The Jamaica Squash Association has been seeing increased action on the courts at the Jamaica Liguanea Club in New Kingston and the Senior Common Room (SNR) at the University of the West Indies campus in Papine with varying activities to attract new players and to provide continuing competition for the members.
First there was the Women’s Squash Week which ran from September 16 to 22 which focused on attracting female players to the sport. There were several females who heeded the call to be introduced to the sport under the guidance of Karen Anderson who is a former national player, long time national coach and current president of Jamaica Squash.
The training sessions were conducted at the SNR while the final session which included actual games which were scored was held last Saturday at the Liguanea Club. That session was dubbed Ladies Lyme and Round Robin Games. Anderson was pleased with the response to the week.
The second set of activities took place this week at the Liguanea Club with ongoing competitions and will culminate on Friday night with the finals of the Liguanea Club Open Handicap competition. That will see three finals starting with Nabeel Jawad and Leigh Dwyer, then Jemel Sterling and Handel Emery and ending with Joey Levy and Mario O’Connor.
The open handicap tournament is opened to all the members of the club and has seen a high level of participation among the membership of Jamaica Squash.
Toronto FC head coach John Herdman has said his side must rediscover their clinical edge upon their MLS return after their Canadian Championship final defeat in midweek.
The Reds were beaten by the Vancouver Whitecaps on penalties after a goalless encounter, with goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer proving to be the hero, making seven saves on the night.
But Herdman was left ruing those missed opportunities as the Whitecaps claimed their third-straight title, insisting his players must respond against the Chicago Fire this weekend.
“We are just not clinical at the moment,” Herdman said. “It’s been a couple games where we’ve been right there knocking on the door but just haven’t been able to find that killer moment or we found a keeper that’s standing on his head.
“That’s the story of TFC at the moment. We’re in the playoff hunt.
“As I said in the dressing room, all I asked is the team showed up, and they did. They have to show up again on Saturday. That’s their next task.”
Chicago, meanwhile, were condemned to back-to-back defeats in the MLS, going down 2-0 to CF Montreal in their last encounter at the Stade Saputo.
That defeat, the Fire’s 16th of the season, leaves them 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, ending their hopes of reaching the playoffs this year.
But with two of their remaining three regular-season fixtures at the SeatGeek Stadium, head coach Frank Klopas has asked his players to give supporters something to cheer after a disappointing campaign.
“We need to finish strong. We need to fight and compete all the way to the end. As long as we have games in front of us, we are professionals and need to play,” Klopas said.
“We need to do our job. We have two home games and regardless of what happens, it’s important, and I have stressed it to the team to finish strongly at home.
“I know it has not been a season with a lot of great moments, but we need to do whatever we can to finish on a positive note and leave a good picture, especially at home.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fire –Brian Gutierrez
In the absence of top scorer Hugo Cuypers, Gutierrez will be the man tasked with providing the Fire with an attacking spark at the SeatGeek Stadium.
The American notched an assist in their 4-1 win over Toronto earlier in the season, winning three of his five matches against this weekend’s opponents (D1 L1).
Toronto FC – Jonathan Osorio
Osorio has scored six goals against the Fire, his most against any MLS opponent.
However, he hasn’t scored against the Fire since 2019, failing to find the back of the net in his last five appearances against Chicago.
MATCH PREDICTION: CHICAGO FIRE WIN
The Fire have won three of their last four matches against Toronto, including the last two in a row. Prior to the last four meetings, Toronto were unbeaten in 14 straight matches against Chicago (W11 D3).
However, Herdman’s side have lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions (D1 L1), including the last two in a row. This is the sixth different losing streak of at least two matches for the Fire this season.
Toronto’s 2-0 loss at the Colorado Rapids last Saturday was their 45th regular season road loss since the start of the 2021 season, four more than any other MLS team in that time (Chicago - 41).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fire – 48%
Draw – 26%
Toronto FC – 26%
Craig Allison and Katherine Wynter emerged as winners of the Division A Men’s and Women’s Singles Badminton titles, respectively, at week two of the Jamaica Badminton Academy (JBA) Shuttle Showdown at the YMCA in Kingston from September 21-22.
Allison secured the Men’s title with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) win over Joel Angus while on the Women’s side, Wynter dominated Alexandra Beckford 2-0 (21-9, 21-12).
The Men’s Singles crown in Division B was taken by Odray Sealy who came from a set down to defeat Jamie Lee Vernon in three sets (18-21, 21-14, 21-12).
Brianna Burke defeated Sue-Ann Ogle in straight sets (21-16, 21-18) to win the Women’s Singles Division C title.
In Doubles, Anthony McNee and Kemar Valentine defeated Kenneth Anglin and beaten singles finalist Joel Angus 21-12, 21-18 to take the Men’s Division A title while singles champion Katherine Wynter combined with Stefani Brown to add the doubles crown with a 21-14, 23-21 win over Alexandra Beckford and Breanna Bisnott.
Stephen Lue Yen and Aaliyah Walker took the Division A Mixed Doubles crown with a 19-21, 26-24, 23-21 win over Kenneth Anglin and Stefani Brown.
In Division C, Jorie McBean and Samuel Smith took the Men’s Doubles title with a 21-18, 21-11 win over Jhevado Ross and Matheus Smith.
Brianna Burke added to her singles title with doubles success alongside Zoelle Jamel as they defeated Dadrian Lewis and Davina Scott 21-19, 19-21, 21-10.
Burke added her third title of the weekend in Mixed Doubles when she combined with Chavaughn Schleifer to defeat Joseph Morrison and Zoelle Jamel 21-17, 21-18.
The age-group were as follows: U9 Boys Singles- Zamani Allen, U9 Girls Singles- Jillian Yap, U11 Boys Singles- Justin Dillon, U11 Girls Singles- Brea Grant, U13 Boys Singles- Ethan Grant, U13 Girls Singles- Ella Bella Palmer, U13 Mixed Doubles- Ethan Grant and Savannah Watson, Boys U15 Singles- Amir McBean, Girls U15 Singles- Leeya Dileep, U15 Mixed Doubles- Matheus Smith and Sue-Ann Ogle, U15 Boys Doubles-Amir McBean and Matheus Smith.
Jim Curtin knows Philadelphia Union have no margin for error as they chase a playoff spot, with Atlanta United next up for them in MLS.
The Union are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference, having put together big back-to-back wins against New York City FC (5-1) and D.C. United (4-0) in their last two matches.
They have now won three of their last four matches in the league, but Curtin warned his players that they cannot ease off the pressure until their playoff spot is secured.
"Every game is must win now. There's no margin for error for any team that isn't above the red line comfortably," Curtin said.
"The home games always become really critical. We've had a tough schedule, but all these points matter because anything could be the difference.
"There'll be a lot of highs and lows, and everybody still has hope and it's going to be a sprint to the finish. We recognise the challenge, but you have to say must-win until you're mathematically eliminated."
Meanwhile, Atlanta sit two places and three points below their opponents in the table after failing to win any of their last three matches.
They have drawn their last two outings 2-2 though, and interim head coach Rob Valentino is hoping they can take a more direct approach in an attempt to find a cutting edge.
"Do we really think we can play through? Then great, let's do it," Valentino said. "But if I think that we can be more direct and expose their centrebacks or expose a certain area of the pitch, let's go and do it.
"Let's not waste time with the ball. The intentional possession of what we're doing with it. I just want to make sure that we're intentional about what we're doing with the ball."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Mikael Uhre
Mikael Uhre scored the opening goal in the Union's win over D.C. United on Sunday, his fourth straight match with a goal.
Uhre is the fifth player in Union history to score in four straight regular-season matches, though only one, Daniel Gazdag, has scored in five straight (August-September 2022).
Atlanta United – Edwin Mosquera
Edwin Mosquera's goal at 90+2' for Atlanta United on Saturday was the club's 11th goal from outside the box this season.
Only Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake (12 each) have more in 2024.
MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won each of their last four regular-season home matches against Atlanta United. Atlanta's lone win at Subaru Park was a 2-0 victory in July 2018.
The Union have won two straight matches, winning each by a four-goal margin. This is the 15th time in MLS history a team has recorded back-to-back four-goal wins, including the second by the Union (August 2022), but no team has ever won three straight matches by four or more goals.
Meanwhile, Atlanta have won only two of their last 10 regular season matches (D3 L5) dating back to the beginning of July. Each of Atlanta's last two matches ended in 2-2 draws.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 56.9%
Draw – 22.3%
Atlanta United – 20.8%
Jockey Dane Dawkins is brimming with confidence and ready to showcase his improved form at Caymanas Park on Saturday, following a successful stint in Canada that saw him rack up 25 wins.
The former champion rider, known for his tenacity and skill in the saddle, started slowly at the North American track, but he eventually found his rhythm and returned with more victories under his belt than in his previous overseas campaign in 2019.
Dawkins, who competed primarily at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, admitted that the transition was initially challenging. However, his determination to make a mark and improve on his past performances pushed him through the difficult period.
With every race, he adjusted to the nuances of the track and the competition, and by the end of the season there, Dawkins had established himself as a force to be reckoned with. His 25 wins were complemented by 24 second-place finishes and 28 third-place finishes from 169 mounts, amassing an impressive CAD$288,149 (about $33.5 million Jamaican) in earnings.
“It was a tough start because it took a while for me to get comfortable and get to know the horses, but once I got into my groove after my first two months, everything started to click. Winning 25 races this time around was a big deal for me because I only won seven the last time I was there. It shows I’m learning and improving and once I started winning races, the trainers saw my true potential and started giving me more rides,” Dawkins told SportsMax.Tv.
Dawkins’ performances in Canada weren’t just about accumulating wins, the experience also sharpened his skills. With the renewed confidence, he is eager to bring that momentum back to Jamaica, where he now hopes to continue his winning streak at Caymanas Park, as he has secured four rides on Saturday’s card and another six for Sunday.
“I’m excited to be back at Caymanas. Riding in Canada helped me fine-tune my techniques and decision-making, and I want to use that to get more wins here. The goal is to build on what I’ve achieved and show that I’m a better rider than before,” the soft-spoken rider noted.
But Dawkins isn’t just focused on immediate success. The talented jockey has his eyes set on a long-term goal—winning more Classic races to cement his legacy in the sport.
For Dawkins, these prestigious events, such as the Jamaica Derby, the Jamaica Oaks, the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Jamaica Cup, Gold Cup and Mouttet Mile, are the pinnacle achievements for any Jamaican jockey, and he’s determined to consistently etch his name in the annals of the sport’s history.
With the season at Caymanas Park nearing its end, Dawkins return at this point in time will only allow him to challenge for the Gold Cup in October, the Jamaica Cup in November, and the lucrative Mouttet Mile in December.
“I want to consistently win those big races, the Classic races. That’s what every jockey targets in their career. Yes, I’ve won a few already, but you can’t get complacent at any time. You always have to keep pushing and putting in the work to continue getting those rides in the big races to make your mark in the sport,” he shared.
However, success on the track is only part of Dawkins’ motivation. A dedicated family man, he revealed that his greatest ambition is to ensure that his loved ones are well taken care of.
For him, the sacrifices he makes and the risks he takes are all in service of providing a better future for his family.
“At the end of the day, I ride to win and make a name for myself, but my family comes first. Every win, every achievement is for them. I just want to make my family proud and happy, and that’s what drives me to keep pushing myself and that’s what it’s all about,” Dawkins ended.
Pat Noonan is expecting Los Angeles FC to pose a tough test to FC Cincinnati, especially as they are coming off the back of their US Open Cup success.
Cincinnati sit second in the Eastern Conference and are currently unbeaten in four matches, alternating between a win and a draw in that run.
They let a lead slip twice in a 2-2 draw with Nashville SC last time out though, and Noonan knows his side cannot let their guard down at TQL Stadium on Saturday.
"[LAFC] are coming in on a high," Noonan said. "They're a very strong team. They just won a trophy, and rightfully so, they should be coming in with good energy and excitement.
"They've won some [finals], they've lost some, but they have experience in getting there and knowing what those games look like.
"So, this isn't a final, but what you've come to expect from them is a team that knows how to get to big games and play in big games."
LAFC had lost each of their last four finals before Wednesday's triumph but put that behind them to beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1.
In MLS, they are fourth in the Western Conference, having failed to win any of their last five games.
Head coach Steve Cherundolo was pleased with their Cup success but acknowledged that they still had big improvements to make in the league.
"The theme of the last couple of weeks is that we've been hurting ourselves. Teams were not beating us, we were beating ourselves," Cherundolo said.
"That's troublesome and frustrating, but it's also a good problem to have. It means we're in control of our own destiny and this team understands that."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Luciano Acosta has recorded 90 goal contributions over the last three seasons (39 goals, 51 assists).
He is just the second player in MLS history to record at least 90 goal contributions over a three-season span (Sebastian Giovinco – 92 from 2015-17).
Los Angeles FC – Mateusz Bogusz
Mateusz Bogusz has recorded a goal contribution in each of his last seven appearances on the road.
There has been only one longer single-season streak since the start of the 2020 season: Gustavo Bou – eight straight in 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN
Cincinnati have won just three of their last eight regular-season home matches (D1 L4). They have scored 14 goals in the three wins in that time but managed just two goals in the other five matches.
Los Angeles won each of their first two meetings with Cincinnati, recording a 2-0 win in Los Angeles in April 2019 and a 2-1 win in Cincinnati in April 2022. LAFC are the only opponent Cincinnati have faced more than once in regular season play and have never come away with a point.
However, LAFC are winless in five straight regular season matches (D2 L3) following a 3-1 loss at FC Dallas on Saturday. Los Angeles have had only one longer winless run in regular season play in club history, going eight straight without a win in July-August 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
FC Cincinnati – 40.9%
Draw – 26.7%
Los Angeles FC – 32.5%
Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard is happy with where his team is ahead of the 2024 Caribbean Premier League playoffs set to begin on October 1 in Guyana.
With two games left for them in the preliminary phase of the tournament, the four-time champions have a record of five wins and three losses in their eight games.
“From a performance perspective, we’ve played eight games. Won five, lost three. We’ll take that. The first step in any tournament is to qualify. If we were in fifth place or sixth place it’d be a different conversation. You expect this to happen. It’s T20 cricket,” Pollard said in a press conference on Thursday ahead of their game against the Barbados Royals at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.
“Given all the obstacles that we’ve had transpire throughout this season, we’ll take where we are at this particular time. We have an opportunity to finish in the top two. We still have to play good, consistent cricket,” he added.
The major obstacle that Pollard referred to in his comments on Thursday was the number of injuries that have hampered his team’s ability to field their best eleven consistently throughout their eight outings.
“Throughout the entire tournament we’ve been hampered by injuries. We have not mentioned what sort of injuries we’ve had throughout and we’ve had to sort of chop and change. That might’ve caused a lot of discussion amongst fans as to why this one and that one is not playing but we had to battle that,” he said.
Nevertheless, Pollard commended his team for their performance despite the circumstances.
“The way how the guys have battled forward through injuries, coming in at the late stages, we have to commend them for their efforts,” he said.
The Knight Riders and the Royals have met 24 times in the past with the Knight Riders holding a 15-9 edge.
Their last meeting came on September 13 when the Knight Riders won a thriller by two wickets with one ball remaining at the Kensington Oval.
The Knight Riders, currently fourth in the standings with 10 points, could secure a top two spot with wins in their final two games over the Royals and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
“It’s known in the dressing room what needs to be done and hopefully, all the experience that we have and the exuberance of the youth as well will come forth and we’ll be able to finish the tournament a lot more consistently,” Pollard said.
CF Montreal full-back Tom Pearce believes his new side have all the capabilities of reaching the playoffs, preaching confidence within the group as key to their recent success.
After back-to-back defeats to New England Revolution and FC Cincinnati, conceding nine goals in those games, this weekend’s hosts have gone three unbeaten in the MLS.
Montreal currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Philadelphia Union in the final playoff place heading into the last four games of the regular season.
And Pearce, who joined the club from Wigan Athletic in July, has every confidence his team-mates can pull together to keep their campaign going.
“We’re in a good place after picking up seven points out of nine in one week. It’s a confidence booster and, not just the results, but the performances have been good,” Pearce said.
“After the two defeats we had, we got together as a group and just had an honest conversation about how we needed to get the confidence back to turn things around.
“I think since then we have done well in the games; training has been better, and we have that belief that if we keep playing our way, then fingers crossed, we will make the playoffs.”
San Jose, meanwhile, were unable to build on their draw with the Seattle Sounders after going down 2-1 against fellow Western Conference strugglers St. Louis City last time out.
The Earthquakes have won just one of their last five MLS fixtures, leaving them at the foot of the standings and 13 points behind the rest of the pack.
But with four games of the season remaining, interim head coach Ian Russell is hoping his players can leave it all out on the pitch and end a disappointing season on a high.
“As a coach, you try and motivate them by getting them prepared first of all,” Russell said.
“Knowing that as a professional player, it is your job to play and to play hard every game, even though we are out of the playoffs.
“They are battling for contracts, and you would hope that would be enough motivation for them. There has been good energy, but we have started poorly in the last few matches.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Montreal – Caden Clark
Clark has now scored two goals in his last three MLS matches after finding the back of the net just once in his previous 60 regular season appearances dating back to June 2021.
San Jose – Jeremy Ebobisse
Ebobisse scored his 33rd career regular season goal for San Jose in their defeat on Saturday.
Only Chris Wondolowski (167) and Ronald Cerritos (61) have scored more goals for the Earthquakes in the club’s MLS history.
MATCH PREDICTION: MONTREAL WIN
Montreal have won four of their last six home matches in all competitions (L2), including each of the last two. Montreal have suffered only two defeats in their last 12 matches at home dating back to late May (W6 D4).
This will be the Earthquakes’ first visit to Montreal since July 2018, when the hosts recorded a 2-0 victory. In fact, Montreal have won all five of their home matches against San Jose by an aggregate score of 11-2.
San Jose’s 2-1 defeat to St. Louis last time out was their 22nd loss of the year, equalling the second-most defeats in a single season in the post-shootout era (since 2000). Only D.C. United in 2013 (24 losses) have suffered more defeats in a single season in the post-shootout era.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal – 52.3%
Draw – 24.4%
San Jose – 23.4%
Sandro Schwarz is treating New York Red Bulls' meeting with New York City FC as a blank slate but is looking forward to the "special atmosphere" of the derby.
The Red Bulls are winless in five matches since their return to MLS action after the Leagues Cup, alternating between draws and losses – they drew 2-2 with Atlanta United last time out – leaving them fourth in the Eastern Conference.
They lost the reverse fixture back in May 2-1, but Schwarz is adamant that history will not dictate the result of this meeting.
"It's a derby and that means a special atmosphere in our stadium, which is necessary for us," Schwarz said. "This is good to have this game now against New York City.
"It's a new situation, and now we have to show we are in a good spot and show our whole quality and energy, which we need to get three points.
"We don't think too much about the results in the past, we just need to focus on right now to get the three points."
Meanwhile, NYCFC are seventh in the table, three points behind their opponents, but they are on a 10-match winless streak in MLS, with their last win coming in early July.
They snatched a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Inter Miami last time out and head coach Nick Cushing is hopeful their fans can spur them on once again.
"Our fans were incredible in the Miami game,” he said. "I'm really proud of that.
"When I speak to our players, that was a huge factor in fighting and continuing to push [against Miami].
"Having the hunger and the desire to get something was, of course, for our league position and for our push toward the postseason, but it was also for our fans."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Julian Hall
Julian Hall recorded his first career assist against Atlanta to go along with his two goals.
At 16 years, 181 days, Hall is the second-youngest player in MLS history to record at least two goals and an assist, after Freddy Adu (14 years, 355 days).
New York City FC – James Sands
James Sands scored at 94:40 to earn NYCFC a point against Inter Miami last Saturday.
It was the third-latest result-changing goal in regular season play in club history and the latest that was not from the penalty spot.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
The Red Bulls have won 12 of their 16 home matches against New York City FC (D2 L2) in all competitions, including the last two in a row. The Red Bulls have limited NYCFC to eight goals in those 16 matches, allowing multiple goals only once (2-0 defeat in 2017).
However, 11 of the Red Bulls' last 15 matches in all competitions have ended in draws (W2 D2). They have not won in over two months, since a 3-1 victory over FC Cincinnati on July 20.
Meanwhile, New York City FC are winless in 11 straight away matches in all competitions dating back to June. NYCFC lost the first three of those but have managed to draw six of the last eight away from home (L2).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 48.4%
Draw – 25.8%
New York City FC – 25.8%
Two players from Dinthill Technical High School have been banned from taking part in any Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) competition for one year, while a third was suspended for three games following an incident involving match officials at the end of a daCosta Cup match against McGrath High last Saturday.
In a release on Thursday, after a meeting of its disciplinary committee, ISSA revealed that Maalick Whyte and Shamair Hutchinson have been banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one year, effective September 26, 2024, while Tyrese Gowe, was hit with the three-match suspension.
The Linstead-based school was also placed on a three-year probation and faces the possibility of suspension should its players breach the disciplinary code of conduct within the period of probation.
Reports are that players were involved in a confrontation with the referee after the game, and it was alleged one of them physically assaulted the official.
ISSA pointed out that the decision represents its commitment to ensuring that all rules are adhered to and the actions of the student athletes were unacceptable.
“The Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association reminds all its various stakeholders that we are committed to ensuring that all our student-athletes display the requisite decorum befitting their status as ambassadors of our schools and the various competitions in which they compete. We strongly condemn any acts of indiscipline and more so acts of physical aggression and/or assault on any match official,” ISSA's release said.
Miscellaneous Police FC and Mount Pleasant FA played to a scoreless draw in Group A of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Kevon Woodley had a shot off the volley in the 25’, but his strike rebounded on the outside of the left post.
Mark Ramdeen had a strike across the face of goal in the 30’, but his attempt sailed wide of the right post.
Kyle Ming was denied by the left post himself in the 47' after a lob from the right side of midfield nearly surprised Police FC.
Kwesi Allen attempted a header from close range in the 80’ but was wide of the mark as Shaquille Dyer provided the personal marking.
Xavier Rajpaul tried his luck from the top of the box in the 83’ but could not capitalize on a corner kick attempt.
Adrian Foncette had a crucial save in the 88’ to deny Nicholas Nelson from the edge of the six-yard box.
Miscellaneous Police FC is unable to advance to the semifinals with the draw. The Trinidad and Tobago side played its final encounter and will finish no higher than third place when the group stage concludes next week.
Mount Pleasant will host Real Hope FA next Thursday and can advance to the semifinals with a victory.
Wilfried Nancy insists that Columbus Crew’s Campeones Cup final defeat in midweek will not deter his side from achieving their goals in the MLS playoffs this season.
The Crew were edged out on penalties by Mexican side Club America after Malte Amundsen’s opener was cancelled out by Victor Davila before losing 5-4 in the shootout.
But attention now turns to league action with a trip to Audi Field to face D.C. United, and head coach Nancy believes the defeat in that showpiece match will only spur on his players.
"We lost the game. I told them when we won the MLS Cup, we learned from that. And we lost the Concacaf Champions Cup final in Pachuca. We also learned from that,” Nancy said.
“So, at the end of the day, the fact that we win, or we lose, we learn. And for me it was the message.
“And the message also for them was to tell them that I was proud of them. And we need two or three days to move forward and are already."
Meanwhile, D.C. were on the end of a 4-0 thrashing against the Philadelphia Union in their last encounter, denting their feint hopes of making a late push for the playoffs.
The Black-and-Red sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with four games of the regular season remaining, but are just three points behind the Union, who are in the final playoff position in the division.
Head coach Troy Lesesne lamented his side’s unacceptable display at Subaru Park but acknowledged the enormity of the task awaiting his team ahead of facing the Leagues Cup winners.
“I think urgency is the right word. I want to see more urgency out of our side than what we saw last week against Philadelphia,” Lesesne said.
“That’s not the type of performance want to display, but at the same time we have to move on quickly. We want to take the game to Columbus as much as we can.
“They are extremely talented, and they’ve had lot of success. We know they are a tough opponent. We’re going to try and have the mindset – it is critical against an opponent like this.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
D.C. United - Christian Benteke
Benteke has won 271 aerial duels this season, the most in a single season since Opta began detailed data collection of the MLS in 2010.
The Belgian has won 51 more aerial duels than the entire Crew team, who have won an MLS-low of 220 aerial duels this season.
Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez
Hernandez came off the bench to record a goal and an assist in the Crew’s win over Orlando on Saturday, his second such game as a substitute this season.
The Colombian is one of six players in MLS history to record multiple games with a goal and an assist off the bench in a single season.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN
The Crew are unbeaten in six straight meetings with D.C. (W4 D2), though the Black-and-Red did manage a 1-1 draw in Columbus in April. This is the longest unbeaten run by either team against the other since the Crew went on an eight-match unbeaten run over D.C. in 2005-06.
Nancy’s side’s win over Orlando City last time out took them to 56 points on the season after totalling 57 points in the 2023 campaign. Prior to last season, Columbus had never earned more than 54 points in a single campaign before.
D.C. have won only one of their last 10 regular-season home matches (D4 L5) dating back to the beginning of May. No team has collected fewer points at home than the Black-and-Gold (seven, tied with San Jose Earthquakes) over that time.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
D.C. United – 19.8%
Draw – 20.9%
Columbus Crew – 59.3%
Josh Wolff remains optimistic that Austin FC can improve on their play in the final third when they face Real Salt Lake in MLS on Saturday.
Wolff is under some pressure with Austin failing to win any of their last four league matches, scoring just two goals in that run.
They still have an outside chance of making the playoffs, currently sitting 11th in the Western Conference, but the head coach knows that will not happen if they do not score.
"The main thing is you've got to go out and win the next game," Wolff told reporters.
"We've got to have the same ideas that we've had and the same performances that we've had, we've just got to take our opportunities.
"I keep echoing that we've been one of the better-performing teams at both ends, but it's all for nought if we can't score goals and win games and that's the only part that's been lacking."
Meanwhile, RSL booked their place in the playoffs last weekend after a 3-3 draw with Portland Timbers, and currently sit second in the table.
That is partly down to their impressive home form, as they have failed to win their last four on the road.
With that in mind, head coach Pablo Mastroeni is still targeting improvements, especially in defense.
"The last two performances were spirited, were gritty," said Mastroeni, "and that comes from the players' mindset.
"This group is really coming into its own at the right time, and now we just have to minimize silly situations that we have complete control over.
"In the last two games we've given up three poor set pieces. What can we do more in those moments and in training? Life doesn't tell you when you're at risk."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Diego Rubio
Diego Rubio has scored six career goals against Salt Lake (incl. playoffs), tied for his most against any MLS opponent (also vs. Houston Dynamo & Minnesota United).
Only Jesus Ferreira (eight) and Sebastian Blanco (seven) have scored more against RSL since Rubio made his MLS debut in 2016.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Cristian Arango has scored six career goals against Austin (incl. playoffs), tied for his most against any MLS opponent (also vs. FC Dallas & LA Galaxy).
No player has scored more than six goals against Austin in MLS play (regular season and playoffs).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Real Salt Lake have won back-to-back meetings with Austin, including a 5-1 victory when the sides met in Sandy on June 1. This is the first two-match winning streak by either team over the other.
However, RSL have lost four of their last five away matches in all competitions (D1), including the last three in a row. Salt Lake had lost only three of their previous 17 on the road in all competitions (W6 D8) prior to this run.
And Austin have struggled in recent home games, losing back-to-back matches after losing just two of their previous 14 matches at Q2 Stadium in all competitions (W8 D4). Austin have failed to score in two straight at home for the first time since July 2021 (three straight).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 37.4%
Draw – 26.4%
Real Salt Lake – 36.2%
Arnett Gardens Head Coach Xavier Gilbert was left with a mixed bag of emotions following his team’s goalless draw against Haitian club Real Hope in their Group A Concacaf Caribbean Cup encounter.
While pleased with their usual attacking intent and defensive resilience, which earned them their first point of the tournament, Gilbert admitted that he would have liked to secure all three points in the heated affair at the National Stadium on Wednesday to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
The “Junglists” were more threatening in open play and felt they should have won the contest as they had a goal ruled out for offside, while a penalty call, which should have gone their way, was not given.
As such, the result left them rooted at the bottom of the group on a point, as Cavalier (six points), Real Hope (five points), Police FC (four points), and Mount Pleasant FA (three points) remain in contention for the top two spots to the semis.
With one game to come against Mount Pleasant on October 3, Gilbert is hoping they can secure a win to cap off what he described as a valuable experience for the team in the regional competition.
“Honestly, it’s a bit of a bittersweet feeling; I think it was a tough encounter, but I can fault the guys for trying. I’m happy that the team showed great effort and fight, but decision-making in the final third could have been better,” Gilbert told Sportsmax.TV.
“On the other hand, I thought we were just unlucky to not get the full points last night, especially in the way some calls went against us, but that's the way it is, sometimes we get them and sometimes we don't. We came into this game hoping to get the victory, but we were just a bit short in the final third,” he added.
Despite the shortfall, Gilbert highlighted the positives of the Caribbean Cup campaign and believes the team has gained crucial exposure and experience testing themselves against regional opponents. This, he said, will serve them well for the remainder of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season.
“We fight on nonetheless; we are happy for the exposure that we got at this level, and hopefully we can use this as a catalyst to do well in the local league and make it back here next season because these are the types of tournaments we need to be involved in more often,” he explained.
“Playing teams from across the Caribbean pushes us to raise our level and exposes the areas we need to improve. The intensity and quality are slightly different from what we face locally, and the players have to adapt quickly. It’s an experience we’ll definitely build on going forward,” he noted.
With the JPL season already in full swing and Arnett Gardens, Gilbert has already shifting his focus to ensuring that his team come out stronger for their next encounter against promoted Racing United on Sunday.
The CFU Club Shield winning coach believes the lessons learned in the Caribbean Cup can propel the team to a successful domestic season, which would, in turn, put them back in contention for another crack at the regional tournament next year.
Arnett Gardens currently sit second on the JPL standings on three points from their opening 3-0 win over Dunbeholden FC.
“We have to take what we’ve learned here (in the Caribbean Cup) and channel it into our JPL campaign. The goal now is to be consistent, play good football, and secure one of those top spots to qualify for the Caribbean Cup again. This tournament has given us a taste of what’s possible, and I’m confident we’ll be better equipped next time around.” Gilbert stated confidently.
The tactician is counting on his team’s mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talents to continue growing and improving as they look to reclaim domestic glory. He also expressed gratitude to the club’s fans for their unwavering support throughout the tournament and promised that they would see a revitalized Arnett Gardens as the JPL season progresses.
“We’re going back to the drawing board with a renewed focus and determination,” he said.
“The fans deserve nothing but our best effort, and we’re committed to making sure we’re back in the Caribbean Cup next year and, more importantly, compete for titles,” Gilbert ended.
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