Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has praised his side's attitude in recent comeback wins as they look to extend their streak against the New England Revolution.
The Sounders are on a four-match unbeaten streak, having come from behind to salvage points in each of the last three and scored stoppage-time winners in the last two.
They are now up to ninth in the Western Conference and are closing in on the teams above them after a slow start to the season.
Despite their impressive run, Schmetzer stressed there was still a lot of room for improvement.
"There's a combination of a couple of things," Schmetzer explained. "There were some sloppy, uncharacteristic, untimely giveaways and the group defending was not good, we weren't compact enough.
"We weren't consistent enough, but the guys have a lot of pride and as the excitement built, we got it done.
"This team doesn't quit. We've got quality on this team."
Meanwhile, the Revs are up to 11th in the Eastern Conference after losing just one of their last six.
They got back to winning ways against Atlanta United, though they lost more players to injury in the process, and head coach Caleb Porter admitted his squad is a little thin after their busy schedule.
"It does take pressure off winning against Atlanta on Wednesday; we look at it as bonus points," Porter said. "We took a few more injuries, so we're looking at all options to fill our bench.
"Seattle are in good form, and it's obviously a long trip across the country. It's not going to be easy, since they're usually very good at home.
"We have to be very organised in this game - we just don't have much depth right now, we can't afford to play an open game."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak
Albert Rusnak leads the assist charts for Seattle, having set up seven goals for his team-mates in MLS.
He found his shooting boots last time out though, scoring twice from the spot as the Sounders came from behind to beat the Chicago Fire.
New England Revolution – Giacomo Vrioni
Giacomo Vrioni scored twice as New England beat Atlanta in midweek, having also scored twice in their victory against Cincinnati FC.
He now has five goals in his last four games, finding his form at the right time.
MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN
Seattle opened the season with just one win from their first nine matches in the league, but have since gone on to win six of their last 12, including their last two outings.
It has been almost five years since the sides last met in MLS, with nothing to separate them that day in a 3-3. New England edge the head-to-head record though, recording six wins compared to Seattle's four.
In fact, the last three meetings between the sides have ended level, with both games in Seattle ending 3-3, with a goalless draw in New England sandwiched between them.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 49.7%
Draw – 25.4%
New England Revolution – 24.9%
Argentina v Canada: Marsch says Copa underdogs need greatest performance yet
Canada must produce the performance of their lives to have any chance of upsetting holders Argentina to reach the Copa America final, acknowledges Jesse Marsch.
Marsch's team will face the World Cup winners for a final berth at the MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, having overcome Venezuela in a penalty shoot-out in the last eight.
They are just the fourth CONCACAF team to reach the Copa semi-finals and the third to do so on their debut, after Mexico (1993 runners-up), Honduras (third in 2001) and the United States (third in 1995).
They face the sternest of tests next up, however, having already lost to Lionel Messi and the rest of Argentina's stars in their opening group-stage game.
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez were on target in that match as Lionel Scaloni's team triumphed 2-0 in Atlanta, rifling off 19 shots worth 3.02 expected goals (xG) to Canada's 10 (1.16 xG).
While Canada have won plenty of admirers on their run to the last four, Marsch knows they need to step up further on Tuesday.
"Argentina will have to be the best match we've ever played and it still might not be enough," he said. "But whatever. We're going to go for it."
Captain Alphonso Davies echoed those sentiments but pointed out Canada had given Argentina a scare in their earlier game, saying: "It's going to take everything. We played them in the group stage and we played well but didn't get the win we wanted."
Argentina boss Scaloni hit out at the quality of the pitch after that earlier meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Messi says the surfaces have had an impact throughout the tournament.
"The pitch always has an influence. It's a reality that the pitches aren't good," he told reporters, as quoted by The Athletic.
"I think the best one was the one in Miami, which was good from what you saw from the outside at least. It's natural and that's already different. Of course, it has an influence."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Argentina – Alexis Mac Allister
Mac Allister assisted Lisandro Martinez's opener versus Ecuador in the last eight, then held his nerve from the spot as the world champions triumphed in a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.
The Liverpool midfielder has two assists at this year's tournament. Since such data began in 2011, only Lionel Messi (in 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2021) has ever provided three or more assists for Argentina at a single edition of the Copa America.
Mac Allister has completed 122 of his 135 passes at this tournament, with 70 of those being played in the opposition half. With Canada likely to sit deep, it could fall on him to keep things ticking over and provide service for Messi and his fellow attackers.
Canada – Maxime Crepeau
Crepeau was forced into six saves in Canada's Copa America opener versus Argentina, and he could be busy again here.
However, he has been in excellent form throughout this tournament, conceding three goals from 4.95 expected goals on target (xGoT) faced, with only Claudio Bravo (3.66 goals prevented) and Rafael Romo (2.36) overperforming their underlying goalkeeping statistics by a greater margin.
Only Sergio Rochet and Emiliano Martinez (three each) have bettered his two clean sheets at this tournament. He will have his work cut out to keep another, though.
MATCH PREDICTION: ARGENTINA WIN
Argentina have now reached the semi-finals at seven of their last eight major tournaments, with the 2018 World Cup being the only exception.
They have won their last 10 matches against CONCACAF opponents in official competitions, not conceding a goal in any of their last six such games.
Additionally, the defending champions have reached the last four at five of the last seven editions of the Copa America, and only two of them – Colombia in 2004 and Chile in 2019 – failed to make the final. The omens, then, are not good for Canada.
It will be the fifth time Argentina have faced the same opponents twice at a single edition of the Copa America since the current format was introduced in 1993. Two of the previous four instances included a semi-final meeting (Colombia in 1993 and Paraguay in 2015), with the other two including the final (Mexico in 1993 and Chile in 2016).
La Albiceleste did, however, only win one of those four editions, lifting the trophy in 1993, then waiting 28 years to reclaim their place as South America's finest in 2021.
They are assigned an 84% chance of reaching the final by the Opta supercomputer, with Canada out to cause one of the greatest upsets in the history of the competition.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Argentina – 76.7%
Canada – 9.8%
Draw – 13.6%
LA Galaxy 2-1 Minnesota United: Pec late show gets hosts back to winning ways
LA Galaxy maintained the pace at the top of MLS' Western Conference as Gabriel Pec's double earned a 2-1 win over Minnesota United.
Having opened the scoring in the 25th minute, Pec was on hand to tuck home the winner from close range in the 90th minute.
Teemu Pukki had come off the bench to restore parity for Minnesota, who looked set to snap a five-game losing streak.
But it was not to be for the Loons, as Pec's late show ensured the Galaxy returned to winning ways on the back of their defeat to Los Angeles FC in El Trafico.
The Galaxy are level on 43 points with LAFC and Real Salt Lake at the top of the West, while Minnesota are 10th.
Data Debrief: Loons' losing run rolls on
It is now six successive MLS defeats for Minnesota, which marks their worst-ever run in the competition since they joined the league in 2017.
Pec, meanwhile, continues to steal the show for the Galaxy. His two goals came from four shots, three of which he got on target, while the winger also completed six of his seven dribble attempts.
Bayern complete Olise signing as Palace winger moves to Bundesliga
Bayern Munich have signed winger Michael Olise from Crystal Palace on a five-year deal worth around £45m plus £5m in add-ons.
Olise ends a three-year stay at Selhurst Park having joined from Reading back in 2021.
The Frenchman, who is currently on international duty with France ahead of the Paris Olympics, made 90 appearances for the Eagles, scoring 16 times, 10 of which came last season.
Olise becomes Vincent Kompany's fourth signing since taking over in May, following Hiroki Ito, Bryan Zaragoza, Nestory Irankunda and Armindo Sieb through the doors at the Allianz Arena.
“The talks with FC Bayern were very positive, and I’m very happy to now be playing for such a big club," Olise said upon signing with the 33-time Bundesliga champions.
"It's a great challenge, and that's exactly what I was looking for.
"I want to prove myself at this level and play my part in ensuring that we win as many titles as possible with our team in the coming years.”
Olise is seen as an integral part of new boss Kompany's plans as he looks to overhaul the side that finished second behind Bayer Leverkusen last season, ending a run of 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles.
Christoph Freund, Bayern's sporting director said: “Michael is quick, tricky, a goal threat and very versatile in attack. His goals and assists stats are already outstanding.
"At the age of 22, Michael is already very advanced, but is also hungry and still has a lot of potential. Fans come to the stadium to see players like Michael Olise.”
Bayern are also set to complete the signing of Fulham's Joao Palhinha in a deal worth £42m plus £4m in add-ons.
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