Wilfried Nancy insisted that Columbus Crew’s record MLS win tally achieved in their last game was secondary ahead of their final game before the playoffs.
The Crews’ 4-0 win over New England Revolution before the international break was their 18th of the season, while also setting a new best of 69 goals scored in regular-season play.
Nancy’s side are guaranteed second in the Eastern Conference and will play this weekend’s opponents, New York Red Bulls, in the first round of the playoffs.
The Crew head coach lauded his players for their contribution to the season, saying: “Listen, this is not easy, but this is the challenge. The challenge is, yes, we have few players who played a lot, it's normal, but everybody knows their role, I would say.
“The idea is also to be honest with the players. After that, in terms of results, I don't know, but the performance for me is really important. I'm really happy when I can see any kind of player that I can put in and they bring something. For me, this is the key point.
“[Saturday], this is not about New England, this is not about the opposition - this is about the fans. This is about the people who try to fight to keep the club. I'm really pleased for that.”
NYRB, meanwhile, come into the encounter on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Atlanta United, but have already guaranteed their spot in the postseason.
Despite the loss, head coach Sandro Schwarz was pleased with his side’s display, but acknowledged they must be more clinical in the final third.
"We had the penalty situation then, and we scored two times," Schwarz said. "But for me, the behaviour after that was good, the behaviour that we are fighting together, that we have the energy, but we need this energy at the beginning, directly in the game."
And Red Bulls defender Sean Nealis is relishing the opportunity of facing Columbus, believing a win will give the group positive momentum moving forward.
"That's what you want as a player, as a competitor, you want to go up against the best," Nealis said. "And they're defending champs. They had a great year last year. They had some great games this year, earlier in the year, they beat us, so we want to kind of avenge that.
“And I think if we end up playing them, we're looking forward to that. They're a great team but we're confident in ourselves, and we'll be ready for the challenge when the time comes."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NYRB – Lewis Morgan
Morgan enters the final match of the season with 18 goal contributions in 2024 (13 goals, five assists).
No Red Bulls player has tallied 20 goal contributions in a single regular season since Bradley Wright-Phillips (28) and Kaku (20) did so in 2018.
Columbus Crew – Alexandru Matan
Matan scored his first hat-trick with Columbus on Saturday, the second Crew player with a hat-trick this season after Cucho Hernandez.
This is the second time in team history that two Crew players have scored a hat-trick in a single season (Edson Buddle and Ross Paule in 2004).
MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN
While the Crew are favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations, The Red Bulls have lost only four of their last 27 home matches against Columbus in all competitions (W17 D6) dating back to September 2003.
NYRB have scored at least once in 26 of those 27 matches, including in 21 straight, last failing to score at home against the Crew in 2006, while they have also lost only eight times all season, with only four teams having fewer defeats in 2024.
However, Schwarz’s side face a tough task stopping the Crew. Columbus’ win over New England on Saturday was the team’s seventh game with at least four goals this season. Only three teams in MLS history have scored at least four goals in more matches in a single season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
NYRB – 26.3%
Draw – 23.6%
Columbus Crew – 50.1%
D.C. United v Charlotte FC: Lesesne says hosts' confidence is sky high
Troy Lesesne believes D.C. United's confidence is as high as it has been all season ahead of their crucial Decision-Day meeting with Charlotte FC.
D.C. need a point to clinch a playoff place for the first time since 2019, which would end their joint-longest playoff drought (also four years between 2008 and 2011).
They are in contention with CF Montreal and the Philadelphia Union, with two wild-card spots still to be decided on the final matchday in the Eastern Conference, after recording back-to-back victories over Nashville SC (4-3) and the New England Revolution (2-1).
"When challenges come – and we've had many this year – it's easy for us to use those as excuses and pack it up," Lesesne told reporters.
"But our group has never done that, just look at all the things we've gone through this year, the mental endurance that these guys have displayed to be in this position...
"You learn so much about yourself and your players and I'm really proud of the group.
"You expected all along that it would go right down to the last game, but the confidence of this team right now seems to be at the highest it has been all year."
Charlotte, on the other hand, have already confirmed their postseason spot, though a victory could see them move from sixth to fifth and improve their playoff seeding.
"I know this game is more for seeding than anything else, but the main thing for us is to keep this going," forward Patrick Agyemang said.
"The main thing is to just continue on the road we're on, which is positive results. We want the season to end with a bang to put us in a good position for the playoffs."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
Benteke has scored 23 goals this season, equalling Raul Diaz Arce (1996) for the most in a single season in D.C.'s MLS history.
His nine headed goals, meanwhile, are tied for the second-most in a single year by any player since Opta began detailed data collection of MLS in 2010, behind Josef Martinez's 10 in 2018. Can he draw level with the Venezuelan?
Charlotte FC – Patrick Agyemang
Agyemang's goal for Charlotte last Saturday, in a 2-0 win over Montreal, was his 15th goal contribution of the season (nine goals, six assists).
He is one goal contribution shy of the single-season club record of 16, achieved by Karol Swiderski in each of the team's first two MLS campaigns.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The home side has not lost any of the five previous meetings between D.C. and Charlotte, with D.C. recording a pair of 3-0 wins in their two home matches against the Crown.
Charlotte, though, have lost only four of their last 11 regular-season away matches dating back to the beginning of May (four wins, three draws).
D.C. United only need a point to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2019, ending a four-year postseason drought, and with home advantage on their side, they should get it.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
D.C. United – 37.1%
Charlotte FC – 36.6%
Draw – 26.3%
Bompastor's 100% start continues as Chelsea overcome Twente
Sonia Bompastor's perfect start to life at Chelsea continued on Thursday as the Blues beat Twente 3-1 to go three points clear at the top of their Women's Champions League group.
Having overcome Real Madrid in their Group B opener last week, Chelsea cruised to victory in the Netherlands to strengthen their grip on top spot.
Aggie Beever-Jones saw her 25-yard strike deflect in for a seventh-minute opener, and Chelsea were 2-0 up within 18 minutes as Maika Hamano lobbed goalkeeper Olivia Clarke.
Guro Reiten scored Chelsea's third from the penalty spot when Lieske Carleer fouled Mayra Ramirez just after the hour mark, with Nikee van Dijk netting a consolation for Twente five minutes later.
In the other match in Group B, Madrid got up and running with a resounding 4-0 victory over Celtic, with Scotland's Caroline Weir among the goals for Los Blancos.
Weir curled in a terrific opener from distance after just seven minutes, though Celtic then held firm and stayed in the contest until the latter stages.
However, Signe Bruun, Caroline Moller and Linda Caicedo all got on the scoresheet in the final 20 minutes as Madrid put some gloss on the scoreline at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium.
They were not the only convincing winners on Thursday, as Roma crushed Galatasaray 6-1 to go top of Group A on goal difference, with captain Manuela Giugliano scoring twice and laying on two assists.
The other game in Group A saw European heavyweights Wolfsburg and Lyon go head-to-head, with the French giants leaving Germany with a statement 2-0 victory.
Wolfsburg's Alexandra Popp joined Wendie Renard as the only players to make 100 Women's Champions League appearances, but the French centre-back overshadowed her by nodding in an eighth-minute opener.
Lyon had the better of the contest throughout, finishing with 2.75 expected goals (xG) to Wolfsburg's 0.83, and they killed the match from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half, Lindsey Horan scoring after Melchie Dumornay was felled by Janina Minge.
Man Utd confirm Mainoo out for 'a few weeks' with muscle injury
Manchester United have suffered another injury blow with the news that midfielder Kobbie Mainoo will be sidelined for several weeks due to a muscle issue.
Mainoo, alongside centre-back Harry Maguire, was forced off during United's goalless draw with Aston Villa prior to the international break.
The teenager then joined Morgan Gibbs-White and Ezri Konsa in withdrawing from England's squad for their Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland.
Ahead of their return to Premier League action against Brentford on Saturday, United issued a comprehensive fitness update, confirming Mainoo had joined Maguire on the sidelines.
While Manuel Ugarte took part in a recovery session after returning from international duty with Uruguay, the club said long-term absentees Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw are making "steady" progress in their recovery.
Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo all missed games for their respective national teams during the hiatus, but the trio are back in training.
Mainoo has played all seven of United's Premier League games this season, with the Red Devils earning their fewest points (eight) at this stage of any campaign in the competition.
He has the best pass completion rate (88.3%) of any ever-present United midfielder, with only Bruno Fernandes (261, 49) bettering his 250 completed passes or his 35 successful passes into the final third.
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