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Nashville SC beats Charlotte FC on second-half goals from Hany Mukhtar, Jacob Shaffelburg
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- Nashville SC beats Charlotte FC on second-half goals from Hany Mukhtar, Jacob Shaffelburg
If Nashville SC 's win over the Chattanooga Red Wolves in the U.S. Open Cup on May 6 was a bit of a glorified exhibition, its following game could scarcely have been more different.
Fresh off advancing in the Open Cup over an outgunned third-division opponent, Nashville (6-2-4, 20 points) took down Charlotte FC 2-1 at Geodis Park on May 10, picking up a key MLS Eastern Conference win in what coach B.J. Callaghan called a "big-boy" game.
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"Very difficult opponent, very well-coached opponent, hard to break down, dangerous with some attacking players, dangerous in transition," Callaghan said. "I thought our team was up for the challenge."
On April 5, Nashville lost 2-1 in Charlotte (6-1-5, 19 points) at Bank of America Stadium. Defender and team captain Walker Zimmerman sustained a concussion in the second half and without him, NSC gave up two goals in the final 10 minutes to blow a first-half lead.
This time, it was the Boys in Gold's turn to mount a comeback. After Liel Abada opened the scoring in the 48th minute, Hany Mukhtar responded with a goal just 90 seconds later, and Jacob Shaffelburg found the net five minutes after that.
Nashville will host New York Red Bulls on May 14 in its next game.
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Nashville breaks down stiff Charlotte defense
Callaghan didn't want the game to turn into a "track meet," which he believed would have favored Charlotte due to its speed on the counterattack. So Nashville relied on patient buildups throughout the first half, but couldn't get past a well-organized Charlotte back line with three center backs, led by United States international Tim Ream.
"We were a little too cross-reliant," Callaghan said of the first half. " . . . We're not anti crossing the ball. What we are is pro good-decision making."
But as the game wore on, he thought Nashville got better at making runs toward the goal and putting pressure on Charlotte by overloading its defenders. It paid off in the 49th minute, when Alex Muyl chipped a back-heel pass to Mukhtar, who volleyed it home for his fifth goal of the season.
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"They sat back a little bit deeper than we were expecting, so we couldn't really get behind," Shaffelburg said. " . . . I think it's just wearing a team down. Eventually, more space will open up."
Jacob Shaffelburg continues to prove himself
Shaffelburg put Nashville in front in the 54th minute, firing a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty box. It was the first goal of 2025 for the Canadian winger, who missed the first month of the season due to a thigh injury but has started the past three games.
"For me, it's just do whatever the team needs," he said. "That's been my mentality."
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Callaghan thought Shaffelburg's speed stretched out Charlotte's defense even when he wasn't receiving passes. This helped Nashville play through the middle and allowed midfielders Muyl, Edvard Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek to influence the game more. Shaffelburg also has worked on his defense, and Callaghan praised his ability to press "in a controlled way."
"His goal is what he'll be known for tonight," Callaghan said. "But when we look at that performance, a really complete performance on both sides."
MORE: Nashville SC to play Premier League's Aston Villa in exhibition at Geodis Park. How to get tickets
Concerns over ICE result in depleted supporters' section, moment of silence
The announced attendance at Geodis was 25,003. Although that is the fourth-best number this season among Nashville's seven MLS home games, it also reflected notable absences.
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Recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Nashville have resulted in more than 100 people being detained as of May 9, per the Tennessee Highway Patrol. La Brigada De Oro, NSC's leading Latin American supporters group, announced the day before the game against Charlotte FC that it had canceled its usual pregame tailgate, citing "solidarity with the injustices we are experiencing right at this very moment within our Latino/Hispanic community."
During the game, fans in the supporters' section held signs recognizing the group, as well as a moment of silence from the 15th to the 25th minute.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC beats Charlotte FC 2-1 to avenge April loss
