In a nail-biting finish, the Adelaide Thunderbirds clinched a gripping 64-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Lightning on Sunday, securing the top spot on the Super Netball ladder and guaranteeing home court advantage for the remainder of the season.
Romelda Aiken-George was a standout for the Thunderbirds, scoring an impressive 44 goals from 51 shots, leading her team to victory in a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The Thunderbirds’ triumph at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre completed an unbeaten regular season on their home court. This crucial win placed them at the top of the standings, ahead of the Melbourne Vixens and West Coast Fever, with all three teams holding 11-3 records but the Thunderbirds edging out on percentage.
The game reached a fever pitch in the final term when Lightning captain Steph Fretwell leveled the scores at 60-60 with a dramatic Super Shot. In response, Thunderbirds attacker Georgie Horjus nailed a clutch two-pointer, shifting the momentum back to Adelaide.
A critical fumble by Sunshine Coast's wing defense, Tara Hinchliffe, on the next centre pass allowed the Thunderbirds to capitalize. Aiken-George scored twice, ultimately sealing the Lightning’s fate in the last minute of the match.
Next Saturday, the Thunderbirds will host the second-placed Vixens in the first-versus-second major semi-final at Adelaide 36ers Arena in Findon. The winner will earn direct passage to the grand final, set for August 3 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The Sunshine Coast Lightning, having secured fourth place regardless of Sunday's outcome, will face the third-ranked West Coast Fever in a sudden-death minor semi-final at RAC Arena next Sunday.
The Thunderbirds overcame an early ankle injury to shooter Lauren Frew and a fierce challenge from the Lightning, who had never before lost in Adelaide. Sunshine Coast trailed 18-15 at quarter-time but rallied through the creativity of Leesa Mi Mi at centre and the defensive prowess of veteran Courtney Bruce.
The Lightning briefly took the lead in the second quarter before star shooter Cara Koenen was forced to the bench after injuring her left elbow in a collision with Latanya Wilson. The Thunderbirds seized this opportunity, closing the half with a 7-0 run to lead 35-29 at the main interval.
Although Koenen returned with her elbow strapped, the Thunderbirds extended their advantage to 52-42. However, a Super-Shot spree by Fretwell cut the margin to six goals by three-quarter time.
Despite a strong finish from the Lightning, Hinchliffe’s late turnover and Adelaide's dominance in gains (11-6) and rebounds (10-0) ensured the Thunderbirds’ victory, leaving the Lightning to rue missed opportunities.
With their eyes now set firmly on the finals, the Adelaide Thunderbirds have shown they are a force to be reckoned with, and their performance on Sunday has solidified their status as the team to beat in the race for the Super Netball title.
Jamaican fitness athlete Kristen McGregor is one step closer to her dream of qualifying for the prestigious Ms. Olympia Contest after securing a silver medal at the Wings of Strength competition in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday night. This impressive finish in the Open Figure Category comes just a week after her fifth-place result at the Mr. Big Evolution Olympia Qualifier in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 7.
McGregor’s journey towards Ms. Olympia qualification has been marked by determination and perseverance. Her performance in Atlanta demonstrated her exceptional form and dedication, moving her up three places from her recent showing in Lisbon and bringing her closer to the ultimate goal of competing in the Ms. Olympia Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 11.
Expressing her excitement and gratitude, McGregor, who won the Ms. Olympia Amateur contest in 2020, shared her joy with fans and supporters. "There is always an end, but there is never a limit. You can do anything you set your mind to with the right support, energy, and system in place. I took home the silver this weekend and I am truly grateful as I am one step closer to my target. Thank you to @themsolympia, @wingsofstrength, and @npc_ifbb_atlantaprosupershow for organizing a great show," McGregor said.
McGregor’s consistent performance and unwavering determination have made her a standout athlete in the fitness world. As she continues her preparations, her focus remains sharp on achieving her dream of competing at Ms. Olympia, the pinnacle of bodybuilding and fitness competitions.
The Columbus Crew ended Los Angeles FC's unbeaten run at the BMO Stadium with a 5-1 victory in a game that saw three red cards in a frenetic ending to proceedings.
Sergi Palencia was the first player sent off for the hosts, with LAFC's Jesus Murillo and the Crew's Marino Hinestroza also given their marching orders for an altercation just before the final whistle.
Christian Ramirez opened the scoring in the first half, with Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi increasing the visitors' advantage to three by the hour mark.
Palencia was shown his second yellow card for a pull on substitute Alexandru Matan, with Ramirez notching his second of the game from the resulting free-kick.
Nathan Ordaz clawed one back for LAFC, but Matan would round off the scoring at the BMO Stadium as he curled an effort beyond Hugo Lloris.
But following a tackle from Eddie Segura on Hinestroza, a push from Murillo on the Crew attacker resulted in a scuffle, with referee Lukasz Szpala showing two red cards.
"A very poor performance from us tonight, really in all categories, is the only way I would describe it," LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said.
"Columbus were better in every moment of the game tonight and hats off to them, they played a fantastic game and deserved to win.
"But for us, it is obviously super disappointing for our fans and we don't want to ever present ourselves like that again at home."
LAFC remain top of the Western Conference despite their defeat, but will be without Palencia and Murillo for their top-of-the-table clash with Real Salt Lake next week.
Guyana are champions of the CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s T20 Championship after a 23-run DLS method win over the Leeward Islands in the final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Saturday.
The Leewards were bundled out for 68 in 19.4 overs after winning the toss.
Captain Jahzara Claxton was the only batter in double figures for the Leewards with 25 as Trisha Hardat ripped through the batting on her way to a match-winning 4-10 off her four overs.
She was well supported by Danellie Manns who took 2-14 from four overs.
Guyana were then on their way to a comfortable chase at 63-5 in the 12th over before rain came and brought proceedings to a close.
At the time of the delay, Guyana were 63-5, 23 runs ahead of the DLS par score.
Naomi Barkoye led the way with 24 while Shonette Belgrave made 21.
Amara Richards and Sainvani Kambalapalli took two wickets, each, to help the Leewards effort.
At Diego Martin Sports Complex, 2023 champions Trinidad & Tobago defeated the Windward Islands by five wickets to claim third place.
T&T restricted the Windwards to 67-7 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and fielding first.
Nesha Alexander with 18, captain Zaida James with 11 and Denella Creese with 10 were the only Windwards batters into double figures as Kenika Cassar bowled brilliantly on her way to figures of 2-5 from her four overs.
Kirah Manpaul took 2-8 from her one over in support.
Trinidad & Tobago then needed 17 overs to reach 68-5. Brianna Harricharan led the way with 17* while Katrina Ruben made 12.
Amiah Gilbert took 2-18 from two overs.
At the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, Jamaica defeated Barbados by seven wickets to claim fifth place.
Barbados, after winning the toss and batting first, were bowled out for 63 19.1 overs by the Jamaicans.
Naijanni Cumberbatch led the way for the Bajans with 20. Moniqueca Reid took 3-20 from her four overs for Jamaica while Sashane Ricketts took 2-1 from 1.1 overs.
Chrishana McKenzie then spearheaded a successful chase with 21* while Jaunel Deers made 17 as Jamaica reached 64-3 in 19.3 overs.
With temperatures in Paris expected to be high during the upcoming Olympic Games, Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic Committee (TTOC) is taking steps to ensure that the 17 athletes will be comfortable enough both in and out of competition to give of their best for the twin island republic.
Though the likes of athletics stalwarts Keshorn Walcott, Jereem “The Dream” Richards, Michelle-Lee Ahye, and cyclist Nicholas Paul are experienced campaigners at the highest level, and know how to handle the heat of world class competition, it’s the heat off the track in the French capital is expected to pose a challenge.
However, TTOC president Diane Henderson, is not too concerned.
“In any country, we have always dealt with... when it was extremely cold in Lima, Peru, we had to go out and buy heaters, headwear and gloves, so it’s no different,” Henderson said during the team’s Puma Gear Reveal at TTOC’s headquarters, on Friday.
With the Games organisers taking an eco-friendly approach, the Olympic Village will not have air condition units. As such, some countries, including United States, will supply their own AC units in order to ensure the comfort of athletes as they strive for optimal performance.
Henderson pointed out that TTOC stands ready to provide the necessary assistance to meet the needs of the athletes.
“If the conditions are such, we would have to get fans or something in Paris to deal with that. We’re aware of it so we could always deal with that when we go. It has never been an issue when we have to go out and get stuff. Usually you have the assistants who would guide you effectively and say where we could get the necessary equipment,” she explained.
Sprinters Ahye and Elijah Joseph were among the athletes that modelled the new Team TTO uniforms on Friday, as they gear up for battle on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
“We have always wanted to do something to showcase the uniforms. It brings a lot of pride to the athletes and they feel really special. I think it went well. We’re always grateful to Puma for this sponsorship and partnership. It’s very important to have that support continuously for all our multi-sport Games,” Henderson noted.
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic squad:
Athletics –Michelle-Lee Ahye - 100m & 4x100 relay; Leah Bertrand- 100m & 4x100 relay; Sole Frederick- 4x100 relay; Akilah Lewis- 4x100 relay; Sanaa Frederick - 4x100 relay (Reserve); Portious Warren- Shot Put; Keshorn Walcott- Javelin; Jereem Richards- 200m, 400m & 4x400 relay; Devin Augustine- 100m; Jaden Marchan- 4x400 relay; Shakeem Mc Kay- 4x400 relay; Renny Quow- 4x400 relay; Elijah Joseph- 4x400 relay (Reserve)
Cycling –Nicholas Paul, Kwesi Browne
Swimming –Dylan Carter - 50m and 100m Freestyle; Zuri Ferguson- Backstroke 100m
Another stellar shooting exhibition from Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard assisted West Coast Fever to another clinical performance in the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League, as they toppled Melbourne Mavericks 76-57 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 11,841 at RAC Arena, in Perth, on Saturday.
While the 19-goal victory didn’t push the Fevers to the top of the standing as they had hoped, it did ensure they ended the regular season on a high heading into the finals. They provisionally sit second on the standings on 44 points, same as leaders Melbourne Vixens, who were 62-52 winners over Queensland Firebirds.
However, reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds (40 points), could overtake both to finish regular season as minor premiers, with a win over Sunshine Coast Lightning on Sunday.
Still, Fowler-Nembhard, who shot 69 from 69, including a solitary Supershot worth two goals, and her team have much to celebrate as they have regained some semblance of rhythm when it matters most. Alice Teague-Neeld (five goals from six attempts) and another Jamaican Shanice Beckford (two goals from three attempts) supported the top-rated shooter.
Meanwhile, another Jamaican Shimona Jok led the Mavericks with 30 goals from 34 attempts, with support from Eleanor Cardwell (21 goals from 24 attempts) and Gabrielle Sinclair (six goals from eight attempts), but it was not enough for them to make the finals in their inaugural SSN season.
Both teams started the game strongly, with the Jamaican shooters as Fowler-Nembhard and Jok exchanging goal-for-goal at opposite ends of the court. However, Fever gradually asserted some authority on the contest and opened up a five-goal lead to end the first quarter at 20-15.
The second quarter was a stark contrast to the first as both teams struggled to maintain possession due to some unforced errors, before the Mavericks regained their composure and scored a few unanswered goals to reduce the deficit.
That shift in momentum forced Fever’s Head coach Dan Ryan to move Sunday Aryang into goal defence, while Jess Anstiss took the wing defence bib, and Kelsey Browne entered the game in centre. Those changes had immediate impact, as Aryang picked up a rebound off a missed effort from Jok.
From there, Fever ensured they remained on top at 34-30 at the half-time interval, though they were outscored 14-15 in what was a strong second quarter for the Mavericks.
Like they did in the first, the two teams traded goals for most of the third quarter until Aryang picked up an incredible intercept for the Fever. That, along with a few missed efforts on the Mavericks’ part, allowed Fever to widen the gap to a 13-goal lead at 56-43 heading into the final quarter.
In chase of a 24-goal winning margin to secure top spot, the Fever threw it all on the line in the final quarter, as they applied consistent pressure to the Mavericks, who never really had a response, but did well enough to deny the host a wider margin of victory.
To say that 400m hurdler Shiann Salmon made a remarkable breakthrough when she secured an individual spot on Jamaica’s team to the Paris Olympic Games, would be an understatement.
After just missing out on a spot to the Tokyo 2020 showpiece –for which she was listed as a reserve to Rhonda Whyte, Leah Nugent, and Janieve Russell –Salmon vowed to right that wrong on this occasion, and that she did.
She produced one of her finest performances in recent times to place third in a new personal best of 53.71s, behind Rushell Clayton (52.51s) and Janieve Russell (53.33s) at the JAAA National Senior Championships recently.
“I feel so good. I'm elated. I put the work in to achieve this and I always told myself that I wasn’t going to leave Jamaica as an alternate for the Olympic Games, and I did just that. This was my moment, and I couldn't let anything hold me back, so I'm very happy,” Salmon told SportsMax.TV.
Salmon’s path to achieving the Olympic feat was by no means smooth, as faced intense pressure and anxiety leading up to her qualification race, so much so that she was physically sick before stepping onto the National Stadium track.
Despite these challenges, she managed to harness her nerves and deliver an efficient performance that solidified her place among the elite athletes set to represent Jamaica.
“I was incredibly nervous before the race that I actually threw up a few times,” Salmon admitted.
Salmon is all smiles after accomplishing the Olympic qualifying feat.
“But like I said, I did the work and so I just kept reminding myself ‘you can do it, three persons cannot beat you,’ and I knew I had to push through, so I'm very happy,” she added.
Beyond her focus and determination, the highlight of Salmon’s display was an improved backstretch execution, an aspect of the race she pointed out she and her coaches have rigorously worked on in training.
While her qualification is a significant achievement, the 25-year-old and her coaches are not resting on their laurels. Instead, they intend to continue identifying areas for improvement to enhance her competitiveness in the closing stages of the race.
“Sometimes I don’t execute my races properly, I tend to sleep on the backstretch and the race gets away from me and then I try to finish strong. But for the National Championships, I was just reminding myself mid-race, ‘do not sleep, do not sleep, do not let them go too far,’ And that's what I did,” she shared.
“My coaches also talked to me about, and we have been focusing a lot on executing a proper race strategy because it's crucial for me to maintain my speed and form through that part of the race to ensure I finish strong. So we’re working on refining my technique and endurance to make sure I'm at my best when it counts the most,” Salmon noted.
Having represented Jamaica with distinction, winning multiple individual and relay medals at the youth and senior levels, including NACAC Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the World Championships, Salmon would very much love to add an Olympic medal to her accolades.
Salmon crosses the line ahead of Rushell Clayton in a previous race.
However, Salmon knows that winning a medal in Paris will by no means be easy, and as such, she is more focused on building on her strengths to continue giving of her best for the country at the highest level.
“Honestly, I feel like making the team was the hardest part. That was the aim, and I'm on the team, so I'm just going to take it one step at a time from here. I just have to go through the rounds at the Olympics, execute them, do what my coaches tell me to do and I'll be fine,” she declared.
“Anything that comes with that, I'll be grateful. Just to be a part of the team is a big enough accomplishment for me and I'm just super happy to be representing my country on the biggest stage of my career, and I can't ask for anything more,” Salmon ended.
NB: The Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July 26 to August 11, will be live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.
Rain was the dominant force in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday as play was not possible in two of the three matches in the CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Men’s 2-Day Championship.
Play on day two between the Leeward Islands and Guyana at the Park Hill Playing Field and Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago at the Sion Hill Playing Field was not possible.
Guyana were leading the Leewards by 27 runs entering day two.
Full Scores:
Guyana U-19s 111 all out off 34.2 overs (Jonathan van Lange 28, Rampertab Ramnauth 22, Nathan Edward 5-21, Micah McKenzie 2-18, Matthew Miller 2-23)
Leeward Islands U-19s 84-2 off 20 overs (Michael Palmer 24, Devanand Singh 22*, Jewel Andrew 16*)
The Trinidadians were trailing Barbados by 149 runs entering day two.
Barbados U-19s 200-9 declared off 67 overs (Jatario Prescod 55, Joshua Morris 43, Raneico Smith 21, Nathan Sealy 20, Jacen Agard 4-50, Aneal Rooplal 2-36)
Trinidad & Tobago U-19s 51-3 off 17 overs (Justin Jagessar 22, Kyle Ramdoo 15)
The only match that saw some cricket on day two was the match between the Windward Islands and defending double champions Jamaica at Arnos Vale.
The Windwards reached 44-0 in the ninth over after starting the day 27-0 off five overs.
Theo Edward and Captain Stephan Pascal finished 22* and 20*, respectively.
Full Scores:
Windward Islands U-19s 135 all out off 45.2 overs (Stephan Pascal 26, Lee John 23, Kirtney Franklyn 22, Kirt Murray 21, Tamarie Redwood 6-44, Michael Clarke 4-26) & 44-0 off 8.2 overs (Theo Edward 22*, Stephan Pascal 20*)
Jamaica U-19s 146-8 declared off 34.1 overs (Adrian Weir 38, Brian Barnes 30, Steve Wedderburn 28, Michael Clarke 24, Kirt Murray 4-22, Aaron Joseph 2-24)
The teams will now turn their attention to the next round which begins on Sunday, July 14.
The Leeward Islands will take on Barbados at Arnos Vale with Jamaica facing Trinidad & Tobago at Park Hill and the Windward Islands facing Guyana at Sion Hill.
Interim San Jose Earthquakes boss Ian Russell is keen to carry the momentum from last week's crucial victory over the Chicago Fire into Saturday, when Sporting Kansas City visit PayPal Park.
The Earthquakes halted a nine-match winless run and recorded their first victory in three games under Russell last time out, Hernan Lopez's goal proving enough to beat Chicago.
San Jose remain six points adrift of their nearest rivals – Saturday's opponents Sporting – at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but Russell hopes last week's win can be a turning point.
"We needed a win. The Clasico was disappointing and against St. Louis we were flat. I thought we were on the front foot and deserved to win," Russell said.
"We're happy with how the players responded and got after it. We've had some close ones go the other way.
"Depending on the opponent, the main objective for us was to stop conceding goals. We needed to grind out a game like that and it gives us confidence moving forward.
"We just need to build momentum from that last game and carry it on to Sporting."
Sporting were also victorious last week, beating FC Dallas 3-2 in a game that saw William Agada score twice and Zorhan Bassong sent off late on.
Having then needed extra time to overcome the same opponents in the U.S. Open Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, coach Peter Vermes will leave it until the last minute to pick Saturday's starting lineup.
"We go back to 20 guys now and I can't bury a bunch of guys. One issue is Bassong being out for the next game, that hurts a bit," Vermes said after their Dallas double-header.
"We'll have some challenges that we'll have to deal with and it'll be Saturday morning when we see how some of the players are."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza
Espinoza provided the assist on the lone goal in San Jose's win over Chicago last Sunday, his 10th assist of the season.
This is Espinoza's fourth career double-digit assist season, something no other Earthquakes player has done more than twice.
Sporting Kansas City – William Adaga
After scoring twice against Dallas last weekend, Agada has netted in 12 different matches in MLS, and half of those contests have seen him score a brace.
Of players that have scored in 10 or more MLS matches, only Miguel Almiron (53.8%, 7/13) has had multiple goals in a higher percentage of them.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Sporting KC have only lost two of their last 18 matches against the 'Quakes in all competitions, winning 10 and drawing six in a run dating back to September 2016.
One of San Jose's two victories in that span, however, did come when the teams last faced off at PayPal Park last April, a 3-0 win.
With Sporting losing eight straight regular-season road matches, their longest losing streak away from home in the post-shootout era (since 2000), this fixture may come at a good time for San Jose. Whether they have the quality to take three points, though, is a big question.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
San Jose Earthquakes – 35.9%
Sporting Kansas City – 38%
Draw – 26.1%
St. Louis City interim head coach John Hackworth is aiming to learn from mistakes made in their last meeting with the Vancouver Whitecaps now they are back on home soil.
St. Louis have won just one of their last 11 matches in MLS – 2-0 at home in Hackworth's first game in charge, with their 4-3 defeat to Vancouver prior to that, leading to Bradley Carnell's departure.
They currently sit 12th in the Western Conference on 22 points, eight behind the playoffs, and Hackworth is focusing on making sure the team do not lose their concentration in the closing stages.
"If we can finish stronger than we start, that's the focus," said Hackworth. "At home, we want to put a complete performance together.
"It's easy for me to say that if we'd finished stronger [last time out against Vancouver], we could've got something.
"So, that's our goal for our performance. Specifically, be better in the last 20 minutes, and we have a chance to be successful."
Meanwhile, Vancouver are now unbeaten in three matches, a run that started in the reverse fixture.
Sitting sixth in the table, head coach Vanni Sartini is looking to go into the upcoming break with the team in an even stronger position.
"St. Louis will be really important," he said. "We have three games before the break for the Leagues Cup and getting a positive record in these three games, five or more points, is important.
"Starting in St. Louis would be great. For sure, they'll want to avenge the fact that we beat them.
"They have a new coach, so it'll be hard, but from what I've seen from our team in the last couple of weeks, we have what it takes to win."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – John Klein
John Klein scored his first MLS goal in St. Louis City's defeat in Colorado on Sunday, becoming the 15th different goalscorer for the club this season, tied for the most different scorers in MLS this year (Sporting Kansas City).
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
Brian White has scored five goals in three matches against St. Louis City, his most against any MLS opponent in regular-season play.
The only players to score more goals against a single opponent since St. Louis joined MLS last season are Facundo Torres (six) against the Chicago Fire and Teemu Pukki (six) vs LA Galaxy.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
The home side has won all three meetings between these sides, with Vancouver winning the last two meetings at BC Place after St. Louis won the first match at home in May 2023. The winning side has scored at least three times in all the games.
St. Louis won their last home match, 2-0, over San Jose Earthquakes on July 3, the club's fourth home win of the regular season. St. Louis' only back-to-back home wins this year came against Austin and Chicago in April-May.
Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are unbeaten in three straight regular-season matches (won two, drawn one), a run that began with a 4-3 win over St. Louis on June 29. This equals Vancouver's longest unbeaten run in league play this season (three straight in April-May).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City – 36.9%
Draw – 26.3%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 36.8%
Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has praised his side’s resilience in coming back from a poor run of results to go five games unbeaten in the MLS.
The Sounders travel to the Q2 Stadium this weekend to face Austin FC, hoping to continue their winning streak and move further up the Western Conference table.
Schmetzer’s side currently sit in seventh place in the standings and booked their place in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup following a 2-1 victory over Sacramento Republic last time out.
The head coach was able to detail the reasoning behind his side’s upturn in fortunes in recent weeks, going on to say the players within the group have changed their mindset as part of their new-found success.
Schmetzer said: "I have seen goal production; I have seen a little bit of a rebound just in the mindset of the entire group.
“It has always been a pretty resilient group, but I think they are also a proud group, and I don’t think they were happy in the place that they were a month ago.
“They started to dig, so it’s a combination of things.”
Austin also come into the encounter following an impressive victory against New York City FC last time out, coming from a goal down to claim their eighth win of the season.
Josh Wolff’s side sit right on the play-off line in the Western Conference table, currently occupying ninth place on 30 points but have Minnesota United breathing down their necks.
The Verde and Black head coach acknowledged the challenges that await his side as the season reached its conclusion, but lauded his players and staffs efforts for coming through a difficult period having suffered several injuries within their squad.
“Obviously, the pressure will build with each game whether you take points, or you don’t, but if I am being honest, I am very pleased with our group’s efforts to get to this position and be inside the play-off line,” Wolff said.
“We are four points from being higher and four or five points from being in a much lower spot, but that is what the Western Conference is.
“The ability from our high performance and technical staff to keep these guys healthy and in a good space, in some games we had four subs, and we knew we were going to have tough times.
“But the guys, to be able to get results home and away to put us in a position now after the Leagues Cup, the season will go quickly. We have a big week ahead of us and it starts with Seattle.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Gyasi Zardes
Gyasi Zardes was the man of the moment for Austin in their comeback victory against NYCFC, ending his streak of 28 MLS games without a goal.
His previous longest goal drought came between 2016 and 2017 when he was playing for LA Galaxy, going 18 games without finding the back of the net. His brace will surely give him confidence heading into the encounter.
Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak
Albert Rusnak’s growing influence within the Seattle Sounders side continues to grow, notching a goal and an assist in their 2-1 triumph over New England in their last MLS fixture.
Rusnak has either scored or assisted in seven of Seattle’s last eight goals (four goals, three assists). Prior to this rich run of form, the Slovakian had managed just seven goal contributions in the MLS prior to June 19 (one goal, six assists).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Both sides come into the contest off the back of impressive MLS victories, but it is the Sounders who hold the edge when looking at their record at the Q2 Stadium.
Seattle are unbeaten in three all-time visits to Austin (W2 D1), one of two teams (Colorado Rapids) to visit Austin three times without ever losing.
But Austin showed their powers of recovery once again in their victory over NYCFC. Having fallen behind in the fifth minute. However, it was the 14th time they have conceded the first goal in a game this season, tied with Inter Miami and Chicago Fire.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 39.4%
Draw – 26.6%
Seattle Sounders – 34.1%
Guyana and the Leeward Islands will contest the CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s T20 Championship at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Saturday after the conclusion of the tournament’s fifth round on Thursday.
At the same venue on Thursday, the Leewards secured a seven-run win over Jamaica via the DLS method.
The Leewards first posted 124-6 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Jamaicans. Captain Jahzara Claxton led the way with 29 while Sainvani Kambalapalli made 22 and Kimberley Anthony made 20.
Brianna Plummer, Abigail Bryce and Aneisha Miller each took two wickets for Jamaica.
At the time of the rain delay, Jamaica were 55-3 off 10.4 overs, seven runs short of the DLS par score.
At the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, Guyana, who booked their spot in the final thanks to wins in the first four rounds, suffered a narrow two-wicket loss to the Windward Islands in round five.
The Guyanese were bundled out for just 60 in 18 overs after winning the toss. Nesha Alexander was the pick of the Windwards bowlers with 4-8 from her four overs while Selena Ross took 3-8 off three overs in support.
The Windwards then hade a tough time of it in their chase, needing 18.3 overs to reach 61-8.
Denella Creese led the way with 25 as Trisha Hardat and Nyia Latchman tried their best with the ball for Guyana.
Hardat took 2-2 from two overs while Latchman took 2-6 from her four overs.
The other round five fixture saw Barbados defeat Trinidad & Tobago by 12 runs via the DLS method at the Diego Martin Sports Complex.
Barbados made 100-5 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat. Asabi Callender led the way with 40 while Naijanni Cumberbatch made 30* against 2-9 off four overs from Kenika Cassar and 2-13 off three overs from Brianna Harricharan.
Trinidad & Tobago’s target was then revised to 95 off 18 overs due to rain.
They lost wickets early and never recovered, eventually being restricted to 82-9 off 18 overs.
Erin Deane starred with 4-12 from her four overs while Cumberbatch and Nia Wood took 2-14, each.
Also on Saturday, Trinidad and Tobago will face the Windward Islands in the third-place playoff at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground while Jamaica will face Barbados in the fifth-place playoff at the Diego Martin Sports Complex.
Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has praised his side's "humble" attitude ahead of their trip to Los Angeles FC in MLS on Saturday.
The Crew are on a four-match winning streak, scoring 15 goals and keeping three clean sheets during that run.
They sit third in the Eastern Conference, and after a 4-0 victory over Toronto FC last time out, Nancy showed his admiration for their impressive run.
"The fact that we are humble enough to accept that we have to improve all the time, the consequence of that is we are able to do something new and to improve all the time," Nancy said.
"Again, this desire to get better and better depends on what the opposition is going to give us.
"[I'm proudest of] the fact that we don't take anything for granted. That's why we were able to attack well and to defend well. This is the spirit that I really like."
LAFC, meanwhile, sit joint-top of the Western Conference, with Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy also on 43 points.
Their high-flying season has drawn attention, with head coach Steve Cherundolo's name one of those linked to the currently vacant USA national team job.
Cherundolo has brushed aside any concerns that he will be leaving LA though, instead using it to highlight the club's work this season.
"I am LAFC's head coach right now," he said. "That is my job, it's what I do every day. We have training tomorrow and I will be there for it.
"I think it has more to do with LAFC and all that's going on here.
"We're all moving in the same direction. When the group functions well, individuals shine, it's just a well-run organisation, and it's partly my job to make sure we keep going in that direction."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga
Denis Bouanga (one goal) and Mateusz Bogusz (one assist) were each involved in a goal in LAFC's 2-1 win against LA Galaxy last time out, the league-leading 10th time both have contributed to a goal in the same match this season.
Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi
Cucho Hernandez (11 goals, seven assists) and Diego Rossi (seven goals, nine assists) are one of two MLS team-mate duos to each have 7+ goals and 7+ assists in 2024, along with Real Salt Lake's Cristian Arango and Andres Gomez.
MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC WIN
LAFC have won six consecutive regular-season home matches, scoring at least three goals in four of those wins. They have only one longer home-winning run in their history – a nine-match streak in 2022.
However, they lost to Columbus when the two last faced each other, as the Crew came out on top with a 2-1 victory in the 2023 MLS Cup Final last December. Prior to that match, LAFC had won all three of their meetings by a combined 7-0.
The Crew are coming off a 4-0 victory over Toronto FC, their second shutout win by at least four goals this season (4-0 over Sporting Kansas City last month). It is the first time Columbus have had multiple such wins in MLS play in a single season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Los Angeles FC – 42.4%
Draw – 26.7%
Columbus Crew – 30.9%
Nick Cushing believes his New York City FC side are in a good place as they seek to improve their form on the road against Chicago Fire this weekend.
NYCFC are winless in their last three games away from home, with their latest defeat coming against Austin FC last time out as Gyasi Zardes’ double cancelled out Andres Perea's early strike.
The result leaves them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, a point behind rivals New York Red Bulls ahead of the upcoming Leagues Cup break.
Despite their recent loss, Cushing’s side have impressed on home turf and is happy with the moment his players find themselves at an important stage of the season.
“I think the upcoming games are important because I think everybody in the league sees the League Cup break as a natural marker in the season,” Cushing said. “You then focus on the Leagues Cup, and then you've got the run in through until the end of the season.
“I think the only way that we have to approach it is to improve the performances from the previous games. The Austin game was vastly improved compared to the Nashville and the LA Galaxy game.
“We dominate the game, we control the game, we showed a real maturity in when to have the ball and when to go out and counterattack. We created many chances, but we just fell on the wrong side of the result.
“We have to take the positives out of the performance and we have to improve in the areas where we don't get the result and ultimately that is executing in the final third. We missed chances that we created and we gave two moments that in this league you will be punished for.
“We have to fix that fast. Whether it is understanding whether it is mentality, I think this group is in a good place."
Chicago Fire, meanwhile, suffered a third defeat in four games at the hands of San Jose Earthquakes, leaving them precariously close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.
Just four points separate seven teams at the wrong end of the standings, with the Fire guilty of squandering several opportunities to put important points on the board.
It was the seventh time this season that Chicago have failed to score in a game. No team has failed to do so more often in the MLS this season.
Head coach Frank Klopas acknowledged his side’s wastefulness in front of goal, insisting his players need to find that clinical edge moving forwards.
“For me, the staff and the players, it felt like a missed opportunity for us to go and pick up points,” Klopas said.
“It was probably not a game that we came out with the highest intensity of energy. I think both teams had a little bit of a slow start. We did create opportunities, but again conceded one goal.
“We created enough to come away with points. It’s disappointing because it was an opportunity with the results around us for us to pick up some important momentum and gain some ground on teams.
“We missed that opportunity. We don’t always make it easy on ourselves when those chances come and we can’t let too many more of those slide away because the season is running out.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers
Hugo Cuypers has scored in each of his last three MLS appearances at Soldier Field and will be brimming with confidence ahead of facing NYCFC.
No Fire player has had a longer single-season home scoring streak since Nemanja Nikolic scored in four straight home matches to end the 2017 campaign.
NYCFC – Tayvon Gray
Tayvon Gray continued his influential displays for NYCFC in the final third, notching his fifth assist of the season in their win over Philadelphia Union.
Only two MLS players have more assists this season without having a secondary assist (San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza — 10, New York Red Bulls’ Dante Vanzeir — six).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Heading into the encounter at Soldier Field, NYCFC hold the better head-to-head record from their previous meetings with Chicago, having lost just three times in their 20 all-time fixtures (W11, D6), including going unbeaten in their last five encounters (W4, D1).
Chicago, however, will have confidence in front of their home supporters. Of the 15 points they have taken from NYCFC, 13 have come at home (W3, D4, L2).
The Fire have won back-to-back home matches after a six-match winless run at Soldier Field from mid-April to the end of May. Chicago scored six times in their two home wins after scoring only twice in their previous six games at home.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fire – 35%
Draw – 26%
NYCFC – 39%
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