Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew

Nashville dominated possession and territory from start to finish, controlling 58 percent of the ball and forcing Columbus into a defensive shell at Geodis Park. Hany Mukhtar was the standout performer, pulling the strings in midfield and earning man of the match honors after a display rated 8.3 out of 10. The home side went in ahead at the break and looked comfortable throughout, racking up 13 shots and six on target while Columbus managed just three attempts with two reaching the goalkeeper. But Columbus never went away quietly. They clawed back into the match and nearly snatched a result before Nashville held firm for a 3-2 win that could've easily slipped away in the final stages. It was a thriller that showed Nashville's attacking quality when they get going, though they'll know they should've put the game to bed earlier given how much of the play they had. Three points at home keeps the pressure on in the playoff race.

Nashville SC beat Columbus Crew 3-2 at Geodis Park, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Nashville SC also had the better share of the ball, holding 58% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 13 attempts from Nashville SC against 3 from Columbus Crew over the course of the game. Columbus Crew had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.