SOCCER: Hat trick gives Hany Mukhtar milestone, Nashville another victory

Hany Mukhtar scored a hat trick, including two free-kick goals, as Nashville SC held off visiting LAFC 3-2 on Sunday night. Brian Schwake’s seven saves helped preserve the win as Nashville remained unbeaten at home.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / REUTERS

May 18, 2026

Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar celebrates after scoring against Los Angeles Football Club during the second half of their MLS match at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 17, 2026.

Alan Poizner / Reuters

Nashville SC defeated visiting LAFC 3-2 on Sunday night, powered by a hat trick from Hany Mukhtar and a strong performance from goalkeeper Brian Schwake, who made seven saves to preserve the result.

Mukhtar reached a major career milestone with his second goal of the match, scoring his 100th goal across all competitions in his seven-year tenure with Nashville. The strike came in the 21st minute from a bending free kick from the left side of the box, doubling Nashville’s early lead.

He completed his hat trick in the 59th minute with another set-piece finish, curling a free kick from 25 yards into the upper right corner, beyond the reach of LAFC goalkeeper Thomas Hasal.

Denis Bouanga pulled one back for LAFC in the 68th minute, connecting on a flicked finish near the left post after a corner kick from Son Heung-Min. The visitors continued to press and controlled stretches of the match, outshooting Nashville 22-8 and holding a 9-4 advantage in shots on target, but were repeatedly denied by Schwake.

LAFC nearly leveled the match in the 89th minute when Ryan Hollingshead had a point-blank opportunity, but Schwake reacted quickly to block the effort with his left arm.

Nashville, which entered the match as the league’s only unbeaten home side, made an early breakthrough in the 13th minute. Warren Madrigal set up Mukhtar inside the right side of the box, and the midfielder finished low into the left corner.

LAFC responded in the 22nd minute when Bouanga delivered a sharp pass across the goalmouth to David Martínez, who tapped in from close range to level the momentum briefly before Nashville regained control.

The match, billed as a meeting between two of Major League Soccer’s top sides, highlighted Nashville’s efficiency in front of goal and LAFC’s inability to convert sustained pressure into points. Despite LAFC’s attacking dominance in possession and shots, Nashville held firm to secure all three points at home. -Field Level Media/Reuters