Lionel Messi is confident that Inter Miami can clinch the title, with a trip to Atlanta United next up for the Eastern Conference leaders.
The Argentine made his long-awaited return from injury in their 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union, having a hand in all three goals as they opened up a 10-point lead over FC Cincinnati in the table.
It was their fifth consecutive win following their heavy 6-1 loss to Cincinnati, and Messi acknowledged how well the team had performed amid some injury troubles this season.
"As we said at the beginning, we know the squad we have, and the title is our goal," he told Apple TV. "We're realistic and take responsibility for it.
"Unfortunately, we've had a lot of bad luck with injuries this year and were never at full strength for one reason or another. We were always missing players, but the team always managed to push through."
On his own return from an ankle problem he sustained playing in the Copa America final, he said: "It was a lot of time off the field. Little by little, I found myself with the group. I felt good, and that's why we decided that I would start. I am very happy."
Meanwhile, Atlanta are down in 10th on 31 points, half of Miami's own points tally, though they did shock the Herons in their last meeting, beating them 3-1 on the road.
They have won just once since the return of MLS action following the Leagues Cup break though – a narrow 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC – and lost last time out at home to Nashville SC.
The Five Stripes were outplayed on Saturday, and midfielder Ajani Fortune has urged his team-mates to show more of a fight when they meet Miami on Wednesday.
"We will change the little things, like the work rate and stuff like that, but we look to keep fighting," he said.
"I think that's the biggest thing we were missing [against Nashville], so once we have that, we'll be in a better spot to perform."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atlanta United – Saba Lobjanidze
Saba Lobjanidze had recorded at least one assist in three consecutive home appearances, but that run came to an end against Nashville.
Indeed, nine of his 12 goal contributions this season have come at home, including all six assists.
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi was straight back into the action for Miami after an eight-game absence, scoring twice and assisting one against Philadelphia last time out.
He has now netted 27 goals for the Herons, and another brace against Atlanta would draw him level with their all-time leading goalscorers, Gonzalo Higuain and Leonardo Campana.
MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN
Miami are currently on a five-match winning streak in MLS, scoring 14 goals in that run. They have actually netted in each of their last 14 matches; however, they have struggled for clean sheets, only keeping one in their last 13 games in the competition.
Atlanta have proven a thorn in Miami's side over the years and have won their last two matches against the Herons, including that 3-1 victory at Chase Stadium in May. Indeed, they have only failed to beat Miami in four of their previous meetings (W5 D3).
Atlanta have won only two of their last 11 regular season home matches (D3 L5) dating back to the beginning of April, while they have won just two of their last eight outings in MLS (D1 L5).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Atlanta United – 28.6%
Draw – 24.4%
Inter Miami – 47%
Saint Lucia, Haiti stay perfect in Groups B and C of League B
Saint Lucia and Haiti consolidated their leads atop their respective Concacaf Nations League groups following contrasting wins in their League B encounters on Friday.
Caniggia Elva’s late brace in the 76th and 90th propelled St Lucia to a 2-1 win over Saint Martin, who led for most of the contest courtesy of Axel Raga’s 30th-minute strike in their Group B clash at the Darren Sammy Ground.
The win moved Saint Lucia to maximum nine points from three games. Curacao and Grenada, who played out a goalless stalemate in the other group contest, sit second and third on four points each, while Saint Martin is still yet to get on the board.
Over in Group C, Haiti beat host Aruba 3-1 at Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadion.
Tyron Perret Gentil fired Aruba in front in the sixth minute, but Haiti responded through Frantzdy Pierrot (31st), and a brace from Duckens Nazon, who scored from the penalty spot in the 38th, followed by a 61st-minute close range effort.
The win saw Haiti move up to nine points from three games, three points ahead of Sint Maarten, who clipped Puerto Rico 3-2 in the other fixture.
Chovanie Amatkarijo (44th, 85th) and Imar Kort (49th) got the job done for Sint Maarten, while Rodolfo Sulia (2nd) and Alec Diaz (90+5) got Puerto Rico’s goals.
Puerto Rico remain on three points, with Aruba still pointless.
Saka and Jones withdraw from England's Nations League squad
England have confirmed that Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Liverpool's Curtis Jones have withdrawn from the squad ahead of their Nations League clash with Finland on Sunday.
Saka was replaced by Noni Madueke in the 51st minute during England's shock 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley on Thursday after picking up an injury in his right leg.
It only adds to Mikel Arteta's injury worries ahead of facing Bournemouth next Saturday after Martin Odegaard was injured on international duty for Norway last month.
Saka has enjoyed a fine start to the Premier League campaign, scoring two goals and laying on a further seven assists in the Gunners' opening seven games.
The England international has also created more chances (27) than any other player in the division, with his nine goal involvements a total only bettered by Chelsea's Cole Palmer (11) and Manchester City's Erling Haaland (10).
Lee Carsley will also be without uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who was added to the Three Lions squad earlier this week, but has since withdrawn due to a personal commitment.
Jones earned his first call-up in May as part of Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, but did not make the final cut.
The 23-year-old was part of the Young Lions side that won the 2023 European Under-21 Championship under Carsley, scoring the only goal in their 1-0 win over Spain in the final.
Columbus Crew v New England Revolution: Club record points haul down to consistency, says Nancy
Wilfried Nancy wants his Columbus Crew team to continue their consistency after reaching a club-record points haul in a regular MLS season last time out.
The Crew’s 3-2 win over Philadelphia Union on Saturday took them to 60 points in the campaign, marking their 17th win of the term, also equalling the club’s single-season record set in 2008.
Columbus knows that a point will be enough to guarantee second place in the Eastern Conference ahead of the playoffs, with Nancy expressing his delight about his squad’s ability to adapt to this campaign’s hectic schedule.
“This is the idea – all the time try to grow and seek for improvement,” Nancy said. “That's why I'm really happy about this because we play 46 games.
“Last year at this moment, we didn't play the same amount of games. We have wins and we have also more points.
“For me, this is the consistency of what we are able to do, and also, this is a fact that my players want to get better. They accept all the challenges that my staff and I try to give them. For me, I'm really, really happy with that because this is so difficult.”
At the opposite end of the table, New England’s struggles continued as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to D.C. United, with Pedro Santos and Christian Benteke’s early strikes doing the damage.
The Revs have already been eliminated from the playoffs and sit just one point ahead of bottom club Chicago Fire ahead of their two final regular-season matches.
And with a trip to league leaders Inter Miami on the final day, head coach Caleb Porter said that his players have no time to feel sorry for themselves after an underwhelming campaign.
“I expect the mentality to be good. For me, nothing changes. I think about doing your job and being a pro and having pride at the end of the day,” Porter said.
“It does not matter whether you are happy or sad, it’s about doing your job. We’re still building for the future. I expect these guys to have a good mentality.
“I expect them to be motivated and wanting to do well and I expect them to have pride in their profession. I expect the group to show that they want to be here.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi
In the absence of top scorer Cucho Hernandez, who is away on international duty with Colombia, the Crew have a capable back-up in Rossi, who has 12 goals and eight assists in 32 regular-season appearances this season.
The Uruguayan has seven goal involvements in his four appearances against the Revs (three goals, four assists), only contributing more goals against the LA Galaxy (11), San Jose Earthquakes (nine) and Houston Dynamo (eight) in the MLS.
New England Revolution – Giacomo Vrioni
In a largely disappointing season for the Revs, Vrioni has been a shining light, scoring nine goals in his 29 MLS appearances this term.
The Albanian, however, has failed to beat this weekend’s opponents in his four appearances against them (D2 L2), while also failing to score since a 5-0 win over CF Montreal in August.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN
Columbus are unbeaten in nine straight home matches against the Revolution (W5 D4), though the last three meetings have all ended in draws. Both teams' last win over the other in Columbus came in the playoffs; a 2020 Conference Final win for the Crew and a 2014 Conference semi-final win for the Revolution.
New England’s minus 29 goal difference (35 scored, 64 conceded) is on pace to be the worst in club history (-20 in 2011). The Revs have allowed more goals in a single season just once before (66 in 1998).
The Revs' defeat to D.C. on Saturday was the club’s 19th of the campaign, extending a single-season high for the Revolution. They have lost their last four away from home, being outscored, 11-1, in those games.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Columbus Crew – 70.9%
Draw – 16.5%
New England Revolution – 12.5%
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