CF Montreal full-back Tom Pearce believes his new side have all the capabilities of reaching the playoffs, preaching confidence within the group as key to their recent success.
After back-to-back defeats to New England Revolution and FC Cincinnati, conceding nine goals in those games, this weekend’s hosts have gone three unbeaten in the MLS.
Montreal currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Philadelphia Union in the final playoff place heading into the last four games of the regular season.
And Pearce, who joined the club from Wigan Athletic in July, has every confidence his team-mates can pull together to keep their campaign going.
“We’re in a good place after picking up seven points out of nine in one week. It’s a confidence booster and, not just the results, but the performances have been good,” Pearce said.
“After the two defeats we had, we got together as a group and just had an honest conversation about how we needed to get the confidence back to turn things around.
“I think since then we have done well in the games; training has been better, and we have that belief that if we keep playing our way, then fingers crossed, we will make the playoffs.”
San Jose, meanwhile, were unable to build on their draw with the Seattle Sounders after going down 2-1 against fellow Western Conference strugglers St. Louis City last time out.
The Earthquakes have won just one of their last five MLS fixtures, leaving them at the foot of the standings and 13 points behind the rest of the pack.
But with four games of the season remaining, interim head coach Ian Russell is hoping his players can leave it all out on the pitch and end a disappointing season on a high.
“As a coach, you try and motivate them by getting them prepared first of all,” Russell said.
“Knowing that as a professional player, it is your job to play and to play hard every game, even though we are out of the playoffs.
“They are battling for contracts, and you would hope that would be enough motivation for them. There has been good energy, but we have started poorly in the last few matches.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Montreal – Caden Clark
Clark has now scored two goals in his last three MLS matches after finding the back of the net just once in his previous 60 regular season appearances dating back to June 2021.
San Jose – Jeremy Ebobisse
Ebobisse scored his 33rd career regular season goal for San Jose in their defeat on Saturday.
Only Chris Wondolowski (167) and Ronald Cerritos (61) have scored more goals for the Earthquakes in the club’s MLS history.
MATCH PREDICTION: MONTREAL WIN
Montreal have won four of their last six home matches in all competitions (L2), including each of the last two. Montreal have suffered only two defeats in their last 12 matches at home dating back to late May (W6 D4).
This will be the Earthquakes’ first visit to Montreal since July 2018, when the hosts recorded a 2-0 victory. In fact, Montreal have won all five of their home matches against San Jose by an aggregate score of 11-2.
San Jose’s 2-1 defeat to St. Louis last time out was their 22nd loss of the year, equalling the second-most defeats in a single season in the post-shootout era (since 2000). Only D.C. United in 2013 (24 losses) have suffered more defeats in a single season in the post-shootout era.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal – 52.3%
Draw – 24.4%
San Jose – 23.4%
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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