Dean Smith is hoping Charlotte FC can replicate their aggressive approach from game 2 when they travel to Orlando City in their MLS playoff decider.
Charlotte forced a third match in their best-of-three series against Orlando, winning 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw on Thursday.
However, they lost the first game 2-0 when they travelled to Inter & Co Stadium and have not had much luck on the road against the Lions, failing to win there since March 2023.
Smith was proud of how his side took the game to Orlando on home soil and is urging his players for more of the same when they return to Florida.
"There's still a job to be done. We think we can go to Orlando and put in a performance that will put us through to the Conference semi-finals," Smith said.
"We have to take our intensity in. That's what gave us that performance, our aggressiveness.
"We forced them into mistakes, and we restricted them to almost no chances, so we were doing something right. We need to make sure we're on the front foot again and take it to them."
Meanwhile, Orlando are hoping their home advantage will provide a much-needed boost as they look to put that shoot-out defeat behind them.
They only managed one shot on target in that match and then netted just one of the four penalties that they took, but Oscar Pareja is confident they are in a strong position to go through.
"We're good. We're aiming for the same intensity, the same intentions, the same plans and the same positive essence that we have.
"When things get tight you've got to use the advantage, and we have that by being at home. We're going to be faithful to the tactics that have got us to this point.
"We have to be confident and be ourselves. Have full belief in what to do. We have a team that plays very well and one that has earned this ride, so we plan to use our advantages."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Duncan McGuire
Orlando attempted just three shots in their game 2 draw and penalty shoot-out defeat to Charlotte, their fewest in any MLS match this season, while hitting just one on target.
Duncan McGuire was responsible for one of those, generating 0.25 expected goals with that effort. The substitute also had the most touches in the box (three) of any Orlando player.
Charlotte FC – Kristijan Kahlina
Charlotte have won both of their penalty shootouts, beating Orlando City 4-1 on Friday after recording a 3-1 shootout win in the 2023 Leagues Cup group stage.
Charlotte have converted all seven of their penalties in shootouts while Kristijan Kahlina allowed goals on just two of the seven spot-kicks he faced.
MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando have won eight of their last 10 home matches against MLS opposition in all competitions (D1 L1), including a 2-0 victory over Charlotte in Game 1 on October 27. The Lions scored multiple goals in all eight wins over that time.
While Charlotte stayed alive with a penalty shoot-out win after a scoreless draw against Orlando in Game 2 on Saturday, the Lions have now kept clean sheets in three straight matches against them after not doing so in any of the first six meetings in all competitions.
Charlotte's only defeat in their last seven matches in all competitions was their Game 1 loss at Orlando on October 27. In fact, Charlotte’s last loss prior to this run of seven games (W4 D2 L1) also came in Orlando (on September 18), with the omens not looking good going into their final match.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 53.7%
Draw – 23.7%
Charlotte FC – 22.5%
Motta salutes 'solid and concrete' Juventus after derby victory over Torino
Thiago Motta hailed Juventus' "solid and concrete" display on their way to victory over Torino in Derby della Mole.
The Bianconeri claimed bragging rights in the Turin derby, with goals from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz sealing all three points.
Juve climbed to third place - a point behind leaders Napoli - after extending their unbeaten start in Serie A, while earning a ninth clean sheet - the most of any side in Europe's top five leagues.
And Motta paid tribute to his players for their performance levels at the end of a busy seven days.
"It's always important to play with balance, and today, we put in an excellent performance, bringing home three precious points," he said.
"I am happy both for the result and for the level of play expressed in front of our fans, who supported us a lot. We have to thank them, as well as the boys, because it was not easy.
"It was the third game of the week, we were able to manage our energy well, and we were solid and concrete for the whole 95 minutes. A well-deserved victory."
Weah became only the second American to score for Juventus against Torino after Weston McKennie in 2020.
Next up for the Bianconeri after the international break is a showdown with AC Milan at San Siro, where Weah's father George played a starring role during the 1990s.
"Today I'm happy," he said. "We have to continue like this, because when we play like tonight, we're strong.
"Now, the match against Milan awaits us. It's important, also for me and for the history of my family."
Slot believes Liverpool have 'many challenges to come' in Premier League title race
Arne Slot envisages "many challenges to come" in Liverpool's Premier League title race, despite his side moving five points clear at the top of the table with victory on Saturday.
The Reds capitalised on Manchester City's slip at Brighton by taking all three points in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa to establish breathing space at the summit.
Darwin Nunez gave the hosts the lead at Anfield as he capitalised after a quick counter, before Mohamed Salah did the same six minutes from time to secure all three points.
While Slot was pleased by the outcome, he is aware the cushion at the top does not guarantee a smooth run in their title challenge.
"It wasn't easy, like most of our games have been now," he told TNT Sport. "Aston Villa were maybe not as aggressive as we thought they would be.
"We were patient. One thing they are very good at is set-pieces. In general, we had control over the game and scored from two counter-attacks, which is maybe not what we would expect.
"If I look at the games that are ahead, they are tough. It will be a tough season in general. Margins are small, we have a margin, but it is small. [There are] many challenges to come for us."
Slot has got off to a fine start since succeeding Jurgen Klopp as manager at the start of the season, as he became just the fourth manager to win as many as nine of his first 11 Premier League games in charge, after John Gregory, Guus Hiddink, and Carlo Ancelotti.
Liverpool now have 28 points in the league. They have only previously equalled this total once after 11 games, in their title-winning season of 2019-20 (31).
Equally, no manager has ever won more points from their first 11 games in the competition than Slot. The Dutchman is not concerned by totals or margins, however, with his focus remaining on the philosophy he wants to instil at Anfield.
"As a manager, if you come into a new club, you don't think about how many points after how many games," he told BBC Match of the Day. "You think about changing the style or keeping it as it was.
"To change the style, you have to do a lot of things on the training ground and in meetings. The only thing I have thought about is how to implement the playing style, and how to make sure the players keep working as hard as they can."
FC Cincinnati 0-0 New York City FC (5-6 on pens): Ilenic sets up Hudson River derby
New York City FC will face the New York Red Bulls for a place in the Eastern Conference final after a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over FC Cincinnati.
In a shootout during which five spot-kicks were missed, Mitja Ilenic kept his cool to slam home and get NYCFC over the line after a 0-0 draw in Ohio.
Cincinnati, last season's Supporters' Shield winners, had the better of the chances at TQL Stadium, though NYCFC did have a goal disallowed midway through the second half, with Alonso Martínez having been flagged offside.
But Nick Cushing, who this week insisted he wanted to stay at NYCFC amid reported interest from Arsenal Women, saw his team get the job done in dramatic fashion.
NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made a crucial save to deny Luca Orellano on the half-hour mark, looked set to be the hero until his counterpart Roman Celentano thwarted Thiago Martins.
Freese's save from Gerardo Valenzuela then sparked a remarkable streak of five straight missed penalties, with Kevin O'Toole denied by Celentano, Chidozie Awaziem and Andres Perea blazing over, and Teenage Hadebe kept out by NYCFC's shot-stopper, before Ilenic finally showed how it was done.
NYCFC will now go up against their city rivals next week, while Cincinnati must lick their wounds heading into the offseason.
Data Debrief: Away form a concern for Cushing
While New York can celebrate making the Conference semi-finals, they have now won only one of their last 15 away games in all competitions.
Indeed, NYCFC have won just five of their last 41 road matches in all competitions since the start of the 2023 season.
Their meagre 0.28 expected goals (xG), compared to Cincinnati's 1.13, across the 90 minutes showed they were largely outplayed, and Cushing will be glad next week's semi-final will take place on home turf - with NYCFC the sixth seed, whereas the Red Bulls are the seventh.
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