Nashville SC is preparing for the 2023 Leagues Cup Final and its best chance at winning is in the hands of its top two players: Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge.
The duo are Gary Smith’s best offensive weapons to counter punch the offensive juggernaut of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF and both should perform well against the Miami defense.
Mukhtar, the franchise's first Designated Player in 2019, has been a staple for Nashville SC since it debuted in Major League Soccer in 2020
In Leagues Cup, has the offensive leader of the team, he’s been involved in eight of the club’s goals (two goals and six assists).
Who did he score against? His first goal came in the team’s Leagues Cup debut, a 2-1 win over Colorado Rapids. His second goal was the final goal in a resounding 5-0 win over Minnesota United FC.
Nashville SC’s other offensive weapon will be Sam Surridge, who came to the club from Nottingham Forest just after the start of Leagues Cup and has quickly become a part of the team.
He made his debut against LIGA MX side Club América in the round of 16 and came up in the clutch, netting a stoppage time equalizer in the dying moments of regulation to force penalties.
He scored his second goal of the tournament in the 5-0 win over Minnesota United.
And in the semifinals, he scored the eventual game-winning goal against CF Monterrey (assisted by Mukhtar).
