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• ​Nashville SC v Chicago Fire: Callaghan keen to build on first win

  B.J. Callaghan is desperate for Nashville SC to build on his first win at the helm when they host the Chicago Fire in MLS on Wednesday.

  Nashville lost nine of 10 games – going down in a penalty shoot-out after drawing the other – either side of Callaghan's appointment, but they finally turned the corner on Saturday.

  Goals from Alexandre Muyl and Hany Mukhtar fired them to a 2-0 win over Atlanta United, and Callaghan sees Wednesday's clash with Chicago – who are level with

  Nashville in the Eastern Conference standings – as an opportunity to build some momentum.

  "We were pleased with the performance we had, we've talked about having consistent performances and stacking them up," Callaghan said.

  "It's a quick turnaround, so everything we've been doing leading into Chicago has been about focusing on ourselves and making sure the guys recover.

  "Then we'll just focus on the things we're good at, try to get better at those things, and we'll apply some of those ideas to the challenge that Chicago will bring. 

  "They're probably looking at us the same way as we're looking at them, as a game where they want to earn three points."

  Chicago also halted a miserable run of six games without a win (one draw, five defats) by beating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 last time out, moving within four points of the wild-card places.

  "It's about time! It feels great, because I think we faced some adversity," Klopas said. 

  "People faced adversity and stepped up, so huge credit to the team as a whole. It's important that we're still in this thing, now we have to go on the road and keep fighting."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar 

  Mukhtar has scored two hat-tricks against the Fire in his MLS career, one of seven players to record multiple hat-tricks against a single opponent. 

  No player in MLS history has recorded three hat-tricks against a single opponent.

  Chicago Fire – Georgios Koutsias 

  Koutsias has scored on each of his last two appearances. Two Fire players (Maren Haile-Selassie and Hugo Cuypers) have already scored in at least three straight games this year. 

  The only previous seasons in which three different Fire players had streaks of three or more games with a goal were 2018 and 1998.

  MATCH PREDICTION – NASHVILLE SC

  The Fire's 1-0 home win over Nashville on July 8 was their first win in the teams' head-to-head series, after Nashville had gone unbeaten through the first four encounters (two wins, two draws).

  Nashville ended an eight-match losing streak in MLS action on Saturday, beating Atlanta United 2-0 to also end a run of allowing multiple goals in eight successive games.

  They might be confident of repeating the trick, with Chicago only winning three of their last 21 road games in all competitions (six draws, 12 defeats).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Nashville SC – 46.3%

  Chicago Fire – 27.1%

  Draw – 26.6%

• ​Sporting Kansas City v Colorado Rapids: Armas hails visitors' professionalism

  Chris Armas has hailed the Colorado Rapids' professionalism as they close in on a playoff spot, ahead of Wednesday's trip to Sporting Kansas City.

  The Rapids sit third in the Western Conference amid a fine first campaign under Armas, and they boast an impressive seven-point cushion to those outside the automatic playoff places.

  Goals from Jonathan Lewis and Rafael Navarro handed them a 2-1 win over the in-form Portland Timbers last time out, but Armas says there is no chance of his men losing focus after that result.

  "It was a big step for our team," Armas said. "The mood in the locker room is one where it's like, 'it's just another day in the office'.

  "There's no big celebration but they understand that was a big step for us, to get three points in a decisive game, to put some separation there.

  "We have our eye on the prize, which is the playoffs. The mood is good, we've learned, we've grown and when the whistle blows, it's just three points closer." 

  Kansas City, meanwhile, look destined to miss out on the playoffs, sitting 12th and needing to make up an 11-point gap to the wild-card spots in just five games.

  They were beaten 2-0 by the Seattle Sounders last time out, leading coach Peter Vermes to express frustration with their response to conceding first.

  "I actually think we started the game really well, we were keeping them in their end, and we really didn't give them anything in our end," Vermes said. 

  "They got their goal off us being in a position to play forward but we played backwards. We were for sure the better team at the time, but when they scored, it put us back on our heels."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  Sporting Kansas City – Daniel Salloi 

  Salloi has scored five goals in nine career matches against the Rapids. The only opponent he has scored more goals against is FC Dallas, netting eight against them.

  Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic 

  Mihailovic assisted both Rapids goals in their win over Portland last Saturday. 

  He has 65 goal contributions since the start of the 2020 season (25 goals, 40 assists), and the only American international with more in that time is Jesus Ferreira (69).

  MATCH PREDICTION – SPORTING KANSAS CITY WIN

  The Rapids have won their last two matches against Kansas City, including a 2-1 home success on July 4. Colorado had won just two of the previous 13 matches between the sides (six draws, five losses) dating back to the start of the 2018 season.

  Colorado's 3-2 victory at Dallas on their last road trip, on August 31, meanwhile, was their fifth away win this season. Only in 2021 (eight) and 2011 (six) have they won more on their travels in the post-shootout era.

  However, this is a tough test for Armas' men, with Sporting winning six of their last eight home games across all competitions (one draw, one loss), their only defeat in that span coming against Toluca in the Leagues Cup.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Sporting Kansas City – 41.3%

  Colorado Rapids – 32%

  Draw – 26.7%

• Orlando City v Charlotte FC: McGuire glad to be back among the goals

  Duncan McGuire is glad to be back among the goals as Orlando City continue their playoff charge, with a home clash with Eastern Conference rivals Charlotte FC next on the agenda.

  McGuire had gone over two months without a goal in MLS play since netting in June's 4-2 defeat to New York City, prior to Saturday's meeting with the New England Revolution.

  But he was on target in a 3-0 win for Oscar Pareja's team, who now boast a four-point cushion to those outside the automatic playoff spots in the Eastern Conference standings.

  Speaking after the game, the forward said: "It's always good to score. It has been a while since I've scored. 

  "It's been a bit annoying for my standards, so I'm definitely glad to be back on the scoresheet.

  "But at the end of the day, if we're winning as a team, then that's all that matters. But yeah, I'm definitely glad to be back on the scoresheet and hopefully I can keep it going.

  "We're very excited and it helps us with motivation and confidence going into the next one. We're excited to get the win and onto Wednesday."

  Wednesday's game could prove pivotal in the battle to reach the postseason, with Charlotte just two places and two points behind the Lions in the standings.

  The Crown were going well before the Leagues Cup break but have since suffered back-to-back losses versus Atlanta United and CF Montreal, leading coach Dean Smith to rally his troops.

  "Before the break, we had three of the toughest games you can get, and we came through those away games unbeaten with five points and probably should have had more," he said.

  "My consistent message is this is a new game; this is a new beginning. 

  "When you have six games left and build it like that, then they know their performance levels have to be to go and win that game."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  Orlando City – Duncan McGuire

  Since the beginning of last season, McGuire has recorded 27 goal contributions (21 goals, six assists) in the regular season for Orlando. 

  That is the second most by any American in that time, behind only Brian White (34).

  Charlotte FC – Tim Ream

  Ream scored his first goal for Charlotte from a header against Montreal last time out. It was Ream's second career MLS goal, with the other coming on September 11 2010, for the New York Red Bulls, a gap of 5,117 days.

  MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN

  Charlotte are unbeaten in four straight matches against Orlando City in all competitions (two wins, two draws) after the Lions won each of the first two meetings between the sides.

  The Crown have also scored at least once in each of their last four away matches in league play, only being shut out three times on their travels this year. Only five MLS teams have been shut out fewer times on the road this season.

  While they will carry a threat, Orlando have won their last two games by 3-0 scorelines, at home to Nashville SC and New England, the first time they have won back-to-back MLS matches by three or more goals. They go in as favourites.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Orlando City – 53.4%

  Charlotte FC – 22.7%

  Draw – 23.9%