Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst said he had a feeling Daniel Udoh would get on the scoresheet again after his goal earned a 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Carlisle.
Udoh made the breakthrough five minutes before time, holding off numerous defenders before turning and converting at Harry Lewis’ near post.
The 27-year-old missed a chance to add a second late on but his first-half effort proved enough as Shrewsbury moved nine points clear of the League One relegation zone with their first home victory in seven games.
Udoh was also on the scoresheet as Shrews won 2-1 at Port Vale earlier this month and Hurst, who celebrated his first home win since returning as head coach in January, had a feeling the striker would notch again.
Hurst said: “We could have made it a little bit easier at the end with the chance, ultimately one goal was enough today.
“I said in there (changing room) that I thought he (Udoh) is due a goal and he would score today, as I said when we were at Port Vale.
“I wish it was that easy as I would tell him every game and he would be on the scoresheet but a great finish. He is good at that, he only needs half a yard.
“We have the victory and we will kind of enjoy that I don’t think it was a day for top many words after the game as we haven’t got a game for a while now.
“It’s not very often you get the chance to enjoy the victory so let the lads enjoy it and I am asking Liam (McLaughlin, Shrewsbury analyst) for results and then thankfully a few of them have gone our way.”
Carlisle’s best effort came from Dan Butterworth, who won the ball high up before gliding past a host of Shrewsbury defenders only to be denied by Marko Marosi.
The result leaves them rooted to the foot of the League One standings, 16 points adrift of safety.
Carlisle manager Paul Simpson said: “Really disappointing obviously to come away with nothing from the game. It was a game of few big moments but we were on the wrong side of the big moments today.
“We have probably had three opportunities where we should have done better for their goal.
“We have had a couple of really good chances that we weren’t able to finish, one right at the end of the first half and another from a set-play.
“I think it was a game that was there if we shown a bit more quality in the final third but unfortunately we have come out on the wrong side of it again.
“The biggest difference for me today was when we got into that final third we didn’t show that qualiti. We didn’t find the right passes, crosses or whatever it might be.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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