Portland Timbers have kept back-to-back shutouts on the road in MLS and Phil Neville is hoping that continues when his side visit San Jose Earthquakes on Thursday.
The Timbers overcame Austin FC 2-0 before battling to a goalless draw on their trip to St. Louis City, with a 2-2 home draw coming against Houston Dynamo in between.
That run of form has helped Portland climb up to 10th in the Western Conference and the improvements have not gone unnoticed by head coach Neville.
"I'm seeing improvements in the whole team defensively, not just in the back four, but the defending starts from the front," the former Inter Miami boss said.
"I think, maybe, a month ago we wouldn't have kept that St. Louis clean sheet.
"They are throwing their bodies in the way, using smart play, game management and players are confident in what they are doing, so we are really pleased."
Neville still believes his side can develop further, however.
"[Against St. Louis] we had some moments to score some goals, it was the first time our forward players just didn't have that quality in the final third," Neville added.
"It was a good point, and we've had a rest to get ready for the next one."
The Earthquakes sit bottom of the West standings after a woeful season up to the midway point.
Luchi Gonzalez's side could soon jump off the bottom of the table, however, trailing Sporting Kansas City by just three points.
Yet San Jose will need a minor miracle to save this campaign.
They have conceded nine goals in their last two matches after a 5-1 thrashing by New York City FC followed a 4-2 home humbling by FC Cincinnati.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
San Jose Earthquakes – Jeremy Ebobisse
Jeremy Ebobisse has not scored in six MLS matches against the Timbers since being traded from Portland to San Jose in 2021.
Ebobisse has played more matches without scoring against just one other opponent in his MLS career, failing to find the net in 11 career meetings with Minnesota United.
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander remains Neville's go-to player in the Portland attack.
The Brazilian has seven goals and as many assists, with no team-mate able to match his 14 direct goal contributions this year in MLS.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Opta supercomputer struggled to split these two sides, yet Portland appear the favourites for a narrow victory considering recent form and their head-to-head record.
The Timbers have won three straight matches against San Jose in all competitions, their fifth three-match winning streak over the Earthquakes.
However, they have never won four in a row against San Jose – who head into this clash in terrible form.
The Earthquakes have lost 12 of 17 matches this year and their 11 points are tied for the third-fewest at the halfway point of a season since MLS expanded to a 34-game schedule in 2011 (D.C. United – nine in 2013, Toronto FC – 10 in 2012).
Portland have also only lost one of their last six matches, recording 11 points in those games (W3 D2), including going unbeaten in a season-high four straight (W2 D2).
The Timbers have more points in those six matches than they had in their first 12 this season (10 – W2 D4 L6) and will hope to continue that run here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
San Jose Earthquakes – 35.2%
Portland Timbers – 38.9%
Draw – 26%
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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