Shak Mohammed Header Gives Nashville SC First-Ever Season Sweep of Atlanta United

Shak Mohammed admitted afterward that he barely remembers it. Alex Muyl had been on the field for six minutes when he swung a cross into the middle of the box in the 79th minute, Mohammed met it with his head and steered it into the bottom left corner, and GEODIS Park lost its mind. "It's amazing, and it is truly a blessing," the 22-year-old told MLSsoccer.com.

That header gave Nashville SC a 1-0 win over Atlanta United on Friday night, and it was worth more than three points. According to Nashville, it completed Nashville's first season sweep of Atlanta in club history, extended its regular-season unbeaten run to nine matches and kept the league leaders unbeaten at home after a pause of nearly eight weeks for the World Cup. Atlanta, for their part, spent long stretches looking like the better team. That's the cruel thing about this sport.

Atlanta Bring the Energy, Schwake Brings the Gloves

The 5-Stripes came out with real purpose. Miguel Almirón had a shot blocked in the sixth minute and then forced Brian Schwake into a save at the top left corner two minutes later. Atlanta lost Ajani Fortune to an injury almost immediately afterward, with Will Reilly replacing him in the 11th minute, but the visitors kept the ball and kept probing.

Nashville's best first-half look came in the 19th minute, when Daniel Lovitz got his head on a Hany Mukhtar delivery after a corner and sent it just wide from the left side of the six-yard box. After a drinks break, Atlanta pushed again. Tristan Muyumba fired over in the 35th minute and had another effort blocked in the 42nd, and in the 43rd minute center back Enea Mihaj had one shot blocked before Schwake saved his follow-up from the middle of the box. It was 0-0 at the break.

The Second-Half Siege That Didn't Break

Atlanta started the second half the same way. Almirón had a shot blocked a minute after the restart, and Luke Brennan had one stuffed in the 51st after a slick move through Alexey Miranchuk. Then came the visitors' best spell. In the 59th minute Miranchuk slipped a through ball to Brennan, and Schwake reacted to stop his left-footed shot. A minute later Almirón crossed for Mihaj, and Schwake got to that header too. Miranchuk had a go in the 66th minute. Schwake again.

Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan reworked his side in the 63rd minute, sending on Bryan Acosta and Andy Nájar, and Mukhtar forced Lucas Hoyos into a save with a long-range effort in the 69th. Jack Maher went off injured in the 73rd minute, replaced by Jeisson Palacios, and in the same window Muyl came on for Ahmed Qasem.

Six minutes later, Muyl delivered. Nashville's club recap also credits Matthew Corcoran with an assist on the goal, though ESPN lists only Muyl. Atlanta threw on Fafà Picault and Emmanuel Latte Lath in the 83rd minute, and Latte Lath got a look in the second minute of 10 minutes of stoppage time, but he sent it high and wide. Hoyos kept the margin at one by saving from Nájar a minute later, and Mukhtar skied a free kick in the final minute of stoppage time.

Who Delivered

Brian Schwake was the reason Nashville were in position to win at all. He made five saves, including the 59th- and 60th-minute double that defined the match. The club said it was his seventh shutout of the season, second in MLS behind LAFC's Hugo Lloris, and that he had not conceded a goal in two starts against Atlanta in 2026.

Shak Mohammed made the most of a rare chance. According to MLSsoccer.com, he was starting just his second regular-season match for Nashville with Cristian Espinoza and Warren Madrigal out injured. This was his second career MLS goal, and both have come against Atlanta. "Every time you score a goal, it's so emotional, because it's so hard," he said.

Alex Muyl played less than 20 minutes plus stoppage time and produced the winning assist plus the pass that set up Nájar's late chance. That's an efficient night.

For Atlanta, Enea Mihaj was a menace on the attacking end, putting two of his three shots on target. Miguel Almirón took three shots and was fouled five times. Tristan Muyumba also impressed. Atlanta said it was his eighth MLS match this season with multiple successful tackles, tied for the league lead, and that he completed 94.3 percent of his passes.

The Turning Point

The 73rd-minute substitution. Callaghan's side had been second best for long stretches, and Muyl's arrival changed the delivery into the box. Six minutes later he found Mohammed, and a game Atlanta had controlled for most of the night was gone. Credit Schwake for keeping the door open long enough for a bench move to matter.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Atlanta outshot Nashville 12-8 and led 5-3 in shots on target.
• Possession: Atlanta held 52.1 percent.
• Saves: Schwake made five, Hoyos two.
• Interceptions: Atlanta made 10 to Nashville's seven.

What It Means

Nashville moved to 11-3-1 with 36 points. Per the club, they remain first in MLS, and MLSsoccer.com said the win opened a four-point cushion over Vancouver and San Jose at the top of the standings. It was their fourth straight win, and Nashville say they now have seven wins and a draw at GEODIS Park in league play, making them the only MLS team unbeaten at home this season. "The foundation of what we always want to be is a team that competes with a really strong mentality and competes with intensity," Callaghan told reporters. CF Montréal visit on Wednesday, July 22.

Atlanta dropped to 3-2-10 with 11 points. They outplayed the league leaders for long stretches and left with nothing, and it does not get easier. Their next match is at Charlotte FC on Wednesday, July 22, the second of four straight road matches.

The Closing Take

This was a heist movie where the crew spends two hours getting caught on camera and still walks out with the diamonds. Atlanta did most of the work, Schwake cracked the safe shut, and Mohammed, the guy nobody expected to be in the lineup, walked out the front door with the goods. Nashville do not always need to be brilliant. They just need one moment, and they keep finding it.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes and additional match details as reported by MLSsoccer.com, Nashville SC and Atlanta United.