A second-half goal from Giovanni Di Lorenzo was enough to earn Napoli a 1-0 win over struggling Lecce on Saturday, stretching their lead at the Serie A summit. 

Di Lorenzo, who had a goal disallowed in the first half, bundled the ball into the net in the 73rd minute after his initial effort had been saved, and it proved enough to take all three points at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Lecce, despite their lowly position and dismal run of recent results, were far from outplayed by the league leaders but fell to their fourth successive defeat and remain second from bottom in the standings with five points.

The home side's only real chance in the opening 45 minutes came close to half-time when Cyril Ngonge's effort from distance brought a save from Wladimiro Falcone, while Lecce's Federico Baschirotto also had a header saved by Alex Meret.

Napoli finally found a way through when Scott McTominay's header from a corner was parried away by Falcone and, while the keeper also got a hand to Di Lorenzo's first attempt from the rebound, Napoli's captain scrambled home at the second time of asking. 

Lecce tried to push forward in search of an equaliser but a side who have scored just three league goals all season never seriously threatened Meret's goal and Napoli, while again far from convincing, earned the all-important three points.

Data Debrief: Partenopei rearguard driving title bid

Napoli were far from free-flowing on Saturday, but as has been the case on several occasions already this season, a solid defensive performance provided the basis for a victory.

They have kept five clean sheets in their last six league matches, as many as they managed in their previous 34.

Antonio Conte's men are now unbeaten in their last eight league games (seven wins, one draw), their best run since February 2023, when they went on to win the Scudetto.

Bryan Mbeumo’s late goal sunk 10-man Ipswich Town as Brentford came out 4-3 victors from a chaotic Premier League clash at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Kieran McKenna's side looked on course for a morale-boosting victory as quickfire first-half goals from Sam Szmodics and George Hirst put them 2-0 up.

However, the game was flipped on its head just before the break, as Yoane Wissa slotted home and then forced an own goal from the luckless Harry Clarke, who subsequently conceded a penalty early in the second half.

Mbeumo slammed home from 12 yards, and Clarke’s day got worse when he received his second booking, only for Ipswich to fightback through Liam Delap’s 86th-minute effort.

Yet Mbeumo had the final say as his cross-shot found the net deep in stoppage time, with Brentford moving ninth while Ipswich remain 16th, without a win to their name.

Data Debrief: Mbeumo the man for buzzing Bees

Brentford's powers of recovery were once again on show at the Gtech Community Stadium, coming from two goals down to win a Premier League match for the very first time, having drawn two and lost 29 of the previous 31 games in which they found themselves down by at least two.

And the Bees' comeback was spearheaded by Mbeumo, who has now scored in each of his last five league home matches, the first time a player has done so for Brentford after the Cameroonian himself between November 2019 and January 2020.

It was, however, a game to forget for Ipswich's Clarke. He became just the second player in Premier League history to score an own goal, concede a penalty and be sent off in the same Premier League match, after Jan Bednarek for Southampton against Manchester United in February 2021.

Ipswich remain winless across their first nine matches of the 2024-25 Premier League season (D4 L5), the Tractor Boys’ longest ever such run at the start of a top flight campaign.

Matheus Cunha completed a late comeback as Wolverhampton Wanderers earned a dramatic 2-2 draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Gary O’Neil’s men had been 2-0 down with five minutes to go before striking twice late on to rescue a point, though they still remain winless after nine games.

Danny Welbeck opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time as Georginio Rutter threaded the ball through to the Englishman and he made no mistake by firing across goal and into the bottom-left corner.

Evan Ferguson appeared to put the game to bed five minutes from time with an incisive strike from the edge of the box.

But Rayan Ait-Nouri gave the visitors hope when he struck following a corner in the 88th minute before Cunha sent the away fans into raptures with a stoppage-time equaliser.

Brighton sit fifth while Wolves move up to 19th in the Premier League table, overtaking Southampton.

Data Debrief: A good game for the goalscorers

Welbeck has now scored in three successive games for only the third time in the Premier League, previously doing so in January 2014 with Manchester United and November 2010 with Sunderland.

Fellow Brighton striker Ferguson ended a run of 19 Premier League games without a goal. It was his first as a substitute in the competition since August 2023 against Luton on the opening day of the 2023-24 campaign. 

All three of Ait-Nouri’s Premier League goals for Wolves this season have come in his last four games, while he’s been involved in more goals in 2024 than any other defender (eight).

Manchester City battled their way back to the Premier League summit as Erling Haaland netted the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland was on target early on with a clinical finish from inside the area, though City were unusually profligate in front of goal for the rest of Saturday’s contest.

Cameron Archer missed the visitors’ best chance with an effort that struck the woodwork just before the interval.

Haaland passed up two fantastic chances to make the scoreline more comfortable after the break, though City ultimately got the job done to move top ahead of Sunday’s clash between Arsenal and Liverpool.

Southampton, meanwhile, are bottom of the pile, with just one point from their opening nine games. 

Data Debrief: Haaland on target, but not at his best

Haaland scored his 74th Premier League goal, 32 more than any other player since he joined the division in 2022. Today was just his third strike in a 1-0 victory, however.

But the Norwegian should have had more. He ended the contest having had eight shots, though only four were on target, contributing a whopping expected goals (xG) tally of 2.16 to City's 2.73 total. 

Pep Guardiola's side extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 32 games, with 28 of those coming in 2024 – only Chelsea in 2005 (29) have had a longer unbeaten run from the start of a calendar year in the competition’s history.

For Southampton, meanwhile, they are now winless in their last 22 Premier League games (D5 L17), the outright third longest such run in the competition’s history after Derby County (32 in 2007-08) and Sunderland (26 between 2002 and 2005).

Though Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz suffered a 3-0 defeat to France in a challenging international friendly on Friday, England-born defender Vyan Sampson shared a measured, optimistic outlook on the team's performance, emphasizing growth over the result.

While the defeat underscored the level of competition Jamaica continues to face at the highest level, Sampson sees the match—which was a repeat of last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup draw—as a valuable step in the Girlz’s long-term journey to success.

Playing against the 10-ranked team in the world, the 42nd-ranked Reggae Girlz displayed stretches of resilience and competitive spirit, even after two defensive errors forced by France’s consistent forward press resulted in two goals.

Still, the Girlz held their own for the most parts and even created opportunities at the backend of the contest against the technically skilled French side, which got its goals from Clara Mateo (22nd), captain Wendie Renard (39th), and Sandy Baltimore (48th).

Despite the outcome, Sampson, who wore the captain's armband, was quick to note the value of the experience, particularly for a team still adjusting to new recruits and evolving strategies.

“I felt like we gave a good show of ourselves against a very good opposition. We could always do better, but with the short time we were in camp, we had a few things to focus on, and I felt like we gave them a good try. Sometimes coming into these windows, the moment we're looking for is not now; it's further down the line—a year down the line. So as long as we keep making steps every window, taking a bit from every game, we will be where we need to be at the right time,” Sampson said during a post-game press conference.

Sampson pointed to the presence of a few new players, Taylor Hinds, Natasha Thomas, Lulu Jarvis, and Reanna Blades, who are in the early stages of finding their rhythm within the squad as part of Head coach Hubert Busby’s ongoing efforts to deepen the roster.

But integration takes time, and Sampson, one of the more experienced players, understands that the team must be patient in bringing together new and seasoned players.

“It's always good to have new faces, and we're always looking to build the team and improve in every way that we can. The core of the team is still pretty much the same, so it's just about gelling those relationships and building as a team,” Sampson reasoned.

“Every single person in this team matters; anyone the coach selects to come into the fold is worth it, and it’s an opportunity for us to try new things. There were players playing in positions that are not necessarily their strong point, but we have to try these things against good opposition to get better,” she noted.

Busby’s approach since returning to the programme has focused on exposing the Girlz to top-ranked teams, such as Brazil and now France, a strategy meant to prepare them for the intensity and tactical demands of future tournaments.

For players like Sampson, this approach is vital, as it helps the team to improve their speed of play, possession game, and skills to prove more competitive on the global stage.

The 28-year-old, who plies her trade with JEF United Chiba in the Japanese WE League, explained that the team is learning to focus less on individual matches and more on the bigger picture—how each game fits into their long-term goals, as they target a third-consecutive World Cup appearance.

“I felt like I did my best to cover the spaces and cover in for my teammates, but I'm always a critical person, and I always want more. We had a few injuries, a few different changes that obviously changed the outcome of a game, but that’s just football; we don’t look into that too hard; we just make sure we take things from this game and we go from there.

“France is always a good team, but we are not looking at them too tough because we are against ourselves at the end of the day in terms of our journey. So yeah, they are a good team, but there is more to this game for us,” she ended.

Atletico Madrid cannot provide a timeline for defender Robin Le Normand's return from a traumatic brain injury, Diego Simeone said on Saturday.

The 27-year-old defender collided with Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni late in their 1-1 draw in September, and needed medical attention on the pitch.

Atleti confirmed that Le Normand had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with subdural haematoma.

And ahead of Atleti's clash with Real Betis in LaLiga on Sunday, Simeone said there is no update on Le Normand's comeback.

"We still don’t have a clear idea about his return. The important thing is that he comes back well. That's the only thing we care about," Simeone told reporters.

"Once he is healthy, he can start anew with us like he has just arrived having rested after winning the European Championship."

Le Normand had made eight appearances since joining from Real Sociedad in the close season after winning Euro 2024 with Spain.

Atletico have now played four games across all competitions since he was sidelined, losing twice, winning once and drawing once, while conceding nine goals.

Asked about the team's poor defence following their 4-0 loss at Benfica and 3-1 home loss to Lille in the Champions League, Simeone said it came down to decision-making in the crucial moments.

"Both defence and offence prowess make you better... but the reality is decisiveness in the areas, and the team that is better in those situations will always be the one closer to winning," he said.

Sunday's opponents Betis, who are seventh in LaLiga, have lost only once in their five home matches this season, earning 10 of their 15 points from home fixtures.

Leeds United missed the chance to go top of the Championship table as they drew 0-0 at Bristol City, while Coventry City produced a stirring comeback to beat Luton Town.

Playing before early-season pacesetters Sunderland, Leeds had the chance to go level with the Black Cats at the summit but were unable to make the breakthrough at Ashton Gate.

Max O'Leary made two strong saves to deny Willy Gnonto and Dan James in the first half, while Zak Vyner came up with a goal-line clearance to keep out another Gnonto effort after the interval.

The draw came on an emotional occasion for Bristol City boss Liam Manning, who returned to the dugout after missing two matches due to the death of his baby son Theo.

The Robins have now drawn seven of their first 12 games of the season and sit three points adrift of the play-off places, with Leeds third on 23 points.

Elsewhere, Coventry gained a measure of revenge for their play-off final defeat to Luton two seasons ago, recovering from two goals down to claim a memorable 3-2 win at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

A Carlton Morris penalty and a composed Elijah Adebayo finish put Luton 2-0 up at the interval, but Ellis Simms got Coventry back in the game before Victor Torp levelled with a left-footed stunner.

Luton were then reduced to 10 men when Tom Holmes received his second yellow card for a shirt pull in second-half stoppage time, giving Coventry the impetus to grab the winner. 

Haji Wright – one of the heroes of the Sky Blues' run to the FA Cup semi-finals last season – completed the turnaround by bundling home after Alfie Doughty played him onside.

Coventry's third win of the campaign lifted them clear of the relegation zone, one point clear of Luton amid a poor start to the season for the Hatters. 

In the last of the early kick-offs, Watford beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0, extending their unbeaten run at home to 10 league games.

Edo Kayembe's penalty 19 minutes from time was enough to seal victory for the Hornets, after Blackburn's Ryan Hedges was adjudged to have handled inside the area.

The win takes Watford level on points with sixth-placed Blackburn, only outside the play-off places on goal difference. 

Jamaican football captains Andre Blake and Damion Lowe have been named to the Concacaf League A Best XI, following their standout performances during the Concacaf Nations League group stage in the October window. They are joined by right-back Tayvon Gray as the only other Jamaican selected for the Best XI.

Blake and Lowe, two of Jamaica's most capped players, with 78 and 71 caps respectively, anchored the Reggae Boyz’ solid defense. Jamaica ended the October window with two crucial clean sheets and clinched the top spot in Group B.

Blake, recognized for his composure and technical skills as a goalkeeper, played a crucial role in Jamaica's success. He finished the group stage with four out of a possible six points, ensuring that no goals were conceded in the final matches. With two clean sheets against Nicaragua and Honduras, Blake made 11 saves and recorded six clearances, achieving an impressive pass completion rate of 97.73%.

Blake expressed his thoughts on this recognition: "Being named to the Concacaf Best XI is always an honour and a testament to the hard work our entire squad has put in."

Lowe was a key player in Jamaica’s defense during the Reggae Boyz’s impressive away victory against Nicaragua. He demonstrated outstanding ball recovery skills and command on the field. With eight ball recoveries and a crucial clearance, he bolstered Jamaica's defensive efforts and his performance earned him a place in the Best XI.

"We strive for every win but also as senior players, set the standard on the pitch. This recognition fuels our desire to keep pushing for more and continue bringing pride to Jamaica."

Tayvon Gray was outstanding as Jamaica won 2-0 against Nicaragua. He effectively controlled the right flank and made two clearances to help maintain a clean sheet for the defense.

The Reggae Boyz will play against the USA in the quarterfinals of the Nations League on November 14 and 18.

Inter strolled to the Serie A title last season but Simone Inzaghi anticipates a much tighter Scudetto battle this time, with upcoming opponents Juventus likely to be involved. 

Inzaghi's side finished 19 points clear of their closest rivals Milan in 2023-24, but they are currently two points behind leaders Napoli after eight matches.

They sit one clear of Derby d'Italia rivals Juve – who are the only unbeaten team remaining in the Italian top flight – ahead of Sunday's head-to-head clash at San Siro.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Inzaghi refuted the suggestion his team are clear title favourites, saying: "I don't like to talk much about favourites and things like that.

"This year it will be a more balanced championship than usual; many teams have spent a lot to close the gap that had been created.

"Juventus are the best team in Europe in terms of goals conceded, they have an excellent coach who I really like and they have invested a lot. They will remain protagonists throughout the year."

While Juve coach Thiago Motta and Napoli's Antonio Conte have both played down their own chances of title success, Inzaghi's past success does not allow him that luxury.

"I don't know if it's a strategy or something else, I can only speak for myself," Inzaghi said. 

"We know that we start from the beginning of the season with clear goals, to play as many games as possible to ensure that we get as far as possible in the cups and try to be competitive in the league."

Inter enter Sunday's match with selection issues. Defender Francesco Acerbi is still out with a thigh injury sustained in the last league game, a 1-0 win at Roma, and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu also went off injured in that match.

Kristjan Asllani could be in line to replace Calhanoglu, if he can recover from his own injury which has kept him out of Inter's last two games.

"We know what Calhanoglu represents for us, he is a world-class player. His natural replacement is Asllani, if he gives me the right guarantees he will play," Inzaghi said.

"He is a player who has improved a lot over the years, his misfortune is having Hakan ahead of him. 

"Unfortunately he had a problem before Roma. Yesterday he had his first training session which didn't go badly and we will need to evaluate.

"In the same role we also have [Nicolo] Barella and [Piotr] Zielinski; I will carry this doubt until tomorrow evening." 

Thiago Motta said Juventus' Champions League defeat against Stuttgart was in the past, as he eyes a win against Inter, a side he classed as "favourites" for the title.

The Bianconeri meet Simone Inzaghi’s side in the Derby d’Italia at the San Siro on Sunday, knowing a win will put them above Inter in the standings. 

Juventus are the only unbeaten team (W4 D4) after the opening eight games of a Serie A season for the first time since 2019-20, and are without defeat in six of the last seven matches played against Inter. 

Inter finished 23 points above Juventus last season, and although they’re within touching distance in the table, Motta insists there’s still a gap separating the two sides.

"It’s clear that the favourites to win the league are Napoli and Inter, they have won the last two Scudetti," Motta said.

"Tomorrow, we have to face Inter with focus and courage."

“They are a team that plays really good football, they created problems for many sides on the counter-attack.

“They’re a very dangerous side, they regroup quickly, when they get attacked they have a good defensive phase and are also very fast up front, we need to be careful.”

But Motta comes into the encounter on the back of his first defeat since his arrival at Juventus, with El Bilal Toure netting a late winner for Stuttgart.

Juventus had just one shot on target against the Bundesliga side, their fewest in a Champions League game since against Chelsea in September 2021 (also one).

However, Motta was not concerned about his side's showing, saying the defeat was firmly in his players' rearview mirror.

"There’s no need to work on mentality, the guys are in good shape. Understandably, in an historic team like ours, the expectations are extremely high," Motta said.

"It's the first defeat that's happened this season. Even when we win, we move on just the same.

"There’s no time to celebrate or dwell on a victory. The past is in the past; Stuttgart is behind us, and now we’re going to play Inter."

Paris Saint-Germain will not need any extra motivation when they travel to the Orange Velodrome to face rivals Marseille, says Luis Enrique. 

Luis Enrique's side return to Ligue 1 action after a disappointing draw with PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in midweek. 

Though the Parisiens remained unbeaten against Dutch sides in all competitions, the result left PSG 19th in the new league standings after three games. 

But PSG have impressed in the league this season, winning six of their eight games and currently at the Ligue 1 summit ahead of Monaco on goal difference.

However, Luis Enrique insisted form counted for little in a game that he expects to be an emotional affair, something he acknowledged his players would have to control.

"With this type of match, it doesn't matter what you've done before," Luis Enrique said. 

"There's so much tension. I'm very satisfied, we played a very good game against PSV Eindhoven. I'm very optimistic about what I'm seeing.

"High-voltage matches are almost the easiest, you won't have a lack of motivation.

"But you have to be careful not to get overly motivated, I take that into account. You need 100% motivation, not 105%. You mustn't be ruled by emotions.

"We're five points clear of last year, we've started even better. AS Monaco and Marseille are at a different level.

"If that continues, we'll see. It's positive for everyone, it keeps the players motivated."

This weekend's meeting will mark the 108th between the sides in all competitions, with PSG winning 50 of those games. 

But the encounter will see Marseille's home record and PSG's form away from home put to the test. 

Marseille have lost only one of their last 20 home games in Ligue 1 (W11 D8), though that defeat came against the Parisiens in a 2-0 defeat back in March.

PSG have not lost any of their last 28 away matches in Ligue 1 (W21 D7), the longest streak in the history of the competition, with that run beginning against Marseille in February last year.

And Luis Enrique expects another difficult encounter at the Velodrome, even more so against Roberto De Zerbi, who impressed the PSG boss during his time at Brighton.

"For me, De Zerbi is an exciting coach that I followed at Brighton. He is a coach who likes to attack, we have that in common," he said.

"The way he wants to dominate matches, his ability to convince his players... I had a lot of fun (watching) his Brighton team. I hope I won't have as much fun tomorrow."

Vincent Kompany is hoping Bayern Munich will take the lessons learned from their defeat to Barcelona into their return to Bundesliga action against Bochum this weekend.

Despite Harry Kane cancelling out Raphinha's opener, the German outfit were swept aside at the Camp Nou, losing 4-1 to leave them 23rd in the new league standings.

The defeat saw Barcelona become the first team since Real Madrid in April 2014 to score three first half goals in a Champions League game against Bayern. 

Raphinha also became the fourth player to net a Champions League hat-trick against Bayern, after Roy Makaay, Sergio Aguero and Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Bayern have, however, fared better in the Bundesliga. They remain unbeaten in their seven league games and are top of the table on goal difference, ahead of RB Leipzig.

But Kompany believes the defeat should not see his players lose sight of their aspirations this season as they aim to reclaim their Bundesliga crown from Bayer Leverkusen.

"We conceded four goals. But I would not just talk about that (defence). It's too easy. The responsibility lies with the entire team," Kompany said.

"We have the quality and players. I understand we lost and we have to accept the criticism.

"But I do not want to lose sight of what the boys can achieve if they take the next steps.

"The basis is that the team works and that it learns from such moments.

"We are not surprised that not all was perfect. It is normal. After all we did not win a title last season."

"There are games where it is clear what happened. But that was a game with a lot of moments and not everything went wrong," Kompany continued.

"There were also good moments which we did not use or were not too concentrated."

But Bayern have reason to be confident of recovering from their humbling defeat to Barcelona. 

They travel to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion in impressive form on the road, scoring 17 goals in their first four Bundesliga away games this season, which is a league record. 

Kompany's side have also found the back of the net at least three times in each of their last four top-flight games on their travels and would equal another league record should they do so again this weekend (set by Bayern themselves in 2019-20 under Hansi Flick).

But they have struggled to keep goals out at the other end.

Bayern have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 Bundesliga away games, with only Bochum (31) conceding more goals on the road in 2024 than the Bavarians (29).

Hansi Flick hailed his "brilliant" Barcelona players as they look to further their advantage at the LaLiga summit against rivals Real Madrid on Saturday. 

Flick watched on as he helped his side end a run of six-straight Champions League defeats against Bayern Munich with a stunning 4-1 victory in midweek. 

Barcelona are now unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, scoring 17 goals in those matches, but they face a stern test at the Bernabeu to keep that run going.

Los Blancos produced an equally impressive Champions League display, coming from two goals down to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2, inspired by Vinicius Junior's hat-trick.

Flick will be managing his first competitive game as a coach against Real Madrid, and has been impressed with his side's ability to understand his way of playing.

"We have our ideas. Our philosophy is to press high and make it hard for the opponent to play out. Too much space between the lines doesn't work for us," Flick said.

"The players are brilliant and continue to adapt from game to game.

"The changes have worked, I believe in the team, they have so much quality and that’s what we want to see."

Flick will also be looking to become the first Barcelona coach since Gerardo Martino in 2013 to win their first official Clasico. 

The Barcelona coach also heaped praise on Lamine Yamal for his performances this season, with the 17-year-old preparing for his fourth Clasico against Real Madrid. 

Yamal made his 10th start in the Champions League in Barca's win over Bayern, becoming the youngest player at the time of doing so in the competition’s history (17y 102d).

He has also impressed in LaLiga this term, notching 10 goal involvements (four goals, six assists), a total only bettered by Robert Lewandowski (14) in the division.

"Specifically for the game against Bayern I wanted him to do one thing among many that he needed to do, which was to press (Alphonso) Davies from the last line into midfield because we knew how important he was when he started to attack," Flick said.

"Yamal is a fantastic player with the ball, you could all appreciate that against Bayern.

"It’s an honour to see what Lamine did for all of us and it’s important that he can improve as a defender. And he’s doing that very well."

Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba handed Inter Miami a winning start to their MLS playoff campaign, with their goals helping down Atlanta United 2-1 at the Chase Stadium. 

After already winning the Supporters' Shield and setting a new MLS single-season points record, the Herons took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series ahead of Game Two.

The hosts needed just over a minute to take the lead when Diego Gomez picked out Suarez, who prodded the ball beyond Brad Guzan early on. 

David Martinez then saw his effort strike the woodwork, but Miami were unable to make their sustained spell of pressure count as visiting forward Saba Lobjanidze levelled the contest in the 39th minute. 

But the hosts restored their advantage just before the hour-mark when Lionel Messi picked out Alba, who struck a fierce effort from distance which proved to be the winner. 

Miami should have had a more comfortable advantage, but were met with the imposing figure of Guzan, who made nine saves during the contest to keep the hosts at bay.

Data Debrief: Welcome to Miami

Having topped the Eastern Conference with 74 points, Miami are expected to reach the showpiece match, and their display proved why they were one of the best teams in the MLS during the regular season. 

The hosts ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.38 from their 22 shots, 12 of which were on target and 14 of their efforts were inside the Atlanta box. 

And though not getting himself on the scoresheet, Messi once again showcased his class. The Argentine registered a team-high 1.26 xG to Inter Miami's total, while also recording more shots on target (five), more touches in the opposition box (13) and creating more chances (five) than anyone on the pitch. 

Brian Schmetzer is aiming to write more history with the Seattle Sounders in the MLS playoffs after signing a new multi-year contract extension with the club earlier this week.  

Schmetzer, who took charge of the Sounders in 2016, has won 149 of his 321 matches at the helm in all competitions (D70 L102), and has led the club to two MLS Cup titles and two other appearances in the finals.

They welcome Houston Dynamo to Lumen Field in their first-round playoff tie, and Schmetzer insists the good work his side have done so far will not stop in the postseason.

“I’m thrilled to continue this journey with Sounders FC, a community and club that mean so much to me,” said Schmetzer. “Seattle is my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be working.

“We’ve built something special here together, and I’m excited to keep pushing for more success alongside our passionate fans, exceptional staff and outstanding players. The work will not stop – we have many goals to achieve and more history to write.

“Doing it at a club during a time of such great opportunity in the city I love makes it even more meaningful.”

Houston, meanwhile, ended their regular season on a high with an impressive victory over the LA Galaxy, subsequently seeing Greg Vanney’s side drop to second in the Western Conference.

The Dynamo faced off against the Sounders in September, losing 1-0 in the MLS, but coach Ben Olsen believes his team’s latest triumph can be used as positive momentum moving forward.

“Those are the great nights, those are the ones you remember,” Olsen said. “It had a playoff atmosphere; it was a great dress rehearsal for the playoffs because we’re playing a talented team.

“We wanted to win that game, but the other side was to get some rhythm and form because it’s been choppy over the last month. That, for me, was the most important thing.

“We needed to get those minutes together before going to Seattle. Overall, it was pretty good, but there is still a lot to clean up before we travel there on Tuesday.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

Rusnak recorded 16 assists in the 2024 regular season, equalling Nicolas Lodeiro’s club record for the Sounders set in 2018.

He recorded primary assists to eight different teammates this season, tied for the most different teammates directly assisted to this MLS campaign.

Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi

While Houston were the third-lowest scorers in the Western Conference, the creative flair of Bassi has been pivotal in reaching the postseason.

The Moroccan has the joint-highest goal involvements for the Dynamo this term (10, level with Ibrahim Aliyu), while he has also created more chances (78) than any of his team-mates during the regular season.

MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN

This will be the third postseason tie between Seattle and Houston, with the Dynamo advancing in the 2019 Conference semi-final and Seattle advancing in the 2017 Conference Finals. The Sounders have never lost in 17 all-time home matches against Houston (W14 D3), winning the last eight in a row.

The Dynamo have also avoided defeat in nine away playoff matches in club history (W5 D4), advancing to the next round in eight of the last nine ties, only losing out against the New York Red Bulls in the 2008 Conference semi-finals. Houston have been eliminated each of the last four times they have lost on the road in the playoffs.

Seattle’s 1-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC in last season’s Western Conference semi-final ended a run of 19 straight home playoff matches without defeat (W17 D2) that spanned back to the 2014 postseason. Seattle have lost only three of their 27 all-time home playoff matches (W20 D4).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Seattle Sounders – 49.6%

Draw – 25.4%

Houston Dynamo – 25%