Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin has urged his team to find a way to grind out a vital win when they meet the New England Revolution in MLS on Wednesday.
The Union sit bottom of the Eastern Conference having failed to win any of their last 10 matches, extending that streak against Toronto FC on Saturday as they conceded two quickfire second-half goals in a 2-1 defeat.
Their last win came against the Revs in mid-May, and Curtin has set the simple target of getting three points after admitting his team have not been good enough in the last two months.
"We've made some big mistakes and been punished for them. We haven't been able to make the little plays to get over the hump," Curtin said.
"It's unacceptable how many games we haven't been able to find a way to win and the way we've done it has been really disappointing. We've become very fragile, which is uncharacteristic of this group.
"It really comes down with us just finding a way to grind out a win, ugly, pretty, whatever it takes to put it behind us."
Meanwhile, the Revs are one point better off than their opponents, sitting 13th in the table having lost their previous two matches.
They let a lead slip against Orlando City in their 3-1 defeat at the weekend, and head coach Caleb Porter hopes they can put their injury troubles behind them to get back to winning ways.
"We've got to find a way to get some points out of these next two games, even under the circumstances of where we're at," Porter said, as quoted in The Blazing Musket substack.
"And I believe 100% when we're healthy – and we showed it in the four-game stretch – when we have our group healthy, that we can beat anybody in the league."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
Daniel Gazdag has scored five career regular-season goals against New England, more than against any other team in his MLS career.
The five goals are also the most by any player against the Revs since the Hungarian joined MLS in 2021.
New England Revolution – Giacomo Vrioni
Giacomo Vrioni scored New England's lone goal in their loss to Orlando City on Saturday and has now scored six of the club’s last seven goals, including the last three in a row.
MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won five of their last six matches against New England (L1, incl. playoffs) dating back to July 2022. The Revs had gone unbeaten in the previous five meetings between the sides (W3 D2).
However, the Union (D4 L6) are winless in 10 straight matches within a single regular season for the first time in club history. Philadelphia have won one of their last 17 matches, but that win came over New England in May.
Meanwhile, none of New England's last 16 MLS matches have ended in a draw (W7 L9) dating back to the start of April. In fact, only one of the Revs’ last 26 league matches dating back to late September last season has ended level.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 48.2%
Draw – 25.9%
New England Revolution – 25.9%
Toronto FC v Austin FC: Herdman urges for discipline to mount playoff run
FC head coach John Herdman insists his team need to maintain their discipline if they want a playoff run in MLS, starting against Austin FC on Saturday.
Toronto currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference but are four points behind Orlando City.
They have struggled to get going since being knocked out of the Leagues Cup in the group stage, winning just one of three games since returning to MLS action.
After a disappointing 3-1 defeat to D.C. United last time out, Herdman says they need to learn how to keep their high level of performance going to the very end of games.
"In a playoff run, you have to be disciplined in the last 30 minutes of games, whether it's decision-making to change and adapt with players coming in and changing positions, or the team allowing itself to get stretched," Herdman said.
"We struggled with that against D.C. If you're going to push for a genuine playoff run, you have to respect that defending part of the game, you cannot allow yourself to get stretched."
Meanwhile, Austin are 11th in the Western Conference, having followed up a win over Nashville SC with a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps.
With the end of the regular season coming closer, Josh Wolff acknowledged his players know just how important it is for them to get points on the board.
"Every game is critical, home and away. In both conferences, you can see the playoff line, and it's all relevant," Wolff said.
"We, like many teams, have to make the most of these opportunities. You have to start the game in a good way and go there with the intention of getting three points because the home team have their own intentions."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto FC – Deandre Kerr
Deandre Kerr scored his 10th regular-season goal for Toronto in the loss to D.C. United on August 31.
At 21 years old, Kerr is the second player to reach double-figure goals for the Reds before turning 22, along with Ayo Akinola (13 goals).
Austin FC – Julio Cascante
Austin failed to register a shot on target in their 1-0 loss to Vancouver on August 31, the fourth time this season the Verde have not hit the target in a match.
Julio Cascante came off the bench and had one of Austin's six shots, with his effort having the highest expected goal rate of 0.35.
MATCH PREDICTION: AUSTIN FC WIN
The only previous meeting between Toronto and Austin was a 1-0 home win for the Verde in May 2023. Gyasi Zardes scored the game's only goal in second-half stoppage time.
Austin earned a 2-0 win at Nashville in their last away match on August 24. Austin last won consecutive away matches during a four-match road winning streak in June-July 2022.
Meanwhile, Toronto have lost five of their last six home matches (W1), including a 3-1 loss to D.C. United on August 31. Toronto have lost 13 regular-season home matches since July 2023 (W7), more than any other team in that time.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto FC – 34.6%
Draw – 25.9%
Austin FC – 39.5%
Hull City 0-2 Sheffield United: Hamer and McCallum goals send Blades third
Sheffield United continued their fine start to the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win away to Hull City.
Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Sam McCallum were enough to give Chris Wilder's side victory and send them up to third in the table.
The home side made an encouraging start to the game but fell behind after a stunning Blades counter-attack, with Callum O'Hare driving forward before playing in Hamer, who gave keeper Ivor Pandur no chance with a neat finish.
Hull went close to equalising through Abdulkadir Omar's free-kick, but he was thwarted by a flying save from Michael Cooper in the Sheffield United goal.
The away side doubled their advantage in the second half as substitute McCallum swept in a fine effort from Andre Brooks' cutback.
Marvin Mehlem nearly handed the Tigers a way back into the encounter, but his header crashed against the crossbar, leaving Hull 19th in the table, still without a league win this campaign.
Data debrief: Blades make best start in 12 years
With three wins and two draws under their belt in the Championship, Sheffield United will be proud of how they have adapted to life back in the second tier.
It marks their best start to a campaign since the 2012-13 season, which saw them go unbeaten in their first 16 games in League One.
Wilder also continued his good record as Blades boss at MKM stadium, winning a fourth successive match away to Hull after losing in February 2018, in his first spell in charge.
Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Heidenheim: Adeyemi stars with brace to inspire win
Karim Adeyemi scored twice and set up another goal as Borussia Dortmund earned a 4-2 victory over visitors Heidenheim on Friday.
Adeyemi first set up Donyell Malen, who drilled his low shot through Kevin Muller to give the hosts the lead in the 12th minute.
The 22-year-old then doubled their advantage six minutes later with his first goal after completing a textbook break five minutes later.
Heidenheim briefly cut the deficit with Marvin Pieringer's powerful header after 39 minutes, but Dortmund restored their two-goal cushion before the break with Adeyemi's low drive wrongfooting the goalkeeper.
The visitors set up a nervy finish after being awarded a 74th-minute penalty for a foul by Niklas Sule on Mikkel Kaufmann, with Maximilian Breunig confidently hitting the back of the net.
But Dortmund earned a spot kick themselves in stoppage time thanks to Omar Traore's handball, and Emre Can coolly slotted in to make it 4-2.
Data Debrief: Home advantage
While it looked like Dortmund may be in for a nervy ending after Heidenheim's late penalty, that was not the case, and it means they extend an impressive home record.
The Black and Yellow are unbeaten in 37 Bundesliga home games on a Friday since a 1-0 loss to Schalke in January 2004, which is a league record, level with Werder Bremen between 1984 and 1991).
Dortmund are unbeaten so far this campaign, but Heidenheim's six-match winning run in all competitions is now at an end.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
