Phil Neville has urged the Portland Timbers to remain grounded as they look to continue their upturn against the Western Conference's outstanding team in the LA Galaxy.
The Timbers are seventh in the standings, occupying a playoff place, after recording an excellent 3-0 win over high-flying Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
That was their fifth win in their last six matches, the only blot on their record during that span being a 3-2 loss at FC Dallas.
With the Galaxy leading the way in the West, two points clear of Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake and 10 ahead of Portland, Neville knows Saturday's match will be a real test.
"We've come off a really good weekend and we gave the players a couple of days off just to regroup," Neville said this week. "This is the last push of this little section of the season.
"We've got to keep our feet on the ground, I think that's really important, because there's a lot of football still to be played.
"We are a team that has grown in confidence and got momentum but we can still improve, and this is a big test against one of the best teams in the conference."
The Galaxy, who beat the Colorado Rapids 3-2 in their last match on Wednesday, could be set to receive a major boost with former Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus in talks regarding a move.
While the deal is not yet done, head coach Greg Vanney knows what the German would bring to California.
"Anyone that we hopefully add in the summer window is somebody who can continue to make the team better," Vanney said shortly before the MLS Secondary Transfer Window opened.
"A player of his profile gives you experience, gives you quality, it gives you versatility, also a winning mentality, a championship mentality.
"Those types of things are always good for teams."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec
Pec has contributed to a goal in 10 straight home matches (eight goals, eight assists), equalling Robbie Keane's club-record mark set between 2012 and 2013.
He is the first player in team history to record a goal contribution in 10 straight home matches within a single season.
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander recorded a goal and an assist in Portland's win over Real Salt Lake last week, his fifth straight match with a goal contribution.
Only Diego Valeri (nine straight in 2017) has had a longer run of consecutive games with a goal contribution in the Timbers' MLS history.
MATCH PREDICTION: LA GALAXY WIN
The Galaxy are unbeaten in six straight meetings with the Timbers (three wins, three draws) though the last three meetings have all ended level.
This is the longest unbeaten run by either team against the other in all competitions since Portland joined MLS in 2011 (36 meetings).
With the Galaxy winning eight of their last 11 matches, the first time they have managed that many victories in an 11-game span since 2015, they are favourites to edge what should be an entertaining contest.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 48.7%
Portland Timbers – 25.6%
Draw – 25.7%
Sporting Kansas City v St. Louis City: Visitors want to show fight during 'test of character'
St. Louis City interim head coach John Hackworth says their recent struggles have been a "test of character" as they look to bounce back against Sporting Kansas City.
St. Louis have lost their last three games by an aggregate score of 10-2, leaving them 13th in the Western Conference, eight points off a playoffs place.
With only one win in their last 13 MLS matches, Hackworth is keen to snap their current losing streak and says he saw positives in their 2-0 defeat to Seattle Sounders in midweek.
"The players made a huge step [against Seattle], played much better than we did previously," Hackworth said.
"[We] gave ourselves a chance to be in that game, had some unfortunate things again happen to us, but it wasn't for lack of trying to play with a lot of heart and soul, being collective, having each other's backs, so those are positives we can build on for sure.
"We have had all season to deal with a lot of hardships, it's a test of our character."
Meanwhile, Kansas City sit one place and one point ahead of their opponents but lost their most recent match 2-1 against Vancouver Whitecaps after back-to-back wins.
Head coach Peter Vermes expressed his disappointment with the defeat in Vancouver and is eyeing a quick improvement on Saturday.
"We're slow with the ball in situations that catch us out with fast transitions, and we need to be better there," Vermes said.
"We need as much energy and as many players as we possibly can for this weekend, so hopefully, we'll be there."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting Kansas City – William Agada
William Agada scored on Wednesday, bringing his total up to four goals in his last four matches in all competitions.
Prior to his recent form, Agada had notched just two goals in his previous 17 matches.
St. Louis City – Nokkvi Thorisson
Nokkvi Thorisson attempted two shots in the loss to the Sounders on Wednesday, tying him with Eduard Lowen for the most by any St. Louis player in the match.
It was the fifth consecutive match in which Thorisson had either the most or joint-most shots for the team.
MATCH PREDICTION: SPORTING KANSAS CITY WIN
Sporting are unbeaten in three straight meetings with St. Louis (winning two, drawing one), including winning both matches in the 2023 playoffs after St. Louis won two of the first three meetings between the sides.
Kansas City are also on a three-match home winning streak in all competitions, the most recent of which was a 2-1 extra-time victory over FC Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup. This is the 'longest home winning streak since winning four straight in May-June 2023.
Meanwhile, St. Louis lost 2-0 at Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, their third straight defeat, all by at least two goals. City are looking to avoid becoming the first team to lose four straight MLS matches, all by multiple goals, since Inter Miami did so in March 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting Kansas City – 50.1%
Draw – 25.2%
St. Louis City – 24.7%
Howe wants Newcastle stay as long as he is 'happy' amid England links
Eddie Howe says he wants to stay at Newcastle United as long as he is "happy" in his position amid links to the vacant England job.
Gareth Southgate stepped down as the Three Lions manager on Tuesday following their Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.
Howe is reportedly one of the favourites to replace Southgate, though Newcastle CEO Darren Eales was confident they could keep the manager on Tyneside.
However, the club is undergoing changes in the off-season; co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi have left, while Paul Mitchell and James Bunce have been appointed as sporting director and performance director respectively.
During an interview at Newcastle's pre-season training camp in Germany, Howe hinted that those shifts in the club could affect his position.
"Being very, very proud to be Newcastle manager, this is all about Newcastle," Howe said. "It's not about England. So, as long as I am happy, feel supported, feel free to work in the way that I want to work, I have not thought of anything else other than Newcastle.
"I absolutely love the club. I love the supporters. I love where I am at in my career. There is no better place for me to be. That is how I feel.
"There has been a lot of change at the football club this summer. It has been a very difficult summer for everyone connected with the club. With change comes always a new feeling.
"You can point to PSR, Amanda and Mehrdad, a change in sporting director which, of course, influences me. These are all big changes. That is why I've made the points that I have because this has to work for Newcastle.
"It's not about me as the manager. I'm slightly irrelevant. It's about making sure Newcastle is as strong as it can be for the next season and beyond. We've all got to come together and make sure we are the force that we want to be.
"We're in the flux of change, it's just happened. I can't say with a definitive answer where that will lead."
While Howe did not definitively rule out leaving Newcastle to become England's manager should the FA approach him, he admitted he did not feel a big draw to the position.
"I think England is a very special job for someone," he added. "I am very patriotic, and I'm not ashamed to say that.
"I love my country. I want my country to do well. I was gutted for Gareth and the lads that they did not win the Euros.
"But I don't have that job like a burning sensation in me that I have to do it at some stage. If it happens at some stage in the future, then it's to be for me.
"If not, then I'm very, very happy in the current role that I'm doing. The day-to-day management.
"I had this situation a lot at Bournemouth in my second spell, but I was very, very happy, in my environment, in my day-to-day workings. So, I had no desire to leave. For me, that's always been my key driver: my happiness and my ability to do my job."
'A good test': U-17 Reggae Boyz head coach Butler welcomes Griffin friendly contest
Jamaica’s Under-17 head coach Altimont “Freddie” Butler welcomed the upcoming friendly contest against American Academy Griffin USA Under-17 as a good test for his young Reggae Boyz as they continue preparation for next year’s Concacaf Championship.
The friendly encounter, scheduled for July 27 at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, New York, follows a recent series that Butler’s side engaged against their Trinidad and Tobago counterparts.
“This upcoming game against Griffin will be a good test for our boys. We have been training locally and also in North America and things have been progressing nicely. We also played Trinidad and Tobago in two friendlies earlier this year which was helpful as well,” Butler said.
“So this friendly is another opportunity for the players to show they deserve to be part of the squad by the time the qualifiers come around in January or February next year. We also have 8 spots in Concacaf now and we are aiming to be one of those 8 to qualify for the U-17 World Cup,” he added.
That Concacaf Under-17 Championships will serve as a qualifier to the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Earlier this year FIFA expanded the Under-17 World Cup from 24 to 48 teams. This also meant Concacaf saw an increase in slot allocation from four to eight.
Jamaica has played at two editions of the Under-17 World Cup. The first appearance was in 1999 in New Zealand, and the second appearance was in 2011 in Mexico.
Meanwhile, Jamaica Football Federation(JFF) is also in the process of identifying more opportunities for friendly matches for the Under-17 team later this calendar year.
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