Pablo Mastroeni has backed new arrival Diogo Goncalves to mirror the impact of departed star Andres Gomez, as Real Salt Lake prepare to return to MLS action against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Real Salt Lake emerge from the Leagues Cup break third in the Western Conference standings, with only Inter Miami (56) bettering their 51 goals this season in MLS.
However, they must continue their playoff push without Gomez, who has joined French side Rennes after contributing seven goals and 13 assists in regular-season action this year.
The $11million fee RSL received for Gomez allowed them to strengthen in the transfer market, and Mastroeni feels Goncalves – brought in from Copenhagen – could replicate his impact.
"If I had to take a flier, I'd say Diogo is a top player. He has the pedigree of playing for some top clubs, he's an established player," Mastroeni told KSL Sports.
"All his attributes are extremely refined, he has an unbelievable eye for goal. I think he will be an important player for our team.
"He is the player I would say can be most equivalent to Andres Gomez in terms of his effect on the attacking side of our game."
While RSL are in the conversation to be top seeds, San Jose are propping up the Western Conference with just 14 points, some nine adrift of St. Louis City in 13th.
Interim boss Ian Russell acknowledges their postseason hopes are likely over and they are playing for pride, saying: "It's tough to make the playoffs right now.
"The motivation for players should come from within as well. You can't always be the coach motivating them.
"This is their job, they get paid to do this and they're playing for contracts as well. It's just pride — we need to win games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango leads the MLS scoring charts for 2024, with his 17 goals tied for the most by a Salt Lake player in a single regular season, alongside Alvaro Saborio in 2012.
His 28 total goal contributions this term, meanwhile, are the most by a player in a single campaign in RSL's MLS history.
San Jose Earthquakes – Gavin Beavers
The Earthquakes have conceded 61 goals through 25 matches this season, tied with the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001 for the most allowed at this stage of an MLS season.
Only three teams have ever had a worse goal difference than San Jose's minus-30 at this stage of a season. Goalkeeper Beavers could be a busy man as he targets just his third clean sheet of the year.
MATCH PREDICTION: REAL SALT LAKE WIN
Real Salt Lake have won six of their last seven regular-season home matches (one defeat), scoring five goals in three of their last five at home after doing so just four times through the first 312 regular-season home games in their history.
They have also scored in each of their last 14 home matches against San Jose, their longest such streak against any opponent in their MLS history.
Meanwhile, only the 1999 MetroStars (nine) have ever had fewer points after 25 games of a season than San Jose this year (14, tied with three other teams). As just the second team in the post-shootout era to lose 19 of their first 25 games in a season, they are big outsiders.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake – 64.8%
San Jose Earthquakes – 16.7%
Draw – 19.1%
Venezuela 1-1 Argentina: Rondon equaliser thwarts world champions on Messi return
Argentina dropped points in a second successive CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier, as Venezuela held them to a 1-1 draw in Maturin.
The spoils were shared at Estadio Monumental de Maturin, where Salomon Rondon's second-half header cancelled out Nicolas Otamendi's earlier effort.
After heavy rain delayed kick-off, Argentina took the lead in the 13th minute.
Venezuela goalkeeper Rafael Romo failed to properly clear the returning Lionel Messi's free-kick, and Otamendi reacted quickest to poke home from 12 yards out.
The hosts went close to levelling either side of the break. German Pezzella cleared off the line from Rondon, while Geronimo Rulli - deputising for the suspended Emiliano Martinez - kept out Yangel Herrera's powerful header.
However, Venezuela did grab their equaliser in the 65th minute - and subsequently a point - when Rondon rose at the near post to power home from Yeferson Soteldo's cross.
Messi returned to the international scene for the first time since limping off in tears during the Copa America final.
But the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner could not help Argentina get back to winning ways, while he conceded possession the joint-most times (19) by any visiting player.
The conditions certainly affected the flow of the game, and was more to the suiting of Venezuela. Although they had just 40.1% of possession, the hosts outshot their opponents 16-8.
However, they have now failed to win their last five CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers; their longest streak since going six without victory between June and October 2021.
Israel 1-4 France: Rampant Bleus clinch back-to-back Nations League wins
France made it back-to-back wins in the Nations League, with Christopher Nkunku and Bradley Barcola among the scorers as they thrashed Israel 4-1 in Hungary.
Playing at a neutral venue in Budapest's Bozsik Arena, France flew out of the traps as Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer let Eduardo Camavinga's strike squirm past him in the sixth minute.
Israel did draw level midway through the first half as Omri Gandelman headed Oscar Gloukh's cross home, but they were on terms for less than five minutes as Chelsea forward Nkunku flicked the ball through Ilay Feingold's legs before slotting a low finish into the far corner.
Randal Kolo Muani twice went close to extending France's lead before Matteo Guendouzi gave them breathing space in the 87th minute, rolling a finish beyond Glazer and into the bottom corner.
Didier Deschamps' men added further gloss to the scoreline two minutes later, Guendouzi finding a similar position, but this time opting to pick out Barcola for a curled finish.
The result sees France move onto six points in Group A2, one adrift of Italy – who beat them on matchday one. They face Belgium next time out on Monday.
Data Debrief: New-look Bleus sparkle
With Kylian Mbappe absent due to a niggling injury and Antoine Griezmann retiring from international football, Deschamps fielded a new-look frontline of Nkunku, Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.
Recording 33 touches in the area to Israel's five, and 15 shots to their opponents' one, France certainly impressed.
Kolo Muani was a particular bright spark despite not getting on the scoresheet, with his four chances created being at least twice as many as any other player (Theo Hernandez laid on two).
Haaland becomes Norway's record scorer with Slovenia brace
Erling Haaland became Norway's all-time leading scorer with a brace in their 3-0 victory over Slovenia.
The Manchester City striker was captaining his first nation for the first time, and marked the occasion in trademark record-breaking fashion.
Haaland broke the deadlock after just seven minutes of the Nations League clash at the Ullevaal Stadium, where Alexander Sorloth doubled the lead seven minutes after the restart.
Sorloth then turned provider just after the hour mark for Haaland, who broke Jorgen Juve's 87-year record with his 34th international goal in just 36 caps.
The result put Norway firmly in charge of Group B3 with seven points, three ahead of Austria and Slovenia, with Kazakhstan propping up the table on one point.
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