Phil Neville says the Portland Timbers are "in it to win it" against the Colorado Rapids, though he expects a tough test versus a Coach of the Year candidate in Chris Armas.
Portland sit eighth in the Western Conference standings, occupying a wild-card spot but sitting one point adrift of the Houston Dynamo in the final automatic playoff place.
They have taken four points from two games since the Leagues Cup break, drawing 4-4 with St. Louis City then beating their local rivals, the Seattle Sounders, 1-0 last time out.
Neville knows a visit to Colorado, who are four points and four places above them in the standings, will prove a tough assignment, but he has confidence in his side.
"We're coming up against a coach who is probably one of the Coach of the Year candidates in Chris Armas, he's done an incredible job," Neville said.
"The boys have trained well after having some rest, they've trained hard. Players have come back from international duty fit and well.
"We're looking forward towards one of the most pivotal periods in all of MLS. I think we're coming to probably the last 100 metres of the race, and as they say, we're in it to win it."
Colorado beat FC Dallas 3-2 on their return to league action last time out, having finished third in the Leagues Cup in August.
Head coach Armas said: "It's really good to be back after a few days off. The energy in the team is good, we're picking up where we left off after a really busy and successful August.
"We really have our sights set on this weekend, and then on what's ahead – and that's the playoffs.
"For sure we're looking forward to another home game and we're going to take it one step at a time."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Darren Yapi
Yapi scored Colorado's winner against Dallas last time out on August 31, and both of his career MLS goals have now come in the 90th minute or later.
He is one of three MLS players with multiple goals in 2024 with all of them coming in the 90th minute or later, alongside Miguel Berry and Julian Fernandez.
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander has a goal contribution in eight straight MLS matches, the second-longest streak in the Timbers' history, behind Diego Valeri's nine straight in his MVP-winning 2017 season.
Evander's 27 goal contributions (12 goals, 15 assists) overall in 2024 are the second most in an MLS season for Portland (Valeri – 32 in 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Portland's win over Seattle featured their sixth clean sheet in their last 15 games in all competitions. Through their first 15 matches of 2024, Portland did not record a single shutout.
Colorado, meanwhile, have won their last two MLS games by a 3-2 scoreline, versus Real Salt Lake and Dallas. Only once previously have the Rapids netted at least three goals in three straight MLS matches, doing so in April 1998.
Portland have won three straight matches against Colorado in all competitions for the second time (also doing so in 2017-18). Neither team has recorded a four-match winning streak over the other in the 32-match history of the series, so a draw could be on the cards.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 40.2%
Portland Timbers – 33.2%
Draw – 26.6%
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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