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• Chicago Fire v Philadelphia Union: Small margins costing visitors in big games, says Curtin

  Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin is looking to find solutions to the small-margin failures when they travel to Chicago Fire in MLS.

  The Union have not won any of their last seven matches in the league and are hoping to snap a four-game losing streak.

  Their recent poor run has seen them drop to 12th in the Eastern Conference, and they are four points off a playoff place, but Curtin admits they have not been doing the little things right in recent weeks.

  "The small margins are real and when things aren't going well you get exposed," he said. "It's a very fine line.

  "The way things are going right now, it's never enough. We haven't been able to defend well as a team. Strange goals have gone in, and we've let ourselves down.

  "It hurts. We have to find a way to turn things more in our favour. We've come up short in that area and, as coach, I take responsibility."

  Chicago have now slumped to two consecutive defeats after a four-match unbeaten run and sit bottom of the table.

  A home win could move them back up the table, and head coach Frank Klopas is using his full squad as he aims to get back to winning ways.

  "We have three games in one week, we have to rotate some of our guys," Klopas said. "Those who missed out [against Seattle Sounders], there was nothing in there.

  "We want to keep our players fresh so we can get the best results."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Chicago Fire – Maren Haile-Selassie

  Maren Haile-Selassie has scored in each of his last three matches. He is the second Fire player with such a streak this season (Hugo Cuypers – four straight).

  Only Luka Stojanovic (three straight in 2021) had found the net in three straight games for the Fire over the previous three seasons (2021-23).

  Philadelphia Union – Andrew Rick

  Dominik Yankov scored CF Montreal's winner in the 89th minute against the Union on Saturday, the fourth time this season the Union have allowed a match-winning goal at 89' or later, tied with San Jose Earthquakes for the most such goals conceded this season.

  Andrew Rick will be determined to avoid doing the same again in Chicago as Philadelphia aim to get back to winning ways.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  Chicago have lost only two of their last 12 home matches against the Union (W6 D4) dating back to the start of the 2014 season. The Fire have more home wins over the Union (six) than they have against any other opponent since 2014.

  The Fire conceded twice from the penalty spot in their loss to Seattle on Saturday, the fourth time since the start of last season that they have allowed two goals from the spot in a match. Chicago had conceded multiple penalty goals in a match three times in the club’s first 25 MLS seasons.

  Meanwhile, the Union have equaled the longest single-season regular-season losing streak in club history at four (fourth time). Philadelphia have won one of their last 14 matches (D5 L8) dating back to mid-April.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Chicago Fire – 35.5%

  Draw – 26%

  Philadelphia Union – 38.5%

• Southgate salutes England's 'togetherness and spirit' but acknowledges need for improvement

  Gareth Southgate hailed the togetherness and spirit demonstrated by England, but acknowledged the need to improve ahead of their Euro 2024 quarter-final with Switzerland.

  The Three Lions were considered one of the pre-tournament favourites to go all the way in Germany, but have produced generally underwhelming displays in their four matches so far.

  England topped Group B despite winning just one of their three games, and were just seconds away from a humbling last-16 exit against Slovakia, until Jude Bellingham's sublime acrobatic effort spared their blushes.

  Harry Kane then completed the turnaround in the early stages of extra time, as Southgate's relieved side scraped through to the last eight by the skin of their teeth.

  Nevertheless, the England boss is adamant his players' last-gasp exploits against Slovakia will provide momentum ahead of facing Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday. 

  "There's no question it will give the whole group belief," said Southgate.

  “We know we should be better than we've been, but we've ended up with a lot of young players in important positions and trying to solve problems right the way through the four weeks of the camp.

  "But the standout is the way the players are dealing with it. Their togetherness, their spirit."

  Southgate referred to the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 as similar instances where England were slow out of the blocks, before going on to reach the semi-finals at each tournament.

  "Everybody now, 30 years on, looks back at [Euro] 96 in a different way to how it was at the time," the Three Lions boss added.

  "We were bang average against Switzerland [in the opening game at Euro 96]. We were the same against Scotland; Scotland missed a penalty at 1-0 [down]. Spain should have beaten us in a 0-0 draw [in the quarter-finals].

  "1990 was similar, so you do go through these moments in tournaments."

  The 53-year-old will oversee his 100th England game in charge against Switzerland, becoming only the third Three Lions head coach to reach triple figures after Walter Winterbottom and Bobby Robson.

• Martinez salutes Ronaldo and Diogo Costa as shootout hero revels in 'best game of my life'

  Roberto Martinez paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo's character and Diogo Costa's penalty shootout heroics after Portugal scraped through to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

  The 2016 champions were given an almighty scare by a stubborn Slovenia, who kept them at bay for 120 minutes at Frankfurt Arena - thanks largely to Jan Oblak in goal.

  The Atletico Madrid stopper reduced Ronaldo to tears when he saved his tame penalty in the first half of extra time. However, the Portugal skipper made no mistake in the shootout, where Diogo Costa took centre stage.

  The Porto goalkeeper, who produced a crucial save to deny Benjamin Sesko in the second half of extra time, then kept out all three Slovenia kicks from Josip Ilicic, Jure Balkovec and Benjamin Verbic.

  And Martinez was full of admiration for the efforts of both players.

  "Ronaldo missed a penalty and then was decisive when he started the penalty shoot-out, he paved the way," the Portugal head coach told EURO2024.com.

  "It was a victory for unity, from the dressing room and Cristiano is our captain. He showed that in life and in football, there are difficult moments and we can't give up, we have to keep going and it was a demonstration of what to do when things aren't going well."

  "We worked very well, the energy, strength and passion in the dressing room to win a game like that is incredible."

  On Diogo Costa, Martinez added: "The secret of Portugal is Diogo Costa, he's the most hidden secret in European football.

  "Today, he appeared on a different level, he was incredible in the one-on-one situation [with Sesko], and then he had the focus and quality to make three consecutive saves in the shootout. We have to be very proud of him."

  Diogo Costa became the first goalkeeper to ever save three penalties in a European Championship shootout.

  "This is probably the best game of my life," he said. "I focused on doing what I had to do. I went with my gut feeling. Of course, we analysed the penalty takers, but players change, and they change how they shoot.

  "I am very happy and very excited to have helped the team. These are the hardest games as I barely touched the ball, but the hard work paid off.

  "We all felt we needed to keep believing [after Ronaldo's first penalty]. We believed until the very end, and we're all very happy."