Inter Miami will again be without injured superstar Lionel Messi as they look to continue on their course for the Supporters' Shield on Saturday.
Miami will host Chicago Fire with Messi absent, just as he was for the midweek home win over Toronto FC.
"Leo will continue to be evaluated by our medical staff week to week," coach Tata Martino said.
"We will see how he recuperates without taking any type of risk."
Messi suffered an ankle injury while on Copa America duty with Argentina, winning that competition but appearing to hamper Inter's title hopes in the process.
But Martino's men are still well placed to achieve their goals, starting with the regular-season championship.
With victory over Toronto, in which Federico Redondo took centre stage with two goals, Miami became the first team to reach 50 points this season.
They have achieved that feat within 24 games, joining esteemed company. The only six teams to previously tally 50 points inside 24 games have gone on to win the Supporters' Shield.
Next opponents Chicago at least head into this encounter off the back of a win of their own, beating FC Cincinnati on the road on Wednesday.
"When you come on the road and get a result like this, it's a great team effort," said Fire coach Frank Klopas.
"Certain guys are playing really well at the moment, but I still feel that everyone can give more. There's a lot more potential in there with the group.
"That's why this game on Saturday is so massive for us."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Inter Miami – Federico Redondo
Miami may be missing Messi, but the supporting cast has consistently stepped up this season. They have had four different players score two or more goals in a match, tied for the most in MLS.
The latest of those was Redondo, scoring his first goals in MLS against Toronto. With an assist in that game, too, he will hope that is the start of a strong run of game.
Chicago Fire – Brian Gutierrez
The Fire have had just three goals from substitutes in 2024, yet two of those have been among their past three goals. The latest, their winner against Cincy, saw Gutierrez emerge from the bench to score.
The midfielder will not want that to develop into a consistent theme, however, surely preferring to play from the start. He had done so in each prior game going back to April.
MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN
Chicago have actually won four of their six games against Miami, including the past three in a row.
But New York City FC are the only team to further extend such a streak against Miami, and their run of five straight victories ended back in 2022. Miami are a very different prospect in 2024.
Their stretch of scoring in 10 consecutive MLS matches is a club record, with their tally of 19 goals across those games showing the task that lies before Chicago – with or without Messi.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Inter Miami – 64.2%
Chicago Fire – 16.7%
Draw – 19.1%
Seattle Sounders v Los Angeles FC: Hosts 'flying' with win in 'massive game', says Schmetzer
The Seattle Sounders will be "flying" if they can beat Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
That was the message from coach Brian Schmetzer, who is relishing a huge occasion at Lumen Field, where the Sounders have been outstanding.
Seattle are on a five-game winning run in MLS, with four of those matches coming at home. They have lost in Seattle only once this year, back in April.
After a slow start, there are now only five teams above them in the Western Conference, but one of those are LAFC.
It was a defeat in Los Angeles that set in motion the Sounders' five-game winless run to start the campaign, while their 2023 season ended with a defeat to LAFC at Lumen Field.
Seattle should not be short of motivation then, and Schmetzer is now shying away from the significance of this game.
"Saturday is such a big game against LAFC," Schmetzer said. "Everyone needs to come out and show up.
"This is a massive game for us. We've only lost twice in 18 games. That's pretty darn good if you ask me.
"We come out with a result on Saturday, and we're flying."
A win would close the gap between sixth-placed Seattle and second-placed LAFC to just four points, with this weekend's visitors wobbling in recent weeks against elite opposition.
The performance in the midweek draw with Real Salt Lake was merely "a little better" than in the prior humbling 5-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew, according to coach Steve Cherundolo.
"No, I was not happy with the performance [against RSL]," he said.
LAFC had won nine of their previous 10 ahead of the Columbus game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak
Rusnak assisted Jon Bell's first Seattle goal in the midweek win over St Louis City, continuing his fine form. That was his sixth consecutive home match in which he had registered a goal contribution.
Obafemi Martins is the only Sounders player with a longer such streak in a single regular season, with a seven-game run in 2014.
Los Angeles FC – Mateusz Bogusz
Olivier Giroud officially became an LAFC player this week, but Bogusz has contributed handily while the team have waited for the World Cup winner to arrive.
Bogusz has contributed to goals in each of his past five away matches, the longest active streak in MLS. Only Carlos Vela has had goal contributions in more consecutive road games in the regular season for LAFC (six matches in 2018).
MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN
Across MLS and the US Open Cup, the Sounders have won six games in a row, their longest winning run since a streak of the same length ended in MLS Cup glory in 2019.
But LAFC are the Sounders' bogey side right now. They have won three in a row against Seattle and are unbeaten in seven in this fixture.
The Rave Green have not beaten LAFC since May 2021, and Saturday's visitors will hope to provide another reality check.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 32.1%
Los Angeles FC – 42.5%
Draw – 25.4%
Aubameyang leaves Marseille to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has joined newly promoted Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah on a two-year deal.
The 35-year-old is the latest high-profile signing for the Khobar-based club, following the arrivals of Nacho and Koen Casteels from Real Madrid and Wolfsburg respectively.
Aubameyang joins after just one season with Marseille, for whom he scored 30 goals in 51 appearances while also becoming the record marksman in Europa League history.
A LaLiga title winner with Barcelona, the forward also won the DFB-Pokal during his time with Borussia Dortmund, and the FA Cup at Arsenal.
Aubameyang stepped onto the pitch for the first time with his new club during their pre-season friendly with Borussia Monchengladbach on Thursday.
Orlando City v New York City FC: Pareja lauds Lions’ ‘seriousness’ in recent winning run
Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja praised his side’s “seriousness” of returning to winning ways ahead of welcoming New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium this weekend.
The Lions recorded a fourth straight MLS triumph against Nashville SC last time out having won just one of their previous seven league encounters.
Orlando’s upturn in form has seen them bridge clear daylight between the sides below them and currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference table, just five points behind New York Red Bulls.
Pareja is hoping to continue their upward trajectory on home soil this weekend, with his players’ maintaining their responsibilities highlighted as a key component to their recent success.
"We are really happy, indeed with the result, but most importantly with the seriousness of the team, the discipline, the responsibility that the boys have had on bouncing back from those difficult moments,” Pareja said.
“And not just bounce back, but just keeping the level and the feeling and the plays against a [Nashville] team that is very difficult. I thought we played a very serious game.
“I see that group just playing the way we are and keeping our responsibilities, but at the same time being productive for the group. Very complete game for us and we're happy and ready to move toward the next one.”
For NYCFC, they are now without a win in their last three league fixtures following their 2-2 draw with Atlanta United in midweek.
But the draw at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium did come with its positives. Daniel Rios and Saba Lobzhanidze had given the hosts a comfortable two-goal advantage heading into half-time.
However, Nick Cushing’s side showed their powers of recovery to score twice after the interval, with Talles Magno’s late penalty securing what could prove to be a very important point.
NYCFC are currently in fifth in the Eastern Conference table, and know a win is a must ahead of the Leagues Cup break next week.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Martin Ojeda
The Lions have been among the goals in their recent MLS fixtures, with Martin Ojeda key to their goal-scoring output.
Ojeda has registered four goal contributions in his last five league games (two goals, two assists), with one of those assists coming in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in June.
NYCFC – Talles Magno
Having suffered a knee injury in NYCFC’s opening game against Charlotte, Talles Magno had to bide his time for a return to first-team action, but he took that opportunity with both hands upon his return.
Magno scored a penalty in their draw with Atlanta and boasts an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents.
In his four games against Orlando, the Brazilian has scored two goals and provided two assists, losing just once against the Lions.
MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando came into the contest with their confidence sky-high following their fourth consecutive league victory. Their last longer winning streak came between October – November 2023 when they won six on the bounce.
The Lions have scored 22 goals in their last eight league games, the most they have managed this season, as they continue to climb the Eastern Conference table.
NYCFC are enduring another period without a victory and have now gone three games without a win. However, they boast an impressive record over this weekend’s opponents and are unbeaten in their four meetings (W3, D1), with their last defeat coming in August 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
NYCFC – 27%
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