CF Montreal v Nashville SC: Mukhtar keen to build on historic U.S. Open Cup success

Nashville SC claimed the first trophy in their history on Wednesday as they beat Austin FC to lift the U.S. Open Cup, and Hany Mukhtar hopes there is more success to come.

Mukhtar and Sam Surridge scored in a 2-1 final victory for B.J. Callaghan's team at Q2 Stadium, with the latter then being sent off in stoppage time as they held out for the win.

Nashville had previously come up short in the 2023 Leagues Cup showpiece, going down on penalties to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

But as they prepare to return to MLS action at CF Montreal on Saturday, Mukhtar hopes Wednesday's triumph can push the club to another level.

"I think it is important for us that we know that we can do it, that we can win a trophy," said Mukhtar. "It gives us extra confidence for the rest of the MLS season.

"I think this year we showed we can control games with the ball. That is a big improvement. 

"And I still believe we have at least one step to go to be a top team, to be one of the best teams in this league."

Nashville are still fighting to be assured of an automatic MLS Cup Playoff place. They are sixth in the Eastern Conference but could still drop into the play-in spots.

Montreal are out of contention for the postseason in 13th, though Luca Donadel's team did restore some pride by thumping Charlotte FC 4-1 on the road last time out.

"I'm happy because the guys are now starting to have an identity, a clear identity, but at the same time they can respect the situation, the opponents, and adapt a bit," Donadel said.

"You know, it's obviously been a long season, but we've worked very hard and I feel like we deserved something like this.

"Even though we went a goal down, we still played on the front foot. It was just a great performance, a great feeling."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Dante Sealy

Sealy scored two of Montreal's four goals in their win over Charlotte, registering his first career MLS brace. 

He has scored six goals in his last eight MLS appearances after totalling just four goals in his first 58 career regular-season games.

Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar

Mukhtar and Surridge each scored in Nashville's last league game, a 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo last Saturday, the seventh MLS match in which both have found the net this season. 

Only three pairs of team-mates have scored in the same match more often in a single season in MLS history, and they also were both on target in the U.S. Open Cup final.

MATCH PREDICTION – NASHVILLE SC WIN

While Nashville are coming off the back of a historic midweek triumph, they have lost six consecutive regular-season away matches, last earning a road point in MLS in June.

This is Nashville's longest-ever regular-season road losing run and is tied for the second longest in MLS this season (St. Louis City – nine straight).

Montreal have just 27 points for the season, and they need one point from their last two games to avoid setting a new record for the fewest points in a full MLS season in club history (28 in 2014).

Nashville have lost only one of 10 all-time meetings with Montreal (W6 D3), though, and they could ride the high of their cup victory to another three points.

Interestingly, Nashville are the first professional sports team from the state of Tennessee to ever win a major championship.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

CF Montreal – 27.2%

Nashville SC – 48.9%

Draw – 23.9%