World Football

The United States women's national team will try to extend its winning streak to eight games on Sunday in its second of two October clashes with Iceland.

Emma Hayes' side beat Iceland 3-1 on Thursday to open up a three-game week inside the October international window.

Sunday's game in Nashville should mark another opportunity for the newer players in the squad to receive some minutes and impress Hayes.

Alyssa Thompson made the most of her opportunity on Thursday with the first of the three American goals. Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith, who have become regular scorers for the USWNT, produced the other two tallies.

Another victory is expected in Nashville, but the USWNT would love to start a new clean sheet streak after Iceland scored on the Americans for the first time in 326 minutes on Thursday.

USWNT vs. Iceland Info

Date: Sunday, October 27

Start Time: 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Live Stream: Max

Storylines to Watch

Hayes has a tricky situation in front of her because the USWNT has three games in the international window, not the typical two.

Plenty of squad rotation should be expected not just for Sunday's game against Iceland, but for Wednesday's clash with Argentina in Louisville.

Hayes opted for a forward trio of Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams and Mallory Swanson on Thursday.

That likely means Jaedyn Shaw and Sophia Smith, who both scored as substitutes, will lead the line from the beginning on Sunday.

Shaw only played 24 minutes in Austin, while Smith was on the field for 18 minutes.

Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Naomi Girma all played 90 minutes on Thursday, and while it would surprise no one if all three started and played most of Sunday's game too, Hayes may give one of them a break.

Horan, Lavelle and Girma are three of the USWNT's most important players, but if the goal of the October window is to give more players experience at the international level, some rotation is required.

Hayes could turn to Korbin Albert in midfield to provide some experience in the middle of the park alongside some of the newer players, if that is the way the USWNT boss wants to approach the starting XI.

The USWNT handed out two debuts on Thursday to Hal Hershfelt and Yazmeen Ryan. Five other players on the roster are looking to make their respective international debuts.

A win is expected, regardless of who is on the field, and the goal will be to keep Iceland off the score sheet.

The European side was level with the USWNT for almost 30 minutes in the second half on Thursday before Shaw and Smith struck for their goals.

Iceland managed to put four shots on goal, a number that might seem too high for Hayes' liking given how well the Americans have played defensively since she took over.

The USWNT has not allowed multiple goals in a single game since June 1 and it has held eight clean sheets in 11 games during that span.

Prediction: USWNT 3, Iceland 0

Lionel Messi assisted on Jordi Alba's game-winning goal en route to Inter Miami's 2-1 victory over Atlanta United on Friday in the first game of the best-of-three first round.

Inter Miami outshot Atlanta United 22-8 (12-2 shots on goal). They also possessed the ball 65.7 percent of the match and had 12 corner kicks to Atlanta United's four.

But the match was tied at one entering halftime.

Luis Suárez got Inter Miami on the scoreboard first in the second minute.

Messi nearly put his team up 2-0 in the 29th minute but hit the post. The ball bounced to Marcelo Weigandt, who fired another shot. However, Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan was there for the tremendous save.

Ten minutes later, Saba Lobjanidze put Atlanta on the board after a through ball from Pedro Amador.

A spirit Atlanta United effort would fall short, though, with the Alba goal proving to be the difference.

Messi didn't score a goal, but he still fared well all things considered.

Fans were impressed with Messi and Inter Miami's performance.

Atlanta United will now host Inter Miami for Game 2 on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. ET. An Inter Miami win sends the team into the Eastern Conference semifinals against the winner of the Orlando City SC vs. Charlotte FC series. A loss brings the series back to Miami for the third-and-final match on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Alyssa Thompson marked her return to the USWNT in absolute style.

The 19-year-old forward—who was left off the roster for this summer's Olympics and last played for the United States women on Dec. 5, 2023—scored an absolute stunner of a goal on Thursday during the Americans' 3-1 win over Iceland in a friendly.

Not to be outdone, fellow teenager Jaedyn Shaw scored the match-winning goal in the 85th minute after a moment of absolute individual brilliance:

And Sophia Smith joined the party just moments later:

Thompson was part of the USWNT's World Cup roster in 2023 but was left off the Olympics roster in favor of the "Triple Espresso" forward line of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson and reserve attackers Crystal Dunn and Shaw.

Her potential is unquestionable, however, and her peers, pundits and supporters alike were thrilled to see her open her international account:

As for the game itself, the United States generally dominated the run of play, holding 70.4 percent of possession. But Iceland was effective on the counter and had more than its fair share of chances, with shots favoring the U.S. by a 13-9 margin (6-4 on goal).

And many of the good vibes from Thompson's goals dissipated after Selma Magnúsdóttir's heat-seeking missile found the back of the net in the second half, leveling the match:

But Shaw's moment of individual brilliance had the USWNT dancing once again.

This was not a full-strength USWNT side, as Emma Hayes rotated the squad and Rodman was unavailable for the pair of friendlies due to injury. Nonetheless, it was a match the Americans expected to win.

Iceland is no pushover, as evidenced on Thursday. The two sides will face off again on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, Peacock), and the Americans will look to replicate the first matchup's result.

Another pair of golazos from Thompson and Shaw would help in that regard.

Major League Soccer announced its Landon Donovan MVP finalists on Thursday, with the Inter Miami forward pair of Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez highlighting the list.

Other finalists included Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández, D.C. United forward Christian Benteke and Portland Timbers midfielder Evander.

Messi will present an interesting case study in what voters value most.

The 37-year-old continues to be an absolute menace. His 20 goals were tied for second in MLS, while his 16 assists tied for third, and he did that in just 19 games. Inter Miami were far and away the league's best team this season, registering 74 points, which was eight points clear of any other squad.

Did he play enough games to warrant the MVP trophy, however? That will be the question.

His teammate, the 37-year-old Suárez, tied him in goals with 20 across 27 matches, adding nine assists.

Benteke, 33, led all scorers with 23 goals in 30 contests, adding seven assists. D.C. United did not qualify for the postseason, however.

Evander, 26, tied for first in assists with 19 and added an impressive 15 goals across 28 games, completing 82.5 percent of his passes with 89 key passes. Portland just snuck into the playoffs, though a 5-0 defeat to Vancouver quickly ended the club's season.

Finally, the 25-year-old Hernández was fifth in goals this season (19) and tied for eighth in assists (14) across 27 games, leading the Columbus Crew to the No. 2 overall seed in the Eastern Conference. If there was anybody who might claim the MVP award over Messi, it would be Hernández.

Still, it's hard to argue with Messi's overall output and impact despite missing nearly half the season. Perhaps voters will dock him points for missed time—or perhaps he and Suárez will split some votes as teammates, hurting both of their MVP candidacies—but there's no doubt that Messi was the best player in the league when healthy.

The United States women's national team opens up a stretch of three games in a week on Thursday against Iceland.

Emma Hayes' side will take on Iceland twice in a three-day span and then face Argentina to conclude the October international window.

A lot of familiar faces are in the USWNT squad, but there are also plenty of new ones. Hayes called in six players who could make their international debuts over the next week.

The Americans will try to keep their winning ways going, regardless of who is on the pitch. They are on a 15-game unbeaten streak and a six-game winning streak.

USWNT vs. Iceland Info

Date: Thursday, October 24

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: TBS

Live Stream: Max

Storylines to Watch

Hayes will rely on most of her experienced players to get results during the October international window.

Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Emily Fox and Naomi Girma are among the USWNT mainstays on the October roster.

But there will come a time for Hayes to give some players their debuts over the next week as well. Eva Gaetino, Alyssa Malonson, Emily Sams, Hal Hershfelt, Yazmeen Ryan and Emma Sears are all vying for their international debuts some time in the next week.

The USWNT has become a defensive machine since Hayes took over prior to the Summer Olympics.

The Americans carry a three-game shutout streak into Thursday's game in Austin and they have not conceded multiple goals in a single contest since the SheBelieves Cup Final on April 9.

Iceland should be a much easier opponent for the USWNT to face than the likes of Germany and Brazil.

Iceland has not qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup and it went winless in its last two European Championship appearances.

The visitors do come into their pair of matches with the USWNT on a four-game unbeaten streak from UEFA 2025 qualifying.

However, it is difficult to see where the goals will come from for Iceland. There are two players on the entire roster with a double-digit goal tally at the international level.

In comparison, the USWNT has three forwards and two midfielders with at least 19 international goals.

The USWNT should follow a simple formula to victory in Austin. It should dominate possession, convert on a few of its chances and play strong defense.

Hayes' side will not be doing anything new. It will just be refining the things it thrived at during the gold-medal run at the Olympics.

If the game is under control, Hayes will likely mix in some players to receive their debuts, but at the start, we should see the established stars, like Swanson and Horan, take control of the game.

Prediction: USWNT 3, Iceland 0

The final two spots in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs will have been determined by Wednesday night.

The Wild Card Round begins Tuesday as No. 8 CF Montreal hosts No. 9 Atlanta United in a winner-take-all matchup, with a ticket to the Eastern Conference first round on the line.

The following night, the No. 8 Vancouver Whitecaps FC and No. 9 Portland Timbers will battle in Oregon for the final playoff spot in the West.

Here is everything you need to know heading into these Wild Card matchups.

2024 MLB Cup Wild Card Round Schedule

Atlanta United at CF Montreal

Date: Oct. 22

Start time: 7:30 p.m. ET.

Broadcast: Apple TV (Free)

Moneyline: Montreal +140, Atlanta +175 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Portland Timbers

Date: Oct. 23

Start time: 10:30 p.m. ET.

Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)

Moneyline: Vancouver +230, Portland -105 (via Draftkings Sportsbook)

Predictions

Montreal def. Atlanta

Montreal will enter this game as a favorite in part because of the hot streak it is riding into the matchup, having gone 5-1-1 with three shutouts in its last seven games.

Atlanta, meanwhile, squeaked in to the Wild Card Round thanks to a close 2-1 win over Orlando, getting help from Charlotte FC's win over DC United and FC Cincinnati's victory over Philadelphia Union to secure the final spot in the East.

Montreal has claimed two wins over Atlanta this season, following up a 1-0 home shutout in July with a 2-1 road win during October's push to the playoffs.

The hosts' chances of pushing that record to 3-0 could hinge on goaltender Jonathan Sirois and the Montreal defense, which have combined to hold visitors at Stade Saputo without a goal for 325 straight minutes.

Josef Martínez is also a player to watch heading into the matchup. He has recorded six goals in five games, including an insurance goal in a 2-0 Decision Day shutout of New York City.

Montreal may have gotten the better of Atlanta so far this season, but the visitors will hope to upset their hosts with offense from players like Saba Lobjanidze and more quality goaltending from Brad Guzan.

The 40-year-old goalie, who has regularly been his team's best player this season, tied his own franchise record by making nine saves against Orlando to help Atlanta earn a shot at the Wild Card Round.

Portland def. Vancouver

Vancouver heads into the Wild Card matchup with the higher spot in the standings, but thanks to a scheduling conflict with the 2024 World Supercross Championships, will have to travel to Portland for its biggest game of the season.

The good news for Vancouver is that the team actually performed better on the road (7-6-4) than it did at home (6-7-4) during the MLS regular season.

Both teams have struggled down the final stretch of the season, however. Vancouver has gone winless in seven straight games and marked four straight losses, most recently a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Portland is winless in five straight, most recently playing the Seattle Sounders to a Saturday draw.

Despite the recent slump the Timbers finished the regular season as one of the highest-scoring clubs in the MLS with Felipe Mora, Evander and Jonathan Rodriguez each recording at least 14 goals.

Vancouver's chances of advancing could all come down to the Whitecaps defense. But after the Vancouver midfielders struggled to limit Salt Lake City with the chance to avoid the Wild Card Round on the line last weekend, the Timbers could have a shot to pull off an upset and earn a ticket to the first round.

Montreal and Atlanta are battling for the chance to take on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF starting Oct. 25, while either Vancouver or Portland will head on to face Denis Bouanga and LAFC in a series that will kick off on Oct. 27.

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi collaborated with recording artist Bad Bunny for a new Adidas line.

The Bad Bunny & Messi Collection boasts exclusive designs for Adidas' Gazelle sneaker and F50 cleat.

"For me, and I suppose also for Bad Bunny, the Latin community has enormous importance in our lives," Messi said to ESPN's Luis Miguel Echegaray. "A large part of our fans are Latino, and there is a bond of language, culture and society that is very special. Now, living in Miami with my family, we are more aware of those ties that unite us as Latinos."

The collab arrives as Messi and Inter Miami are preparing for the MLS playoffs.

The club claimed the regular season Supporters' Shield with 74 points from 34 matches. It awaits either CF Montréal or Atlanta United in the best-of-three first round.

Messi, meanwhile, cemented himself as the MVP favorite despite only logging 19 appearances. He had 20 goals and 16 assists, which were each were tied for the second-most in their respective categories.

The 37-year-old capped off the regular season in style as well, notching a hat trick in Inter Miami's 6-2 victory over the New England Revolution.

Messi told Echegaray he hopes Miami advances "very far" in the postseason.

"The playoffs have just begun and the truth is that we are excited to continue winning titles and achieving objectives," he said. "We know it's not going to be easy. There are many teams that fight all season to achieve their goals, and now the most important part begins, where it is win or go out. I think they are going to be very even playoffs, and the details are going to define many games."

Messi arrived with sky-high expectations despite being into the twilight of his playing career. On and off the pitch, he has more than delivered for MLS.

Former United States men's national soccer team coach Gregg Berhalter spoke about his firing at his introductory press conference as head coach and director of football with the Chicago Fire on Thursday, likening it to "mourning a death."

"It's a really difficult moment when you get fired as a coach, and I don't want to liken this to life and death at all, because it's not, you're still alive, but it is like mourning a death," Berhalter said, per Paul Tenorio of The Athletic.

"You wake up the next day and you feel really bad. Your confidence takes a hit, and it's a really difficult moment. For me, it was really about being with my family in those moments and giving myself the time and the freedom and the space to feel sad."

Berhalter was the USMNT head coach from Dec. 2018 to Dec. 2022 before his contract expired. Six months later, U.S. Soccer decided to bring Berhalter back through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, U.S. Soccer changed course after Copa America, when Berhalter's team failed to get out of the group stage.

Berhalter spoke about that performance and took "full responsibility" for the team's outing.

"We didn't perform well in the Copa America, and when you don't perform well at a high level, there are consequences," Berhalter said. "I take full responsibility for that, but it still hurts. When you get past that mourning period, you have support around you, now it's about reflecting."

Berhalter has been fired before after Swedish club Hammarby fired him after a year-and-a-half in charge in July 2013. He was then hired as Columbus Crew's sporting director and head coach and proceeded to lead the club to the playoffs in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, including an MLS Cup appearance in 2015. Berhalter then left Columbus for the USMNT position.

Berhalter did lead his teams to a Gold Cup victory once and the Nations League title twice. And the USMNTwent to the 2022 World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018. The United States also made the round of 16 before falling to The Netherlands.

However, the United States also barely snuck into the World Cup knockout round and ultimately scored just three times in four matches. And the Copa America, which the United States hosted, was a disaster with two losses in three matches sinking the team.

Berhalter is moving on, though, and is looking ahead to the next challenge.

"And then from there you become motivated, alright? Now I want the next opportunity. You get hungry again," Berhalter said after moving forward post-firing. "And during that period when I got hungry, there's a number of opportunities that I was looking at and I kept coming back to Chicago and the potential and the alignment.

"It's not every day that you get to work for a man like [club owner Joe Mansueto], who understands what a top level is and how to build something that's really good and sustainable."

Berhalter takes over a team that currently sits last in the MLS' Eastern Conference with 31 points (seven wins, nine draws, 17 losses). So he has his work cut out for him, but he's clearly looking forward to the challenge.