Jamaica College and Calabar High had a positive start to the second round of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup as they played out an entertaining 3-3 stalemate in Group Four at Stadium East on Saturday.
Many-time champions Jamaica College entered the contest slightly favoured and had their goals from Jahmarly Bennett (10th), Nashordo Gibbs (16th), and a 75th-minute own-goal from Calabar's Damano Blackwood.
But it is Calabar, contesting the second round of the tournament for the first time in many years, that left happiest, as they got goals from Obryan Marks (4th), Kevaun Campbell (59th), and the talismanic Jaheim Rankine (90+1) to secure a share of the spoils.
With the result, both teams sit joint top of the group on a point, with Charlie Smith and St Catherine doing battle in the late group contest.
Calabar's Head coach Andrew Price was delighted at the manner in which his team stepped up to the challenge.
"We told the youngsters to continue to fight; we have been underdogs all season because people didn't expect us to be where we are right now but we came out here and we fought and showed some character. We believe in ourselves and we believe we can get results against good teams.
"I told the team we are stepping up in class and we will be up against good teams and Jamaica College is an excellent team. So to get a points out of this must be a plus for us going into the remainder of the round," Price said in a post-match interview.
It was a frantic start for the boys from Red Hills Road, as they stunned their more fancied rivals when Marks unleashed a one-time effort from a distance that caught Jamaica College's custodian Nathaniel Aiken off his line.
However, the lead lasted a mere six minutes, as Bennett pulled Jamaica College level with his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot after Amarlie King was taken out inside the area.
The game continued at a decent tempo as Jamaica College grabbed the ascendancy six minutes later when Gibbs well-taken free kick from way out eluded all and sundry and bounced into the net for his eighth of the season.
They should have added another in the 43rd, but Gibbs dragged his right-footer wide of the target after doing well to dismiss his marker.
Minutes later, Giovanni Taylor went on the break, but he too failed to maintain his composure and fired high and wide.
The Old Hope Road boys enjoying a decent passage of play had another chance to add to their tally before the break. However, Omari Grant, in goal for Calabar, did well to deny Jabarie Howell from close range.
Both teams continued to trade blows on the resumption as Calabar pulled level on the stroke of the hour-mark when Campbell arrived in time to tap in from close range after Aiken spilled Jaiquan Stewarts's cross.
However, the 'Dark Blues' again stuck the nose in front when Gibbs' attempted cross was turned in by the hapless Blackwood to put Jamaica College 3-2 up.
With their motto stating 'the utmost to the highest,' Calabar didn't relent and just when it seemed as Jamaica College had the three points in the bag, Rankine came to the fore with a lovely left-footed drive that took a wicked deflection to steal a point for his team in time added.
Jamaica College's assistant coach Raymond Watson rued his team's wastefulness.
"It's three points lost than a point gained. I thought we had many moments to put away the game, especially in the first half and we just gave it up. We kept doing individual things instead of playing for the team and that cost us in the end," Watson noted.
Saturday's early results
Jamaica College 3, Calabar 3
Eltham 2, Excelsior 3
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
'Top-class' Middlesbrough pass Norwich test, says Carrick
Michael Carrick was impressed with Middlesbrough's showing against another top opponent in the Championship after they played out an enthralling 3-3 draw with Norwich City.
Borja Sainz had given the Canaries a ninth minute lead before Tommy Conway's brace and Finn Azaz's close range effort had Boro in the ascendency at the interval.
Conway then saw his penalty saved by George Long after Jose Cordoba fouled Riley McGree, with that moment proving pivotal in the outcome of the contest.
Sainz doubled his tally two minutes after Boro's spot-kick with a stunning effort that kissed the underside of the crossbar, before an own-goal by Seny Dieng drew Norwich level.
The Canaries finished the game with a man less after captain Kenny McLean was shown a straight red card late on, but Middlesbrough were unable to find a winner.
Despite letting a two-goal lead slip at Carrow Road, Carrick was pleased with his players' efforts in a game he felt his side edged.
"I thought we were fantastic for the most part, we showed what a good team we are and played some really good football," Carrick told BBC Radio Teesside.
"We conceded three goals, the third wasn't nice at all but the other two, he put them in the top corner from distance and if they’re going to score like that from there, there's only so much you can do [to stop it].
"I thought we were pretty much the better team throughout, [although] the momentum swung a little bit towards the end.
"That’s two games against really good, top opposition in this league and we’ve been the better team in both games.
"Today was a test in terms of going a goal down but the confidence we showed and togetherness to get through that was top-class."
For Norwich, meanwhile, the draw ensured they maintained their 11-month unbeaten home record.
A win would have put them fifth in the table, but they remain eighth on the same number of points as ninth-placed Boro, both of them still one point adrift of the top six.
But it was a contest they were perhaps fortunate to claim a point from. The Canaries ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of just 1.1 compared to the visitors' 3.86.
"When a game is that hectic, with so many situations in it, then it's hard work for me from minute one to minute 90," Johannes Hoff Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk
"We had to be very specific at half-time about what was important for us [to do], very specific with in-game communication to the players because there were so many details to put focus on.
"The moments we have when we are calm on the ball, especially in their half, the spaces we highlighted before the game opened up and we created chances, or at least got into some dangerous positions."
Slot pleased with Liverpool comeback, but Arsenal 'the better team'
Arne Slot was pleased by Liverpool's resilience in coming from behind twice to earn a draw against Arsenal, but acknowledged the Gunners were the better team on the day.
Virgil van Dijk's header cancelled out Bukayo Saka's opener, before Mohamed Salah sealed a share of the spoils after Mikel Merino had restored Arsenal's advantage.
The Reds had their chances to return to the Premier League summit after Arsenal lost Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber to injury, but they were unable to find a winner.
Slot preserved his unbeaten away record during a pulsating encounter at the Emirates, but said the Gunners deserved their half-time advantage.
"Eventful, exciting. Both teams scored from a set piece. In my opinion, Arsenal were the better team than us," Slot said. "They deserved to be one up at half-time.
"We had less to recover and prepare for this game and if I look at how strong we were in the second half, that pleased me and most being two times down."
Slot is now the first Liverpool manager to not lose any of his first seven away matches in charge since William Connell in February 1923.
But Liverpool conceded twice in the first half of a Premier League game for the first time since December 2023 (two versus Fulham).
Indeed, 40% of the Reds’ goals conceded in the competition under Slot were scored by the Gunners today, but the Dutchman was keen to focus on the positives.
"Two times behind then it's pleasing to see we can come back into the game especially with one day less to recover," he continued.
"To be stronger in second half than first pleases me. You come here to win but maybe a draw was a result we can take with us, especially after the first half.
"You know coming here that they have many quality players, you can have difficult moments in the game. Pleased me to score from a set piece.
"We needed that because from open play we weren't dominant at all. They deserved to be up 2-1 at half-time. But the way we showed up second half was impressive."
It was also a memorable game for Van Dijk, who scored on his 100th appearance as the captain of Liverpool.
His goal was his 17th with his head, with only John Terry (27) now the only defender to have netted more headed goals in the Premier League than Van Dijk.
But away from his personal milestones, the Reds captain echoed the thoughts of his manager and was happy to leave the Emirates with a point.
"Listen, it's a very tough place to come. They created a solid team and make it difficult for everyone. To come back twice is a good thing, we take the point and we move," he said.
"You play here in London, they have the fans behind them and they created some momentum.
"You have to be ready to fight because you will have some tough moments. One point and we take it."
The Dutch defender was also asked about his ongoing contract situation at the club, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
"I'm very calm. Let's see what happens towards the end of the season," Van Dijk said.
"I'm enjoying my football, physically and mentally. Keep enjoying the game because it's a beautiful game that we play and I play."
Inter 4-4 Juventus: Scudetto contenders share eight goals in thrilling draw
Piotr Zielinski and Kenan Yildiz both scored twice as Derby d'Italia rivals Inter and Juventus played out a thrilling 4-4 draw in Serie A on Sunday.
An absorbing opening half featuring five goals began with Marcus Thuram winning a penalty for the Nerazzurri, which Zielinski converted coolly after 15 minutes.
Juve equalised five minutes later through Dusan Vlahovic, however, then took the lead through a strike from Timothy Weah within six further minutes.
After Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalised following a neat piece of interplay with Thuram in the 35th minute, Zielinski scored his second penalty of the game to put Inter back on top, Pierre Kalulu mistiming his clearance and fouling Denzel Dumfries.
Dumfries extended Inter's advantage early in the second half, converting at the back post after a corner was flicked into his path, but Juventus were not to be denied a share of the spoils.
Substitute Yildiz reduced the deficit for Juve in the 71st minute, placing an angled drive into the far corner, then stunned San Siro by firing home at the back post eight minutes from time.
The result leaves Inter second, four points adrift of early-season pacesetters Napoli, while Juve are one point back in third.
Data Debrief: Goals galore in Derby d'Italia
One could certainly make the case for Sunday's Derby d'Italia being the most entertaining in the fixture's storied history.
It was just the third game between Inter and Juventus to feature at least eight goals in Serie A history, after a 9-1 Juve win in June 1961 and a 6-2 Inter triumph in 1932.
It was the first Serie A fixture between the teams to ever see five goals scored in the first half, meanwhile.
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