Inter Miami are fortunate to have Jordi Alba, so says head coach Gerardo Martino.
Alba scored a stunning volley that ultimately proved the winner just before half-time in Saturday's 2-1 win over Nashville SC. The strike came with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.01.
That victory kept Miami top of the Eastern Conference, with a two-point lead over FC Cincinnati.
Miami face Charlotte in midweek, and with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez still away at the Copa America, Martino is glad to have such an experienced, quality player as Alba at his disposal.
"I celebrated] as should be celebrated because it was a great goal," Martino said.
"I'm not surprised because he is a player with so much quality.
"He [Alba] puts me at ease for what he gives the team and the options he gives us in attack and how well he played defensively.
"Jordi is an internationally recognised player and we're lucky to have him on our team."
Nashville dragged themselves back into the contest in the second half, and Miami ultimately relied on goalkeeper Drake Callendar to make a late save to earn all three points.
Reflecting on his side's display, Martino added: "I believe we had a very good first half, we controlled the whole thing.
"In the second half, we did not control the ball the same way as the first half, especially when Nashville had a line of three, [but] we didn't suffer.
"I think in the end we won the game rather well."
Charlotte lost 1-0 to the Houston Dynamo last time out, snapping a four-game unbeaten streak for Dean Smith's team.
They sit sixth in the Eastern Conference.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC - Patrick Agyemang
Agyemang leads Charlotte's scoring charts with five MLS goals. They have come from 14 shots on target, and 26 attempts overall. He will be one Miami's defence has to look out for.
Inter Miami - Julian Gressel
Gressel provided an assist for Miami's opener against Nashville. It was his 100th goal contribution in MLS.
Since he joined MLS in 2017, Gressel has provided 62 assists, with only Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta (65) setting up more goals.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
While Miami are top of the standings, Charlotte are expected to challenge for a positive result in this one, with Opta's supercomputer ranking the draw threat highly.
Miami have won their last three away games in MLS, though, so the Herons still come into this as slight favourites.
That being said, Miami have lost their last two trips to Charlotte. In fact, last season, these teams split the record evenly over their three meetings in all competitions, with Miami winning one, Charlotte winning another and the other game drawn.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Inter Miami - 41.6%
Charlotte - 32.9%
Draw - 25.6%
LA Galaxy v Los Angeles FC: Cherundolo relishing 'exciting' derby day
Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo is anticipating an "exciting" battle against derby rivals LA Galaxy on Thursday.
The two teams are locked in at the top of the Western Conference, both on 40 points, though LAFC have the slight advantage of a game in hand.
Cherundolo's side are unbeaten in nine MLS matches, winning eight of those, and have won their last two outings by an aggregate score of 9-2.
Asked how LAFC would cope with the threat the Galaxy pose, Cherundolo praised the improvement of their neighbours.
"It's our rivals. They're a team that scores a lot of goals," Cherundolo said.
"They have weapons, and they've added to the transitions and got some defensive stability, so they're really a complete team this year.
"They're top of the table with us, so they're a team that has found a way to get results while playing well, so it should be an exciting match."
Meanwhile, the Galaxy are on a four-match winning run of their own and have only lost one of their last 11 matches in MLS.
Head coach Greg Vanney is pleased with his side's defensive stability, and was quick to pick out goalkeeper, John McCarthy.
"His maturity back there and his capacity to come up because he did come up with a couple big saves [against San Jose], but his capacity to come up with a save when we need it has been really strong for us," Vanney said.
"You can't say too much about that, especially when you're on the road. The opposition is going to get something. There's going to be a moment here or there and when there has been, John has been there. Three shutouts is big for us."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – John McCarthy
The Galaxy have won four straight matches, keeping clean sheets in each of the last three.
It marks the first time LA has posted three straight shutout wins in all competitions since a four-match run in 2016, and McCarthy will be keen to equal that record in the derby.
LAFC – Mateusz Boguesz
Mateusz Bogusz has contributed to three goals in each of his last two matches (two goals and one assist versus San Jose Earthquakes on June 21 and a hat-trick against Colorado Rapids on Saturday).
The Pole is one of five players to do so this year after no more than three players had done so in any previous MLS season.
MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC WIN
Los Angeles FC have won five of their last six MLS matches against the Galaxy (L1, incl. playoffs), including a 2-1 victory on April 6. The Galaxy lost only three of the first 14 editions of El Trafico from LAFC's debut in MLS in 2018 through April 2022.
LAFC have won 10 of their last 11 matches in all competitions (D1), including a 3-0 win over Colorado on Saturday. They are the first MLS team since Sporting Kansas City in 2011-12 to win 10 times in the span of 11 matches in all competitions.
Meanwhile, this will be the Galaxy's 28th home match on the Fourth of July in 29 MLS seasons, only not doing so in 2020 (no game). LA have scored at least twice in nine of their last 10 Independence Day games dating back to 2013, only failing to do so in a 2-0 loss to Kansas City in 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 34%
Draw – 25.8%
LAFC – 40.2%
Kroos not feeling nostalgic, aiming to end career with Euro 2024 glory
Toni Kroos says he is not feeling nostalgic about the possibility of his career ending on Friday when Germany face Spain in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
Kroos came out of international retirement to play for Germany on home soil at the European Championships, but announced in May that he would be retiring from football at the end of the tournament.
The German won LaLiga before earning a sixth Champions League title in his farewell game for Real Madrid and is now aiming to finish his career by lifting the Euros trophy for the first time.
With a place in the next round not guaranteed, Kroos could play his final game on Friday should Germany lose to Spain, but that is not something he is thinking about.
"It is the second most important title you can win, and it would have a huge importance for me," he said. "If I did not see having the chance to do it with the team, I would not have [come back].
"It would be a sensational end, but I have also considered the possibility of it not happening. I am not nostalgic at all and did not bring any treats for [journalists] either.
"I do not expect it to be my last game, so I assume we will see each other again."
Kroos has been an influential figure in the side already. In the group stage, he completed 95% of his passes (411/431), the highest completion rate by a player to attempt 300+ passes on record in the competition.
After a string of disappointing major tournament results in recent years, with Germany being knocked out of the last two World Cups in the group stage, Kroos is confident they can go all the way this time around.
"There were big doubts about the tournament before it started," he added. "That's normal after the previous tournaments we had.
"So we've now reached a minimal goal and, whatever the result, we won't be speaking about a tournament catastrophe here. But anything that comes now is not a bonus.
"We, as a team, have the goal to win the tournament. So, it is not a bonus, but we are at a stage in the tournament we wanted to reach.
"We should be satisfied, but the demand within the team is to progress further, and we are convinced we can do it."
Everton sign attacker Ndiaye from Marseille
Iliman Ndiaye has completed a £16m (€18.5m) move from Marseille to Everton.
Ndiaye, a Senegalese international, has signed a five-year deal with the Toffees.
He is Everton's third signing of the transfer window, after the addition of Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa and the re-signing of Jack Harrison, who rejoined the club on loan from Leeds United.
The 24-year-old only joined Marseille, his boyhood club, last year, having previously starred in the Championship with Sheffield United. However, he netted just three times in Ligue 1 last season.
Everton, though, will be hoping Ndiaye replicates the form he displayed in the second tier when he propelled the Blades to promotion in 2022-23.
Ndiaye was fourth-best in the Championship for goal contributions (24 - 14 goals, 10 assists) that season, while his tally of 111 dribbles completed ranked behind only Patrick Roberts (112) and Joao Pedro (116). He converted 20% of his shots.
"I am so pleased to be an Everton player," Ndiaye told evertontv. "I'm so excited and can't wait to get going.
"As a player, I like to dribble, show skills and get the fans out their seats. I want to score goals and get assists, but I also like to work hard. I love running, chasing the ball, getting the team high up the pitch. As a striker, you're the first defender. I love doing that bit."
Sean Dyche's team certainly need an extra attacking threat. They were the league's second-lowest scorers, with just 40 goals, and the competition's biggest expected goals (xG) underperformers, scoring 15 fewer goals than would have been anticipated based on the quality of opportunities they created (40 goals from 54.9 xG).
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