Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin is confident his side can reach the playoffs despite their 3-1 defeat to Inter Miami last time out.
Mikael Uhre had given the Union the lead in the first minute against the Eastern Conference leaders, only for Lionel Messi to score twice on his return to MLS action as Luis Suarez confirmed the triumph in injury time.
The result leaves Philadelphia in ninth heading into the final six games of the season, three points behind D.C. United, while the Union also have a game in hand.
Curtin acknowledged his side can only have themselves to blame for the position they are currently in, but he is sure that his players are showing positive signs in their quest for the playoffs.
“We have a tough schedule. The rest of the way, it's in our hands, but if the team can regroup and perform like that, we can certainly make a push,” Curtin said.
"It's no easy task to go to New York City and win, but it's something we've done before, and it's not impossible. Then, obviously, for the two home games, we have to be at our very best and those have to be wins.
“We've put ourselves in this hole, but I agree with you, we are playing much better, and we have created a lot of opportunities. We were close tonight to taking points back to Philly, which isn't easy against this team.”
NYCFC, meanwhile, were held to a 1-1 draw with D.C. in their last encounter, extending their winless MLS run to seven matches.
Their form, however, has not affected their league position, with the Pigeons currently occupying sixth place in the Eastern Conference table.
Head coach Nick Cushing left Audi Field disappointed about getting just a point, but in hindsight, knew it was another step closer to achieving their ambitions for the season.
"The mentality of our team, the hunger and desire of our team, it definitely feels like two points dropped," said head coach Nick Cushing after the game.
"We want to win and solidify our league position, we want to continue to show improvement, like we have all year. We played really well in the first half.
“So it does feel like two points dropped but we have got to be realistic, it's difficult to come to a place like DC."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NYCFC – Alonso Martinez
Martinez has scored two goals in each of the Pigeons’ last two home matches.
No NYCFC player has recorded three straight multi-goal games at home, while Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar in 2022 was the last player to do so in MLS.
Philadelphia Union – Mikael Uhre
Uhre scored the Union’s only goal on Saturday, his 30th career regular season goal since joining MLS in 2022.
The Union, with three players (Uhre, Daniel Gazdag – 50 and the since-departed Julian Carranza – 34), are the only team with multiple players to score 30 or more goals since the start of the 2022 season.
MATCH PREDICTION: NYCFC WIN
NYCFC ended a five-match losing streak against the Union in all competitions with a 2-1 victory in May. The Pigeons have not defeated the Union twice in a single season since winning both meetings during the 2019 campaign.
The hosts drew their last match on home soil with Chicago Fire last time out, and have not gone winless in two straight home matches in a year, since draws with the Vancouver Whitecaps and the New York Red Bulls in September 2023.
Philadelphia’s defeat to Inter Miami was the club’s fifth loss in their last six regular season away games. The Union had lost only one of their previous 11 away league matches, dating back to September 2023.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
NYCFC – 43.6%
Draw – 26.8%
Philadelphia Union – 29.6%
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.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
