Nashville SC Players Named As Finalists For 2021 MLS End-Of-Year Awards

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Nashville SC’s Hany Muhktar, Walker Zimmerman and Joe Willis have been named as finalists for the 2021 MLS End-Of-Year Awards. Mukhtar is a Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists, Zimmerman is a Defender of the Year Finalists, and Willis is a Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists.

All three players have been at the forefront of the clubs success, including playoff home field advantage and a record-setting unbeaten streak at home.

Mukthar has added to the teams offense, scoring 16 goals. He registered 28 goals + assists, the most of any player in MLS this season. Mukhtar also secured the fastest hat trick in MLS history with three goals in the span of six minutes on July 17 against Chicago Fire FC. He finished the season strong scoring nine goals and assisting eight goals in his final 15 matches of the season. He finished the regular season tied for fifth in MLS in goals, tied for fourth in assists with 12, tied for second in shots on target with 43 and finished fifth in shots with 94.

Zimmerman is the reigning Defender of the Year and has performed at an extremely high level, leading NSC to a goals-against average of 0.96 in his appearances this season. Zimmerman ranked first among qualified Nashville SC outfield players in duel percentage at 65% and led Nashville SC players in headed duel percentage with 73.2%. Zimmerman set a new career-high in assists this season and was selected to MLS Team of the Week four times in 2021.

Along with Zimmerman, goalkeeper Willis has been the backbone of the team’s defense. He had a career-year in 2021 for Nashville SC, setting career-highs in games started and played (34), minutes (3,060), shutouts (13), wins (12), saves (100), shutouts (13) and goals against average (0.97). Willis was tied as the league leader in clean sheets with 13, marking back-to-back seasons where he finished an MLS season as the leader.

Nashville hosts  Orlando City SC in the First Round of the playoffs on Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.CT and will be aired on Fox Sports 1.

Full list of finalist in each category:

Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists:
Valentín Castellanos (New York City FC)
Carles Gil (New England Revolution)
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)
João Paulo (Seattle Sounders FC)
Dániel Sallói (Sporting Kansas City)

Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists:
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Joe Willis (Nashville SC)

Defender of the Year Finalists:
Yeimar Gómez (Seattle Sounders FC)
Miles Robinson (Atlanta United)
Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Steven Boero
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