Bale, Chiellini make MLS debuts, LA beats Nashville 2-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini made their Major League Soccer debuts for Los Angeles FC in a 2-1 win over Nashville on Sunday night.

Bale, Wales’ 33-year-old captain, entered in the 71st minute. The five-time Champions League winner, preparing for Wales’ first World Cup appearance since 1958, joined LA after seven seasons with Tottenham and eight with Real Madrid.

Chiellini, a defender who turns 38 next month, started and played until the 60th minute. Chiellini spent 18 seasons with Juventus, earning nine Serie A titles, and has eight goals in 117 appearances for Italy.

Hany Mukhtar scored his 12th league goal of the season for Nashville, one behind the league-leading total of New York City’s Valentín Castellanos.

José Cifuentes broke a 1-1 tie when he scored in the 46th minute for LA (13-4-3), his career-best sixth goal this season.

Christian Arango had put the visitors ahead in the 27th minute with his sixth goal in seven games and eighth this season.

Mukhtar scored for his fifth straight match, tying the score for Nashville (8-7-6) when he converted a penalty kick that went in off a post in the 43rd minute. Referee Drew Fischer did not call a foul when Ilie Sanchez pulled down C.J. Sapong on a corner kick, but the penalty was awarded after a video review.

Nashville outshot LAFC 12-10, with three shots on goal to five for LA.

Maxime Crepeau saved two of the three shots for LA. Joe Willis saved three of five shots for Nashville.

Both teams next play Saturday. LAFC visits Sporting Kansas City and Nashville visits Cincinnati.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.