Nashville SC smash four goals past Atlanta United

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:14 am

Dax McCarty recorded one goal and two assists, and Nashville SC broke out of a season-long scoring slump by delivering a 4-2 victory over visiting Atlanta United on Saturday night.

Forward Dominique Badji had one goal and one assist, and midfielders Hany Mukhtar and Abu Danladi each scored goals for Nashville, which is 2-0-2 over its last four matches.

Nashville entered the match with a league-low five goals.

Jeff Larentowicz and George Bello scored goals for Atlanta United. The Five Stripes dropped to 0-3-2 over their last five matches.

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It was the first goal of the season for all six players who scored in the match.

Nashville only took nine shots but six were on target. Atlanta put three of its 10 shots on target.

Nashville set the tone immediately when Badji scored just 55 seconds into the match. The sequence began with a corner kick and McCarty sent a header toward the net, and Badji smacked the ball in with his right foot.

Atlanta tied the contest in the 19th minute as Ezequiel Barco took a free kick and sent it toward the net. Fellow midfielder Larentowicz was making a run and flicked the ball with his head and into the net.

Nashville SC celebrates
Nashville SC celebrates
Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Nashville's final two goals of the first half were set up by Atlanta miscues.

On the first one, Badji set up Mukhtar, who put a right-footed shot past Five Stripes goalkeeper Brad Guzan to make it 2-1 in the 28th minute.

Eight minutes later, another giveaway led to Nashville defender Daniel Lovitz with the ball near the left corner. He found some space and sent a cross in. McCarty knocked a header toward the net. and it deflected off both Atlanta defender Anton Walkes and Guzan before winding up in the net.

Nashville continued the assault in the second half by scoring again in the 57th minute. McCarty sent a ball up ahead to Danladi, who caught up to it and sent a left-footed shot that deflected off the leg of Walkes and trickled past Guzan to make it 4-1.

The Five Stripes answered four minutes later when forward Adam Jahn threaded a pass to Bello, and the 18-year-old defender put a left-footed shot into the right corner of the net.