Jamaican netball star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard showcased her immense talent and composure, scoring an astonishing 67 goals in the Suncorp Super Netball preliminary final on Sunday. Fowler-Nembhard's brilliance guided the Fever to a hard-fought 72-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Lightning. They will now face off against the Melbourne Vixens for a chance to face defending champion Adelaide Thunderbirds in the grand final.
In a match marked by dramatic momentum shifts, the Fever had to dig deep to withstand the Lightning's persistent challenges. It wasn't until late in the third quarter that the Fever managed to establish a decisive lead, ultimately securing their place in the next round.
The game began with the Lightning in control, as the connections between Steph Fretwell, Liz Watson, and Leesa Mi Mi effortlessly cut through the Fever’s defense. In response, the Fever introduced the speed of Kelsey Browne to their midcourt, but the Lightning's fluid play maintained a three-point advantage until a crucial super shot from Shanice Beckford leveled the score and electrified the crowd.
Fever shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard then took center stage, dominating her matchup against Courtney Bruce and forcing Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds to make tactical adjustments. Despite these changes, Fowler-Nembhard remained unstoppable, finishing with an incredible 67 goals from 69 attempts and earning MVP honors for her performance.
The match's intensity took its toll on the Lightning, who had been regarded as pre-season premiership favorites due to their impressive recruiting. Although Watson led all players with 58 feeds, Fretwell struggled with accuracy, which dropped to just 61 percent. The Fever capitalized on this, converting 81 percent of their center passes and 40 percent of their missed goals, compared to the Lightning's dismal nine percent conversion rate.
Despite the defeat, the Lightning's four young rookies gained valuable experience and are expected to be formidable competitors next season. The Fever, meanwhile, will head east for next weekend’s preliminary final against the wounded Vixens, who suffered a stunning 25-point defeat to the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Saturday.
The Fever's consistency in Super Netball has seen them reach the finals in six of the last seven years, but they have struggled to convert these opportunities into championships, having won the premiership only once in 2022. However, with three wins in their last four matches and the Vixens losing three in the same period, the Fever will approach the preliminary final with confidence.
If they can secure a victory against the Vixens, the Fever will face off in the grand final against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who handed them a comprehensive 18-point defeat the last time they met. With Fowler-Nembhard in top form, the Fever are poised to make a serious bid for the championship.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) Ad hoc panel has extended the deadline to Monday, July 22, 2024, to deliver a decision on the dispute between Jamaica's hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA). The decision follows a hearing held on Saturday, where key legal representatives presented their arguments.
Dr. Emir Crowne and Sayeed Bernard represented Clunis, while Ben Cisneros appeared for the JAAA, Ian Wilkinson (KC) for the Jamaica Olympic Association, Catherine Pitre for World Athletics, and Antonio Rigozzi for the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Clunis, who secured her spot for the Paris Olympics with a national record throw of 71.93m in May, was initially selected by the JAAA to represent Jamaica in the hammer throw. However, an administrative oversight led to her name not being submitted to World Athletics, jeopardizing her Olympic participation. In response, Clunis sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division to ensure her inclusion in the hammer throw competition.
The panel of arbitrators, led by Honourable Annabelle Bennett QC, SC of Australia as President, along with Ms. Carline Dupeyron of France and Ms. Kristen Thorness Oly of the USA, initially aimed to announce their decision on Sunday, July 21. However, the complexity of the case necessitated an extension to Monday.
Clunis' appeal highlights the urgency of the situation, particularly given the lack of timely communication from the JAAA. After receiving no response from the JAAA by a specified deadline, Clunis instructed her legal team to escalate the matter to CAS. The JAAA was subsequently given until 11 a.m. on Friday, July 19, to file materials, a deadline they reportedly did not meet.
FC Cincinnati head coach Dominic Kinnear remains optimistic about their chances of topping the table despite suffering a third consecutive defeat.
Cincinnati lost 3-1 to the New York Red Bulls in MLS on Saturday, after two goals from Lewis Morgan on either side of Kyle Duncan's strike.
Corey Baird scored a consolation for the visitors but could not inspire a comeback as they slipped five points behind Eastern Conference leaders Inter Miami, who beat Chicago Fire 2-1.
Cincinnati have not won since a 6-1 thrashing of the Herons at the start of July, losing the following three by an aggregate score of 7-2, but Kinnear is unbothered by the team's recent form.
"I think this is our second road loss of the year, which is remarkable, so I think we know who we have, but we have a lot of players missing," Kinnear said.
"It's difficult to go three games in a week with players missing. We've shown in 25 games in the league that we're one of the better teams in the league, and we will not step back from that."
Columbus Crew are just five points behind Cincinnati, with two games in hand over them heading into the Leagues Cup break.
Pat Noonan's side are still targeting a top-spot finish despite their recent slump, and Kinnear believes this defeat will serve them well if they end up having to play on the road in the playoffs.
"This could be a preview of a playoff game," he said. "We've played these guys in the playoffs before, so you've got to be battle-tested to want to beat these guys, which we've done in the past, but also be battle-tested to win on the road in the playoffs.
"We are hoping to finish top of our conference to get that home playoff game, but sometimes that may not happen, and you have to come out on the road."
Los Angeles FC kept rivals LA Galaxy within touching distance as they got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
Denis Bouanga scored in both halves, either side of Mateusz Bogusz's strike, to earn a resounding win at Lumen Field.
The hosts got off to a terrible start as Nouhou Tolo was penalised for a handball during a scramble in the box, with a spot-kick being awarded to LAFC.
Bouanga made no mistake from 12 yards, giving Stefan Frei no chance as he rifled a powerful effort high down the middle.
LAFC doubled their lead 10 minutes later, with Seattle failing to clear their lines following a free-kick before Bogusz volleyed brilliantly across goal.
Despite a flurry of chances in the second half, the Sounders failed to test their opponents and were caught on the break when Bouanga neatly turned two defenders before beating Frei for power.
He could have had a hat-trick late on as he got one-on-one with Frei, but the goalkeeper stood his ground, saving brilliantly to deny him.
Seattle finally found their fight in the dying moments, with Hugo Lloris called into three huge saves to keep his clean sheet and ensure LAFC go into the Leagues Cup break just two points behind the Galaxy in the Western Conference with two games in hand.
Data Debrief: Bouanga closing in
Bouanga's second goal of the match was his 16th this season, the most of any LAFC player. It also moves him just one behind Real Salt Lake's Chicho Arango in the race for the Golden Boot.
At the other end of the pitch, Lloris' impressive late show saw him earn a ninth clean sheet of the season in 24 games. No team has had more shutouts in MLS this campaign than LAFC.
Jordi Alba scored the winner for Inter Miami in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire as they moved five points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Matias Rojas had given the Herons an early lead before being pegged back by Rafael Czichos, but Alba's winner ensured Miami made it back-to-back wins.
FC Cincinnati's third defeat in a row, a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls, means Miami now have some breathing space at the summit of the table.
The hosts were still without Lionel Messi, who watched on from the sidelines with an ankle injury, but made a quick start without their talisman.
Robert Taylor's bursting run opened up the space in behind Chicago for him to pull it back into the middle, and Rojas fired his shot across goal to pick out the bottom-right corner.
Moments later, Hugo Cuypers almost pegged them back when he benefitted from Drake Callendar's spill, but the goalkeeper recovered well to deny him.
Julian Gressel then fired a brilliant chance wide, not realising he had more time, but almost made up for it on the stroke of half-time, only to fire a powerful shot against the crossbar.
The Fire improved after the break and got their reward in the 73rd minute, with Czichos pushing out from defence before nestling a shot into the bottom-left corner.
Their joy was short-lived though, as just two minutes later, Alba made the most of a mix-up at the back and slotted into an empty net to seal the three points.
Data Debrief: Miami on target once more
Miami have scored in each of their last 11 games in MLS, their longest streak this season. In fact, they have only failed to score in two of their 25 matches in the league so far.
Alba's last strike here ensured they ended a four-match winless streak against the Fire (drawing one, losing three), having failed to beat them since August 2021.
In every tournament, there is always that one individual that sticks out among their peers. Not in a negative way, like the proverbial sore thumb, but because of their skillful plays and standout performances.
Jamaica's Roxanna McLean is one such individual who excelled among her peers, as her name echoed with every game in which she served as a defensive pillar at the recently-concluded Americas Netball World Youth Cup qualifiers in Guadeloupe.
Not only did the 20-year-old defender and captain lead Jamaica to victory in the Under-21 tournament, but she also earned the prestigious titles of Best Defender and Player of the Tournament, which solidified her status as a rising star in netball.
While the accolades were a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the impact she had throughout the tournament, McLean attributed the success to her coaches—Phyllis Thompson and Nicole Aiken-Pinnock—and teammates.
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive these awards, which are just a testament to our hard work. Every time I go out there on court, I ensure to stay disciplined but hungry to get as many tips, gains, or intercepts as possible,” a beaming McLean told SportsMax.TV.
“But these awards are not just mine; they belong to the entire team because it has been a challenging journey, but with the support of my teammates and coaches, we achieved something special,” she added.
That special something for McLean, who had a stint with the senior Sunshine Girls against England Roses last year, is the fact that they entered the tournament with high hopes and a determination to secure their place in next year’s Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar, and they achieved it.
Guided by strategic gameplay and team cohesion, the young Sunshine Girls navigated the qualifiers with poise and precision as they went unbeaten throughout, with crucial 40-33 and 54-29 victories coming against Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in the semi-final and final, a feat that McLean believes underscored their dominance in the region.
“Qualifying for the World Youth Cup is a big accomplishment for all of us. We worked incredibly hard going into tournament, which basically prepared us mentally and physically for the challenges that we faced from teams like Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. We now have the opportunity to represent our country on the world stage, which is an even bigger honour,” McLean, who found her passion for netball at Denbigh High school, shared.
Still, the bubbly player, who possesses an exceptional ability to read the game, knows all too well that the young Sunshine Girls’ defensive strategy and attacking plays were not all that polished. As such, McLean’s focus is already on continuous improvement with hopes of achieving greater feats.
In fact, though her personal accolades are motivation, the Moneague College student declared that the ultimate goal remains the success of her team.
“One of my biggest goals right now is to really hone my skills. There is a lot of room for improvement in my game and a lot more for me to learn, so that is my main focus going forward, as I always want to be at my best to make my coaches teammates and country proud,” McLean stated.
“So, I will definitely be putting in a lot of hard work, both individually and with the team, at our training sessions. Because we have a lot of work to do before Gibraltar, so we will continue to train hard and develop our game, and we have two of the best coaches with us to see to that. So I’m excited for what’s to come,” she ended.
It was like lambs to the slaughter as Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz started the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship with a dismal performance and were mauled 9-0 by United States at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Mexico on Friday.
The Jamaicans, who would have entered the tournament confident of a good performance, did little to show that they will be competitive in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next year’s Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
With the win, reigning champions United States took pole position on three points, ahead of Cuba and Costa Rica, who played out a 1-1 stalemate in the curtain-raiser of the Group A double-header.
Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz had no response to the onslaught of three-time champions United States, who, in a frantic start, raced to a 4-0 lead inside 21 minutes.
In fact, Jamaica’s lone effort on target was from an ambitious 25th-minute freekick from captain Adrian Reid Jr, driven along the wet surface from well over 30 yards out.
David Vazquez grabbed an early brace in the 2nd and 3rd minutes, as he opened the scoring with an easy finish from deep inside the box, and he later drove home a left-footer in similar fashion.
Pedro Soma struck with a left-footed strike of his own in the 16th to extend United States lead, and he too completed a brace in the 20th with another left-footed hit inside the box.
Not even a slew of early substitutions by Jamaica’s head coach, Jerome Waite, could stop the carnage, as Cruz Medina capitalised on their sloppy defending to finish off a loose ball and put United States 5-0 up at the break.
As the evening rains continued to drizzle, the one-way traffic continued on the resumption when Marcos Zambrano struck in the 54th as United States maintained their offensive efficiency.
Ruben Ramos scored in the 67th to make it seven, before Nimfasha Berchimas added another in the 77th.
Nikolas Tsakiris then capped the win with a close range effort in the 90+1 minute.
Earlier, Samuel Rodriguez’s eight-minute penalty put Cuba in front, but the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island couldn’t maintain the lead, as Esteban Cruz (52nd) earned Costa Rica a share of the spoils.
It was a contest that could have gone either way, but for excellent glove work by Cuba’s Yurdy Hodelin and his Costa Rican counterpart Berny Rojas, as both teams had their fair share of chances.
After Leonardo Alfaro’s 23rd minute strike for Costa Rica came back off the crossbar, Hodelin kept out Andy Rojas’ 30th-minute penalty kick.
Costa Rica’s custodian, Berny Rojas, came up big twice to deny Aniel Casanova and Cristian Mendoza in quick succession.
Action in Group A will resume on Monday with the young Reggae Boyz to lock horns with Costa Rica, while Cuba will face the United States in the feature contest at the same venue.
Jamaica’s trio of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson, and Romelda Aiken-George will again grace the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League’s big stage, as Adelaide Thunderbirds secured a spot in the grand final with a dominant 68-43 win over Melbourne Vixens in the major semi-final at Adelaide 36ers Arena on Saturday.
Aiken-George again led from the front with 39 goals from 44 attempts, while Lauren Frew had 18 goals from 18 attempts, including a Super Shot worth two goals. Lucy Austin (10 goals from 11 attempts), and Georgie Horjus, with a solitary goal from three attempts, got in on the act in the 25-goal blowout.
An elated Wilson told SportsMax.TV that last week’s narrow two-goal win over Sunshine Coast Lightning, served as motivation for this, the biggest finals winning margin in Suncorp Super Netball history.
“From the outside looking in, it might seem easy, but it is never easy. However, I believe we needed that close game last week to motivate us to win this one by such a wide margin, especially with a spot in the final up for grabs,” she shared shortly after the win.
Sterling-Humphrey registered 300-intercept milestone.
While it will be back-to-back finals for Wilson and Sterling-Humphrey with the reigning champions, it will be Aiken-George’s first with the Thunderbirds, as she joined the franchise earlier in the season. However, the towering goal shooter won three Premierships in a 14-season stint with Queensland Firebirds and, as such, is no stranger to being in a final.
“I know the capabilities of my team, and I am sure that we have the ability to go back-to-back. We are a team that is evolving, and we are playing each game on its merit. We don’t talk about the game; we play it. So from here, it is just to rest, recover, and prepare for whoever we will meet in the final,” Wilson noted.
Meanwhile, the Vixens, who got their goals from Kiera Austin (16 goals from 19 attempts), Sophie Garbin (15 goals from 19 attempts), and Lily Graham (12 goals from 13 attempts), will have a second shot at making the grand final. They will face the winner of the minor semi-final to be decided between West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Spurred on by a sell-out crowd at Adelaide 36ers Arena, the Thunderbirds went straight to work from the start, as they opened up a six-goal lead at 19-13 to end the first quarter.
Defenders Sterling-Humphrey, Wilson, and company then applied consistent pressure to shut down Vixens’ attackers in the second quarter, and that resulted in the Thunderbirds outscoring the opponents 19-9 for a massive 16-goal lead—38-22—at the half-time interval.
The Vixens were well off colour where ball-handling and shooting accuracy are concerned, and that made life much easier for the Thunderbirds, who rode their momentum in the third quarter to extend the lead to 22 goals at 54-22 heading into the final quarter.
With such a wide lead, one would think the Tania Obst-coached Thunderbirds would relent, but not if Sterling-Humphrey had anything to say about it. The 28-year-old, as she has done all season, again paraded her athleticism and impressive timing to register a 300-intercept milestone.
In fact, she ended the contest with 14 gains and five intercepts, while Wilson had five gains, and Tayla Williams proved the link in mid-court with 19 goal assists and two gains as the Thunderbirds wrapped up an emphatic victory.
They are set to host the final at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on August 3.
Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith believes his team have evolved as they aim to go three games without defeat against Austin FC.
The Crown came from behind to draw 1-1 with Columbus Crew on Wednesday, which followed an impressive 3-1 victory over high-flying FC Cincinnati last weekend.
Charlotte sit sixth in the Eastern Conference and a win on Saturday could see them move higher if other results go their way.
Smith noted how impressed he has been with the team's progress in recent weeks and backed them to get the job done this weekend.
"I think we've evolved as a team," Smith said. "As well as being really good without the ball, I think we're starting to learn how to use it a little bit better.
"[The players] believe in the way we play and the structure. I think the big thing is that there is belief in going and competing against these teams."
Meanwhile, Austin are 10th in the Western Conference, having lost their last two matches with a man sent off in both.
Having won just two of their last 10 games in MLS, head coach Josh Wolff admitted they needed to improve their discipline if they wanted to stay in with a chance of reaching the playoffs.
"We need to keep 11 guys on the field is the first thing," Wolff said, "that gives us a better chance.
"Discipline outside the red cards is also important. We have to make plays - getting a little more quality will help us, but we have to execute better by scoring goals.
"We do a lot of things good, but we can't shoot ourselves in the foot."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin – Gyasi Zardes
Gyasi Zardes has scored each of Austin's last three goals, with a brace against New York City FC prior to his goal against Dallas on Wednesday.
Zardes is the first Austin player to score three consecutive team goals since he, himself, did so in May 2023.
Charlotte – Patrick Agyemang
Patrick Agyemang has scored four goals in his last four matches for Charlotte, including each of the last two.
The only player in Charlotte FC's MLS history to score in three straight league matches is Karol Swiderski in October 2023.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Austin won the only previous meeting between the sides, 1-0, in Charlotte in June 2022. Daniel Pereira scored the game's only goal from outside the box in the 62nd minute.
Over the last year (since July 21, 2023), Austin have lost 18 of their 37 matches in all competitions (nine wins, 10 draws). The Verde were held to one or zero goals in 24 of those games, including their 3-1 loss to FC Dallas on Wednesday.
Charlotte have collected 13 points from their last seven away matches (four wins, one draw, two losses), including a 1-1 draw at reigning MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew on Wednesday. Charlotte had totaled just eight points in their previous 15 regular-season away matches dating back to last May (one win, five draws, nine defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin – 34.6%
Draw – 25.9%
Charlotte – 39.6%
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini wants his team to put out a statement when they host Houston Dynamo in MLS on Saturday.
The Whitecaps are flying high this season after a five-match unbeaten streak in MLS has seen them move up to fourth in the Western Conference, just eight points off top spot with two games in hand.
While many did not expect to see Vancouver sitting so high in the table, Sartini is keen to prove why there should not be any doubts about his team's capabilities.
"If we do a great job, and we win, I think it's a huge statement to tell everyone we are a top-four team, and we are not there accidentally but because we deserve it," Sartini said.
"I think that should be one of the things to ignite us for a good performance because one of the criticisms of us is we're a good team, but we botch the important games.
"I don't agree, but it's a chance to show people it's not true."
Houston have lost just one of their last nine matches, bouncing back from two without a win to beat struggling San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Wednesday.
They sit eighth in the tightly packed table, but head coach Ben Osborn has challenged them to rise up the rankings by extending their recent impressive run.
"We've got to be selfish. Be greedy," Olsen said.
"Try to get more [points]. It's a quick turnaround, but we've fortunately got the depth, and we've got guys champing at the bit to get involved right now."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Fafa Picault
Fafa Picault, who scored Vancouver's winner against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, has scored four times in six career matches against the Dynamo, for whom he played in 2021-22.
Picault only has more career regular-season goals against Orlando City (five).
Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi
Amine Bassi recorded his team-leading eighth assist of the season, setting up Daniel Steres for the lone goal in Houston's win on Wednesday.
In the nine matches that Bassi has recorded a goal contribution this season, Houston's record is six wins, two draws and one loss, compared to three wins, five draws and six defeats when he does not.
MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
The Whitecaps have never lost a home match against the Dynamo (winning nine and drawing two, excluding neutral-site home games). The Whitecaps have scored in all 11 of their matches against the Dynamo in Vancouver.
Vancouver have also won three straight home matches after winning just two of their previous 11 at BC Place in all competitions (five draws, four defeats). The Whitecaps last won four in a row at home in September-October 2021.
As for Houston, they earned their fifth road win of the season on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory at San Jose Earthquakes. It is the first time Houston have won five road matches in a single regular season since 2013 (also five), while they have not won more since 2007 (seven).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps – 45.9%
Draw – 26.7%
Houston Dynamo – 27.4%
In a crucial development leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) Ad hoc Division is expected to rule on the dispute between hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, by Sunday, July 21.
Clunis, who earned her spot with a national record throw of 71.83m in May, was initially selected by the JAAA to represent Jamaica in the hammer throw. However, her name was not submitted to World Athletics by the JAAA, leaving her Olympic status in jeopardy. In response, Clunis has sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division to ensure her inclusion in the hammer throw competition at the Paris Olympics.
The panel of arbitrators, comprising Honourable Annabelle Bennett QC, SC of Australia as President, along with Ms. Carline Dupeyron of France and Olympian Ms. Kristen Thorness of the USA, will hear the case on July 20, 2024. The panel's decision is expected to be announced the following day.
The urgency of Clunis' appeal stems from a lack of response from the JAAA. On Tuesday, Clunis instructed her lawyers to contact CAS if no response was received from the JAAA by 5 p.m. that day. Despite the CAS setting an 11 a.m. Friday deadline for the JAAA to file materials, they reportedly failed to meet this requirement.
Sportsmax.TV sources did indicate that the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), World Athletics (WA) and the IOC have all filed submissions in the dispute.
Clunis' bid for inclusion in the Olympic roster has been fueled by frustration over the JAAA's handling of her case. Her throw, placing her among the top 32 hammer throwers globally this year, underscores her qualification and readiness to compete at the highest level.
A favorable ruling would rectify the administrative oversight and allow Clunis to showcase her talent on the Olympic stage, fulfilling her dream of competing in Paris.
Clunis is represented by attorneys Dr Emir Crowne and Sayeed Bernard.
Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay says the club are "onto a good thing" despite their nine-match winless streak as they prepare to face the San Jose Earthquakes.
Minnesota ended a six-match losing run against Houston Dynamo last weekend with a 1-1 draw but could not build on that in midweek as they let a lead slip in stoppage time against D.C. United to lose 3-2.
Sitting ninth in the Western Conference with teams below them are starting to close in, but Ramsay, who is starting to come under pressure due to this run of results, remains optimistic.
"I always see hope," Ramsay said. "We've got a group that is very willing to throw themselves into a challenge and a coaching staff that are largely very positive and constructive.
"We're doing everything we can to make sure that we roll from one game into another. We look at ourselves hard in the mirror, but we're also realistic, and I am absolutely adamant that we're onto a good thing here.
"The big thing is we remain calm and level, with lessons learned, and everything still intact."
Meanwhile, San Jose sit rooted to the bottom of the table having collected just 14 points this season.
Despite winning just one of their last 12 matches, interim head coach Ian Russell says he sees improvement in the team, especially defensively.
"We've had three games in a week, and you want to focus on each game, but that's really hard," Russell said.
"Defensively, we're better, but we've got to get the attack going. It's a fine line. It's a matter of every player buying in defensively, staying compact, small details.
"If you do that as a collective, you start seeing results and, defensively, we've been pretty good."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi
Minnesota's 3-2 defeat to D.C. on Wednesday marked the second time in club history that the Loons lost an MLS match when leading entering the 90th minute, also doing so at home against Seattle in August 2018.
Oluwaseyi scored the opener in that game, netting for the eighth time this season, and he will be key as they look to bounce back.
San Jose Earthquakes – Jacob Jackson
San Jose have lost four straight, and nine of their 11 road games this regular season (winning one, drawing one). The Earthquakes have allowed at least four goals in five of those 11 games.
Jacob Jackson has endured a torrid run in goal, and he will be keen to enjoy a shutout before the Leagues Cup break.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA UNITED WIN
San Jose won each of their first four meetings with Minnesota, spanning the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Since 2019, the Earthquakes have managed just one win in 10 meetings with the Loons in all competitions (drawing four, losing five).
Minnesota are winless in a club-record nine straight regular-season matches (drawing two, losing seven) following a 3-2 loss to D.C. on Wednesday. The Loons have lost three straight home matches for the first time in the club's MLS history.
Meanwhile, San Jose's 14 points through 24 games this season equals the fourth-fewest at this stage of a season in MLS history, behind only the MetroStars in 1999 (nine), D.C. United in 2013 (13) and Chivas USA in 2005 (13).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 56.1%
Draw – 22.7%
San Jose Earthquakes – 21.2%
St. Louis City interim head coach John Hackworth says their recent struggles have been a "test of character" as they look to bounce back against Sporting Kansas City.
St. Louis have lost their last three games by an aggregate score of 10-2, leaving them 13th in the Western Conference, eight points off a playoffs place.
With only one win in their last 13 MLS matches, Hackworth is keen to snap their current losing streak and says he saw positives in their 2-0 defeat to Seattle Sounders in midweek.
"The players made a huge step [against Seattle], played much better than we did previously," Hackworth said.
"[We] gave ourselves a chance to be in that game, had some unfortunate things again happen to us, but it wasn't for lack of trying to play with a lot of heart and soul, being collective, having each other's backs, so those are positives we can build on for sure.
"We have had all season to deal with a lot of hardships, it's a test of our character."
Meanwhile, Kansas City sit one place and one point ahead of their opponents but lost their most recent match 2-1 against Vancouver Whitecaps after back-to-back wins.
Head coach Peter Vermes expressed his disappointment with the defeat in Vancouver and is eyeing a quick improvement on Saturday.
"We're slow with the ball in situations that catch us out with fast transitions, and we need to be better there," Vermes said.
"We need as much energy and as many players as we possibly can for this weekend, so hopefully, we'll be there."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting Kansas City – William Agada
William Agada scored on Wednesday, bringing his total up to four goals in his last four matches in all competitions.
Prior to his recent form, Agada had notched just two goals in his previous 17 matches.
St. Louis City – Nokkvi Thorisson
Nokkvi Thorisson attempted two shots in the loss to the Sounders on Wednesday, tying him with Eduard Lowen for the most by any St. Louis player in the match.
It was the fifth consecutive match in which Thorisson had either the most or joint-most shots for the team.
MATCH PREDICTION: SPORTING KANSAS CITY WIN
Sporting are unbeaten in three straight meetings with St. Louis (winning two, drawing one), including winning both matches in the 2023 playoffs after St. Louis won two of the first three meetings between the sides.
Kansas City are also on a three-match home winning streak in all competitions, the most recent of which was a 2-1 extra-time victory over FC Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup. This is the 'longest home winning streak since winning four straight in May-June 2023.
Meanwhile, St. Louis lost 2-0 at Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, their third straight defeat, all by at least two goals. City are looking to avoid becoming the first team to lose four straight MLS matches, all by multiple goals, since Inter Miami did so in March 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting Kansas City – 50.1%
Draw – 25.2%
St. Louis City – 24.7%
Jamaica’s Under-17 head coach Altimont “Freddie” Butler welcomed the upcoming friendly contest against American Academy Griffin USA Under-17 as a good test for his young Reggae Boyz as they continue preparation for next year’s Concacaf Championship.
The friendly encounter, scheduled for July 27 at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, New York, follows a recent series that Butler’s side engaged against their Trinidad and Tobago counterparts.
“This upcoming game against Griffin will be a good test for our boys. We have been training locally and also in North America and things have been progressing nicely. We also played Trinidad and Tobago in two friendlies earlier this year which was helpful as well,” Butler said.
“So this friendly is another opportunity for the players to show they deserve to be part of the squad by the time the qualifiers come around in January or February next year. We also have 8 spots in Concacaf now and we are aiming to be one of those 8 to qualify for the U-17 World Cup,” he added.
That Concacaf Under-17 Championships will serve as a qualifier to the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Earlier this year FIFA expanded the Under-17 World Cup from 24 to 48 teams. This also meant Concacaf saw an increase in slot allocation from four to eight.
Jamaica has played at two editions of the Under-17 World Cup. The first appearance was in 1999 in New Zealand, and the second appearance was in 2011 in Mexico.
Meanwhile, Jamaica Football Federation(JFF) is also in the process of identifying more opportunities for friendly matches for the Under-17 team later this calendar year.
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