Nashville SC:
Fafa Picault and Teal Bunbury both scored goals from corner kicks to lift Nashville SC to a 3-1 victory against the struggling Columbus Crew on Sunday.
A 1-1 deadlock was broken by Bunbury’s header in the 80th minute. Bunbury scored despite being surrounded by three Crew players after being assisted by Daniel Lovitz from the right corner.
Before Picault retaliated in the 56th minute to help Nashville (8-3-4, 28 points) extend its unbeaten record to seven games (5-0-2), Yaw Yeboah had given Columbus the lead in the second minute.
Joe Willis, the custodian for Nashville, stopped Cucho Hernandez’s bicycle effort in the 92nd minute to keep his team’s advantage.
In the 96th minute, Willis made his sixth save, stopping Jacen Russell-Rowe from close range, and a minute later, Hany Mukhtar scored on a counterattack for his ninth goal of the year.
The Crew (5-6-3, 18 points) fell to 1-5-1 on the road, while Nashville set a franchise record with its fourth straight home victory.
Despite scoring first, Columbus has a record of 1-4-2 in its last seven games.
A midfield error was exploited by the Crew to begin a break. Yeboah was assisted by Hernandez, who lined a 25-yard shot for his second goal of the year and first since April 1.
The Crew scored in the second minute for the tenth time in team history. When Jonathan Mensah scored 55 seconds into a game against Atlanta United, the franchise record was established precisely one year earlier.
In the last four games, Hernandez has five assists.
Mukhtar’s corner kick set up Picault’s equaliser. Since the start of the 2021 season, Mukhtar has contributed to 78 goals (48 goals, 30 assists), which is the most in the MLS.
Picault was able to put out his foot and deflect the ball for his fourth goal after his cross ended up in the centre of the goal box among the crowd.
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