Ben Olsen believes LA Galaxy are the perfect team for Houston Dynamo to face the week before the playoffs to get them into the right frame of mind.
Houston can finish as high as fifth in the Western Conference but have alternated between a win and a loss in their last four games, losing 3-0 to St. Louis City last time out.
Olsen is keen to quickly put that result behind them and get the win that would secure fifth place in the table.
"Our objective doesn't change - it's still about putting the best performance against LA Galaxy we can in preparation for what's going to be a very tough first-round match in the playoffs," he said.
"It'll be a tough test. But I like that we're playing arguably the best team in the league the week before the playoffs because that's the level we're going to see then."
Meanwhile, the Galaxy need at least a draw to ensure they finish top of the table above derby rivals Los Angeles FC.
LA Galaxy are on a three-match winning streak in MLS, edging past Austin FC 2-1 in their last outing, and head coach Greg Vanney is glad they are not just going through the motions as they see out the end of the regular season.
"It's a nice test for us, it's great that the game is meaningful at this time of year, and we're playing for something before we start really playing for something," Vanney said.
"I think that keeps the right intensity and the right tension in the group, and hopefully draw or win, it keeps the right tension going into the playoffs.
"We have to be efficient about how we defend, though we can't get pulled around by them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston Dynamo – Adalberto Carrasquilla
The Dynamo enter the final match of the season with 51 points, equalling their total from last season, while a win would set a new club record for points in a single season, surpassing the 52 they recorded in 2012.
Adalberto Carrasquilla set up both goals the last time Houston won, and another in this game would level him with Amine Bassi for the most assists this season (six).
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec
Both Gabriel Pec and Riqui Puig enter the final match of the season with 29 goal contributions this season.
No team in MLS history has had two players record 30 goal contributions in a single season.
MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN
Houston have lost only one of their last 11 regular-season home matches (W4 D6) including recording a 2-1 win in their last match at Shell Energy Stadium. The Dynamo's only set of consecutive home wins this season came in March with victories over Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes.
The Galaxy defeated the Dynamo 2-1 at home on May 25. LA have not defeated Houston twice in a single regular season since winning all three meetings during the 2016 campaign.
A win on the final day of the season would give the Galaxy 67 points on the year, equalling the second-most in club history. Only two teams in MLS history have totalled 67 or more points in a regular season and not won the Supporters' Shield: Atlanta United in 2018 and Philadelphia Union in 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Houston Dynamo – 47.2%
Draw – 26.3%
LA Galaxy – 26.5%
Real Salt Lake v Vancouver Whitecaps: Mastroeni targets place in club history
Pablo Mastroeni is not shying away from Real Salt Lake's desire to make club history when they conclude their regular-season campaign against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
RSL have been among the Western Conference pacesetters all season and enter the final MLS matchday fourth with 56 points from 33 matches.
One more victory will set a new single-season franchise record, a fact Mastroeni reminded his players of before they beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 before the international break.
"I normally focus on just the one game, but the only way to get to 59 was to make sure we won in San Jose," Mastroeni told KSL Sports.
"It's about just putting a little bit of carrot on the end of the stick. It's not easy to make history at a club.
"I just told the guys this is an opportunity to etch your name in stone as far as the regular season is concerned. It's a 34-game season, it's long and to be able to achieve that would be great.
"When you can see a commitment to the cause, it's really about those real things that make the team successful."
Vancouver, meanwhile, sit eighth in the standings and are guaranteed a play-in spot, though they must better Minnesota United's result to clinch automatic qualification.
Head coach Vanni Sartini believed his team deserved better after they lost 2-1 to Los Angeles FC in midweek, a result that took their fate out of their own hands.
"We have to work. At this moment I'm very disappointed, I've got to be honest," Sartini said.
"I just wanted to say congratulations to the guys, congratulations to the fans, they were amazing. We played a fantastic game and we deserved to win."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango enters the final match of the season with 17 goals, tied with Alvaro Saborio (2012) for the most in a single season in Real Salt Lake's history.
His 12 assists this season, meanwhile, are tied for second-most in club history behind Albert Rusnak's 14 in 2017.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
White has scored a goal on each of his last five regular-season road appearances, the longest streak in Vancouver's MLS history and the longest streak in MLS since Josef Martinez netted in seven straight on the road from May to September in 2019.
MATCH PREDICTION – REAL SALT LAKE WIN
Real Salt Lake have won three straight matches against Vancouver for the first time in club history. The only longer winning streak in the 32-match history of the series was a four-match run by the Whitecaps from 2014 to 2015.
The hosts enter the final match of the season on 56 points, one away from equalling the club's single-season record of 57 set in 2012.
The Whitecaps, meanwhile, have lost three straight regular-season matches for the first time since the start of last season. They are winless in six straight league matches, equalling their worst run of the year.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake – 45.1%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 28%
Draw – 26.9%
Depleted Girona hoping for strong support in Real Sociedad battle
Girona coach Michel is counting on the club's fans to give his depleted team a much-needed boost when they host Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday.
Girona ended a six-game winless streak across all competitions by beating Athletic Bilbao prior to the international break, but they have lost several key players to injury.
Pau Lopez, Yaser Asprilla, Bryan Gil and Daley Blind are among those to be sidelined ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures prior to the November international break, including two Champions League matches against Slovan Bratislava and PSV.
"We have seven games in 21 days and we are short of players. We will have to call up five players from our youth academy for tomorrow's match," Michel said on Friday.
"Sociedad have a great squad and should fight to be at the top, but I also think the same about us.
"It's important that the fans are with us, I didn't like the way they booed us the other day [against Athletic].
"My players fight for every ball and they deserve to wear the Girona shirt. I hope the stadium will be full, we need it very much in such a historic season."
Backed by the wealth of their Abu Dhabi owners, Girona went toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the title race last season, beating Barcelona twice before finishing third and qualifying for European football for the first time.
However, they have struggled this term with only three wins in all competitions, suffering losses to Feyenoord and Paris Saint-Germain in their first two Champions League matches.
Michel said: "We have players with personality and character. They also have a special motivation to be here.
"I'm worried about injuries because of the calendar... There's the Copa del Rey, two Champions League games, LaLiga... I'm worried, of course, but it is what it is.
"The players do everything in their power to make our fans proud of them. That's why I think that together we are stronger and at home we need the fans to be our 12th player."
Conte: League leaders Napoli still a work in progress
Antonio Conte believes there is still plenty of work for Napoli to do, despite sitting top of the Serie A standings.
After narrowly edging past Serie B side Modena on penalties in the Coppa Italia first round in his first game, Conte followed it up with a 3-0 defeat to Verona in his first league match.
Since then, Napoli are unbeaten, winning six of their next seven games, only dropping points in a goalless draw with the Italian's former club, Juventus.
However, despite their impressive form, Conte is wary of getting too carried away.
"We are with the 'work in progress' sign, it cannot be otherwise after only three months," Conte told a press conference ahead of Sunday's game at Empoli.
"Otherwise, we would all underestimate the path that needs to be taken in a reconstruction phase like ours. We're just getting started.
"Victories are built, they are not invented, but what I feel I can guarantee is to rebuild solid foundations that can last over time."
The international break has left Conte without midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, injured while playing with Slovakia.
Lobotka has started all seven league games under Conte and was an ever-present in the starting side last season, but the manager is confident that Scotland international Billy Gilmour is ready for what will be his first Serie A start.
"It's not a very serious problem but we have to face it and recover, obviously I'm sorry because he was expressing himself at very high levels, but at the same time it will be an opportunity to see Gilmour," Conte said.
"Billy knows what he has to do, he hasn't trained only in these two days, but from the beginning. It changes little, the characteristics are very similar. If Gilmour hadn't been there it would have been different."
Napoli's bid to remain on top will face a stern test away to Empoli. The Tuscan side have lost only once this season, and have the second-best defensive record in Serie A, conceding four goals in their seven games.
"We are talking about a team that suffered their only defeat before the break, in the last minutes and on a difficult pitch, against Lazio at the Olimpico," Conte said.
"It is precisely in these matches that the spirit of sacrifice, according to the Empoli players, becomes an important weapon for them.
"I will not tolerate a spirit of sacrifice inferior to that of Empoli."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
