Josh Wolff is hoping Austin FC can regain some urgency after their mid-season break, starting with their trip to Colorado Rapids.
Austin are on a three-game winless streak, losing their last two outings, leaving them sixth in the Western Conference.
With teams below them catching up to their 23-point tally, Wolff admitted there is still room for improvement, but remained upbeat about his team’s progress this season.
"We're pleased with where we're at. There's still a long way to go, there's a lot to improve on," Wolff said.
"The second half of the season will be challenging. You've got to quickly generate urgency to get back on the field and perform. Colorado is the most important game - because it's the next one.
"I want to create urgency and focus on the things we need to keep improving on while keeping our guys healthy. We are going to put everything we can into this game."
Colorado are one of the teams closing in on Austin, sitting just one point and two places below them in the table.
The Rapids have won just one of their last five matches in the MLS, but head coach Chris Armas is confident his side can turn good performances into results.
Armas said, "We really want to get these performances to turn into points. We think we're doing alright, but we know there's room to improve so that's where all of our energy went over the break.
"We're going to get there. We've got a good group, they're hungry and they come to learn. They're giving everything. We're still a work in progress, but I still believe in this."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
After failing to contribute to a goal in his first five Rapids appearances, Mihailovic has 10 goal contributions in his last 11 matches (five goals, five assists) including recording one in three straight games.
Austin FC – Alexander Ring
Austin attempted just eight shots in their defeat to Real Salt Lake on June 1 – it was the league-high 10th time Austin have attempted fewer than 10 shots in a match this season.
All those efforts came in the second half, with Ring scoring a consolation goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
The Rapids hold the slight edge in the head-to-head between the teams, winning three times to Austin’s two wins (D2). Colorado have scored in all seven meetings between the sides.
However, the Rapids have lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season following defeats at Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps. Colorado have lost three of their last four matches (D1) after dropping only three of their previous 12 in league play dating back to the start of March (W6 D3).
Austin have lost consecutive matches for the first time since last August with defeats to Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. Austin had lost only three of their previous 14 matches (W6 D5) dating back to the beginning of March.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 47.8%
Draw – 26%
Austin FC – 26.2%
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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