Shak Muhammad scored in the 79th minute Friday night and Nashville SC stayed atop the East table with a 1-0 win over visiting Atlanta United.

Nashville (11-1-3, 36 points) was outplayed for a good chunk of the match but was able to generate the only clinical finish off a sudden buildup down the left side. Matthew Corcoran’s long pass found Alex Muyl, who crossed into the middle. Muhammad’s header to the left side of the net easily beat Lucas Hoyos.

Atlanta (3-10-2, 11 points) earned a 12-8 advantage in shots and put five shots on net to Nashville’s four. But All-Star goalie Brian Schwake turned in his seventh clean sheet of the season.

Schwake’s best save came in the 59th minute when Luke Brennan had a point-blank chance to initiate scoring. Brennan tried to chip the ball over Schwake from the top of the 6-yard box, but Schwake punched it over the crossbar.

That moment seemed like a microcosm of the season for both teams. Nashville has conceded just 11 goals in 15 matches, and Atlanta has managed only 14 goals in 15 fixtures. It marked the seventh time this year that Atlanta has been blanked.

Emmanuel Latte Lath had a chance to equalize for Atlanta in the second minute of stoppage time, but his shot from the left side sailed wide of the goal.

Atlanta exerted a surprising amount of control over a scoreless first half, holding the possession advantage for the first half-hour. Nashville experienced some difficulty punching into Atlanta’s half of the field to create quality chances.

Despite losing midfielder Ajani Fortune in the 11th minute with a left hamstring injury, Atlanta still doubled Nashville in shots (6-3) and put two shots on frame to the Coyotes’ one.

Atlanta’s best chance came in the 43rd minute, but Enea Mihaj’s shot from the center of the box was easily turned away by Schwake. Hoyos got Atlanta to the half with a clean sheet by punching out a free kick in stoppage time.

–Field Level Media

Braden Montgomery had four RBIs and Colson Montgomery added three RBIs Friday night as the visiting Chicago White Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 12-4.

Sam Antonacci hit a two-run home run for the White Sox in the opener of a three-game series that followed the All-Star break. Reliever Tyler Schweitzer (1-0) allowed one infield hit and a walk over the final three innings to earn his first major league win.

Luis Arias, George Springer and Brandon Valenzuela hit solo shots for the Blue Jays, who have lost all four games against the White Sox this season.

The White Sox took a 5-0 lead in the second against Spencer Miles (4-2).

Colson Montgomery and Andrew Benintendi started with singles. Kyle Teel blooped an RBI double to left. Braden Montgomery’s grounder to shortstop resulted in an out at third while Benintendi scored. Chase Meidroth stroked an RBI single to center then Antonacci homered to right on a 3-1 fastball.

Toronto scored once against Anthony Kay in the third. Ernie Clement was hit by a pitch and took third when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a single off the glove of first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Kazuma Okamoto walked to load the bases. Clement scored on a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop by George Springer.

Urias lined a homer into the Blue Jays’ bullpen in left on a first-pitch sinker with one out in the fourth.

Meidroth led off the fifth with a single to right and Adam Macko replaced Miles. Antonacci singled to left and Murakami walked to load the bases. Colson Montgomery cleared the bases with a double to left center.

Miles allowed six runs, six hits and no walks with four strikeouts in four-plus innings.

Kay allowed two runs, two hits and three walks with two hit batters and five strikeouts in four innings.

Springer homered to left on a 3-1 fastball from Trevor Richards with two out in the fifth. Valenzuela led off the home sixth with a homer to right against Richards on a 1-0 fastball.

Chicago took a 12-4 lead in the seventh. Miguel Vargas singled against Patrick Corbin and Colson Montgomery walked. The bases were loaded after Okamoto threw errantly to second on Randal Grichuk’s grounder to third. Braydon Fisher replaced Corbin with one out and allowed Braden Montgomery’s triple to right. Tristan Peters hit a sacrifice fly.

–Field Level Media

Playing your final World Cup match one day prior to the championship game is not the assignment anybody desires.

But it’s the reality for France and England as the two countries will take the field in the third-place match on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

“None of our players, and none of the French players, wants to play the third-place match,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve it.”

England missed out on the title match after allowing two late goals to Argentina to fall 2-1 on Wednesday in the semifinals. One day earlier, France came up short when largely outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Spain.

France coach Didier Deschamps isn’t the least bit thrilled about competing for the consolation prize.

“The best thing for France and England would be for this match not to exist,” Deschamps said.

The contest will be the final one as Les Bleus coach for the 57-year-old Deschamps, whose 14-year tenure includes guiding the nation to the 2018 World Cup crown.

“I know that it’s the last match and I don’t want anybody to cry, and I don’t think anybody here will cry,” Deschamps said. “I had the privilege to go through amazing moments and to go also through some more difficult moments, so the end is coming near but life goes on.”

France star Kylian Mbappe is tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi with eight goals in the Golden Boot competition. Mbappe is the defending winner after also having eight goals in 2022.

But first, Mbappe is coping with the fact that his side didn’t reach the final.

“As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility,” Mbappe said of falling against Spain. “I have no problem with that. We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”

Mbappe has 20 career World Cup goals, one behind Messi’s record.

Three other players in this match are second-hand contenders for the Golden Boot: England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have scored six goals and France’s Ousmane Dembele is a longshot at five.

Kane won the 2018 Golden Boot with six goals. This will be the final World Cup match of his “prime” as he turns 33 on July 28.

It could conceivably be his final World Cup match, but Kane isn’t ready to discuss that possibility.

“It’s too early to talk about that,” Kane said. “I mean, as a person, it’s always just about taking it year by year and how I feel. The national team is my pride and joy. It’s what I love to do most, more than anything.

“Obviously, four years is a long way away. I’m 33 in the summer, but as you saw on the other end with Messi (who is 39) there, he’s still performing at the highest level. So, I never want to put a limit on these things.”

Kane and Bellingham have had standout World Cup performances for the Three Lions despite the disappointment of not reaching the final.

Tuchel has been roundly criticized for his tactics after England went up 1-0 in the 55th minute against Argentina on Anthony Gordon’s goal.

England loaded up the back end and played passively on offense. Instead of seeking a two-goal lead, England were playing not to be tied.

The strategy was foiled as Argentina scored goals in the 85th minute and the second minute of stoppage time to dash the dreams of English fans.

“No regrets, the team gave everything, and we were very, very close,” Tuchel said. “We deserved to be up one-nil. We played one of our better matches, maybe the best match. The team was top, but we couldn’t bring it over the line. No regrets.”

–Field Level Media