Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick praised local boy Josh Coburn after the 20-year-old scored his side’s winning goal in the 3-2 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.
Coburn, who almost moved away from the Riverside to Plymouth on loan during the transfer window, scored the winner as Boro made it back-to-back victories following a seven-game winless run to begin the Championship season.
Carrick said: “I’m delighted for Josh. It was a big goal for him. Being a local lad coming through, it’s great and what he’s dreamt of for a long time.
“His performance this week has been really good for what he’s given the team and how he’s stepped up. He’s improving all the time so it’s really encouraging.”
Riley McGree’s double put Boro 2-0 up after 12 minutes but they were pegged back to 2-2 before Coburn secured a second successive victory.
Carrick added: “It was a very good win. A bit of all sorts in there. We started well and then let them back into it out of nowhere.
“But we managed to find a way. Being 2-2 after going 2-0 up and still winning shows a lot of character and a lot of heart. I thought we dug in well after half-time. It’s not easy when you start the game so well and then lose the flow.
“It’s been a big week in terms of results. Winning games does give you extra zip, extra energy and a little bit of confidence.
“I did feel it was coming. We’ve probably played better in games and lost this season. It just shows that you’ve got top go through that spell and earn it really, to come out on top.”
One worrying note for Boro was an injury to midfielder Lewis O’Brien which Carrick admitted may be serious.
He said: “We are fearing the worst for Lewis. We’ll have to wait for scans on the bottom of his shin bone, but it doesn’t look good and he could be out for a bit of time.”
Watford manager Valerien Ismael blamed himself for his side’s defeat and for a tactical change that led to Middlesbrough’s early two-goal lead.
McGree took advantage of too much space in the home defence to side-foot home passes on both occasions.
Vakoun Bayo raced clear to reduce the Watford arrears before Wesley Hoedt equalised with an outrageous half-volley after 51 minutes.
Ismael said: “I’m not very happy with myself. Today is on me, the first half, because we tried to change the shape and tactically.
“It didn’t work out like I expected, especially when the opponents score goals quickly. Then the confidence goes low. I cannot blame the players.
“Out of possession was difficult today and we struggled to control the midfield due to my decision.
“We came back but if you start the game two down, it takes a lot of energy to come back into the game. I made the wrong call in the first half. It was my responsibility and I’m frustrated with myself.
“We are still seeking the flow you get when everything goes in the right direction. It’s a process we need to go through, but it’s clear that we are conceding too many goals at the minute.
“The good thing is that are creating a lot of chances and scoring. We have to find the right balance now.
“We are on a difficult run, but the good thing is that the next game is on Wednesday.”
Watford travel to Sunderland on Wednesday with Ismael admitting that he needs to turn his side’s confidence around.
He added: “We want to win games and when you don’t, it’s painful and frustrating. It’s always the same in the Championship. The games come quickly.
“When you win games, you’ve got momentum and you enjoy the next game. When you don’t, the confidence isn’t that high and the next game becomes difficult.
“But it’s only September so there’s still a long way to go, but I don’t have the feeling that we are powerless or that we have no idea.”
Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Darmstadt: Reus stars in farewell game
Marco Reus scored and assisted in his final Bundesliga game for Borussia Dortmund as they thrashed already-relegated Darmstadt 4-0.
The German teed up Ian Maatsen for the opener on the half-hour mark before scoring a stunning free-kick eight minutes later to put Dortmund in control.
Donyell Malen scored his 13th goal of the season to round things off after substitute Julian Brandt had latched onto Jadon Sancho's ball for a third.
Dortmund could have had more as Reus, Malen and Marcel Sabitzer struck the woodwork in either half, but it did not matter as Darmstadt struggled to show a threat.
Edin Terzic's side finished fifth in the final Champions League spot, while Darmstadt are relegated as the bottom club.
Data Debrief:
Reus has been directly involved in 251 goals in the Bundesliga (156G 95A in 391 games), making him just the third player to reach 250 goals and assists since his Bundesliga debut in August 2009, behind Thomas Müller 318 and Robert Lewandowski 367.
The German bids farewell to Signal Iduna Park having scored nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions this season, though he will be hoping to add to that tally in his final match for Dortmund - the Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1.
Chelsea edge out Man City to claim fifth straight WSL title with thumping win at Old Trafford
Mayra Ramirez turned in a stellar performance to propel Chelsea to the WSL title in Emma Hayes' final match in charge as the Blues thrashed Manchester United 6-0.
Earlier in May, Hayes – who is ending a 12-year stint in charge of the Blues to become the United States coach – had all but given up on claiming a fifth straight WSL crown.
Yet Chelsea's 8-0 victory over Bristol City two weeks ago, combined with Manchester City's defeat to Arsenal, opened the door, and after beating Tottenham in midweek, the Blues knew a win, while maintaining their positive goal difference, would be enough.
And they made sure there was no room for error with an incredible first-half display inspired by Ramirez, who scored twice and set up goals for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken at Old Trafford.
Melanie Leupolz got in on the act early in the second half as Chelsea's celebrations began in earnest, with Fran Kirby netting late on to complete the rout on her farewell appearance.
Ultimately, City – likely deflated by the news coming from Old Trafford – held up their end of the bargain, but shorn of top goalscorer Khadija Shaw, Gareth Taylor's team could only beat Aston Villa 2-1.
City were constantly chasing their title rivals, with Ramirez and Rytting Kaneryd putting Chelsea 2-0 up at United inside eight minutes.
Mary Fowler nudged City ahead at Villa Park, though when Taylor's team went in at the interval, they will have seen additional goals from record signing Ramirez and Nusken had all but sewn up the title for Chelsea already.
Leupolz has scored her first WSL goal in over two years to add further gloss for Chelsea when they came back out from the restart in Manchester, and City were then hit by a further blow when Rachel Daly equalised for Villa.
Lauren Hemp, who had assisted Fowler's opener, restored City's lead, though it was never going to be enough, with Kirby's farewell goal ensuring Chelsea finished with a goal difference of 53 compared to their rivals' 46.
Chelsea are now unbeaten across their last nine WSL games that have come on the final day of the season, while the Blues are now nine WSL matches without loss against United, having won eight of those fixtures.
Hoffenheim 4-2 Bayern Munich: Tuchel bows out on defeat thanks to Kramaric hat-trick
Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of a second-half Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in Thomas Tuchel's final game.
Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies saw the injury-depleted Bavarians go 2-0 up by the sixth minute.
Hoffenheim, however, pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier just two minutes later, with the hosts gradually taking some of the early pace out of the game.
Bayern's injury troubles were further compounded when they lost Aleksandar Pavlovic to injury in the 35th minute, and struggled to cope with Hoffenheim's threat in the second half.
Kramaric then delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, ending a disappointing season in third place with 72 points.
Bayer Leverkusen finished in top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Hoffenheim finished seventh, in the Europa Conference League place.
Data Debrief:
Thomas Muller made his 473rd Bundesliga appearance for Bayern on Saturday, drawing level with Sepp Maier as the club's record appearance maker in the competition.
Bayern failed to have a single shot on target in the second half, while Kramaric ran riot to subject Bayern to their worst league finish since 2011.
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