Sandro Schwarz says the New York Red Bulls must change their behaviour amid a disappointing return to MLS action, ahead of Saturday's clash with Atlanta United.
The Red Bulls have not won since MLS returned following the Leagues Cup break, with Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire extending their winless streak to four games.
They have now slipped to fifth in the Eastern Conference and though a playoff berth still looks overwhelmingly likely, the pressure is on as they battle for a home seeding.
"Pressure is normal in professional sports, especially when you lose games like we did, or like the home game against Philly," Schwarz said.
"But we can influence this with our behaviour on the field and off the field, and it starts today.
"We have to change our behaviour immediately now for the last five games and the pressure is normal. It's also normal to have pressure when you win, for the game after."
Atlanta, meanwhile, are one point outside the playoff picture, having earned a creditable 2-2 draw with Inter Miami in midweek.
"From a tactical point of view maybe it's not the type of soccer we want to play, but in terms of work rate and a commitment to try to win the game, it gets you far. You can't just turn it on or turn it off, it doesn't work that way," interim boss Rob Valentino said.
On the playoff battle, he added: "I think we were one point out of it so I can't sit here and think about being disappointed.
"We move forward, now we're going to have to pick up points on the road."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York Red Bulls – Dante Vanzeir
Vanzeir recorded his 12th goal involvement of the season as the Red Bulls were beaten in Chicago last time out, teeing up Dennis Gjengaar's equaliser.
His 10 assists in MLS play this term are more than twice that of the next-closest Red Bulls players, with Elias Manoel, Lewis Morgan and Dylan Nealis all having four apiece.
Atlanta United – Aleksey Miranchuk
Miranchuk's late goal salvaged a draw for Atlanta versus Miami last time out, his first MLS goal in his fourth appearance in the competition. If the Five Stripes are to gatecrash the playoffs, they need him to produce in the coming weeks.
MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN
The Red Bulls trounced Atlanta 4-0 at Red Bull Arena when the sides met in this exact fixture last season, and while Atlanta should be more competitive this time around, another home win looks likely.
Saturday's hosts have only lost one of their 14 home matches in MLS play this year, winning seven and drawing six.
Atlanta, meanwhile, have lost half (7/14) of their road games, and have only won one of their last six matches in all competitions (three draws, two defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York Red Bulls – 51.8%
Atlanta United – 23.7%
Draw – 24.6%
Napoli 5-0 Palermo: Five-star hosts cruise into Coppa Italia last 16
Cyril Ngonge scored twice in an electrifying performance, as Napoli breezed into the Coppa Italia last 16 with a crushing 5-0 win over Serie B Palermo on Thursday.
Ngonge struck first in the seventh minute with a left-footed drive that bounced in front of Salvatore Sirigu before squirming under his body into the net, leaving the goalkeeper shaking his head in disbelief.
Sirigu was at fault again five minutes later when Ngonge lashed another left-footer from a difficult angle, the ball flying across the face of the goal before nestling in the side netting to make it 2-0.
Palermo gave the hosts a scare as Matteo Brunori struck the post 29 minutes in, but Napoli were too big, too strong and too quick for their second-tier visitors, with Juan Jesus nodding home from a corner to make it 3-0 just before the break.
The visitors' hopes of a comeback were shattered when they were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark. Aljosa Vasic was given a straight red card for dangerous play after catching Billy Gilmour in the face.
David Neres slotted home the fourth in the 70th minute, pressing to help win the ball back before coolly knocking into the net.
Scott McTominay then came off the bench to score with his first touch, rifling home a pass from fellow substitute Romelu Lukaku seven minutes later to complete the rout.
Data Debrief: A perfect performance
Conte's first game in charge was in the first round of this competition, and the Partenopei edged their way through with a penalty shootout win over Modena.
It was a totally different performance this time around though. They had 16 shots, seven of which were on target, accumulating just 1.55 expected goals.
Ngonge's part was perhaps the most impressive - he scored with both of his shots, with those chances equalling just 0.09 xG, though he just could not snatch a hat-trick in the second half to round off a brilliant game.
KC, JC, Excelsior all score heavily in Manning Cup wins
Kingston College, Jamaica College and Excelsior High all scored massive wins in ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup action on Wednesday.
KC hit seven past Meadowbrook High at Meadowbrook to remain atop Zone C with 13 points from five games.
Elsewhere in Zone C, Campion College dispatched Penwood 2-0 to draw level on 10 points with their opponents who are in second place on goal difference.
Jose Marti Technical edged Cumberland High 2-1 in the St. Catherine derby in the day’s other Zone C clash.
Zone F action saw leaders Jamaica College defeat Bridgeport High 9-0 with Giovanni Taylor bagging four goals as the standout performer. Excelsior High hammered Pembroke Hall 11-0 in the other game from the zone.
In Zone D, Vauxhall High grabbed a late equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw against Camperdown High to remain unbeaten this season.
STATHS displayed a vintage performance as they held firm to secure their third win of the season with a 1-0 victory versus Haile Selassie and remain top of the zone with 10 points from their four outings.
Celta Vigo 0-1 Atletico Madrid: Super-sub Alvarez snatches last-gasp win
A late Julian Alvarez goal earned Atletico Madrid a dramatic 1-0 win at Celta Vigo on Thursday to lift them to third in LaLiga.
Atletico looked to be heading to a second straight draw, but the substitute was alert in the final minute of the 90 to ensure they returned to Madrid with all three points.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak was key as Celta suffered their first home defeat of the season, producing an excellent save to deny Iago Aspas at his near post just before the break.
He kept his side in it throughout a poor showing, also keeping out Borja Iglesias twice after the break as Celta struggled to find their clinical edge.
But big-money signing Alvarez struck in the dying minutes, stretching out a leg to meet Antonie Griezmann's pinpoint cross to poke his second goal of the season past Vicente Guaita.
Data Debrief: Atleti ride their luck
It was not a vintage performance for Atletico by any stretch of the imagination, which was only confirmed as Oblak was awarded player of the match at the end of the contest.
The visitors only had two shots on target (from eight attempts), with both of those coming in the final 11 minutes as they accumulated just 0.63 expected goals.
Celta's profligacy came back to haunt them though as they had 10 shots, four of which hit the target, with three of those classed as big chances. They created an xG of 1.37, but just could not find a way past Oblak.
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