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%
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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