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Hany Mukhtar starting for Nashville SC against Lionel Messi, Inter Miami in CONCACAF Champions Cup
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- Hany Mukhtar starting for Nashville SC against Lionel Messi, Inter Miami in CONCACAF Champions Cup
Nashville SC has its star back for its biggest game of the season so far.
Hany Mukhtar , who hasn't played since Feb. 22 due to an injury, is in the starting lineup for the first leg of Thursday's CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 series against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi .
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Kickoff is 8 p.m. at Geodis Park.
Mukhtar has missed three straight games after injuring his hamstring in the first half of Nashville's 3-0 win over Moca FC in its CCC opener. The German forward had a goal and an assist before leaving the game in the 35th minute.
Without Mukhtar and striker Sam Surridge , who was also injured against Moca, Nashville has struggled to score against MLS competition. Winger Tyler Boyd has typically played in Mukhtar's No. 10 role, while Teal Bunbury has started in place of Surridge at striker. Nashville (0-0-2, 2 points) has yet to score from open play, with Bunbury's penalty against the Colorado Rapids on March 2 its only goal.
However, Nashville's offense looked sharp in the second leg against Moca , a 4-0 win at Geodis on Feb. 28.
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Surridge remains out due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Nashville's 3-0 win over Moca FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Feb. 22. Though Surridge has returned to training, coach Gary Smith said Wednesday that Surridge would not play against Miami.
MORE: Hany Mukhtar agrees to new deal with Nashville SC | Report
On Wednesday, soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Mukhtar had agreed on a contract extension with Nashville through the 2027 season. The Athletic's Tom Bogert also reported the news.
Mukhtar's current contract runs through the 2025 season.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hany Mukhtar: Nashville SC star to play against Messi, Inter Miami
