Nashville SC rode a brilliant Hany Mukhtar hat trick to a dramatic 3-2 win over LAFC at GEODIS Park on Sunday, May 17, 2026 (Pacific Time), surviving a late push from the visitors in an entertaining Major League Soccer fixture.
Mukhtar was the difference from start to finish, striking in the 13th minute, adding a free-kick in the 21st minute, and completing his treble with another set-piece goal in the 59th minute. LAFC refused to go away, with David Martínez pulling one back in the 22nd minute and Denis Bouanga setting up a tense final stretch with a goal in the 67th minute.
The home side made the sharper start and took control early. Mukhtar opened the scoring in the 13th minute, giving Nashville the platform they wanted in front of their own supporters. Eight minutes later, he doubled the advantage with a superb free-kick in the 21st minute, putting LAFC firmly on the back foot.
To their credit, LAFC answered almost immediately. David Martínez struck in the 22nd minute to cut the deficit to 2-1, injecting life back into the contest after a frantic spell in the first half. That response ensured the match never settled, even if Nashville carried a 2-1 lead into the interval.
After the break, Nashville again found the decisive moment through their talisman. Mukhtar stepped up in the 59th minute and buried another free-kick, completing a hat trick of outstanding quality and restoring his side’s two-goal cushion at 3-1.
LAFC still had plenty to say. Denis Bouanga made it 3-2 in the 67th minute, and from there the visitors turned up the pressure. The numbers underline how dangerous LAFC were over the course of the night: they finished with 21 total shots, nine shots on target, and 11 corners, while also creating 16 shot assists. Nashville, though, were far more ruthless, scoring three times from just seven shots and putting four efforts on target.
That contrast defined the fixture. LAFC enjoyed dangerous stretches and forced Nashville into a tense finish, but the hosts were clinical in the moments that mattered most. Nashville also edged possession at 52.4 percent, and their defensive resolve in the closing stages preserved a result built on Mukhtar’s quality.
The final minutes were combative, with yellow cards shown to Ahmed Qasem in the 66th minute, Eddie Segura in the 76th minute, Reed Baker-Whiting in the 88th minute, and Bryan Acosta deep into stoppage time at 90+7. Nashville held firm through seven minutes of added time to secure an impressive home victory.
In the end, this was a statement result for Nashville SC against one of the league’s biggest names. Mukhtar’s hat trick will grab the headlines, and rightly so, but Nashville’s efficiency and composure under pressure were just as important in seeing out a high-quality 3-2 win over LAFC.
