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%
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.
Former Liverpool defender Matip confirms retirement
Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football.
Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016, has been without a club since leaving Anfield at the end of last season and has since decided to call time on his 15-year career.
The 33-year-old started his career at Schalke, making 258 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit and helping them lift the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in 2011.
Matip was among the first signings made by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, joining in the same window as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Loris Karius.
He helped the Reds return to the Champions League in Klopp's first full campaign in charge, making 29 Premier League appearances and keeping nine clean sheets.
However, his spell with the Reds was marred by repetitive injuries, sustaining 16 different issues across his eight-year spell on Merseyside.
The former Cameroon international's final appearance for Liverpool came in a 4-3 win over Fulham in December 2023 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the same game.
Matip made 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and winning six major honours, which included the Reds' sixth Champions League triumph.
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