Carlo Ancelotti brushed aside criticism of Real Madrid's unattractive style, saying winning was more important than playing well.

Madrid are unbeaten with five victories across seven games in all competitions this season (two draws), and they got off to a winning start in their Champions League defence on Tuesday, beating Stuttgart 3-1.

In LaLiga, they have won their last two games 2-0 against Real Betis and Real Sociedad, but have still come under fire for their performances.

Ancelotti, however, defended his team's style ahead of their clash at home to mid-table Espanyol.

"Real Madrid fans prefer winning over playing well," he said.

"Ideally you want both, winning while playing an attractive style of football, but our main objective is pleasing our fans who are very demanding, so we will keep our focus on winning as we know that our squad is still far away from ideal form.

"We are not at our best and that is normal in the beginning of a demanding calendar. We will improve as the season starts to get into the important things to play for.

"For the moment we are in, we are doing well." 

The Italian added he was not worried about the poor form of forwards Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, who are still a work in progress despite playing better each week.

Mbappe has scored five goals already this campaign, while Vinicius also netted in their last league game, and Ancelotti is confident they will be back to their best soon.

"[The criticism] doesn't bother me because I see that the fans are delighted," Ancelotti said.

"You can play better, but the fans are used to our 'rock and roll' football. Not a lot of touches. We try to make the Madrid fans happy. And our game is about intensity, pace... Without wasting too much time in reaching the opponent's goal.

"These are our characteristics. We have players with a lot of strength and speed, especially on the ball, and we have to take advantage of that.

"For me, I believe that beautiful football depends on the characteristics of the players I have. Attacking well, defending well ... playing well on the counter. There are many facets and everyone has their own opinion..."

Barcelona top the LaLiga standings with 15 points, four ahead of Atletico Madrid, Madrid and Villarreal.

FC Dallas interim head coach Peter Luccin labelled his side’s upcoming fixture against Western Conference leaders Los Angeles FC as “crucial” if they are to make the playoffs this season.

The Toros fell to a 3-2 defeat to Real Salt Lake in their last encounter, leaving them 11th in the table and four points behind the playoff line with five games of the season remaining.

Dallas are winless in their last three MLS games, and Luccin reiterated the message to his players that this weekend could be their final chance at continuing their season.

“We need to be clear now,” Luccin started. We cannot lie. We have a game on Saturday that could be our last chance, even though we have two games at home.

“Our last game was important, but this one is crucial for us if we want to try and reach the playoffs.

“It is just making sure everybody is in good shape. We are playing against a big team on Saturday, and we need to be prepared for that game.”

LAFC, meanwhile, were held by Dallas’ playoff rivals Austin FC in midweek, allowing a cluster of sides around them to threaten their third-place position.

Despite dominating for large parts of their encounter last time out, head coach Steve Cherundolo highlighted his side’s rushed approach to proceedings.

While the LAFC head coach acknowledged the fatigue setting in at this stage of the season, he said that some of the mistakes his players were making could cost them in the future.

“I thought with the ball we could have created more in the first half but were too rushed and impatient,” Cherundolo said.

“Our choice-making of passes was often times too risky, with not enough reward.”

“We’ve seen that before in recent weeks and that’s impossible to win games in a fatigued state at this stage of the season if you’re making errors like that.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Dallas – Jesus Ferreira 

Ferreira scored his fourth regular-season direct free-kick goal for FC Dallas on Wednesday. Since 2010, the only Americans with more direct free-kick goals in regular season MLS play are Jeff Larentowicz and Chris Tierney (five each).

LAFC – Ryan Hollingshead

Hollingshead recorded his fourth assist of the season on Wednesday. With Hollingshead also having a goal in 2024, this is the sixth straight regular season the defender has contributed to at least five goals dating back to 2019.

MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN

LAFC have lost two of its last 12 away matches in all competitions, including a 4-2 defeat to the Galaxy on Saturday (W8 D2). LAFC conceded seven times in the two losses over that span but allowed just four goals in the other 10 matches.

Dallas has suffered back-to-back home defeats in all competitions after losing just one of its previous 11 at home (W8 D2). Dallas have not lost three straight home matches in all competitions since September 2011.

However, recent fixture suggest Dallas hold the advantage. The home side has lost only one of the 11 all-time meetings between the two sides, a 3-2 LAFC win at Toyota Stadium in 2021. The home team has won each of the five meetings between Dallas and LAFC since.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Dallas – 28%

Draw – 24.2%

LAFC – 47.8%

Natasha Dowie believes Chelsea's appointment of Sonia Bompastor highlights the new-found global appeal of the Women's Super League.

Bompastor enjoyed three successful years at Lyon, including winning a Champions League, before deciding to move on and replace Emma Hayes this summer.

Hayes led the Blues to seven WSL titles overall, winning each of the last five in a row, and Bompastor now has the challenge of becoming the first manager in WSL history to win the league on their first attempt.

Dowie, who is now a Liverpool ambassador after winning the league twice with the Reds, thinks it shows just how much the WSL has grown in recent times.

She told Stats Perform: "I think it's not just the best players in the world that want to come and play in England now, it's the best managers in the world. And that wasn't the case back in the day, and I think that's just brilliant."

Furthermore, Dowie also notes that her appointment could also prove crucial in terms of Chelsea finally claiming their elusive Champions League title, following several near misses and a defeat in the 2021 final.

"She's won everything at Lyon," Dowie added. "So now to move to a club like Chelsea, who have pretty much won the league the last five years, I think now the challenge for her and what she probably is excited about is how can we help Chelsea win the Champions League? That's all they haven't won."

The former striker is also excited at the prospect of Sam Kerr returning from injury, believing that she can once again play a key role for the Blues.

The Australian suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during Chelsea's winter training camp in January, ruling her out for the second half of the season. 

Before her injury, Kerr was averaging 0.61 goals per 90 minutes, from 3.66 shots per 90, with a 16.67% conversion rate.

"[Kerr] is the number one striker, and she does it in the big pressure games, she always produces, and I think they missed her last year even though they won the league," Dowie said.

"I think that to have a Sam Kerr in your team - it's a nightmare for any team and I think all fans, the way that she's entertaining as well, the backflip, the kind of charisma that she has, she brings a lot to the game.

"So yeah, I think we're all excited to see her back performing."

Dowie predicts Manchester United to have an improved WSL campaign this year, following their FA Cup final success last season.

The Red Devils finished just two points behind Chelsea in 2022-23 but struggled to replicate that last year, and have since lost key players, including Mary Earps.

"I do think United will push on again this year," said Dowie.

"I think that to be fighting for the title with Chelsea the year before and then to obviously finish fifth last year was really disappointing.

"I think there'll be a team this year that will be up there again competing for trophies, so you could say that United could be a surprise package."

Jamaica College extended their unbeaten run in the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup as they secured a hard-fought 2-2 stalemate with Excelsior in an intriguing Zone F encounter at Ashenheim Stadium on Thursday.

Dyllan John’s brace in the 50^th and 88^th minutes rescued a point for the many-time champions after Kimarly Scott (53^rd) and Damarley Williams (58^th) got on the scoresheet for Excelsior.

With the point, Jamaica College inched up to seven points atop the standing, one point ahead of Ascot High, who moved to six points after they edged Pembroke Hall 1-0 in the curtain-raiser of the double-header courtesy of Oshawny Facey’s 61st-minute strike.

Excelsior sit third on four points, while Bridgeport and Pembroke Hall remain pointless on the five-team standing.

Jamaica College’s head coach, Davion Ferguson, took heart from the performance.

“I’m proud of the performance that we put on. We came up against a very good Excelsior team that got their tactics right in the first half, but we reacted well in the second half, and I think we should have won the game,” Ferguson said.

“I didn’t have to motivate my players for this game; they have the quality and they know what is at stake. But like I said, I think Excelsior are a very good team, they gave us a challenge, and I think we responded well,” he added.

Excelsior were more lively at the start and almost broke the deadlock in the fourth minute when Shadeko Wizzard unleashed a stinging left-footer that rocketed off the left upright.

Jamaica College responded soon after through Giovanni Taylor, who got through on goal in the seventh minute, but his effort was kept out by Jamari Gordon, who left his line well.

Wizzard was again left cursing his luck in the 14^th minute as he rifled another effort from an angle that burst through Nathaniel Aiken’s hands, but the ball came back off the crossbar.

Jamaica College also went close to finding the go-ahead goal when Nashordo Gibbs’ went on the break in the 41^st minute but failed to beat Gordon’s outstretched leg as the score remained goalless at the break.

The ‘Dark Blues’ maintained the momentum on the resumption and found the lead five minutes in when Gordon strayed well outside his area and lost possession to John, who capitalised with an effort from distant that trickled across the line.

Excelsior pulled level three minutes later when Scott finished his third goal of the season with aplomb after Jamaica College failed to clear their line from Wizzard's cross.

The Mountain View Avenue team then surged ahead five minutes later when Williams went on a break down the left channel and had enough time and space to set and slot through Aiken’s legs.

Just when it seemed as if Excelsior had the points in the bag, John broke their hearts as he converted from the penalty spot after Jabari Howell's driven freekick was handled inside the area.

Excelsior’s Head coach, Keon Broderick, welcomed the point but felt they deserved more.

“I’m a bit disappointed that we couldn’t come out here with the three points, but, nonetheless, one point away from home is always good. A point at Jamaica College is definitely something to cheer about,” he noted.

Thursday's results

Jamaica College 2, Excelsior 2

Ascot High 1, Pembroke Hall 0

Wolmer's Boys 8, St Mary's College 0

Edith Dalton 0, Denham Town 1

Tivoli Gardens High 1, St Jago 0

The Jamaica Football Federation have confirmed two friendly internationals for the Reggae Girlz as they continue their preparation for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers which kicks off in 2025.

The Reggae Girlz will be playing a friendly international against World Number 10 France on Friday October 25, 2024 at the Stade Auguste-Bonal (home of FC Sochaux-Montbeliard) which is located in Eastern France.

Kick-off is slated for 9:05 pm local time and 2:05pm Jamaica time. France were quarter-finalists in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Reggae Girlz have fond memories with France as Jamaica’s first FIFA Women’s World Cup Appearance in 2019 came in France and Jamaica’s first ever point at a FIFA Women’s World Cup came against the French in the 2023 tournament in Australia in a 0-0 draw.

The 42nd ranked Reggae Girlz will also face South Africa (who are ranked 50th in the World) on November 29 and December 2 at home.

This will be the first time both teams are facing each other since April 2019 in Durban when both teams played out a 1-1 draw.

Both South Africa and Jamaica made their debut in the senior Women’s World Cup in 2019 in France and in 2023 both teams advanced to the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

Details will follow in subsequent releases in relation to kick off times and venues of these two matches.

President of the Jamaica Football Federation Michael Ricketts welcomes these games for the Reggae Girlz.

“We want to give our Reggae Girlz the best opportunity to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and we feel these upcoming friendly internationals to end 2024 are beneficial to the coaching staff and players to help them prepare for the World Cup Qualifiers.”

World Cup Qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in CONCACAF in 2025.

CONCACAF will have 4 spots for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will be hosted in Brazil and two other teams from CONCACAF will qualify for the Intercontinental playoffs.

FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan expressed the importance of defensive resiliency for their upcoming playoff campaign after battling to a 2-1 win over Minnesota United last time out.

The Orange and Blue are on the road again this weekend as they travel to face Nashville SC, a side they were beaten by earlier in the season to halt a seven-match winning streak.

Having already secured their spot in the playoffs, Noonan placed emphasis on being solid at the back for the remainder of the season, especially in their fixtures away from home.

“Credit to Minnesota, they put a lot of pressure on us, and we relied on the back line to make a lot of individual plays, to defend the box well,” Noonan said.

“That's going to be a recipe for success down the stretch if we want to win on the road in tough games. It's not always going to be with us in control. So (FCC) went about that game in a really good way.

“After a lot of the emotional and physical or emotional highs, and then you know the physical demands and emotional demands of our previous game, to be able to turn it around the way they did, I was really impressed with that.”

Nashville, meanwhile, made it two wins from two after beating Chicago Fire in midweek, with head coach BJ Callaghan earning his first home victory in charge of the Coyotes.

Callaghan’s side currently sit 12th in the Eastern Conference table but are just a point behind Philadelphia Union, who occupy the final playoff position.

The Nashville head coach lauded his players for their recent displays in the MLS and was confident his team are making the right strides in becoming a competitive outfit in the division.

“The players have been tremendous,” Callaghan started. “They have taken information in, and they look to apply it in training – they are working hard every single day.

“We look at it through all the phases of play. We are trying to give them clear roles and put them in the best position possible and I think you are seeing, little by little, improvement from them all.

“They are now making good decisions on the pitch. I am very happy with the progression of the team as we make incremental steps of getting better each week.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar 

Mukhtar assisted the only goal of the match in Nashville’s triumph over Chicago on Wednesday.

Since 2021, when the German plays and records a goal contribution, Nashville has averaged 1.99 points per match compared to 0.75 points per match when he plays but isn’t involved in a goal.

FC Cincinnati – Yuya Kubo

Kubo recorded a goal and an assist in Cincinnati’s win at Minnesota on Wednesday.

It was the 32nd time a Cincinnati player recorded a goal and an assist in a regular season match since the start of the 2022 season, tied for the most such individual performances in the league in that time (Portland Timbers).

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Cincinnati’s victory against Minnesota was the club’s 27th regular-season win by a one-goal margin since the start of last season. No other MLS team has more than 16 one-goal wins in that time.

However, Nashville defeated this weekend’s opponents in the first encounter between the sides this season after Cincinnati had gone unbeaten in the previous four meetings in all competitions (W2 D2).

As mentioned, the Coyotes have recorded consecutive shutout wins after losing their previous eight regular season matches, allowing multiple goals in all of those. Nashville have not kept three straight clean sheets in a single regular season since doing so in four straight in May 2021.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nashville SC – 31%

Draw – 25.1%

FC Cincinnati – 43.9%

Trinidad and Tobago’s Miscellaneous Police FC registered their first win of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and kept their semi-final hopes alive after they bettered Jamaican outfit Arnett Gardens 2-1 in a lively Group A clash at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on Thursday.

Joevin Jones (47^th) and Ezekiel Kesar (84^th) did the damage for Police FC, while Warner Brown (49^th) got the ‘Junglists’ strike.

With the win, Police FC jumped to third on four points, the same as second-placed Haitian outfit Real Hope, but with a slightly inferior goal difference. Jamaica’s Cavalier remain atop on six points, while their compatriots Mount Pleasant FA (three points) and Arnett Gardens (zero point) complete the five-team standing.

With both teams coming off losses and hunting their first win, it was always expected to be an intriguing encounter, and fans that turned out at the venue were not disappointed.