Nashville, Tenn. (Aug. 23, 2025) – Nashville Soccer Club continued its record-setting season when it defeated Orlando City SC 5-1 at GEODIS Park Saturday night for its 10th regular season home victory of 2025, a new club record. With the win, the Boys in Gold reached the 50-point mark and kept pace in the race for Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield and the top spot in the Eastern Conference, just four points back of the Philadelphia Union.
Golden Boot leader and Most Valuable Player candidate Sam Surridge opened the scoring less than three minutes into the match when he scored his 19th goal of the season from Hany Mukhtar. Mukhtar scored in the 16th minute on Josh Bauer’s first career MLS assist and again in 40th minute from Jacob Shaffelburg to give the Boys in Gold a 3-0 lead, and Surridge recorded his third brace and fifth multigoal game of 2025 from Shaffleburg and Jeisson Palacios in the 43rdminute to give the Boys in Gold a 4-0 halftime lead. Palacios iced the match in the 90’ + 4th minute, connecting with Mukhtar and Bauer on a corner kick.
Make it last forever, friendship never ends: Surridge (20 goals, four assists) and Mukhtar (14 goals, 11 assists) lead MLS with the most goal contributions by two teammates this season (49). The Designated Player duo have connected on 13 goals and are the only teammates in the league with at least 20 goal contributions apiece.
Just bust a move: With his first assist tonight, Mukhtar became the fourth player in MLS history to register five-straight seasons of 10 or more helpers and the fifth player in league history to record at least 10 goals and 10 assists in four different seasons (2021-23, 2025).
The Notorious J.O.E.: Nashville SC goalkeeper Joe Willis became the 10th goalkeeper in MLS history to make 300 MLS starts Saturday night (regular season and playoffs). In his 300 starts with D.C. United, Houston Dynamo, and Nashville, Willis has 107 wins, 78 clean sheets, and 926 saves.
Next up: Nashville SC will play its last match before pausing for the September FIFA International Window when it hosts Atlanta United FC at GEODIS Park on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT presented by Vanderbilt Health.
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