Jonathan Rodriguez's stoppage-time header saw the Portland Timbers salvage a dramatic 3-3 draw at Real Salt Lake in MLS, after the hosts had inched ahead in the 89th minute.
Phil Neville's team, who are battling for an automatic playoff place in the Western Conference, twice appeared to be headed for defeat at America First Field.
They went 2-0 down within the first 22 minutes, Dominik Marczuk steering home at the far post before Diego Luna finished into an empty net.
Antony prodded home from a corner to half the arrears just after the hour mark, then Evander's stunning long-range free-kick levelled things at 2-2, but Real Salt Lake would inch ahead again late on.
Diogo Goncalves drilled home from the edge of the area to open his account in MLS, but that strike would not prove to be decisive as substitute Rodriguez met Miguel Araujo's hanging cross with a diving header, salvaging a point for Portland.
They sit eighth in the West with just four regular-season matches remaining, while Real Salt Lake are second but seven points adrift of the LA Galaxy, who beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-2 on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Portland's powers of recovery
Portland have made thrilling comebacks a theme of their campaign, and their powers of recovery were on full display once again on Saturday.
They have now scored 16 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches in MLS play this term, more than any other side in the competition.
William Knibb registered win number four on the trot in Zone D of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata daCosta Cup as they blanked Cedric Titus 3-0 in a lopsided Trelawny derby at the parish’s stadium on Saturday.
Joshua Walker (36th), Jaheem Brown (50th), and Seron Williams (68th) propelled Dewight Jeremiah’s side to another three points as they remain in pole position ahead of Spot Valley, who also made it four-in-four as they blanked Muschett High 3-0 in the curtain-raiser of the double-header.
Both William Knibb and Spot Valley are on maximum 12 points, but the former continues to lead the way by virtue of a superior goal difference. Cedric Titus sit third on six points, and Discovery Bay is fourth on three points, while Muschett and Holland are yet to get on the board.
Jeremiah praised the performance of his youthful squad, which continues to grow with every game.
“The average age of the team is 14.5, but I think we learned from our last game against Discovery Bay that we had to be more creative when teams sit deep. The first goal epitomises what we did in training; we wanted all five vertical zones to be occupied when we attacked, and we had that in terms of the link up play, but the commitment that the boys showed today (Saturday) is above everything that we did, and that resulted in the clean sheet,” the tactician shared.
“Seron Williams is our second-string goalkeeper that we converted into a striker, and I think him and Jaheem Brown are just hugely technical. Joshua Walker also has an immense work rate; I played him at right back last season, and I am just teaching him to understand positional play in the middle of the park, and he soaks up everything,” he added.
Though William Knibb dominated proceedings, it was Cedric Titus that started more spiritedly as captain Terron Eccleston went on a break in the 25th minute and was taken out by a defender at the edge of the 18-yard box. However, the resulting freekick amounted to nothing.
Eccleston again threatened three minutes later as he found space deep inside William Knibb’s quarters for a right-footed effort that just rolled wide of the left upright.
Having heeded the warnings, William Knibb launched a few attacks of their own, the first coming in the 36th when Walker finished from close range after getting on the end of a decent through pass from Koran Henriques to break the deadlock.
William Knibb should have doubled the lead in the 41st when Cedric Titus’ custodian Anthony Riley failed to gather the ball cleanly, but Prince Bernard somehow failed to convert from point blank range.
Still, with a 1-0 lead in their favour at the break, William Knibb were not disheartened and maintained their momentum on the resumption. They eventually doubled the lead five minutes in courtesy of Brown’s ferocious right-footed freekick from just over 20 yards out that had Riley beaten all ends up.
Williams pushed the game beyond Cedric Titus’ reach when Walker placed the ball perfectly into his path for a firm right-footed drive that left the hapless Riley flat-footed.
William Knibb should have had a fourth in the 76th as Riley again spilled the ball. However, Williams effort came back off the crossbar.
Cedric Titus fought on as Eccleston was sent through on goal, but their hopes of pulling one back were dashed as Camoy Phillips, in goal for William Knibb, left his line well to avert the danger.
Wade Crawford, Cedric Titus’ head coach, felt his team was lacking in all departments.
“We started the game slow and I think the game got away from us midway through the first half. It boils down to inexperience and the youngsters are learning the game; we are not as deep as we were last year so we definitely will be getting better but we need to work a little harder on our finishing. So it’s a work in progress,” he stated.
Saturday’s Results
St James High 1, Cornwall College 2
Frome vs Rusea’s (Rained out)
Grange Hill 2, Little London 1
Spot Valley 3, Muschett High 0
William Knibb 3, Cedric Titus 0
Munro 1, STETHS 1
Belair 5, Manchester High 1
May Day 2, deCarteret College 1
Mile Gully 1, Holmwood 2
Central High 1, Clarendon College 0
Garvey Maceo 2, Old Harbour 3
Kemps Hill 2, Porus 0
McGrath 1, Dinthill 1
Ocho Rios 7, York Castle 0
Defending champions Mona High extended their unbeaten run to four games in the 2024 ISSA Manning Cup on Saturday.
They secured a 3-0 victory over Charlie Smith High to move to 12 points from a possible 12 atop Zone B.
Jonathan Grant remain second in Zone B, three points behind Mona after a 1-0 win over Tarrant High.
The day’s other Zone B game saw Waterford High get their first points of the season with a massive 9-0 win over Gaynstead High.
Kingston College still hold the lead in Zone C on goal difference over Penwood after a 5-0 win over Campion College.
KC now has 10 points from four games with a goal difference of 25, 11 more than Penwood who also have 10 points after a 1-0 win over Jose Marti.
In the day’s lone Zone G encounter, St. George’s College and St. Catherine High played out a 0-0 draw.
Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby reaffirmed his team’s commitment to continuously improve their quality as he welcomed the three crucial upcoming friendly encounters against France and South Africa to cap the year on a high.
In fact, Busby was quick to point out that the matches—away to 10th-ranked France at the Stade Auguste-Bonal on October 25, and at home against 50th-ranked South Africa on November 29 and December 2—are part of the broader plan to enhance the team’s competitiveness on the global stage. They also represent crucial stepping stones in the Reggae Girlz preparation for next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
“Playing against top-tier teams like France and South Africa is exactly the kind of fixtures we need to raise our game. It’s important that we continue to test ourselves against the best, not only to see where we stand but also to continue the growth we’ve worked so hard for over the past few years,” Busby told SportsMax.Tv.
“So, we are pleased that we will have these quality matches to close out the year heading into 2025. Obviously, France is a top 10 opponent and South Africa have been a perennial African champions and World. So to be able to play France in a very hostile environment will be difficult for us, but again, it’s a challenge that we welcome and look forward to standing up to,” he added.
The South Africa encounters will mark the first time players that paraded their skills at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia will be playing on home soil since the Olympic qualifying fixture against Canada last September.
This, Busby believes, will serve as a confidence booster for the team after two 0-4 losses away to Brazil in June and what will be another tough task against France. Prior to the Brazil friendly, a fairly young and inexperienced Reggae Girlz team lost two away friendlies to Chile.
“It will be great to have the players back in Jamaica in front of the home crowd. It has been a long time since the team has been in Jamaica so we are really looking forward to those games and really looking forward to have all the supporters and fans out to cheer the team on and further lift their spirits because I know they are excited to perform at home,” Busby shared.
Reggae Girlz against France at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
For Busby, high-profile friendlies against Brazil, France, and South Africa, in particular, are testament to the progress made by the Reggae Girlz in becoming a formidable force in Concacaf.
As such, the upcoming games presents an opportunity to assess the squad's strengths and weaknesses, as well as tactics and player combinations that will benefit the team in the long run as the Girlz set their sights on bigger goals for 2025 and beyond.
“These games aren’t just about results; they’re about performance and progression. We have a clear vision of where we want to go, and games like these are crucial in refining our style of play, building team chemistry, and ensuring we’re ready to take on the challenges ahead, especially in the World Cup qualifiers,” Busby stated.
“We will look at our playing model and dissect each and every area of that model in terms of how we are in and out of possession and how we transition both offensively and defensively. So each and every window we will target an area that we want to focus on and that is something that as a staff we are looking at now and we will head into these matches with some key areas of focus as it leads into the World Cup qualifiers next year,” the tactician noted.
The 42nd-ranked Reggae Girlz have made significant strides on the international stage in recent years, qualifying for back-to-back World Cups in 2019 and 2023, and their ambition remains to continue that momentum.
The Girlz suffered two 0-4 losses in two away friendlies to Brazil in June.
Busby believes that consistent exposure to high-level competition will be pivotal in maintaining and elevating the team’s standards as they seek an historic third-consecutive World Cup appearance.
“The goal is always the same and that is for this team to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. So everything we do now is about how we chart that path to ensure that the qualification objective is met. It is an ever-changing football landscape; teams continue to get better, so the challenge for us is to get better at a high level, and that is something that players, staff, the federation, and other stakeholders are committed to,” the former national goalkeeper declared.
Still, Busby acknowledged that the road ahead will be challenging, but he is confident in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“We’re not just looking at the here and now; we’re building for the future, and I have no doubt that this team has the quality, the dedication, and the heart to achieve great things We’re building a legacy, and these matches are a part of that journey,” Busby said.
James Sands equalised five minutes into second-half stoppage time as New York City fought back for a 1-1 draw with Inter Miami in MLS on Saturday.
Miami entered the game with an eight-point lead over the chasing pack in the Supporters' Shield standings, but they opened the door to their rivals by letting a lead slip at the death.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez returned to their lineup after being rested in their midweek draw with Atlanta United, but it was substitute Leonardo Campana who put them on the brink of victory with his goal 15 minutes from time, only for Sands to rescue a point for the hosts.
New York started brighter and saw Santiago Rodriguez strike the post with a curling free-kick early on, before Matt Freese was called into action by Messi at the other end.
The first half saw few other clear-cut opportunities, then Keaton Parks and Alonso Martinez both went close for Nick Cushing's hosts in the early stages of the second period.
But it was Gerardo Martino's men who went ahead in the 75th minute, with Jordi Alba cutting the ball back for substitute Campana to convert.
There was a twist to come five minutes into stoppage time, however, with Sands getting across his man to head Rodriguez's corner home. It was his first goal in MLS, sparking wild celebrations at Yankee Stadium.
Data Debrief: Miami fall short of record pace
Miami approached Saturday's game with 63 points from their first 29 games of the MLS campaign, and with Messi and Suarez restored to their lineup, they will have fancied their chances of earning a place in history.
The only previous team to collect 66 points through 30 matches of a regular season was the New England Revolution, who did so in their record-breaking 2021 campaign.
Miami were on the brink of matching that pace before Sands popped up with his late intervention, maintaining NYCFC's strong record against the Herons.
They have only lost one of their 11 all-time meetings with Miami (seven wins, three draws), with the last three matches between the teams all finishing level.
Top of the table Barbados Royals played a match to forget in Providence as they scored 96/9 in a match that saw them well beaten by 7 wickets by the St. Lucia Kings at Providence on Saturday.
The win means the Kings have now secured a spot in the 2024 CPL Playoffs.
The Royals elected to bat first upon winning the toss but Alzarri Joseph soon had them ruing that decision as he sent Quinton de Kock’s bails flying skywards with a delicious in-ducker that started the struggles from which the Royals never recovered.
Wickets fell steadily as Joseph and Roston Chase impressed with the ball in hand for the Kings, taking seven wickets between them as the Royals only just managed to bat out their overs – largely thanks to some lower order resistance from Keshav Maharaj and Maheesh Theekshana.
Johnson Charles was caught and bowled by Jason Holder as the Kings set about hauling in the total and secure the win that would see them book a place in the latter stages of the tournament. Faf du Plessis looked good for his 26 off 19 balls before attempting to open the shoulders to Maharaj and being stumped by de Kock, but in truth, the Kings never looked in any trouble.
Roston Chase and Tim Seifert made 39 and 21 respectively to knock off the runs with 37 balls remaining. Alzarri Joseph was duly awarded the Player of the Match award for laying the groundwork with his four wickets earlier in the piece.
It was an off day for the Royals who have looked imperious for most of the tournament so far. They’ll have to dust themselves down with the 2024 competition heading towards the final stages and a handful of teams seemingly hitting peak form at just the right time.
Regional youth cricket has long been a pathway for a number of young cricketers to make the transition to the senior ranks.
While developing the cricketing skills of the region’s young players is paramount, their development off the field is equally as important.
The latest initiative from the Jamaica Cricket Association is further emphasis of that fact.
To honour last year’s successful Jamaica under-19 double champions, the association, along with long-time partners Kingston Wharves Limited, handed out tertiary scholarship grants to two crucial members of the team, Brian Barnes and Steven Wedderburn.
Barnes, a left-handed top order batsman, was the team’s captain, a role he returned to in 2024.
Wedderburn, also a southpaw, was one of the top scorers during last year’s regional tournament and went on to represent the West Indies at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa from January 19-February 11 this year.
The pair was chosen from a shortlist of five under-19 players, following the application process, which required the cricketers to be accepted at a recognised tertiary institution.
The four-year scholarship grant will see Barnes and Wedderburn studying marketing at the University of the West Indies.
On the heels of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in the Caribbean in June, the Men in Maroon will welcome decades-long rivals, England back to the region’s shores.
On the heels of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in the Caribbean in June, the Men in Maroon will welcome decades-long rivals, England back to the region’s shores.
The series, dubbed The Rivalry, is set to kick off from Thursday 31st October, and will be played in both T20I and ODI formats until Sunday 17th November. Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia are the three islands chosen to host the highly anticipated match-up.
Starting the action at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Antigua, the home team takes on England with two ODIs, sponsored by CG United, on the 31st of October and 2nd of November at 2pm and 9:30am, respectively.
Both teams then travel to Barbados where the action continues at the Kensington Oval for the 3rd ODI on Wednesday 6th November at 2pm. The World Cup final hosts will also see the first T20I games on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November, both at 4pm.
The tour wraps up at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia with three T20I matches on Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November. All matches begin at 4pm.
Fans can purchase tickets securely in advance from https://tickets.windiescricket.com to save tickets directly to their mobile device or print at home for presentation at the venue, avoiding the need to travel to or queue at the box offices. Fans can also take advantage of other benefits such as exclusive advance ticket windows and discounts.
Box offices will open several days in advance of the first match in each series.
Glenmuir High and Happy Grove High extended their unbeaten records in the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association/Wata daCosta Cup when they registered a fifth-consecutive win in their respective zones on Friday.
Orane Watson and Orelle Miller continued their rich scoring forms with braces in Glenmuir High’s 4-2 win over Foga Road, as Andrew Peart’s side opened a six-point lead over second-placed Garvey Maceo in Zone I.
The reigning Champions Cup kings have maximum 15 points, while Garvey Maceo and Kemps Hill both sit on nine points each, separated by goal difference. Foga Road (seven points), Old Harbour (five points), Vere Technical (four points), Winston Jones (three points) and the pointless Porus High complete the standing.
Meanwhile, Happy Grove blanked Yallahs High 5-0 in their Zone L game at Hector’s River.
Shevone Miller (29th and 70th), Oshane Chambers (17th), Jabari Ellis (31st), and Tajay McZanna (90th) did the damage for Happy Grove.
With the win, Happy Grove moved to maximum 15 points, eight ahead of Seaforth High (seven points), while Paul Bogle (six points) and Yallahs (six points) follow. Morant Bay (four points) sit fifth, with St Thomas Technical and Robert Lightbourne yet to get off the mark.
Friday’s Results
Maldon 3, Irwin 0
Herbert Morrison 0, Green Pond 2
Green Island 1, Anchovy 3
Christiana 7, Bellefield 0
Glenmuir High 4, Foga Road 2
Happy Grove 5, Yallahs 0
Saturday’s Games
St James High vs Cornwall @ Jarrett Park
Cambridge vs Knockalva @ Cambridge High
Frome vs Rusea’s @ Frome Technical
Grange Hill vs Little London @ Llandilo Community Centre
Spot Valley vs Muschett @ Trelawny Stadium (1:15 pm)
William Knibb vs Cedric Titus @ Trelawny Stadium (3:30 pm)
Holland vs Discovery Bay @ Holland High
Munro vs STETHS @ Munro College
Lacovia vs Newell @ Lacovia High
Maggotty vs BB Coke @ Lacovia Community Centre
Belair vs Manchester High @ Belair
May Day vs deCarteret College @ May Day High
Alphansus Davis vs Alston High @ Alphansus Davis High
Mile Gully vs Holmwood @ Mile Gully Community Centre
Thompson Town vs Claude McKay @ Thompson Town High
Central High vs Clarendon College @ Effortville Centre
Edwin Allen vs Lennon @ Edwin Allen High
Garvey Maceo vs Old Harbour @ Garvey Maceo High
Kemps Hill vs Porus @ Kemps Hill High
McGrath vs Dinthill @ McGrath High
Aabuthnott Gallimore vs Marcus Garvey @ Aabuthnott Gallimore High
Ocho Rios vs York Castle @ Drax Hall
Paul Bogle vs Morant Bay @ Paul Bogle High
St Thomas Technical vs Robert Lightbourne @ Golden Grove
Iona vs Horace Clarke @ Rio Nuevo
Titchfield vs Wycliffe Martin @ Carder Park
St Mary High vs St Mary Technical @ Highgate Community Centre
Guyana Amazon Warriors inflicted a seventh defeat on the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in this year’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), running out winners by 30 runs in Providence to boost their own chances of progression in this year’s competition.
Electing to field first the Patriots restricted their opponents to 137/8, Ashmead Nedd impressing with four wickets including bagging both openers Tim Robinson and Kevin Sinclair for ducks. Tabraiz Shamsi’s flight and guile kept the Warriors tied down too, only 13 runs were scored off his left-arm wrist spin and the South African removed both Moeen Ali and Shimron Hetmyer.
Hetmyer took a liking to the rest of the Patriots bowling however, a decisive and destructive innings of 63 off just 33 balls saw him scoop Player of the Match.
Despite a dogged 49 off 46 balls from Evin Lewis at the top of the order the Patriots never truly looked like pulling off the victory. Moeen Ali caused all sorts of problems with the ball and the Patriots left themselves with too many runs to chase in the latter half of the innings and a the chance to pull off only their second victory in the competition eluded them.
Rilee Rossouw’s run-out in the 15th over seemed to extinguish the last vestiges of hope and Shamar Joseph was clinical for the Warriors, a rapid spell of fast bowling saw him end up with 3/9 in just 2.3 overs.
“Words can’t explain how great it is to play at home, knowing you have the support of everyone – it’s just amazing,” said Hetmyer after the match. He was particularly impressed with the performance of Joseph. “I think it was only a matter of time for him to start picking wickets. He is an exceptional bowler; we have already seen it in his short career so far. He is really exciting and all he has to do is just keep doing what he is doing and sky is the limit for him.”
A solid performance sees the Guyana Amazon Warriors keep their hopes of retaining the title they won last year very much alive.
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has launched an incentive scheme for ground staff at the host venues across the region. The scheme will provide a cash payment of US$5,000 for each location to be shared amongst the ground staff at each venue to reward them for their hard work in providing pitches and outfields that produce entertaining cricket.
The criteria by which this incentive will be awarded are based on the presentation, look and feel of the pitch square and the outfield, and the performance of the pitches used during that leg of the tournament.
The performance will be measured by the consistency of pace and bounce of pitches, the quality of the outfield, and the achievement of average first-inning scores of more than 160.
Michael Hall, CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, said: “One of the many ways that cricket is so unique is the reliance on ground conditions for how the match unfolds. The ground staff teams across CPL venues work tirelessly to produce the best possible facilities for the cricketers who take part in our league. I am very pleased that we can find a way to reward this hard work with this incentive scheme.”
Troy Lesesne admitted D.C. United's trip to Philadelphia Union could have huge playoff implications, but played down the significance of a win.
D.C. are level on points with Philadelphia but sit one place below them in the Eastern Conference in 10th due to their inferior goal difference.
Lesesne's team are currently unbeaten in three, having come from behind to draw 1-1 with New York City FC last time out after back-to-back wins.
A win on Sunday would move D.C. above their opponents, but Lesesne is not resting their end-of-season hopes on one match.
"This is a big match, there's no way around that," Lesesne said.
"Regardless of the outcome, there are still going to be four matches after this weekend that will be equally as important.
"Clearly, we can position ourselves in a great way if we can pick up three points, but it's not in this mindset of a 'must-win' by putting the weight of the world on this result.
"We need to recognise the importance, but not go over the top by putting too much significance on it with five left to play."
Meanwhile, Philadelphia bounced back from defeat to Inter Miami by thrashing NYCFC 5-1 in midweek.
Head coach Jim Curtin was buoyed by that result and is keen to keep that momentum going at the weekend.
"I think we've had a playoff mindset and a playoff mentality because we've put ourselves in a situation where we've had to," Curtin said.
"We have to find ways to take points in hard games. The win [against NYCFC] means nothing if we don't go home and take care of business there in our next two big games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Tai Baribo
Tai Baribo had both a goal and an assist in Philadelphia's win on Wednesday.
It was Baribo's first assist as a member of the Union to go with his 15 career goals for the club in all competitions.
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke scored in D.C. United's last away match, a 2-1 win at Chicago Fire, his 10th road goal of the regular season.
The only D.C. player to score more goals on the road in a single regular season was Roy Lassiter (11) in 1999.
MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won 12 of their last 16 regular season matches against D.C. United (D3 L1) dating back to May 2017. Philadelphia outscored D.C. 46-14 over those 16 matches.
However, Philadelphia have lost seven of their last 12 regular season home matches (W2 D3) after losing just six of their previous 78 such games at Subaru Park dating back to March 2019 (W53 D19).
Meanwhile, D.C. have collected 13 points from their last six regular season matches (W4 D1 L1) after earning just 11 points from their previous 17 league matches (W2 D5). This is the first time they have collected 13 points in a span of six regular season matches since August-September 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 57.1%
Draw – 22.2%
D.C. United – 20.7%
Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff challenged his team to fight against "adversity" when they host derby rivals Houston Dynamo on Saturday.
Austin are 10th in the Western Conference, and are 10 points behind the playoff spots, with the Dynamo currently sitting in seventh place.
They have won just one of their last seven MLS outings (a 2-0 win over Nashville SC), and are winless in three, though they did draw 1-1 with Los Angeles FC last time out.
When asked if he was still targeting the playoffs, Wolff insisted that his team would fight to the last game.
"More adversity, bring it on," he said. "It's what we have to deal with.
"These guys compete, they have nothing but confidence in what we're doing. We should have more points based on some of the performances, but we keep looking forward and powering on.
"We need a big, big push at home and a big performance, but it's certainly attainable."
Meanwhile, Houston are unbeaten in each of their last four outings, winning two and drawing two, but were unable to hold onto their lead in a 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps in midweek.
They can make history on Saturday though – a win would set a new record for road victories in a single season, and it would be their first-ever triumph at Q2 Stadium, having lost all five previous visits.
"We're thinking of the game in front of us right now, and we owe Austin," Griffin Dorsey said. "They took six points from us.
"It's a rivalry game in a good atmosphere. It'll be a great night to take three points from them, and [making history] would make it more special."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Jader Obrian
On Wednesday, Jader Obrian notched his team-leading sixth goal of the season, but it was his first road goal in 2024.
The only MLS player with at least six goals this season to have a higher percentage of them coming at home than Obrian (83.3%) is William Agada of Sporting Kansas City (88.9%).
Houston Dynamo – Ezequiel Ponce
Ezequiel Ponce scored Houston's lone goal on a penalty kick in their 1-1 draw with Vancouver on Wednesday.
It was just the Dynamo's second penalty attempt in the regular season in 2024. The club had at least four penalty-kick attempts in each of the previous seven seasons entering 2024.
MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN
The Dynamo have recorded three straight road wins in all competitions for the first time since a six-match winning streak away from home in 2011-12. That six-match run is Houston's only road winning streak longer than three matches.
Austin have won three straight matches against the Dynamo, keeping clean sheets in all three wins. The Black and Verde have never recorded four straight regular-season wins against a single opponent.
However, Austin have won just one of their last six regular-season home matches (D2 L3) dating back to late May. They had won five straight at Q2 Stadium prior to this drought.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 33.8%
Draw – 25.7%
Houston Dynamo – 40.5%
Eric Ramsay is hopeful Minnesota United's latest defeat has not dented their momentum as they prepare to travel to Sporting Kansas City in MLS.
Minnesota have won two and lost two of their last four MLS matches, with those two victories both coming on the road.
They are ninth in the Western Conference after losing to FC Cincinnati in their last outing, failing to mount a comeback after two first-half goals from their visitors.
Ramsay was slightly disappointed by the result but is determined to take the positives from that game as they continue their playoff push.
"We showed some naivety [against Cincinnati] with the goals we conceded, but the game as a whole was largely very good," he said.
"We went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the whole division. We have to take that as a positive and use that as a step forward, as a continuation of the momentum that we've built so far and not let it dent what we've already done."
Meanwhile, Sporting are 12th in the league, having lost just one of their last five league matches.
They beat Colorado Rapids 4-1 last time out, with Alan Pulido netting a brace, and head coach Peter Vermes was delighted to see him getting in on the goals.
"Alan has this level in him and has great form over the past two months, but we're playing him in better places on the field," Vermes said. "We haven't found enough chances to get him in on goal, and we need to keep improving that.
"The good thing is that we have options, we're not stuck. We're limitless right now, we have a lot of different ways in which we can put different combinations of players on the field."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting KC – Alan Pulido
Pulido scored twice in Kansas City's win over Colorado on Wednesday, his seventh multi-goal game for Sporting.
The only two players in club history with more multi-goal regular season games are Dom Dwyer (10) and Digital Takawira (eight).
Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah
Kelvin Yeboah scored from the penalty spot on Wednesday, with three of his four goals this season have been via penalty kicks.
Yeboah is the fourth player to have 3+ penalty kick goals in a season for Minnesota, with Darwin Quintero being the only Loons player with more (four in 2019).
MATCH PREDICTION: SPORTING KANSAS CITY WIN
Sporting KC have won 10 of their 11 all-time home matches against Minnesota, including the last four in a row. Minnesota's lone result at Sporting was a 3-0 victory in the 2020 playoffs.
Indeed, Kansas City have won three straight home matches across all competitions, with all three victories coming by multiple goals. This is the first time Sporting have won three straight home games, all by 2+ goals, since a four-game run to start the 2019 season.
However, after going winless in eight straight on the road (D2 L6), Minnesota have recorded back-to-back wins away from home. The longest road winning streak in club history in all competitions is three matches, achieved in both 2022 and 2023.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting KC – 46.8%
Draw – 26.4%
Minnesota United – 26.8%
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