany Mukhtar started the scoring in the 19th minute, assisted by Ahmed Qasem and Warren Madrigal. Qasem doubled the lead in the 25th minute from Cristian Espinoza and Andy Najar and Sam Surridge scored a brace off the bench in his first game since April 11 after missing time due to injury.
It's over y’all, we have the high ground: The Boys in Gold, who lead the Eastern Conference in regular season goal differential, are now outscoring opponents 21-4 in seven matches at GEODIS Park this season across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup).
Do or do not, there is no try: Designated Players Cristian Espinoza and Hany Mukhtar extended their point streaks to three and four matches respectively Saturday night. Espinoza has found the scoresheet in three consecutive matches (one goal, three assists) while Mukhtar has recorded goal contributions in four straight fixtures (two goals, four assists). With a goal and an assist, Mukhtar became the third fastest player in MLS history to reach 150 goal contributions (85 goals, 66 assists), doing so in only 188 games.
Stay on target: Nashville SC’s 4-2 win Saturday night was its 99th all-time across all competitions since its inaugural MLS season in 2020.
Next up: Nashville SC will make its Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinal debut when it hosts LIGA MX’s Tigres UANL at GEODIS Park on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. CT. in leg one of the home-away series decided on aggregate.
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- is in first place in the Eastern Conference at 7W-1L-1D and 22 points
- is unbeaten in 14 of its first 15 matches this season across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup)
- is 10W-1L-4D across all competitions this season
- is 4W-0L-0D at GEODIS Park in MLS this season for the first time in club history (5W-0L-2D across all competitions)
- is outscoring opponents 21-4 at home this season
- is outscoring opponents 21-6 in MLS and 30-7 across all competitions this season
- is 5W-3L-1D all-time vs. Charlotte FC
- played its 100th MLS regular season home match (Nissan Stadium and GEODIS Park)
Cristian Espinoza
- recorded his fifth MLS assist of the season
- has recorded goal contributions in three-straight matches (one goal, three assists)
Warren Madrigal recorded his third MLS assist of the season
Hany Mukhtar
- scored his third MLS goal and recorded his fifth MLS assist of the season (98th career NSC goal across all competitions)
- has recorded goal contributions in four-straight matches (two goals, four assists)
- became the third fastest player in MLS history to reach 150 goal contributions with 85 goals and 66 assists in 188 games
Andy Najar recorded his third and fourth MLS assists of the season
Jeisson Palacios recorded his third MLS assist of the season, his second in as many matches
Ahmed Qasem recorded his first MLS goal and assist of the season and first career multi-point MLS match
Brian Schwake recorded his 10th win in 15 matches this season across all competitions
Sam Surridge
- scored his eighth and ninth MLS goals of the season, his 13th career multi-goal MLS match
- is tied for the MLS lead in goals with nine
- earned Man of the Match honors
Maxwell Woldezi recorded his first Nashville SC goal contribution and assist
Box score:
Nashville SC (7W-1L-1D) vs. Charlotte FC (4W-4L-2D)
April 25, 2026 – GEODIS Park
Final score:
NSH: 4
CLT: 2
Scoring Summary:
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (A: Ahmed Qasem, Warren Madrigal) 19’
NSH: Ahmed Qasem (A: Cristian Espinoza, Andy Najar) 25’
CLT: Morrison Agyemang (A: Ashley Westwood) 42’
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Andy Najar, Jeisson Palacios) 60’
CLT: Pep Biel (A: Kerwin Vargas, David Schnegg) 68’
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Hany Mukhtar, Maxwell Woledzi) 74’
Discipline:
NSH: Alex Muyl (Caution) 77’
CLT: David Schnegg (Caution) 85’
NSH: Brian Schwake (Caution) 87’
Lineups:
NSH starters: Brian Schwake; Dan Lovitz, Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar (Reed Baker-Whiting 75’); Patrick Yazbek (Eddi Tagseth 75’), Matthew Corcoran, Cristian Espinoza (Shak Mohammed 86’), Ahmed Qasem (Alex Muyl 69’); Hany Mukhtar (C), Warren Madrigal (Sam Surridge 46’)
Substitutes: Joe Willis, Jack Maher, Bryan Acosta, Josh Bauer
CLT starters: Kristijan Kahlina; Andrew Privett, Nathan Byrne, Harry Toffolo (David Schnegg 35’), Morrison Agyemang; Ashley Westwood (C), Brandt Bronico (Djibril Diani 75’), Pep Biel, Kerwin Vargas (Tyger Smalls 76’), Rodolfo Aloko (Liel Abada 57’); Archie Goodwin (Idan Toklomati 57’)
Substitutes: Tyler Miller, Luca De La Torre, Henry Kessler, Aron John
Match officials:
Referee: Joe Dickerson
AR1: Cameron Blanchard
AR2: Logan Brown
4TH: Jair Marrufo
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
AVAR: Craig Lowry
Weather: 75 degrees and partly cloudy skies
NEXT HOME MATCH
Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinal
Tuesday, April 28 at GEODIS Park | 7:30 p.m.
Nashville SC faces Tigres in the Champions Cup semifinal.
