SAN JOSE, Calif. — Nashville SC will have to wait a little longer to lock up the Supporters’ Shield after a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
A win would have clinched the trophy that goes to the team with the best regular-season record in MLS. Instead, Nashville left California with one point and a record of 20 wins, 3 losses and 7 draws, still in first place in the Eastern Conference.
Hany Mukhtar opened the scoring in the 34th minute without an assist. San Jose goalkeeper Angus Gunn stopped his first try, but the rebound came straight back to Mukhtar, a past Golden Boot winner, and he finished it. That gave Mukhtar 16 goals on the season, six of them in his last five games, and Nashville carried the lead into halftime.
San Jose answered in the 70th minute when Preston Judd headed in the equalizer, his 16th goal of the year, with Eduard Löwen providing the assist. The result kept the Earthquakes unbeaten in nine straight and clinched them a playoff spot. San Jose is 13-8-9 and fourth in the Western Conference with four games left. Judd has broken out this year after totaling 11 goals across his first 72 appearances, and the Earthquakes have gone 3-0-6 during their unbeaten stretch and 6-5-4 at home.
Rookie goalkeeper Brian Schwake made two saves for Nashville, while Gunn finished with three stops for the hosts at the other end.
Nashville came into the match riding a four-game winning streak in which it outscored opponents 13-1. The club is now 6-3-6 away from home.
Section: More Nashville TN sports news
Nashville sports business profiles
Filed under: Nashville TN Sports News
