Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay says the club are "onto a good thing" despite their nine-match winless streak as they prepare to face the San Jose Earthquakes.
Minnesota ended a six-match losing run against Houston Dynamo last weekend with a 1-1 draw but could not build on that in midweek as they let a lead slip in stoppage time against D.C. United to lose 3-2.
Sitting ninth in the Western Conference with teams below them are starting to close in, but Ramsay, who is starting to come under pressure due to this run of results, remains optimistic.
"I always see hope," Ramsay said. "We've got a group that is very willing to throw themselves into a challenge and a coaching staff that are largely very positive and constructive.
"We're doing everything we can to make sure that we roll from one game into another. We look at ourselves hard in the mirror, but we're also realistic, and I am absolutely adamant that we're onto a good thing here.
"The big thing is we remain calm and level, with lessons learned, and everything still intact."
Meanwhile, San Jose sit rooted to the bottom of the table having collected just 14 points this season.
Despite winning just one of their last 12 matches, interim head coach Ian Russell says he sees improvement in the team, especially defensively.
"We've had three games in a week, and you want to focus on each game, but that's really hard," Russell said.
"Defensively, we're better, but we've got to get the attack going. It's a fine line. It's a matter of every player buying in defensively, staying compact, small details.
"If you do that as a collective, you start seeing results and, defensively, we've been pretty good."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi
Minnesota's 3-2 defeat to D.C. on Wednesday marked the second time in club history that the Loons lost an MLS match when leading entering the 90th minute, also doing so at home against Seattle in August 2018.
Oluwaseyi scored the opener in that game, netting for the eighth time this season, and he will be key as they look to bounce back.
San Jose Earthquakes – Jacob Jackson
San Jose have lost four straight, and nine of their 11 road games this regular season (winning one, drawing one). The Earthquakes have allowed at least four goals in five of those 11 games.
Jacob Jackson has endured a torrid run in goal, and he will be keen to enjoy a shutout before the Leagues Cup break.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA UNITED WIN
San Jose won each of their first four meetings with Minnesota, spanning the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Since 2019, the Earthquakes have managed just one win in 10 meetings with the Loons in all competitions (drawing four, losing five).
Minnesota are winless in a club-record nine straight regular-season matches (drawing two, losing seven) following a 3-2 loss to D.C. on Wednesday. The Loons have lost three straight home matches for the first time in the club's MLS history.
Meanwhile, San Jose's 14 points through 24 games this season equals the fourth-fewest at this stage of a season in MLS history, behind only the MetroStars in 1999 (nine), D.C. United in 2013 (13) and Chivas USA in 2005 (13).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 56.1%
Draw – 22.7%
San Jose Earthquakes – 21.2%
Austin FC v Charlotte FC: Smith proud of 'evolving' Crown
Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith believes his team have evolved as they aim to go three games without defeat against Austin FC.
The Crown came from behind to draw 1-1 with Columbus Crew on Wednesday, which followed an impressive 3-1 victory over high-flying FC Cincinnati last weekend.
Charlotte sit sixth in the Eastern Conference and a win on Saturday could see them move higher if other results go their way.
Smith noted how impressed he has been with the team's progress in recent weeks and backed them to get the job done this weekend.
"I think we've evolved as a team," Smith said. "As well as being really good without the ball, I think we're starting to learn how to use it a little bit better.
"[The players] believe in the way we play and the structure. I think the big thing is that there is belief in going and competing against these teams."
Meanwhile, Austin are 10th in the Western Conference, having lost their last two matches with a man sent off in both.
Having won just two of their last 10 games in MLS, head coach Josh Wolff admitted they needed to improve their discipline if they wanted to stay in with a chance of reaching the playoffs.
"We need to keep 11 guys on the field is the first thing," Wolff said, "that gives us a better chance.
"Discipline outside the red cards is also important. We have to make plays - getting a little more quality will help us, but we have to execute better by scoring goals.
"We do a lot of things good, but we can't shoot ourselves in the foot."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin – Gyasi Zardes
Gyasi Zardes has scored each of Austin's last three goals, with a brace against New York City FC prior to his goal against Dallas on Wednesday.
Zardes is the first Austin player to score three consecutive team goals since he, himself, did so in May 2023.
Charlotte – Patrick Agyemang
Patrick Agyemang has scored four goals in his last four matches for Charlotte, including each of the last two.
The only player in Charlotte FC's MLS history to score in three straight league matches is Karol Swiderski in October 2023.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Austin won the only previous meeting between the sides, 1-0, in Charlotte in June 2022. Daniel Pereira scored the game's only goal from outside the box in the 62nd minute.
Over the last year (since July 21, 2023), Austin have lost 18 of their 37 matches in all competitions (nine wins, 10 draws). The Verde were held to one or zero goals in 24 of those games, including their 3-1 loss to FC Dallas on Wednesday.
Charlotte have collected 13 points from their last seven away matches (four wins, one draw, two losses), including a 1-1 draw at reigning MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew on Wednesday. Charlotte had totaled just eight points in their previous 15 regular-season away matches dating back to last May (one win, five draws, nine defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin – 34.6%
Draw – 25.9%
Charlotte – 39.6%
Vancouver Whitecaps v Houston Dynamo: Sartini eyeing 'huge statement' win
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini wants his team to put out a statement when they host Houston Dynamo in MLS on Saturday.
The Whitecaps are flying high this season after a five-match unbeaten streak in MLS has seen them move up to fourth in the Western Conference, just eight points off top spot with two games in hand.
While many did not expect to see Vancouver sitting so high in the table, Sartini is keen to prove why there should not be any doubts about his team's capabilities.
"If we do a great job, and we win, I think it's a huge statement to tell everyone we are a top-four team, and we are not there accidentally but because we deserve it," Sartini said.
"I think that should be one of the things to ignite us for a good performance because one of the criticisms of us is we're a good team, but we botch the important games.
"I don't agree, but it's a chance to show people it's not true."
Houston have lost just one of their last nine matches, bouncing back from two without a win to beat struggling San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Wednesday.
They sit eighth in the tightly packed table, but head coach Ben Osborn has challenged them to rise up the rankings by extending their recent impressive run.
"We've got to be selfish. Be greedy," Olsen said.
"Try to get more [points]. It's a quick turnaround, but we've fortunately got the depth, and we've got guys champing at the bit to get involved right now."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Fafa Picault
Fafa Picault, who scored Vancouver's winner against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, has scored four times in six career matches against the Dynamo, for whom he played in 2021-22.
Picault only has more career regular-season goals against Orlando City (five).
Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi
Amine Bassi recorded his team-leading eighth assist of the season, setting up Daniel Steres for the lone goal in Houston's win on Wednesday.
In the nine matches that Bassi has recorded a goal contribution this season, Houston's record is six wins, two draws and one loss, compared to three wins, five draws and six defeats when he does not.
MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
The Whitecaps have never lost a home match against the Dynamo (winning nine and drawing two, excluding neutral-site home games). The Whitecaps have scored in all 11 of their matches against the Dynamo in Vancouver.
Vancouver have also won three straight home matches after winning just two of their previous 11 at BC Place in all competitions (five draws, four defeats). The Whitecaps last won four in a row at home in September-October 2021.
As for Houston, they earned their fifth road win of the season on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory at San Jose Earthquakes. It is the first time Houston have won five road matches in a single regular season since 2013 (also five), while they have not won more since 2007 (seven).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps – 45.9%
Draw – 26.7%
Houston Dynamo – 27.4%
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%
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