Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou expects Saturday’s clash with Rangers to bear all the usual Old Firm hallmarks despite the title being in the bag already.
The newly-crowned cinch Premiership champions have the chance to go a whole season unbeaten against Rangers and Postecoglou feels their trip to Ibrox presents the chance to give their supporters another memorable moment.
Celtic have beaten their city rivals twice at Hampden this season as well as taking seven points in the league and Rangers manager Michael Beale is under pressure to get one over on his opposite number for the first time.
Postecoglou, who has a fitness concern over midfielder Aaron Mooy, said: “If we were going there to win it (the title) there would probably be more hype around it so from that perspective it doesn’t feel as intense in terms of the build-up, but I don’t think that will diminish the game itself.
“I still think it will have all the elements you expect in a derby game.
“All these things have context. Our goal every year is to be champions. The last couple of years it gets you into the Champions League and everything that brings with it.
“That’s where the ambitions lie but within that you have these individual contests that you know are important and significant to the club and every derby is that kind of game.
“It’s an opportunity to win against a very good team and the team closest to us in the table, a game that always means something to our supporters.
“It’s an opportunity to create another significant moment for us.”
Celtic are six games unbeaten against Rangers but Postecoglou does not feel that extending that run would have a lasting impact.
“I don’t think it gives you any sort of significant edge in terms of next year,” he said.
“We just want to finish the season strong and it’s a chance to have a look at a couple of things as well from a team perspective building into next year.
“We will use these games to make sure we are ready for the cup final and also have a look at a few things that we want to work with.”
The 57-year-old was earlier nominated for the PFA Scotland manager of the year award.
Two days earlier Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Callum McGregor were nominated for the top Premiership player, and Liel Abada and Matt O’Riley were shortlisted for the young player prize.
Postecoglou said: “It’s recognition for all the staff, everyone involved and all the players and reflective of the year we have had.
“We want to be successful every year, in many ways that’s demanded of us. So if you perform at those levels, the individual recognition comes along with it.
“I am pleased for the lads who got nominated. We could have had another half dozen in there because it’s been a real collective effort.”
Meanwhile, Postecoglou dismissed early speculation over his transfer business after being linked with a move for 25-year-old Japanese midfielder Ryotaro Ito of Albirex Niigata.
Postecoglou said: “It’s fair to say if they are taking punts now they are well, well, well off the mark. Well off the mark. Without talking about specific players.”
Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders: Neville calls on hosts to put foot down in derby
Phil Neville believes the Portland Timbers have not picked up the points their performances have warranted this season, but he knows the time has come for them to put their foot down ahead of Sunday's Cascadia Derby against the Seattle Sounders.
Portland sit 12th in the Western Conference standings, below the Sounders on goal difference, after going eight MLS matches without a victory.
Their 10 points through 11 games in 2024 represents their joint-worst return at this point of any MLS campaign (alongside 2014).
Neville, however, believes they have deserved more as they prepare for a run of three home games in their next four.
"I think the first thing to say is we are not making any excuses – the results have not been as good as we wanted," he said.
"We've not got our just rewards but now we look forward to a stretch where we've got to perform better and get better results, we've got to put our foot down on the gas."
The Sounders have also struggled this term, though they have taken four points from their last two MLS games against the Philadelphia Union (3-2) and LA Galaxy (0-0).
They then overcame Louisville City on penalties in the U.S. Open Cup in midweek, and coach Brian Schmetzer hopes they can carry on their momentum from that game on Sunday.
"This club has had a long history in the U.S. Open Cup, I like the tournament. It was certainly a challenge against a good, well-coached Louisville team," Schmetzer said.
"We came out on top and hopefully this propels us a little bit in our league play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Maxime Crepeau
Portland have conceded at least once in a club-record 17 successive regular-season matches, allowing 37 goals in that time.
Goalkeeper Crepeau has faced 41 shots so far in MLS this term, preventing 1.13 goals according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, conceding 14 times from 15.8 xGoT faced.
Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz
Ruidiaz has 12 goals in 16 previous MLS matches against Portland (including playoffs), the most goals scored by any player against the Timbers in MLS play.
It's also the most goals scored by any MLS player against a single opponent since Ruidiaz made his debut in the competition in July 2018.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Timbers are unbeaten in six straight matches against the Sounders (four wins, two draws), the longest streak in all competitions by either team in the MLS era of their rivalry.
Portland have also won their last two home matches against Seattle after the Sounders won four of the previous five meetings at Providence Park.
Seattle's 10 points through 11 matches this season are tied for the second-worst start in club history, having only collected eight points at this stage in 2018. Though the Timbers have been in dismal form themselves lately, this fixture could come at a good time for them.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers – 41.5%
Seattle Sounders – 30%
Draw – 28.5%
Busby Jr. reappointed as Reggae Girlz head coach; eighteen members of historic World Cup squad return for Brazil friendlies
Hubert Busby Junior has been reappointed as Head Coach of the Jamaica Senior National Women’s Team, the Jamaica Football Federation announced in a statement on Friday.
This is Busby's second stint with the team, having held the position from 2020 to 2021.
He was removed from the position when the JFF requested FIFA to investigate unsavory media reports originating in Europe. FIFA subsequently cleared Busby.
“The Jamaica Football Federation is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and due process, our technical committee has recommended the immediate reappointment of Hubert Busby as head coach of the Senior Women's National Team,” the JFF said in Friday’s release.
“Based on his vast experience and knowledge of the squad, we think he is the perfect individual to take the team through the next stage of its development,” it continued.
Xavier Gilbert, who was acting in the role of Head Coach since October 2023, will revert to his previous role as assistant coach.
Busby's first task will be to take charge of the 23-member squad which will play two international friendlies against Brazil on June 1 and June 4 in Brazil.
Eighteen members of the group for the two games were members of Jamaica’s history-making 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, while former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey makes a return to the team which is missing prolific striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kalyssa 'Kiki' Van Zanten due to injuries.
The squad is set to depart for South America on May 26.
Squad: Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Jade Bailey, Denesha Blackwood, Kayla McKenna, Allyson Swaby, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Page Bailey-Gayle, Trudy Carter, Kameron Simmonds, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Niya Cardoza, Liya Brooks, Amelia Van Zaten, Jody Brown, Israela Groves, Davia Richards, Lauren Reid
Los Angeles FC v Vancouver Whitecaps: All eyes on Western Conference summit after cup exploits
After midweek cup triumphs for both teams, all eyes turn to MLS this Saturday as Western Conference hopefuls Los Angeles FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps meet at BMO Stadium.
Ahead of Saturday's contest, Vancouver sit fourth in the West with 18 points from 10 games, with LAFC three points further back despite playing an additional match.
Vanni Sartini's hosts were in Canadian Championship action on Wednesday, beating Calgary 2-1 in the first leg of a quarter-final tie with a starting lineup containing five Canadian players.
Sartini believes the experience of that match will serve his young players well, saying: "We want to do well in that competition and it fits with what we want to do, which is developing a lot of young players, guys who haven't played a lot for us.
"I'm really happy that we could play five of them, also because I think in this competition, if they have to give one per cent more to win, they will because it's their national competition."
LAFC, meanwhile, beat the Las Vegas Lights 3-1 to reach the last 16 of the U.S. Open Cup, a tournament they have never previously won.
Forward Kei Kamara scored his first LAFC goal in that match, and he hopes it will serve to kickstart his campaign.
"It was a battle but it's good for us to come here and get the win and move onto the next round," he said.
"Personally, it was nice to get a goal and wash that drought off, even though it was in the cup, to pick the team up and help us into the next round."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga
Bouanga has scored seven goals in six career matches against the Whitecaps in all competitions, including scoring in all four MLS encounters with them (including playoffs).
The only player to score in five straight MLS meetings with Vancouver is Raul Ruidiaz, who did so between 2020 and 2022.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
White has scored in each of the Whitecaps' last three away matches. Only three players in team history, including White himself in 2023, have scored in four straight on the road in regular-season play.
MATCH PREDICTION – LOS ANGELES FC WIN
LAFC have won four of their last six matches against Vancouver in all competitions (one draw, one defeat) with all four wins coming in the CONCACAF Champions Cup or MLS Cup Playoffs.
In regular-season play, LAFC have won only one of their last eight against the Whitecaps, drawing three and losing four. However, they are favourites to improve on that record here.
Saturday's hosts are unbeaten in nine straight home matches (seven wins, two draws) dating back to the end of last season. LAFC have previously recorded three runs of 10 or more home matches without defeat in their history, and they will fancy their chances of repeating the trick.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Los Angeles FC – 56.8%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 18.5%
Draw – 24.7%
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