St. Louis City will play their first MLS game without Bradley Carnell after the head coach was dismissed ahead of Thursday's meeting with San Jose Earthquakes.
Carnell's departure was confirmed this week after failing to triumph since mid-May, slipping down to 12th in the Western Conference standings after a nine-game winless run.
St. Louis were guided to a first-place finish in the West last season, their maiden campaign in MLS, yet they are preparing for a new era with technical director John Hackworth in interim charge.
"Given Bradley's many contributions to the club, this was not an easy decision,” said City's sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
"Unfortunately, based on our results to date, we believe a coaching change is in the best interest of the club as we regroup and look to improve, both our performance and our results."
Hackworth has almost 30 years of coaching experience, including positions within the United States men's national team and MLS rivals Philadelphia Union.
His first task will be downing an out-of-form San Jose, who sit at the bottom of the West standings with just three wins to their name all year.
The Earthquakes are also without a manager after Luchi Gonzalez's dismissal, falling to a 3-0 defeat against LA Galaxy in their first match since his dismissal.
Gonzalez's assistant coach Ian Russell took interim charge for that home humbling, and will be desperate to turn things around as San Jose remain in search of a new full-time boss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – Njabulo Blom
Njabulo Blom's seventh-minute goal on Saturday was St. Louis' 10th from outside the box in regular-season play in MLS, with Blom the ninth different player to record one of those strikes.
Blom may fancy his likelihood of adding another long-range strike in this outing, considering the Earthquakes defence is far from convincing.
San Jose Earthquakes – Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez has contributed to a goal in each of his first four MLS road games (two goals, two assists), with the midfielder hoping to extend that impressive run here.
However, only two players have recorded a goal contribution in each of their first five MLS road games: Cucho Hernandez (six straight in 2022) and Romain Alessandrini (also six in a row in 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – ST. LOUIS CITY WIN
The hosts are the heavily backed favourites for victory in this encounter, despite their woeful run of form of late.
St. Louis are winless in their last nine matches, losing six of those. Prior to this run, they had only lost as many games in 27 league matches dating back to June 2023.
Yet, the home side will fancy their chances of arresting that streak given St. Louis beat San Jose twice last season, winning 3-0 and 2-1.
The Earthquakes' form is poor, too, having lost 15 of their first 20 matches this season. Only Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001 suffered more such losses in the post shoot-out era since 2000.
Only four teams have collected fewer points than San Jose's 11 this year at this stage of a campaign, most recently D.C. United (10) in 2013, and that drab spell could extend here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City win – 52%
Draw – 24.5%
San Jose Earthquakes win – 23.5%
Argentina 1-1 Ecuador (aet, 4-2 pens): Emiliano Martinez shootout heroics spares Messi's blushes
Emiliano Martinez was Argentina's penalty shootout hero once more as they edged out Ecuador to reach the Copa America semi-finals, despite Lionel Messi's failed Panenka attempt.
The reigning champions survived a huge scare at NRG Stadium, where Kevin Rodriguez's stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Lisandro Martinez's first-half header to take the last-eight tie the distance.
It appeared La Albiceleste's title defence was in doubt when Messi, back in the side after missing the Peru match with a hamstring injury, chipped the first penalty against the crossbar.
But Emiliano Martinez, who played starring roles from the spot during La Albiceleste's 2022 World Cup triumph, made saves to deny Angel Mena and Alan Minda, before Nicolas Otamendi struck the decisive kick for Lionel Scaloni's side.
Felix Sanchez's Ecuador had not scored in a Copa America quarter-final since 1997, but they made the brighter start in Houston.
Cristian Romero just about denied Moises Caicedo a shot on goal, before Emiliano Martinez came to Argentina's rescue as he blocked Jeremy Sarmiento's effort from a tight angle.
However, the reigning champions took the lead in the 35th minute when Alexis Mac Allister flicked Messi's corner towards the far post, where the unmarked Lisandro Martinez nodded into an empty net.
Ecuador were handed a gilt-edge opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot just after the hour mark, when Rodrigo De Paul was adjudged to have handled in the box.
However, they could not capitalise as Enner Valencia struck Emiliano Martinez's right post with his spot-kick, despite sending the Argentina goalkeeper the wrong way.
But there was to be a dramatic late twist in stoppage time as Rodriguez glanced home John Yeboah's cross, with La Tricolor almost completing a sensational turnaround with Jordy Caicedo heading narrowly wide with the last kick of normal time.
They landed the first blow of the shootout when Messi's attempted Panenka clipped the top of the crossbar, but it proved a false dawn as Emiliano Martinez took centre stage yet again to swing the shootout back in Argentina's favour, before they scraped over the line.
Reigning champions scrape through by the skin of their teeth
Argentina are the first side through to the last four, and their title defence remains on track, but only just.
They broke the deadlock through Lisandro Martinez, who was in the right place to open his senior international account, while becoming the first Argentina defender to score in the Copa America since Victor Cuesta eight years ago.
Emiliano Martinez looked set to earn a fourth clean sheet of this tournament, and become the second Argentina goalkeeper after Sergio Romero to reach that tally in separate editions, but Rodriguez had other ideas with his dramatic equaliser.
Nevertheless, after Messi missed in yet another Copa America shootout - famously doing so in the 2016 final defeat to Chile - the goalkeeper dug his skipper out of a hole with two smart saves eventually proving the difference.
Argentina hoodoo continues as Ecuador pay the penalty
Ecuador knew they needed to rewrite history to achieve a positive result here. La Tricolor had never beaten Argentina in the Copa America, losing 11 and drawing five of their 16 previous attempts, while they had won just five of the 40 meetings overall.
Despite conceding in the opening half for the first time in this tournament, they outshot their opponents (four to three) in the first 45 minutes, but the last of those efforts came in the 16th minute.
Though they snatched a dramatic equaliser, Valencia's earlier penalty miss was a sign of things to come, as the wait for a first semi-final appearance since 1993 goes on.
Nevertheless, Sanchez's side depart the United States having made history. Indeed, at just 17 years and 61 days old, rising star Kendry Paez became the youngest player to appear in a Copa America quarter-final.
Wimbledon: Hurkacz and Tsitsipas fall in round two as Zverev and Fritz surge on
Hubert Hurkacz was the highest-profile casualty on day four of the Wimbledon men's singles, with the seventh seed forced to retire injured during his clash with Arthur Fils.
The Pole beat Roger Federer on the way to reaching the semi-finals in 2021, while he was runner-up to new world number one Jannik Sinner in Halle last month.
However, when trailing by two sets to one against his French opponent, Hurkacz sustained a knee injury during the tie-break in the fourth.
Despite valiantly attempting to battle on, he aggravated the problem further soon after when diving for a return, and was subsequently unable to continue with Fils advancing to round three.
There, he will play Alex de Minaur after the ninth seed enjoyed a straight-sets victory over Jaume Munar.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev also prevailed in three sets as he continued his rich vein of form. The Italian Open champion, who was also runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros, was a commanding 6-1 6-2 6-4 winner over Marcos Giron.
Next up for him is Cameron Norrie after the 2022 semi-finalist ousted compatriot Jack Draper in a battle of the Brits on No.1 Court.
Eastbourne champion Taylor Fritz overcame Arthur Rinderknech in four sets, as did 15th seed Holger Rune against Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov recovered from two sets down to beat Juncheng Shang in a decider. The 2014 semi-finalist will now play Gael Monfils, who completed a straight-sets victory over fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka.
Although, there was no joy for 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. The two-time major finalist was beaten in four sets by world number 87 Emil Ruusuvuori.
'It could have been the final', De la Fuente acknowledges as 'giant powers' Spain and Germany collide
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente believes his side's blockbuster last-eight clash with Germany would be a worthy final at Euro 2024.
The two sides - described as "giant powers of European football" by La Roja's boss - go head to head in an eagerly anticipated encounter at Stuttgart Arena on Friday.
Spain, who topped Group B with maximum points, are the only nation at the tournament to have won all four matches thus far, while Germany collected seven points in Group A before overcoming Denmark 2-0 in the last 16.
Both teams are seeking a record-breaking fourth European Championship triumph, and whoever prevails here will be widely expected to go on and lift the Henri Delaunay cup on July 14.
And De la Fuente is relishing what will be a repeat of the 2008 final, which La Roja won 1-0 thanks to Fernando Torres' sole strike.
"It could have been the final of the European Championship, and it'll be an even game on a footballing level," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference.
"Germany always start games in a really powerful way, so obviously we'll try to counteract that. We'll try to take the initiative and go all-out from the first minute.
"These are two giant powers of European football and the first thing I'd say about my team is that one of our great strengths is that we always perform as one unified block. In that respect, us and Germany are in fact quite similar.
"I wouldn't change my players for anyone in the world. For me, my players are the best in the world. We're fully prepared to go out there and try to win. We feel lots of responsibility, and we're extremely focused."
Asked if he thought the winners of this game will go on to lift the trophy, the coach added: "There are other powerful teams in other ties. The closer you get to the final, only the best remain.
"Nothing is free here. Whoever goes through will go through because they're a great team. In football, the best team doesn't always go through.
"I don’t know if [the winners] will be one of the favourites to win the title, but we see ourselves as a very strong team with the potential to fight for it."
Dani Carvajal concurred with De la Fuente, and the Real Madrid defender believes the contest will be determined by the finest of margins.
"I have a great feeling [about the game]," he said. "I can see from my team-mates that everyone is relaxed.
"We know we have to play a great game to beat them, but I can see a confident and energetic team. It's a 50-50 game in which details will make all the difference.
"Man for man, they have world-class players. They have fast wingers, tough centre-backs and people who like to have the ball at their feet. We have similar qualities to them.
"It depends on if they will sit back or press high. That's going to define how close we get to their goal, and maybe the pace of the game."
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