Rob Edwards expressed his pride after a landmark win for Luton at Everton.
The Hatters’ 2-1 victory at Goodison Park was their first ever win in the Premier League and first in the top flight since April 1992.
Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris scored from set-pieces in the first half, with Everton pulling one back before half-time through Dominic Calvert-Lewin but unable to find an equaliser.
“I’m just very, very proud of the players and pleased for the club,” said Hatters boss Edwards.
“I know it’s a big moment, I get that. I don’t want this to come across in any kind of arrogant way but I expected us to (win) today, I really did. I told the boys before the game, ‘I know this is going to be a good day’.
“We really believed we could come here and win the game. We had a really good plan. Everton have got some good players and they were very fluid, especially in that first half.
“At 2-0 up there was a lot of movement, a lot of stuff going on. We had to adjust, which we did at half-time, then I thought we looked more solid again. I thought we deserved it. It felt great.”
Luton’s band of supporters celebrated with glee at the final whistle, and the three points were enough to lift the newly-promoted side out of the bottom three.
“Amazing day for the supporters,” said Edwards. “They deserve it, our board deserve it. They’ve really stuck with us. I know they’re going to because we’re on a brilliant journey and where the club has been. They’re going to enjoy this.
“But it’s important we give them something to shout about as well, and not just, ‘Well done lads, unlucky’. They’re amazing supporters, I love them. They’ve travelled a long, long way today in the rain and they get to enjoy their day.”
Everton began the game on the front foot and with optimism flowing that they could build on victories over Brentford and Aston Villa during the past week.
But instead they suffered a fourth straight home victory, leaving manager Sean Dyche hugely frustrated at a big opportunity lost in front of their prospective new owners.
“I’m disappointed in the result, obviously,” he said. “Performances, broken-record time – dominated so much of the game, give away really poor goals and don’t take our chances.
“Changing the story, which I’ve spoken about endlessly this season, is our responsibility. We had a brilliant chance I thought today, a platform to begin the process of changing the story, the depth of it the last two years, all the noise and the rest of it, and we don’t take it.
“It’s very frustrating because the team are there, it’s like, ‘Go on then, change the story, be the person that makes the difference, don’t wait for someone else to do it’. Then it spreads like wildfire.
“And we sort of nearly do. Today just that weird thing when everyone’s sort of looking for someone else to change it. It’s an odd thing and I’ve been trying to break it since I’ve been at the club. And we keep trying.”
Jamaica tops Group B after victory over Honduras in CONCACAF Nations League
Jamaica claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Honduras on Tuesday night, propelling them to the top of Group B in League A of the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League as the September match window concluded. The win secured Jamaica’s position as the group leader, while Nicaragua now sits in second place after their draw against Cuba.
In a tightly contested match at Estadio Nacional Chelato Uclés in Tegucigalpa, the Reggae Boyz opened the scoring early in the second half when Honduras’ Denil Maldonado inadvertently scored an own goal in the 49th minute after Norman Campbell delivered a dangerous ball into the box.
However, Honduras quickly responded with an equalizer in the 50th minute, as David Ruiz finished from close range. Despite the quick turnaround, Jamaica continued to apply pressure, and in the 76th minute, Michael Antonio scored the match-winning goal from the penalty spot.
The victory puts Jamaica in first place with four points from two matches, giving them the edge in the group standings. Honduras, with one point, drops to third in the group, just one point off the top.
Elsewhere in the group, Cuba and Nicaragua played to a dramatic 1-1 draw at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba. After dominating much of the first half, Cuba took the lead in the 42nd minute through a penalty converted by Karel Espino. The hosts came close to extending their lead in stoppage time, but Karel Pérez’s strike narrowly missed the far post.
Nicaragua, however, found a late equalizer in the 90th+7 minute, with Widman Talavera salvaging a point for his team. The result keeps Nicaragua level with Jamaica on four points but in second place due to tiebreakers. Cuba, with two points from consecutive draws, sits in third place.
In the final Group B matchup of the evening, Trinidad and Tobago and French Guiana played to a scoreless draw at Dwight Yorke Stadium in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago. Both teams created chances throughout the game, with Loïc Ball forcing a save from Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith in the 27th minute, while Daniel Phillips hit the woodwork with a long-range strike in the 39th minute for the hosts.
Despite the opportunities, neither team managed to score, with both goalkeepers recording clean sheets. The result gave French Guiana their second point of the campaign, while Trinidad and Tobago secured their first point.
As the September match window concluded, Jamaica leads Group B, with Nicaragua close behind in second place. Honduras, Cuba, French Guiana, and Trinidad and Tobago round out the group, as all teams look to improve their standings in the next round of matches.
De Ligt was subbed off to protect him, says Koeman
Ronald Koeman revealed that Matthijs de Ligt's substitution was made to protect him during the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Germany in the Nations League.
Tijjani Reijnders had given the Netherlands the lead in the second minute, only for Deniz Undav and Joshua Kimmich to hand the visitors the advantage at the break.
For Germany's equaliser, Manchester United defender De Ligt saw his pass under no pressure intercepted by Jamal Musiala, resulting in Undav levelling the scores.
Koeman had previously addressed De Ligt's errors during the Netherlands' 5-2 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina last week and had to do so once again on Tuesday.
"Of course, I would rather have kept Matthijs de Ligt on the pitch. It just looks like he is now in a period where all his mistakes are being punished," said Koeman.
"I gave him a new chance today, but eventually protected him by taking him off."
However, Liverpool captain and defensive partner Virgil van Dijk was more blunt in his assessment, saying the punishment is bound to follow against the top sides.
"This is football. You have to learn from this," Van Dijk said. "It was one moment but at the highest level you will get punished for it."
But at the top end of the pitch, Koeman was impressed with the performance of Ajax striker Brian Brobbey, who was given the chance to shine in place of the absent Memphis Depay.
Brobbey, who made only his second start for his country against Germany, proved a handful for the visitors' defence, notching the assist for Denzel Dumfries' equaliser, with his five touches in the opposition box a total only bettered by Cody Gakpo (seven).
The Dutchman's display forced Julian Nagelsmann into making a defensive substitution of his own at the break, replacing Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah for Borussia Dortmund new boy Waldemar Anton.
"Tah was not substituted for nothing," said Koeman. "He pulled Brobbey’s shirt five times and committed a foul each time. Brobbey held him off very well.
"The second goal also came from Brobbey. I am super satisfied with him. He got his chance, and it was great that he took it like that.
"I am glad I chose him. He is fast and strong."
There was cause for concern, however, for Manchester City defender Nathan Ake, who pulled up off the ball on the stroke of half-time and was replaced by Jurrien Timber.
Ake left the field on a stretcher and was visibly upset, with Koeman able to provide a brief update on the injury.
"It looks like a muscle injury for Nathan, though I am not certain," Koeman said.
United States 1-1 New Zealand: Waine leveller leaves Pochettino plenty to ponder
Ben Waine's late goal earned New Zealand a 1-1 draw with the United States, who ended the night on a low after the confirmation of Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach.
Christian Pulisic looked to have earned victory in Tuesday's friendly with his 69th-minute finish, only for Waine to fortunately capitalise on some poor defending by the hosts a minute from the end.
A lacklustre first half saw just one shot on target from either side as the USA failed to make their dominance count, entering the interval with 66.4% possession.
But Milan's Pulisic emerged from the bench to spark the contest into life, rounding off a free-flowing move with a left-footed finish low into Max Crocombe's goal.
However, USA's dismal run, which has seen them win one of their last seven games, continued after a moment of defensive misfortune.
Nando Pijnaker's hopeful punt caused trouble, with Mark McKenzie's attempted clearance striking Waine and looping over the helpless Matt Turner.
Data Debrief: Plenty to do for Poch
If Pochettino had any illusions about the scale of the task that awaits him as newly-appointed USA head coach, this showing will have set him straight.
Despite registering 17 shots, USA only saw five hit the target, underperforming their expected goals (xG) total by 0.33.
But Pochettino can hold on to hope that captain Pulisic can lead his side back to glory.
His introduction from the bench in the 57th minute saw him register an xG of 0.27, a total only bettered by Brenden Aaronson (0.29), while the former Chelsea man also created more chances (four) than any of his team-mates.
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