Mukhtar scores 2 goals, Nashville beats Miami 5-1

(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Hany Mukhtar scored two goals to reach 12 on the season and Nashville beat Inter Miami 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Nashville (11-3-11), coming off its third loss of the season, avoided dropping back-to-back games for the first time this year. Miami (9-11-5) has lost consecutive games following a six-match unbeaten run.

Mukhtar scored in the sixth minute. Alistair Johnston settled Dax McCarty's pass inside the 18-yard box and sent it over the defense for Mukhtar's one-touch redirection at the far post. In the 48th, Mukhtar raced to a loose ball at the penalty spot, took a touch and sent it into the empty net for a 3-0 lead.

Mukhtar is tied for fourth in scoring, trailing D.C. United's Ola Kamara by four goals for the Golden Boot award.

Walker Zimmerman made it 2-0 in the 39th minute. Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman came out of his area for a loose ball, but Anibal Godoy got to it first and sent it across the goal Zimmerman's header.

Miami scored in the 64th when Gonzalo Higuain finished a give-and-go with Rodolfo Pizarro. But Nashville answered six minutes later on Randall Leal's goal.

Johnston capped the scoring in stoppage time.

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Updated September 22, 2021