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• Sporting Kansas City v Minnesota United: Ramsay aiming to regain momentum after 'dent'

  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%

• Al-Ettifaq 0-3 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo scores as Pioli earns first win

  Stefano Pioli won his first game in charge of Al-Nassr, with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq on Friday.

  Cristiano Ronaldo netted the first goal of Pioli's reign as Al-Nassr picked up just their second win in the Saudi Pro League this season.

  It was a fairly even first half until Abdullah Madu fouled Sultan Al Ghannam in the box, and Ronaldo made no mistake from 12 yards to put the visitors in front.

  Angelo and Talisca were both denied by the goalkeeper before half-time, but Al-Nassr doubled their lead with the first shot of the second half, as Salem Al Najdi scored a delightful chip from a tight angle in the 56th minute.

  Talisca did get his goal in the 70th minute, beating Marek Rodak for power with his low drive after being picked out by Sadio Mane.

  Ronaldo almost got a second late on, but with just one minute remaining, he struck the woodwork with a long-range strike. 

  Data Debrief: Pioli inspires total dominance

  Al-Ettifaq were unbeaten coming into this game, but they offered little in terms of fight, mustering just six shots, two of which were on target, and created just 0.44 expected goals. 

  Al-Nassr on the other hand, tested Rodak with half of their 14 shots on target (1.83 xG) - Talisca had the most (five) and was rewarded for it with his late goal.

  It was Mane who pulled the strings though, creating four chances, and claiming two assists, while his 18 passes into the final third were the most of anyone on the pitch. 

• Kompany expected Olise's flying start to Bayern Munich career

  Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany hailed Michael Olise's start to life with the 33-time Bundesliga champions despite his delayed start in Germany. 

  Olise, who arrived at the Allianz Arena for a reported £50.7million transfer fee, has four goal involvements (three goals and one assist) in all competitions so far. 

  The latest of which came on his Champions League debut in midweek, scoring twice in Bayern's 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday. 

  Olise's brace saw him become the third Frenchman to score two goals on his debut in the competition, after Thomas Deniaud in 1996 and Thierry Henry in 1997.

  The 22-year-old's flying start comes after spending much of pre-season playing for France at the Paris Olympics, winning a silver medal at the Games.

  "Well, for me, it wasn't that bad that he went to the Olympic tournament, because he arrived in really good shape at Bayern Munich," Kompany said.

  "It's exactly what we were expecting. I think he's really playing a big role, which isn't easy when you've arrived in the Bundesliga and at a club like Bayern.

  "He will take further steps.

  "From my point of view, it's very positive, but I stay calm as well, because I know it's important to continue the way he does in order to experience good times."

  Bayern return to Bundesliga action this weekend when they travel to the Weserstadion to face Weder Bremen, hoping to maintain their perfect start. 

  A win would see Kompany become the third Bayern head coach since 2000 to win their first four league games in charge (after Niko Kovac and Carlo Ancelotti). 

  This weekend's match will be the 115th Bundesliga meeting between Werder Bremen and FC Bayern, making it the most-played fixture in the division’s history.

  Only Borussia Monchengladbach (28 times) have beaten Bayern more often than Werder have in the Bundesliga (27), and Kompany is expecting a tough test.

  "Bayern against Bremen is a traditional fixture," Kompany added.

  "When I played in the Bundesliga, it was a top-of-the-table clash. Bremen have produced a lot of great players.

  "It's a special game tomorrow and that's how we'll prepare it."

  Kompany was also able to provide an update on the fitness of Manuel Neuer after the veteran goalkeeper was substituted at half-time during Bayern's midweek win over Zagreb. 

  "Neuer should join training today and we'll decide after that. We'll discuss it together," Kompany said.

  "We didn't want to take any risks against Zagreb but it looks good. There's no other news."