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• Colorado Rapids v Austin FC: Wolff looking to generate urgency during road trip

  Josh Wolff is hoping Austin FC can regain some urgency after their mid-season break, starting with their trip to Colorado Rapids.

  Austin are on a three-game winless streak, losing their last two outings, leaving them sixth in the Western Conference.

  With teams below them catching up to their 23-point tally, Wolff admitted there is still room for improvement, but remained upbeat about his team’s progress this season.

  "We're pleased with where we're at. There's still a long way to go, there's a lot to improve on," Wolff said.

  "The second half of the season will be challenging. You've got to quickly generate urgency to get back on the field and perform. Colorado is the most important game - because it's the next one.

  "I want to create urgency and focus on the things we need to keep improving on while keeping our guys healthy. We are going to put everything we can into this game."

  Colorado are one of the teams closing in on Austin, sitting just one point and two places below them in the table.

  The Rapids have won just one of their last five matches in the MLS, but head coach Chris Armas is confident his side can turn good performances into results.

  Armas said, "We really want to get these performances to turn into points. We think we're doing alright, but we know there's room to improve so that's where all of our energy went over the break.

  "We're going to get there. We've got a good group, they're hungry and they come to learn. They're giving everything. We're still a work in progress, but I still believe in this."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

  After failing to contribute to a goal in his first five Rapids appearances, Mihailovic has 10 goal contributions in his last 11 matches (five goals, five assists) including recording one in three straight games.

  Austin FC – Alexander Ring

  Austin attempted just eight shots in their defeat to Real Salt Lake on June 1 – it was the league-high 10th time Austin have attempted fewer than 10 shots in a match this season.

  All those efforts came in the second half, with Ring scoring a consolation goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

  MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN

  The Rapids hold the slight edge in the head-to-head between the teams, winning three times to Austin’s two wins (D2). Colorado have scored in all seven meetings between the sides.

  However, the Rapids have lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season following defeats at Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps. Colorado have lost three of their last four matches (D1) after dropping only three of their previous 12 in league play dating back to the start of March (W6 D3).

  Austin have lost consecutive matches for the first time since last August with defeats to Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. Austin had lost only three of their previous 14 matches (W6 D5) dating back to the beginning of March.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Colorado Rapids – 47.8%

  Draw – 26%

  Austin FC – 26.2%

• Toronto FC v Chicago Fire: Johnson excited to stay on with Reds

  Sean Johnson is excited to extend his stay with Toronto FC, after penning a new contract with the club.

  The goalkeeper, who has been included in the United States’ squad for the Copa America, joined Toronto ahead of the 2023 season from New York City FC.

  While last season was a disappointment for the Reds, Toronto are sixth in the Eastern Conference, with 24 points from their 17 games so far in 2024.

  Johnson has kept four clean sheets in 12 MLS appearances, and his good form has been rewarded with a deal that will keep him with Toronto until the end of the 2026 campaign.

  Ahead of Toronto’s meeting with the Chicago Fire, Johnson told club media: “I am excited to extend my time in Toronto – the fans have welcomed me with open arms since arriving.

  “TFC has a rich history of success and I’m committed to giving everything to add some more special moments for the club and the city.”

  “We are happy to announce that Sean has signed an extension with Toronto as he has been an integral part of our evolution both on and off the field,” said Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez.

  “Sean will continue to provide us with the consistency and stability we will need in our group as we continue to push towards reaching our full potential. His leadership has been a fundamental aspect of our team’s identity, and we look forward to Sean helping our club achieve its goals in 2024 and beyond.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi

  Bernardeschi had a goal and an assist in Toronto’s draw with D.C. on June 1, taking his total to 11 goal contributions (seven goals, four assists) this season, one more than any Toronto player recorded during the 2023 campaign.

  Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers

  Cuypers scored one of the Fire’s two goals in their win over the Galaxy and has been involved in a goal in three straight MLS appearances. No player has been involved in a goal in four straight games for the Fire since Robert Beric in September-October 2020 (five straight).

  MATCH PREDICTION: TORONTO WIN

  Chicago snapped a nine-match winless run with a 2-1 home victory over the LA Galaxy on June 1. It was the Fire’s first multi-goal performance since their previous win, a 2-1 victory over Houston on April 6.

  Toronto have scored 33 goals in its last 11 matches in all competitions (W6 D2 L3). The Reds had totalled 32 goals in their previous 43 matches dating back to March 2023.

  The Reds are unbeaten in 12 straight home matches against the Fire (W7 D5) with Chicago’s last win in Toronto coming in 2012. This is Toronto’s longest home unbeaten run against any opponent in their MLS history.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Toronto FC – 44.5%

  Chicago Fire – 28.7%

  Draw – 26.8%

• CF Montreal v Real Salt Lake: Courtois welcomes back absentees

  CF Montreal have used their recent MLS bye week to get some injured players back to fitness, says coach Laurent Courtois.

  Montreal were not in action last weekend, but kick-start the second half of their 2024 campaign against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

  And Courtois revealed that the break enabled Montreal to get three strikers, who had all been injured, healthy.

  Josef Martinez, Matias Coccaro and Kwadwo Opoku are now back in the fold after lay-offs, as are Mason Toye and Lassi Lappalainen.

  “A big part of it was to get people healthy and to fix a little bit the morale of the troops,” Courtois said of the break. “In that sense, these past two weeks have been really beneficial.

  "Having all the people together brings a whole different dynamic. Everybody wants to win his spot.”

  Not that Montreal went into the break in poor form. They are unbeaten in three games, having drawn with the Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC either side of beating D.C. United 4-2.

  They sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, though going up against RSL presents a stern test.

  Salt Lake are top of the Western Conference with 33 points from their 17 matches. They are unbeaten in 13 games in MLS.

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

  Sunusi Ibrahim’s goal after 49 seconds on June 1 was the sixth first-minute goal Montreal have scored in MLS play. No team have scored more goals in the opening minute of matches since Montreal joined the league in 2012.

  Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango

  Arango’s 16 goals and 10 assists for the season leave him one goal away from equalling Alvaro Saborio’s single-season club goals record of 17 set in 2012 and one goal contribution away from equalling Jeff Cunningham’s single-season record of 27 set in 2006.

  MATCH PREDICTION: RSL WIN

  RSL are on the second-longest single-season unbeaten run in club history (after going 14 straight games without defeat in 2010). The last team to go more than 13 straight games without defeat in a single regular season was the Portland Timbers (15) in 2018.

  Montreal, though, are unbeaten in three straight matches (W1 D2) following a four-match regular-season losing streak. Montreal have not gone unbeaten in four straight league matches in over a year, since winning four straight games in April-May last season.

  RSL recorded a 2-1 win at Montreal in the last meeting between the sides in May 2022. It was the first away win in the nine all-time meetings between the sides.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Montreal – 30.1%

  RSL – 45.1%

  Draw – 24.9%