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• Pareja sees no limit to what Orlando can achieve in playoffs

  Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja is taking the playoffs one game at a time, with the Eastern Conference semifinals next up, but would love to bring the MLS Cup back to Florida.

  The Lions are the highest-seeded team in the East, meaning they will have home advantage for the final if they make it past Atlanta United on Sunday.

  They beat Charlotte FC in the first round, winning both of their home matches – the second on penalties – to advance, and Pareja remains hopeful his side can keep their playoff journey going.

  "It's good [that the road to the final goes through Orlando]," he said. "I'm always optimistic to advance and have the advantage to play it at home and the next game.

  "In Major League Soccer, anything can happen. I would love to not just advance to the final of the conference but to bring the MLS Cup here. Our responsibility is to play one game at a time, and we're going to be ready for this one for sure."

  Atlanta, meanwhile, pulled off arguably one of the greatest upsets in playoff history when they knocked out MLS Cup favourites Inter Miami.

  Having lost the first tie, they won the following two in the series to advance, having previously been given a slim chance of making the playoffs in the first place, getting through by beating Orlando 2-1 away on decision day.

  Before another trip to Florida, Dax McCarty outlined the ways in which they can make it difficult for their hosts.

  "It's a fine balance," he said. "You don't want to allow them to have too much of the ball, because then we get frustrated...

  "We're just going to have to be sharp in all phases of the game, in transition and possession, because if we can keep the ball away from them, they don't want that, they'll get a little bit frustrated."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Orlando City – Facundo Torres

  Facundo Torres' equalizing goal at 101:47 in Game 3 against Charlotte FC was the third-latest stoppage time goal in MLS history (regular season & playoffs).

  It was also the second-latest result-changing goal (Tom Barlow – 90'+17 for New York Red Bulls vs. San Jose Earthquakes in 2023).

  Atlanta United – Jamal Thiare

  Jamal Thiare's two goals in 107 seconds in the first half of Atlanta’s Game 3 win over Inter Miami was the fastest a player has scored twice in a postseason match since Nicolas Mezquida scored two goals in 90 seconds for the Vancouver Whitecaps against San Jose in the 2017 playoffs.

  MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

  This will be the first postseason meeting between Orlando and Atlanta. Orlando have four wins in 22 all-time meetings with the Five Stripes (D7 L11), including losing the only previous knockout match 2-0 in the 2019 US Open Cup semifinals.

  Orlando have lost only one of their last 13 home matches in all competitions (W8 D4, including two penalty shootout wins and one penalty shootout loss). Orlando's only home defeat in that time was a 2-1 loss to Atlanta United on October 19.

  Atlanta's 3-2 win at Miami in Game 3 on November 9 ended a six-match road winless run in the playoffs (D1, advancing in a penalty shoot-out, L5).

  It was Atlanta's second-ever road playoff win after also beating NYCFC on the road in the 2018 conference semifinals.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Orlando City – 55.6%

  Draw – 22.9%

  Atlanta United – 21.5%

• Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls

  New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.

  The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.

  They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.

  Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.

  "To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.

  "Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.

  "Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."

  Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.

  Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.

  "I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.

  "The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.

  "And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez

  Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.

  Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.

  New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg

  Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.

  No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.

  MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN

  This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.

  The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.

  NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).

  The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  New York City FC – 46.5%

  Draw – 26.5%

  New York Red Bulls – 27%

• 'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David

  Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.

  David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.

  Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.

  And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.

  "We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.

  "Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us. 

  "Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League. 

  "You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."

  David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.

  Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

  The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.

  Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.

  "He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said. 

  "Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete. 

  "Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."