The New England Revolution are approaching Saturday's trip to Orlando City with a "chip on their shoulder" following a pair of disappointing results, says head coach Caleb Porter.
The Revs enjoyed a spectacular return to MLS action after the Leagues Cup break as they routed CF Montreal 5-0 on the road, but they were then beaten 2-0 at Real Salt Lake.
Last time out, New England squandered a 2-1 lead in a 2-2 draw with St. Louis City, leaving them five points adrift of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, albeit with two games in hand.
"It's really important that we make up for the two points we lost in the last game, so our mindset is to go on the road and get a result in Orlando," Porter said.
"Our guys have trained really well and they definitely have an edge or a chip on their shoulder to go and make up for the last game."
Orlando, meanwhile, occupy the final automatic playoff place in the East after thrashing Nashville SC 3-0 last time out, their first win since returning to MLS action.
Head coach Oscar Pareja believes having a week off for the international break has benefitted his side, saying: "Getting the boys ready for this game has been good, in training we've tried to keep the players in competition mode.
"It's just been exactly what we do normally, so we're good. We have the national team players here and we're ready."
Reflecting on Orlando's last win, he added: "It's a good base and a good foundation, but my thoughts are always the same.
"That has already passed and now we need to build a new gameplan for this one."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Facundo Torres
Torres scored twice in Orlando's 3-0 win over Nashville last time out on August 31, his ninth and 10th goals of the season in MLS play.
Torres, who scored 14 goals last season, is the second Orlando City player to record consecutive 10-goal seasons, along with Cyle Larin (three straight from 2017 to 2019).
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Including playoffs, Gil has scored six goals against Orlando, more than against any other opponent in his MLS career.
MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando have won their last two meetings with New England, including a 3-1 road victory on July 13. The Lions had managed two total wins in their first 16 regular-season matches against the Revs (seven draws, seven losses).
New England have only lost once in their last seven matches across all competitions (two wins, four draws), following a 2-2 draw with St. Louis last time out.
However, the trip to Florida is a tough one, with Orlando unbeaten in their last seven home matches (four wins, three draws), keeping clean sheets in each of their last two. The hosts go in as favourites.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 56%
New England Revolution – 21.3%
Draw – 22.7%
Orlando City 1-0 Atlanta United: Enrique strike sets up Red Bulls clash
Atlanta United beat Inter Miami in the first round of the MLS playoffs, yet their postseason came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Orlando City.
The Five Stripes went into Sunday's Eastern Conference semifinal at Inter&Co Stadium full of confidence after ditching Lionel Messi and the rest of Miami's stars out of the playoffs last time out.
Yet it was Orlando who, for the first time in club history, booked their place in the Eastern Conference finals thanks to Ramiro Enrique's 39th-minute winner.
Enrique tucked in from close range after Atlanta failed to clear their lines from a corner.
That goal came after Orlando had started brightly, with Dagur Thorhallsson hitting the woodwork early on before Facundo Torres saw an effort cleared off the line.
Buoyed by a fine record against Orlando, who they had lost to just four times in 22 meetings ahead of this contest, Atlanta pressed for an equaliser after the break, but they could not find a way through a robust Lions defence.
Orlando will now host the New York Red Bulls in next week's Eastern Conference final, with a place in the MLS Cup final on the line.
Data Debrief: Stay away from the Lions' den
Fresh from the Orlando Pride's victory in the National Women's Soccer League on Saturday, Orlando had plenty to live up to if they wanted to cap a great sporting weekend for the city.
And they did just that, with the backing of a vociferous crowd that helped them get over the line. Those fans will be called on again next week when the Red Bulls roll into town, but Orlando need not fear. They have lost only one of their last 14 home matches in all competitions (W9 D4 including two penalty shootout wins and one penalty shootout loss).
And while Atlanta huffed and puffed, they never really threatened to blow the door down, as Orlando limited them to just eight shots, with none of those hitting the target.
Indeed, Orlando had openings on the counter and could have put the match to bed with a bit more composure, as they finished with 1.3 expected goals to Atlanta's 0.4 xG.
Keane doubts Man Utd will crack top four under Amorim this season
Roy Keane does not believe Manchester United will get back into the Premier League's top four under Ruben Amorim this season due to a "real lack of quality".
The Red Devils legend was speaking after United started life under the Portuguese with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town, as Omari Hutchinson cancelled out Marcus Rashford's second-minute opener.
Keane acknowledged Amorim has to be given time to turn things around at Old Trafford, but does not see United cracking the top four this season.
"You have to give the man a chance," Keane told Sky Sports. "But the threat going forward, it's a huge problem for Man Utd. It's not good enough.
"Do I believe they have the quality to get them back to top four? Absolutely not. The evidence is not there. It's the same old stuff. Predictable and a real lack of quality."
United created 0.9 xG compared to Ipswich's 1.75 and had fewer shots on target (four) compared to Ipswich (six) at Portman Road.
They did have more touches in the opposition box (16 to 11) but had fewer final-third entries (48 to 61) and big chances created (two to three).
Ipswich were extremely resilient opponents after their early setback, and Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna praised his side, particularly Hutchinson after he grabbed his first Premier League goal.
"I thought he (Hutchinson) was a big threat first half, naturally more a winger, but most teams are going to press us high and in the spaces in the middle of the pitch having a dribbler in the middle of the pitch who's elusive and hard to pick up can be a big threat," he told Sky Sports.
"I think it's his first goal in the Premier League he'll be happy to have that of his back and he's improving."
"The first half, it's a blow to concede the early goal but I thought as the half went on we grew in the ascendancy, and the intensity of pressing and work on the ball.
"I thought we were the dominant team in the first half and deserved to be going in at least level. Second half in fairness, Man Utd had more control. It was difficult, we had to defend with real discipline on shape."
Leganes 0-3 Real Madrid: Mbappe and Bellingham score as Blancos close on Barcelona
Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham were both on target as Real Madrid moved to within four points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona with a 3-0 win at Leganes.
Federico Valverde also scored for Carlo Ancelotti's side, who still have a game in hand on leaders Barca, who were pegged back in a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Mbappe ended a goal drought of over 400 minutes after being teed up by Vinicius Junior shortly before half-time, moments after Leganes had surrendered possession near the edge of their own area.
Madrid dominated possession throughout the second half and doubled their advantage in the 66th minute, Valverde drilling a low effort home from a free-kick won by Bellingham.
Bellingham later got in on the act with a header on the rebound after substitute Brahim Diaz rattled the crossbar, as Madrid cruised to back-to-back league wins.
Data Debrief: Dirty work pays off for Madrid
Mbappe's opener, scored at a vital time shortly before the interval, set Madrid on their way to victory on Sunday.
Eduardo Camavinga and Bellingham both pressed high to help the visitors recover possession in the build-up, and Madrid have now scored five goals resulting from high turnovers in LaLiga this season – the most of any team across Europe's top five leagues.
This was the first time Ancelotti had faced Leganes in LaLiga, and he has now beaten all 28 different opponents he has come up against in the competition.
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