Nashville SC will look to extend their unbeaten run in MLS play to eight games when they visit FC Dallas on Saturday.
Nashville (8-3-4, 28 points) is coming off a 3-1 home victory over the Columbus Crew last Saturday and is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, eight points behind FC Cincinnati.
FC Dallas (6-4-5, 23 points) had its five-game unbeaten run (2-0-3) end in MLS play with a 2-1 loss at Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday. Dallas is in fourth place in the Western Conference and just three points behind first-place Seattle.
Nashville is 5-0-2 in its past seven MLS games dating to a 2-1 setback at New York City FC on April 15.
Nashville used a second-half surge to knock off the Crew.
After Columbus’ Yaw Yeboah scored in the second minute, Fafa Picault tied the game in 56th minute before Teal Bunbury’s goal in the 80th made it 2-1. Hany Mukhtar, the league’s reigning MVP, scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to secure the win.
“It looked like we grew another foot or two as the game went on and they shrunk a foot or two and life looked a little more difficult for them,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said.
Mukhtar’s nine goals are tied for second in the league, one behind LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. Picault has four goals for Nashville, while Mukhtar has a team-high seven assists, four more than Shaq Moore, who ranks second.
Dallas, meanwhile, had its rally come up short against Sporting Kansas City.
Trailing 2-0, Jesus Ferreira scored in the first minute of stoppage time, but Dallas couldn’t get the equalizer.
“It’s always frustrating to lose, especially in a game where we did have chances,” Dallas defender Nolan Norris said. “We had moments where we did well in combination and attacking but it’s just about being clinical and taking the positives and moving forward to the next one.”
Ferreira is carrying FC Dallas offensively this season. He also has nine goals, which are at least seven more than any of his teammates. Nkosi Tafari and Alan Velasco are tied for second on the team with two goals apiece.
–Field Level Media
