Chris Armas is aiming to continue Colorado Rapids’ impressive home form ahead of their fixture with St. Louis City this weekend.
The Rapids returned to winning ways following their defeat away to LAFC, as Djordje Mihailovic’s 94th minute penalty ensured Colorado maintained their three-game winning run on home soil.
Armas’ side sit fourth in the Western Conference table, three points ahead of Vancouver Whitecaps but looking to chase down the top three in the division.
The Rapids head coach is keen to make Dick’s Sporting Goods Park a fortress this season, praising the fans for their contribution to their recent home results.
“When I was a player, I played in Colorado against the Rapids and I didn’t like it,” Armas said.
“The fans are tough and I love that I got to team up with them now and put out an attacking team for them who goes after it and make them proud.
“We do try to have a mentality, and we have it home and away. At home, with our fans, with altitude and the energy of the building, our pitch, the comfort of our own home.
“You can see that teams will come here and try to slow the game down a bit. It can be frustrating at moments but what I love most, is the energy of the crowd.”
For St. Louis, Interim head coach John Hackworth marked his first game in charge with a much-needed victory over San Jose Earthquakes last time out.
It’s Hackworth’s second spell in interim charge following the sacking of Bradley Carnell after a run of nine MLS games without a win.
Their triumph sees them remain in 12th place in the Western Conference, a point behind FC Dallas.
Hackworth acknowledged the importance of the victory last time out, but insisted the win was just a step in the right direction and nothing more.
“It’s been a tough week, there is no doubt about that,” Hackworth said.
“The players, the staff, the club, when you make a change to the head coach it’s never easy.
“So, in a short amount of time I think you saw the resilience of this group. A group that has been successful in the past. It hasn’t happened for us this year, but I am really proud of them in this moment to come together in a tough moment.
“For us, while it’s very satisfying, it is not a game that we are going to go crazy about and celebrate and say we have turned out season around because we haven’t.
“It’s just the first step of trying to get us back in the right direction.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
Djordje Mihailovic has been in fine form for the Rapids, with his stoppage time penalty against Sporting Kansas City the 10th goal the American has scored this season – his best tally in a single season.
Mihailovic has 18 goal contributions this season (10 goals, eight assists), only managing to record more in 2021 during his time with CF Montreal (20).
St. Louis City – Indiana Vassilev
Indiana Vassilev assisted both of St. Louis City SC’s goals on Wednesday against San Jose, becoming the first player to record multiple assists in a match for the team this season.
Vassilev’s nine MLS assists for St. Louis City have set up goals for seven different players.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
Having won three home matches for the first time since September – October 2022, Colorado are heavily backed by Opta’s data-led simulations to continue their winning run on home turf.
The Rapids last had a longer winning streak at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park during a six-match run from August 2019 to March 2020.
But based on previous results, it looks set to be a tightly contested affair. Each team has recorded a win in their last three meetings, with a fast start expected. Three of the five goals scored in the last two meetings were netted in the game’s opening 11 minutes.
However, St. Louis will be buoyed following their recent victory over San Jose on Wednesday. City are still looking for their first away win of the season in all competitions (D5 L5), but will be hopeful of bursting the Rapids’ bubble.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 49.4%
Draw – 25.5%
St. Louis City – 25.1%
Shaw, Layzell on target as Man City stun holders Barcelona in Women's Champions League
Naomi Layzell enjoyed a dream Women's Champions League debut as her goal and assist helped Manchester City stun holders Barcelona 2-0 on Wednesday.
Layzell was playing her football in the Women's Super League last season with relegated Bristol City, but was the star of the show at the Joie Stadium.
City were making their first appearance in the competition since falling to a 4-2 quarter-final loss to the Catalan side in March 2021, and exacted their revenge with a plucky display.
The hosts, however, almost found themselves a goal behind with just three minutes on the clock when Caroline Hansen took aim and saw her effort cannon off the post, shortly before Lauren Hemp struck the woodwork with a strike of her own.
City grew into the contest and almost got the goal their performance merited in the 35th minute when Vivianne Miedema teed up Khadija Shaw, only to see her effort saved by Cata Coll.
But from the resulting corner, Gareth Taylor's side got their noses in front as Miedema brilliantly headed the ball from the back post and back into the danger area, with Layzell sliding in to mark her Champions League debut with a goal.
Barcelona had only failed to score once in their past 79 games heading into the encounter, and improved after the interval in their search for an equaliser.
Aitana Bonmati forced Ayaka Yamashita into making a smart save down to her right, with substitute Claudia Pina going close from distance as City were forced to withstand a relentless wave of pressure from the defending champions.
But the hosts landed a sucker punch in the 77th minute on the counter, with Layzell turning provider for Shaw, with the striker riding the challenge of Patri Guijarro before rounding Coll to seal a memorable triumph for City.
The Citizens ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.68 compared to Barca's 1.5, despite having four fewer shots than their opponents.
Gareth Taylor's side sit level on points with Hammarby in Group D, after the Swedish side beat Austria's St. Polten 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in Group C, Juventus edged out Norwegian side Valerenga to kickstart their campaign with a victory at the Intility Arena.
Sofia Cantore's 29th minute strike proved to be the difference, with the Italian curling a fine right-footed effort beyond the grasp of Tove Enblom against the run of play.
Juventus continued to struggle throughout the contest, with Valerenga registering 25 shots, with six of those on target, ending with an xG total of 2.2.
Man United's Diallo withdraws from Ivory Coast squad
Manchester United's Amad Diallo has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone due to illness.
Diallo, who has made six appearances for his country, has since returned to Manchester ahead of the Red Devils' upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford.
The 22-year-old earned his first cap for the Elephants in 2021, and was recalled to Emerse Fae's group after a 15-month absence in June for wins over Zambia and Chad.
Ivory Coast know that two wins against the Leone Stars will seal their progression to the tournament, which takes place in Morocco at the end of next year.
A statement by the Elephants read, “The Ivorian Football Federation informs the Press and the public that the player, Amad DIALLO, arrived in group on Monday October 7, 2024, as part of the 3rd and 4th Days of the CAN qualifiers Morocco 2025, is declared forfeit for health reasons.”
Diallo is the latest player within Erik ten Hag's ranks to withdraw from international duty with their respective nations.
Argentina's Alejandro Garnacho, England's Kobbie Mainoo and Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui are the other players left out as a precaution.
Diallo has made 10 appearances for United this season in all competitions, scoring once in his side's 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
However, he has yet to fully nail down a starting berth, with Ten Hag so far rotating his wide options with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.
Daniel Maldini the missing piece to Italy puzzle, believes Spalletti
Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti believes Daniel Maldini has been the creative spark the national side has been lacking ahead of their Nations League clash with Belgium.
Maldini could follow in the footsteps of his father, Paolo, and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains, should he represent the Azzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.
The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Milan, managing 24 appearances in all competitions and scoring once, but spent three seasons out on loan from 2022 to 2024.
Maldini spent the second half of last season on loan with Monza before making his move permanent in July, netting five goals in 19 outings to help Raffaele Palladino's side to a 12th place finish in Serie A.
Now under the guidance of Alessandro Nesta, Maldini has begun to flourish, completing more dribbles (12) than any of his team-mates in the league so far.
The young Italian was one of four players given their senior call-up by Spalletti for their Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Israel, with the Monza forward replacing Lazio's Matteo Zaccagni.
And Spalletti is confident Maldini can make an impact, saying: "He is the (kind of) player we were missing."
Italy come into the contest off the back of an impressive opening to their Nations League A2 group, beating Israel and France last month.
After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign that saw them lose to Switzerland in the round of 16, Spalletti insisted that their encounter against Belgium is crucial to their development.
"We will immediately become a great team in every match where we will be able to give the best of ourselves," Spalletti said.
"It is a crucial match for our future."
Spalletti, however, has his eyes set on the 2026 World Cup, a tournament the Azzurri have won on four occasions throughout their history.
But Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the competition, but have since won the European Championships against England in 2021 under Roberto Mancini.
While Spalletti signified the importance of the World Cup's influence on the Azzurri's illustrious history, he said his players must focus on each game as it comes.
"It is a tournament that has determined our history, it has made many people happy," Spalletti concluded.
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