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• Vancouver Whitecaps v Colorado Rapids: Sartini relishing preparing for Rapids after morale-boosting win

  Vanni Sartini enjoys being able to take a different approach to their match against Colorado Rapids, as he does so following a win.

  The Whitecaps snapped a six-match winless run in MLS last time out, seeing out a 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City in midweek.

  It moves them up to sixth in the Western Conference, where they will have the chance to keep their name in the mix at the top with another win.

  Sartini was upbeat following their victory, but was quick to point out they would not be thinking about that result for too long.

  "The good vibes [after the win] ended on Friday morning. Then we start thinking about Colorado, but we think about it in a completely different way after a win," Sartini said.

  "If we beat them, we get away from them [in the table] and it would put us in a good position going into the [international] break. It's a completely different feeling, but we're very happy to approach the game in this way."

  Colorado are also on 26 points, only behind Vancouver due to their inferior goal difference.

  The Rapids have won only one of their last five outings, and head coach Chris Armas admits there is still work to be done if they want to get back to winning ways.

  "We're a work in progress," he said. "We're going to make mistakes, we have a fairly young squad, so we will make mistakes, and we need to work on that."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld

  Gauld scored his fourth regular-season brace in Vancouver's win at Kansas City on Wednesday.

  That saw him equal Eric Hassli, Fredy Montero, and Pedro Morales for the second-most multi-goal games for the Whitecaps, behind only Camilo Sanvezzo (eight).

  Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

  Mihailovic has been involved in a goal in five of his last six MLS appearances (two goals, three assists), including the last three in a row.

  The American has recorded a goal contribution in four straight appearances once before in his MLS career, doing so with CF Montreal between September and October 2021.

  MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

  The Whitecaps have lost only one of their last nine matches against the Rapids in Vancouver (won four, drawn four) dating back to October 2014, including going unbeaten in the last three at BC Place (won one, drawn two).

  However, Vancouver have lost two of their last three home matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Inter Miami on Saturday.

  The Whitecaps have suffered back-to-back home defeats in MLS only once since returning to BC Place in 2021, doing so in July 2022 against Minnesota United and Chicago Fire.

  Colorado have lost their last two away matches, conceding eight goals along the way. The Rapids had lost only one of their previous six on the road (won three, drawn two), allowing a total of six goals in those games.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Vancouver Whitecaps – 50.3%

  Draw – 25.1%

  Colorado Rapids – 24.5%

• Philadelphia Union v CF Montreal: Organisation key for Curtin

  Jim Curtin believes maintaining an organised, coordinated press will be key for the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, when they take on CF Montreal at Subaru Park.

  The Union sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, five places but just three points clear of Montreal, after playing out a goalless draw with Toronto FC in midweek.

  Philadelphia have only won one of their last nine MLS matches but have taken five points from their last three (one win, two draws), while keeping three straight clean sheets.

  Curtin feels picking their moments to strike is the way to go against Laurent Courtois' team, saying: "We expect a really tough test against Montreal. You can tell they're well-coached, they're well-drilled in the way that they try to pass out of the back.

  "They have some really intricate movements within their group. They're brave home and away in the way they try and play. 

  "We'll have to do a good job of being organised, and try to turn them over as close to their goal as possible, and create chances."

  Montreal ended a run of seven league games without a victory (three draws, four losses) by beating D.C. United 4-2 last time out, with Ariel Lassiter among the scorers.

  Lassiter hopes that result can be a turning point in their season, saying: "Winning changes everything, winning changes the outlook of the locker room and the mentality.

  "It's the victory, the three points that we need to go into Philadelphia to get points there, and then to finish for the international break on a high."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag

  The Union have failed to score in back-to-back MLS matches for the first time since April 2023. They have not gone three straight MLS matches (including playoffs) without finding the net in over a decade, last doing so in September 2013.

  His team's leading scorer with nine goals in 14 league games this term, Gazdag will look to end their barren run.

  CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim 

  Ibrahim scored a brace off the bench for Montreal on Wednesday, becoming just the third player in club history to score multiple goals off the bench in an MLS match.

  He was the first Montreal player to achieve the feat since Ahmed Hamdi in July 2021.

  MATCH PREDICTION – PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN

  The Union have won only one of their last nine matches (four draws, four losses) following their scoreless draw with Toronto on Wednesday. 

  Philadelphia's seven points during this time is their fewest in a nine-match span in a single season since they took seven points from nine games between March and May 2017.

  However, they have only lost one of their last eight games against Montreal (four wins, three draws), who were winless in nine across all competitions before their midweek victory. Home advantage makes them favourites.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Philadelphia Union – 58.5%

  CF Montreal – 19.9%

  Draw – 21.6%

• Chicago Fire v LA Galaxy: Joveljic eyeing top spot as visitors target nine-point week

  Dejan Joveljic has his eyes on the Western Conference summit as LA Galaxy bid to make it a nine-point week on Saturday, when they face the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

  The Galaxy have won back-to-back games against Houston Dynamo (2-1) and FC Dallas (3-1) and sit second in the West, just two points behind Real Salt Lake.

  Greg Vanney's team have now lost just one of their last nine matches (four wins, four draws), but Joveljic wants even more, starting in Chicago. 

  "We would like to win four or five games in a row," the forward said. "But first, we have to win three and then we will see. We are in second place, so it's good, but it could be better. 

  "In the playoffs, I would like to start with the first game at home. So, that means we have to be in the top four teams but, of course, our top goal is to be first."

  Chicago, meanwhile, are winless in nine MLS matches (four draws, five defeats) following their 1-1 draw with Orlando City on Wednesday. 

  Only the New England Revolution, with seven points, sit below them in the Eastern Conference standings. However, boss Frank Klopas has seen signs of improvement.

  "I think in these last two games, we've changed how we wanted to play. We haven't got the wins, but I feel we're improving as a team," he said.

  "There's a big belief in the group, but there's also frustration, for sure. There are a lot of emotions because of where we are.

  "We have to keep going. It's great that we're playing on Saturday again, it's going to be a great crowd, and we have to come out with the same attitude against Galaxy."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers 

  Cuypers scored the Fire's goal in their draw with Orlando on Wednesday.

  The Belgian forward has now either scored (four) or assisted (one) five of Chicago's last nine MLS goals.

  LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig

  While Gabriel Pec assisted Joveljic for Galaxy's first goal on Wednesday, Puig scored the third (Joveljic netted the second from the penalty spot). 

  At least one of Pec or Puig have been involved in 12 of the Galaxy's last 13 non-penalty goals in MLS, including the last nine in a row.

  MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY

  Galaxy are unbeaten in six straight MLS matches (two wins, four draws), including winning their last two in a row. 

  This is LA's 18th two-match winning streak since the start of the 2021 season, but Galaxy have not won three straight matches in all competitions since a four-match streak between August and September 2020.

  Galaxy have a great chance to achieve that feat this week, though, with Chicago winless in nine league games. They have gone 10 or more consecutive matches without a victory in a single regular season three times before, most recently between April and May 2022.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Chicago Fire – 32.9%

  LA Galaxy – 41.5%

  Draw – 25.6%