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• Charlotte FC v Nashville: Smith looking to grow 'belief' following Montreal triumph

  Gary Smith believes his Nashville side's thumping of CF Montreal last weekend is a step in the right direction as they look to build their "belief".

  The 4-1 victory over Montreal, which saw striker Sam Surridge net a hat-trick, ended a run of five games without a win and moved Nashville up to 12th in the Eastern Conference.

  As Nashville look to push further up the table when they travel to Charlotte FC this weekend, Smith is looking for his players to build on the Montreal performance.

  "[The Montreal victory was] the first step in a long journey for us to get back to some rhythm, some success, put ourselves back in a position where there’s some belief here again that we can get results," Smith told reporters.

  "We've seen we can score goals. I think that belief that we can win games again, this is the first step on that road.”

  Charlotte also tasted victory last time out, beating the Portland Timbers 2-0 at home to leave them sixth in the East.

  Midfielder Ashley Westwood hopes he and his team-mates can carry on the momentum from that triumph, saying: "It was a complete performance.

  "During the game it felt comfortable. We felt like were in control with the ball and without the ball. We need to push on from that now."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Charlotte FC – Nikola Petkovic

  Petkovic scored his first goal of the season against Portland, becoming one of 10 different players to score a goal for Charlotte this term, the most of any MLS team. Having netted his first of the campaign, he will be hungry for more this weekend.

  Nashville – Hany Mukhtar

  Mukhtar has scored four goals in four career regular season matches against Charlotte FC, one of five opponents he's scored at least four times against in his MLS career. Though Surridge got the plaudits last time out, Mukhtar may be the main goal threat against a side he seems to have success against.

  MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

  Charlotte have lost only two of their last 24 home matches in all competitions since March last season (13 wins, nine draws). Every MLS team besides Charlotte and the Columbus Crew (one loss) have at least four home losses in that time.

  Nashville's 4-1 win over Montreal was just the club’s second win since the beginning of March in all competitions. Nashville's only other win in that time was a victory over Charlotte on March 16.

  Charlotte won their first meeting with Nashville, a 4-1 home victory in July 2022. However, Nashville are unbeaten in the three meetings since, and though they are on the road, they may have enough to earn a point this weekend.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Charlotte: 38.1%

  Nashville: 32.2%

  Draw: 29.7%

• Girona boss Michel targeting historic second-place finish in LaLiga

  Girona boss Michel has called on his team to end their remarkable season on a high by finishing second in LaLiga, ahead of Friday's trip to Alaves.

  Girona fought back to beat Barcelona 4-2 last weekend, a result that left Real Madrid with an unassailable lead in the table as they clinched a record-extending 36th Spanish top-flight title.

  It also ensured Girona confirmed Champions League qualification with four games to spare, putting them 13 points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao and taking them above Barca into second.

  Girona's previous highest finish in the Spanish top flight is 10th, which they achieved in both 2017-18 and 2022-23, and Michel is now keen to add further gloss to an unforgettable campaign.

  "The objective is to be second and we need to win all four games, although we go game by game. Right now the team is above Barca and the objective is this," Michel told reporters on Thursday.

  "We are now a rival of Barcelona because they are below us and we have the same objective. But until now we were not.

  "If our objective is to compete against Madrid we will always be in a situation where we don't reach our objective and I don't think that's fair because Madrid, Barca and Atletico are made for other things. Now, we have earned the chance to fight against two of them."

  The Spaniard said Girona, who will be without striker Cristhian Stuani and midfielders Borja Garcia and Jhon Solis through injury, cannot afford to take their foot off the gas, warning Alaves will pose a threat.

  "I expect a very difficult and complicated game, but I don't expect Alaves to be any different to what we've seen all season," Michel said.

  "They have a spectacular transition, with players with a lot of speed. They are a very good team with a very good dynamic and very well-worked. That's why we have to be at our best.

  "In attack we have to be able to find the space to cause damage. But they are a team that controls very well in defence and they know how to run very well."

• Al Ahli 1-2 Al Hilal: Malcom saves league leaders' winning streak

  Malcom’s stunning solo goal finished Al Hilal’s second-half comeback to earn a 2-1 win over Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Monday.

  The forward started his run from inside his own half before slotting in the winner, after teeing up Aleksandr Mitrovic for the equaliser just after the interval.

  Feras Al Brikan had given Al Ahli the lead in the 30th minute, but the hosts could not hold onto it against the league leaders.

  Al Hilal continue their unbeaten league campaign to a 30th match, moving 12 points clear at the top of the table, while Al Ahli remain in third, now 22 points off the AFC Champions League spot.

  Data Debrief

  Malcom was one of Al Hilal's most influential players; as well as playing a hand in both goals, he had the joint-most shots (five), and the joint-most shots on target (two), and created two chances for his team.

  Al Ahli also struggled to cope with Mitrovic's threat, as the Serbian created an xG of 0.61 from his five shots, having 11 touches in the opposition box.