Hany Mukhtar scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time on Saturday night, securing a 1-0 victory for Nashville SC against the Columbus Crew. This win keeps Nashville unbeaten in the season.
The match seemed like it would end in a draw until Mukhtar received a key pass from Cristian Espinosa. After Espinosa maneuvered past defender Rudy Camacho and received a setup from Andy Najar, he delivered the ball to Mukhtar, who managed to send it past goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
This goal allowed Nashville (3 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw; 10 points) to take the top position in the Eastern Conference, even as Columbus (0 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws; 2 points) held onto the ball for most of the game. The Crew had 55.3% possession and completed 171 more passes than Nashville.
However, they were unable to turn that possession into goals and remain winless under new coach Henrik Rydstrom. Nashville’s goalie Brian Schwake recorded two saves, achieving his second clean sheet, both of which were on the road.
Before Mukhtar’s goal, neither team had a scoring chance rated better than 9%. Both teams finished the match with eight shots, but Nashville had a slight edge with four shots on target compared to Columbus’s two.
Nashville entered the match with a strong offense and defense, having scored seven goals and allowed only two in their first three games. Columbus had solidified their defense in their previous match but was unable to score in a goalless tie against Chicago.
The match resembled that scoreless draw more than the high-scoring games Columbus played earlier. During the first half, neither team had significant chances, and the goal expectancy was below 10%.
Columbus nearly scored in the third minute of stoppage time when Max Arfsten’s shot from outside the box hit the crossbar. Jack Maher registered Nashville’s only shot on target in the first half with a header in the 39th minute, but Schulte made a save to keep it out.