Tennessee’s Nashville.Nashville SC easily defeated Orlando City 5-1 on Saturday night thanks to two goals from Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar by halftime.
Surridge gave Nashville (15-8-5) the lead in the third minute with his tenth goal, assisted by Mukhtar.
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In the 17th minute, Mukhtar scored after receiving an assist from defender Josh Bauer, giving Nashville a 2-0 lead. In his 54 career games, all with Nashville, Bauer’s assist was his first.
In the 40th minute, Mukhtar scored his 14th goal to give the team a 3-0 lead. Three minutes later, Surridge added his 20th goal to give the team a 4-0 advantage at the half.
In the competition for the Golden Boot Award, Surridge’s brace gives him 20 goals, one more than Lionel Messi of Inter Miami.
Five players this season have double-digit goals and assists, including Mukhtar.
On the last two goals of the season, Jacob Shaffelburg recorded his first two assists, while Jeisson Palacios, a rookie defender, earned his first in his 19th game. In the fourth minute of stoppage time in the second half, Palacios scored his first goal to complete the score.
Luis Muriel, who replaced Dagur Thorhallsson two minutes earlier, scored his career-high eighth goal unassisted in the 76th minute to help Orlando City (13-7-8) escape the shutout.
Nashville’s Joe Willis made three saves in goal.
For Orlando City, Pedro Gallese recorded four saves.
Nashville improves to 10-1-3 at home this season, ending a three-game losing streak that had all occurred away from home. The team’s lone home loss came against FC Cincinnati, 2-1, at the end of March.
Orlando City ended a four-game winning streak, dropping to 6-3-5 away from home.
On September 13, Orlando City will play their first league game against D.C. United. Additionally, Nashville is off until its trip to play FC Cincinnati on September 13.
