Los Angeles FC's title defence has not yet got started after their derby with LA Galaxy was called off due to adverse weather last week, but they will be looking for another win against the Portland Timbers on Saturday.
The Timbers' opening game was also rearranged due to the elements, although they were later able to beat Sporting Kansas City to get their season up and running.
This particular match-up included a memorable game for LAFC last year en route to their Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup double.
The sides met in the penultimate game of the regular season, with LAFC winning 2-1 in Oregon to take the Shield.
Their victory came in dramatic fashion – Denis Bouanga netting in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time after Dairon Asprilla had cancelled out Carlos Vela’s opener.
That was a second straight win against the Timbers in all competitions for LAFC, although prior to those fixtures the Timbers were unbeaten in six straight matches against this weekend's opponents, dating back to October 2020 (W3 D3).
With the Galaxy match postponed, LAFC will hope to maintain their sublime record in season openers in this encounter.
They have triumphed in all five of their such matches in MLS. In league history, only FC Dallas, between 2012 and 2017, have won their first match for six seasons on the bounce.
However, the reigning MLS Cup champions have opened their title defence with a win just once in the last six seasons (D1 L4).
This will be the second time the reigning champions open their season against the Timbers, with the Colorado Rapids recording a 3-1 victory over Portland. That match back in 2011 was Portland's first in MLS.
The 1-0 Sporting KC win gives Portland a little momentum heading into this game, and they have now scored in each of their last 21 MLS outings, their longest such run in the competition since a streak of 21 between June 2017 and October 2017.
Players to Watch
LAFC – Carlos Vela
Vela scored 12 MLS goals last season and provided as many assists, with only four other players in the league playing a direct part in more goals.
The Mexican outperformed his non-penalty xG by 1.7, while the former Arsenal forward created 87 chances, ranking him joint-fourth in the MLS standings alongside Lucas Zelarayan.
His 12 assists came from an expected assists (xA) total of 9.8, suggesting his team-mates did well to finish the job, yet the 33-year-old's influence on LAFC's attack was enormous – Vela was involved in 159 open play shot-ending sequences in league play in 2022, more than any of his team-mates.
Last season was the first campaign since 2019 – when he scored 36 goals – that he managed over 30 appearances in the league, and he is still one of the competition's best players on his day.
Portland Timbers – Evander
Off-season acquisition Evander, who joined from Danish club Midtjylland and is formerly of Brazilian Serie A side Vasco da Gama, wasted no time in getting involved on his Timbers debut against SKC.
The Brazilian had 59 touches and led the Timbers for crosses (four), dribbles (eight), successful dribbles (five) and duels (19), though he only won six. He did lose possession 21 times, two more occasions than any team-mate, and conceded the most fouls (four) in the game, yet his nine recoveries were a joint-high.
Playing in an advanced midfield role, Evander’s next task will be to wield more influence from a creative standpoint. He failed to have a shot or craft a chance, but there were positive signs to build on for the 24-year-old.
With striker Felipe Mora still recovering from a knee injury, the Timbers need scorers elsewhere in their team, and Evander will be one they hope hits the ground running in the United States.
Predicting LAFC v Timbers
LAFC have won six of their 16 meetings with their Western Conference rivals the Timbers in all competitions, with Portland winning five times.
Opta’s supercomputer has LAFC as big favourites for this game, though, ranking their chances of victory at 57.5 per cent.
Portland are at 18.7 per cent, with the draw ranked at 23.8 per cent.
Expect this to be tight, though, with only one of the last eight games between these teams having been settled by a margin of over one goal – that came in LAFC’s 2-0 US Open Cup win in May last year.
Deschamps backs Mbappe for more records as France prepare for Ferguson challenge
Didier Deschamps expects Kylian Mbappe to continue breaking France records but knows a Republic of Ireland generation inspired by teenage talisman Evan Ferguson pose a threat.
Les Bleus thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier and will be confident of claiming another three points in Dublin on Monday.
New captain Mbappe hit a double against the Dutch, taking him to 38 international goals and fifth on France's all-time scoring charts – just three shy of the great Michel Platini (41).
Mbappe has scored half of those in his last 16 outings, as many as in his first 51 games, Deschamps suggests there is no limit for the 24-year-old.
"It's Kylian, he's full of ambitions. When he reaches one, he has another to reach," Deschamps said at a press conference.
"He reached and exceeded quite a few very early on. He has that in him. He has a driving role compared to the whole group.
"He will do everything to get there, he will need the others, but it's Kylian."
France have won their last four qualifying matches, for both the World Cup and Euros, by an aggregate score of 16-0.
Les Bleus have not managed five qualifying victories without conceding since doing so between November 1981 and December 1984, but they face an Ireland side buoyed by a young prospect of their own.
Ferguson scored on his first international start in a 3-2 win over Latvia and could become the first Ireland player to net in consecutive appearances before turning 19.
The Brighton and Hove Albion striker has been a hot topic of discussion, with Deschamps acknowledging the danger the 18-year-old might offer.
"It goes back to [Euro] 2016. I remember that we were trailing 1-0 [in the round of 16 before winning 2-1] and that it was complicated," Deschamps said.
"But there is a new generation with Ferguson. It is always very difficult to compare."
Ireland have lost just three of their last 30 Euros qualifying games (W14 D13) and are unbeaten in their last 14 on home soil (W8 D6), including play-off fixtures.
That strong home form is a factor Deschamps knows France must deal with.
He continued: "They are a technical team. From what I have seen, they use less direct play and long balls. It will be a different game, with the crowd pushing as well.
"It's a high level and it's up to us to do no less."
De Kock-inspired South Africa mount record T20I run chase after record-breaking Charles century
Quinton de Kock's sensational century propelled South Africa to a remarkable six-wicket victory over West Indies in a thrilling T20I after a record-breaking knock from Johnson Charles at Centurion.
Charles' astonishing 118 from 46 balls and an excellent 51 from Kyle Mayers got the Windies to what looked to be a series-winning total of 258-5 on Sunday.
Yet De Kock (100 off 44) had other ideas, with South Africa's former captain leading the Proteas to a sensational triumph and the highest successful run chase in T20Is.
By the end of the third over the hosts had scored 62 without loss, and they added an additional 20 runs from the next 18 deliveries. South Africa's total of 102-0 from the first six overs is the highest powerplay score in a T20I involving Test-playing nations, and the fastest first hundred runs scored in a T20I involving a full ICC member.
In the process, De Kock struck South Africa's quickest 50, from just 15 balls – the fifth-fastest half-century in the shortest format.
De Kock should have been caught in the deep shortly after, but did not let up as he cruised to his maiden T20I century, taking just 42 deliveries to get there, before falling to Raymon Reifer soon after.
Reeza Hendricks (68 from 28 balls) picked up the slack, though he followed Rilee Rossouw (16) in heading back to the pavilion when the Windies claimed wickets in swift succession in the 12th and 13th overs.
Romario Shepherd caught David Miller to hand West Indies a further flash of hope, yet three big hits from new captain Aiden Markram (38) put the Proteas back in control as they cantered to victory and levelled the series.
Charles' record ton overshadowed
If it was not for De Kock's sparkling knock, Charles would have been the story.
His century, which came from 39 deliveries and included 11 sixes and 10 fours, was the fastest T20I hundred by a West Indies player, surpassing a record set by Chris Gayle in 2016 (47 balls). Unfortunately for the tourists, it was not enough.
Bad day for the bowlers
It was certainly a day for the batters at SuperSport Park. South Africa's bowlers set the tone for what was to come as they struggled to keep the Windies under wraps, despite Wayne Parnell (2-42) dismissing Brandon King in the first over.
The Windies attack then suffered as De Kock, Hendricks and then Markram put them to the sword in a stunning display.
President of Brazilian FA confirms Ancelotti interest
The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has confirmed an interest in appointing Carlo Ancelotti as the next head coach of the national side.
Brazil are yet to name a permanent successor to Tite, who left following a quarter-final exit at the World Cup in Qatar, with the role likely to be filled at the end of the season.
Ancelotti remains contracted with Real Madrid until the completion of the 2023-24 season, but the Italian has been heavily touted to take the reins of the South American giants, with players among those talking up the possibility.
Ednaldo Rodrigues admitted he was the favourite among supporters and players, while acknowledging he was the confederation's main target.
"Ancelotti is unanimously respected among players. Not only Ronaldo Nazario or Vinicius Jr but all those that have played for him," he told Reuters.
"I really admire him for his honesty in the way he works and how constant his work is. He needs no introductions. He is really a top coach who he has several achievements, and we hope he can have even more.
"Ancelotti is not only the players' favourite, but it seems the fans' too. Everywhere I go in Brazil, in every stadium, he is the first name the supporters ask me about.
"They talk about him in a very affectionate way, in recognition of the exemplary work he has done in his career.
"Let's have faith in God, wait for the appropriate time and we'll see if we can make it happen as we look for the new coach of the Brazilian national team."
However, despite the abundance of praise and appeal of hiring Ancelotti, Rodrigues made it clear no formal approach has taken place and called for patience in the hunt for a new boss.
"We will be very ethical in our approach and respect the contracts that are in place. We also greatly respect the work that is done by any coach and his club to get there and make any kind of approach, it would be a lack of respect for the president of the clubs in question," he added.
"Therefore, we have the patience to wait for the right moment so that we can hold these conversations.
"Nothing is really defined yet to say the name [of the next coach] for sure, but it's within this line, you understand? We need a coach who has the players' respect and admiration."
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