Oscar Pareja says the confidence of his Orlando City side is on the rise ahead of their MLS trip to Nashville SC at Geodis Park.
The Lions have triumphed in their last three league matches, overcoming New England Revolution 3-1 in their most recent outing.
Orlando are seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, and head coach Pareja believes improvements are clear to see as encouragement grows within the camp.
"Very excited with the three points, very proud of the character of the team and the players that brought us back after an irregular first half," Pareja said, referring to the Revs victory.
"It seems like our confidence keeps rising, and finding the net is helping us to believe that this is the team who can keep that rhythm and get into the playoffs.
"A team with more chemistry, but at the same time, with more passion and more energy that allowed us to dominate the game and score our goals.
"This is the first time that the team won in New England and that means a lot of respect for the players to that achieve that."
Nashville are ninth in the same East table, though only sit ahead of CF Montreal on goal difference.
They have lost their last four matches against Inter Miami, Columbus Crew, Portland Timbers and D.C. United, however, and must improve at home if they are to end that run here.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Hany Mukhtar has nine goal contributions (four goals, five assists) in eight regular-season matches against Orlando.
The Nashville forward has only recorded more goal contributions against one opponent in his MLS career – 12 versus Atlanta United.
Orlando City – Facundo Torres
Facundo Torres has recorded two goal contributions in each of his last two matches, including scoring a brace against New England on Saturday.
This is the fourth time Torres has registered multiple goal contributions in consecutive league matches, something no other Orlando player has managed more than once.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The Opta supercomputer predicted a Nashville victory as the most likely result, however a draw appears more probable in this clash.
Nashville had suffered just five defeats in their first 19 regular-season matches in 2024 but have now lost four straight matches in all competitions for the first time in club history.
Orlando have also won their last three meetings with Nashville, including a two-match sweep in last season's playoffs.
The Lions have won four of their last five matches (L1), too, after winning four of just 18 league games prior in 2024, including wins in their previous three in a row – only twice enjoying longer victorious streaks.
However, Nashville cannot be completely ignored considering they had gone unbeaten in their previous eight against Orlando in all competitions (W3 D5) before their three-game losing streak recently.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nashville SC win – 43.7%
Draw – 26.8%
Orlando City win – 29.5%
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.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
