Charlotte's Arfield, Nashville's Mukhtar trade stoppage-time goals in 1-1 draw

Published Sep. 2, 2023 11:21 p.m. ET
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Reigning MVP Hany Mukhtar scored on a penalty kick in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time for Nashville SC after Scott Arfield had given FC Charlotte the lead five minutes earlier in a wild 1-1 draw on Saturday night.

Neither team scored until Arfield took a pass from Adilson Malanda three minutes into extra time and found the net for the second time in six career appearances for Charlotte (7-9-10).

Mukhtar answered with his league-leading 14th goal of the season for Nashville (11-9-7) after defender Lukas MacNaughton drew a foul on Charlotte defender Nathan Byrne.

Joe Willis totaled one save for Nashville. Kristijan Kahlina saved four shots for Charlotte, which was making its first visit to Nashville. The clubs split a pair of matches in Charlotte.

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Nashville is 0-4-2 in its last six regular-season matches with just two goals scored.

Charlotte is 3-2-9 in its last 14 matches in all competitions. The club has conceded more than one goal just once in in its last seven matches in all competitions.

Mukhtar has scored all four of Nashville's goals in the series — three of them coming on penalty kicks. Mukhtar had gone eight straight matches without scoring, his longest drought since the first nine matches of his career.

Charlotte returns to action on Sept. 16 when it hosts D.C. United. Nashville's next match is on the road at Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 20.

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