BJ Callaghan insists foundations are still being built in Nashville as he takes charge of his first MLS fixture with his new side against Austin FC this weekend.
Callaghan replaced Gary Smith and was in the dugout for their Leagues Cup campaign but failed to reach the knockout stages after losing 5-4 on penalties to New England Revolution.
But attention now swiftly returns to league action, with the Coyotes sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference standings, but just two points behind Atlanta United, who are ninth.
And Callaghan acknowledged his side had only been together for a matter of weeks, and explained their Leagues Cup exit offered them time to focus on themselves.
"We came into the Leagues Cup with the objective of making progress and starting to build," Callaghan said.
"We've been together for not even two weeks as a group. We wanted to play as many games as possible because we know that's a good way to continue to challenge ourselves and learn.
“That's not happening. Now we have just over two weeks to really focus on ourselves."
Austin, meanwhile, have enjoyed a month-long break from competitive action, but entered their time away from the pitch by going three games without a victory (D1 L2).
The Verde and Black sit 10th in the Western Conference table, a point behind Minnesota United, having distanced themselves from the sides below them.
And head coach Josh Wolff believes the squad's period away from the MLS has been spent productively but insisted that his side must be more clinical in front of goal.
“The guys are in a very good place. The last five or six games have been indicative of what we are and what we can be,” Wolff said.
“We have played well over the last six or seven games but getting different results. The Leagues Cup competition was good for us as a collective.
“Ultimately the spirit of the group right now is in a good spot. We have to go there ready to compete. We know what our road form is like and we have to do the business in front of goal.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nashville – Hany Mukhtar
Hany Mukhtar’s last three regular-season goals have all been scored from the penalty spot, with the last time he found the back of the net not from 12 yards coming in late April.
However, he has assisted on five of the 13 non-penalty goals Nashville have scored since he last struck from the spot. The German also has three goals in his three games against Austin.
Austin – Jader Obrian
After joining from FC Dallas at the end of last year, Jader Obrian has enjoyed a successful debut campaign for Austin.
Having not scored since their 1-1 draw with Los Angeles FC in June, the Colombian ended his scoring drought in the Leagues Cup against Monterrey, and he will be hopeful of reigniting that form upon his return to MLS action.
MATCH PREDICTION: NASHVILLE WIN
Nashville are unbeaten in three all-time meetings with Austin FC (W2 D1), including a pair of shutout wins in the two meetings between the sides on home turf.
But they have lost six straight regular-season matches, last earning a point in MLS play with a 1-0 win over New York City FC in June. The Coyotes had never lost more than four consecutive league matches before this run.
However, they face a side on a poor run of their own. Austin have managed just two wins in its last 11 league matches (D3 L6). Their 31 points through 25 games are the fewest at this stage of a season since its inaugural 2021 campaign (19).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nashville – 43.8%
Draw – 26.8%
Austin – 29.4%
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.
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