Maidstone goalkeeper Lucas Covolan is eyeing a move to the Sky Bet Championship after a “normal day at the office” in the club’s historic 2-1 win at Ipswich.
National League South club Maidstone produced one of the FA Cup’s greatest upsets on Saturday after goals from Lamar Reynolds and Sam Corne in Suffolk.
Covolan also starred at Portman Road as Maidstone lost the shot count 38-2, but had their former Brazil Under-20 goalkeeper to thank following a string of excellent saves.
It helped Maidstone become only the 11th non-league club to reach the fifth round in what was their seventh tie in this season’s competition.
“It’s a normal day at the office isn’t it,” Covolan told BBC One.
“I had a great game and I am so happy I could help my team-mates. Here we go, we’re in the hat again and I am so proud of the team.
“Hopefully I can get a move now to the Championship as well!
“What we have achieved now is something unbelievable. To be in the last 16 teams in England, it’s brilliant, just brilliant.
“Credit to all the fans, all the team performance. Everyone was cramping up at the end, but we kept fighting, bodies on the line and everything. What a great day.”
Before kick-off 98 places separated the teams and Ipswich could have been 3-0 up inside 11 minutes, but Jeremy Sarmiento and Omari Hutchinson hit the post, while Covolan denied Hutchinson and Nathan Broadhead.
Further saves from Covolan thwarted Hutchinson and Sam Morsy before Reynolds sent the 4,472-travelling fans into pandemonium with a superb chip in the 43rd minute.
Ipswich did finally beat Covolan 11 minutes after half-time when Sarmiento rolled into the bottom corner, but Corne put George Elokobi’s side back in front with 66 minutes on the clock after another fine breakaway goal.
All eyes were on whether the sixth-tier outfit could hold on and Covolan ensured they did with a sensational save to deny Conor Chaplin following a corner with six minutes left.
It resulted in jubilant scenes at full-time, with Covolan tearful after an eventful career that has seen him score in the National League play-off final for Torquay in 2021, but suffer with depression during a spell at Port Vale.
The 32-year-old added: “It means a lot. I just want to thank my whole family, my wife and everybody that’s been supporting us.
“It means so much because my career in the last few years was not very good and now all the bad parts of the career comes in my head and we produce this.
“It’s unreal. It was very, very good.”
Ipswich captain Morsy urged his team to bounce back as quickly as possible in their bid for promotion after he acknowledged the day belonged to Maidstone.
“We have to look at it and things we can work on because ultimately we didn’t do enough to win the game,” Morsy told Town TV.
“Sometimes it is the other team’s day.
“We haven’t had many disappointing days but sometimes in football it can happen.”
Montego Bay United relinquish JPL lead after crushing defeat to Mount Pleasant
Montego Bay United’s reign at the top of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) standings came to an abrupt end on Sunday after a decisive 3-0 loss to Mount Pleasant in the North Coast Derby at Drax Hall. The result allowed Waterhouse to claim the top spot on the table despite playing to a 0-0 draw with Portmore United at Ferdie Neita Park.
Mount Pleasant delivered a commanding performance, with coach Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore lauding his team’s defensive solidity and disciplined play.
"I thought it was an excellent performance, a collective effort from the unit. I think defensively we were solid, we didn't concede," said Whitmore. "For the past couple of games we have been missing penalties, but we happened to put one away today. Coach Ferguson said in our team meeting that we are getting a penalty today, and we did get it."
Despite challenging conditions due to a wet playing surface, Mount Pleasant maintained their style of play throughout the match.
"That's what we want to do, we want to keep our standard. I think we controlled the game for the most part, we didn't give the opponent any look-in. I think that augured well for us," Whitmore added.
The loss was a major blow to Montego Bay United, who now sit in third place with 20 points, level with Portmore United but behind on goal difference.
Waterhouse climbed to 21 points, one ahead of both Montego Bay United and Portmore United, after their goalless draw with Portmore. Both teams had chances in a tightly contested affair, but neither could find the breakthrough.
Portmore missed a golden opportunity five minutes into the second half when Junior Grizzle failed to convert. Waterhouse improved as the game progressed, but Shacquwell Henry came closest to securing a winner for Portmore, glancing a header wide from six yards out with 10 minutes remaining.
Elsewhere, Tivoli Gardens produced a scintillating display to crush Harbour View 6-0, marking one of the most emphatic results of the season. Meanwhile, Humble Lion and Dunbeholden played out a 0-0 stalemate.
'I'm probably more out than in' - Salah yet to be offered Liverpool extension
Mohamed Salah says he is "probably more out than in" at Liverpool as he is yet to receive an offer to extend his contract.
The Egyptian is Liverpool's top scorer this season, having netted 12 goals in all competitions, but is in the final months of his current deal, which runs out at the end of the campaign.
Salah became the first player to score in five successive Premier League appearances for the Reds with his two goals in the 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday, since the Egyptian himself in October 2021 (seven in a row).
His second goal in that match was also his 100th away from Anfield for Liverpool in all competitions.
Salah, who has scored 223 goals since joining from Roma in 2017, admitted he was disappointed with the current contract situation.
"We are almost in December, and I haven't received any offers yet to stay in the club," he said. "I'm probably more out than in.
"I'm not going to retire soon, so I'm just playing, focusing on the season, and I'm trying to win the Premier League and hopefully the Champions League as well. I'm disappointed, but we will see."
Only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (12) has bettered Salah's tally of 10 goals this term.
Salah is one of three high-profile Liverpool players in the final year of their contracts, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also approaching the end of their deals.
"You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this," Salah added.
"But in the end, it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December, and I haven't received anything yet about my future.
"I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end, it is not in my hands or the fans' hands. Let's wait and see."
Mbappe getting 'up to speed' with Real Madrid team-mates
Kylian Mbappe believes he is finally getting up to speed with his Real Madrid team-mates after scoring in a 3-0 LaLiga win at Leganes on Sunday.
Mbappe, who had played in a central attacking role since joining from Paris Saint-Germain, went four games without scoring in all competitions before netting the opener against Leganes.
The 25-year-old has come under scrutiny since his move, despite scoring eight goals in his opening 16 matches in all competitions, as he has not hit the free-scoring heights he showed while at PSG.
He scored his seventh league goal of the campaign after being moved back to his preferred position on the left, with Carlo Ancelotti saying after the game he was satisfied with the tactical shift.
Mbappe combined well with fellow attacker Vinicius Junior, who usually operates down that flank, as the Brazilian set up the goal.
"Vinicius and I read each other very well. I've got a great relationship with him, and he's a great player," Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the win.
"I think I put in a good performance. I'm starting to get up to speed with my team-mates. I can play in every position, and I'm ready to help the team and give my all.
"It's the story of my career. I play on the right, on the left, in the middle and with two up top. It doesn't matter to me. I want to help the team and score goals."
Madrid are second in the league, four points behind Barcelona, who have played one game more. The leaders drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo on Saturday.
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