Super sub Jeremy Sarmiento secured Sky Bet Championship comeback kings Ipswich a stunning 3-2 stoppage-time win against profligate Southampton to go back to the top of the table.
A packed Portman Road hosted this eagerly-anticipated Easter Monday encounter between a pair of sides pushing for a place in the Premier League next season.
Che Adams and Adam Armstrong put Southampton on course for a much-needed win after Leif Davis’ stunning opener, but all too familiar wastefulness cost Russell Martin’s men dearly.
Substitute Nathan Broadhead levelled and James Bree’s 85th-minute sending off for dragging back Davis made for a nervy final conclusion.
Ipswich looked set to fall short but Kieran McKenna’s men never give up, epitomised by Sarmiento recovering from a slip to direct the ball home in the seventh and final minute of stoppage time to spark bedlam.
As for Southampton, their continued inability to capitalise when on top means their faint automatic promotion hopes are now all but over.
It was the perfect end to the night for Ipswich and their fans – including onwatching Ed Sheeran – and follows a dream start.
Sam Morsy showed skill and awareness to float a ball out to Davis, with the full-back continuing to laser a stunning shot past Gavin Bazunu at his near post in the 13th minute.
It was a quite wonderful hit met by an immediate Saints riposte.
Quick build-up played ended with Joe Aribo prodding forwards for Adams to sweep home a 14th-minute equaliser from six yards. Ipswich fans and players appealed for offside, unaware that Davis had played on the Saints striker.
Martin’s men took confidence from that equaliser and went ahead midway through the first half.
The visitors moved from back to front, with Stuart Armstrong bursting forward and continuing to play an exceptional ball through for Adam Armstrong to beat Vaclav Hladky with a first-time finish.
Ipswich offered little in terms of response beyond a Conor Chaplin strike into the ground and then lost influential Kieffer Moore to injury.
Ryan Fraser sent a shot across the face of goal and Adam Armstrong curled an effort over as the first half came to an end, with Southampton continuing dangerously after the break.
Hladky did brilliantly to stop Jan Bednarek heading in a free-kick, before the Ipswich goalkeeper saved a low shot from Adam Armstrong.
The Czech shot-stopper also blocked a Fraser effort but the longer Saints failed to extend their lead, the more chance there was for Ipswich to pull level.
Half of Portman Road thought they had in the 66th minute when substitute Ali Al-Hamadi skipped past his man and hit the post from the edge of the box.
Southampton failed to heed that warning and two minutes later were made to pay as Broadhead hit a hopeful low shot from just inside the box on the turn that beat Bazunu down low to his left.
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Play swung from end to end as these promotion contenders sought a winner, with Saints reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute. Bree hauled back Davis just outside the box and referee Michael Salisbury handed out a red card.
The tension inside the ground was palpable as both sides pushed until the end, with a late David Brooks cross stopped and Broadhead attempt saved.
Seven minute of stoppage time were announced and Sarmiento struck at the death, beating Bazunu to spark wild celebrations, having recovered from an initial slip to score.
Postecoglou praises Pochettino's success at Spurs
Ange Postecoglou says Mauricio Pochettino’s time at Tottenham was a success despite him not winning any trophies.
Spurs will face their former manager’s Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, with both teams needing points in the race for a top-seven finish.
Pochettino led Spurs to a Champions League final and three consecutive top-three finishes in the Premier League during his five-year spell between 2014 and 2019.
The Argentinian failed to lift a trophy in his time at the club, but Postecoglou thinks it is unfair to use that as a baseline for Pochettino’s success.
"I mean it's a funny one you know because if all we measure sort of success on is just trophies, then okay. You know, but I don't think that's what life's about,” he said.
"I think anyone who doesn't think that Mauricio's five and a half years here were successful, doesn't really appreciate, I think, football for what it is because, you know, to get to the Champions League final, to, you know, come runners-up in the toughest league in the world.
"There's no silverware but in my mind, particularly the way he developed that group, I think he was a success.
"This is the business we're in and we get measured by – most of us get measured by other things so we've got to accept that."
Spurs have not won a trophy this season, but they are still in the race for a Champions League spot and sit seven points behind Aston Villa with two games in hand.
Asked about his own success in his first season at the club, he added: "They're not questions I need to ask, or I need to sort of investigate.
"As I said, I go by what I see now, today, what's important to me today. What's important to me is how the lads train and get ready for a big game."
Rangnick turns down Bayern to stay in Austria job
Ralf Rangnick has confirmed he will remain in charge of Austria's national team beyond Euro 2024, having turned down Bayern Munich's interest.
Rangnick confirmed last week that Bayern had been in touch regarding the possibility of him taking over ahead of next season.
Bayern are aiming to fill an impending void, with current coach Thomas Tuchel set to leave the club at the end of the campaign.
But Rangnick has now confirmed he will be staying put, though he insisted he did not "reject" Bayern.
"I am national team coach of Austria with all my heart," he said in a statement released by the Austrian Football Association (OFB).
"This task brings me a lot of joy and I am determined to continue down the road we have started.
"I want to clearly stress that this is not a rejection of Bayern Munich but rather a decision for my team and our common goals."
"We are fully focused on the Euro. We will do everything we can to go far."
There have been calls from some Bayern fans for Tuchel to stay in charge, with some going as far as to sign a petition.
Bayern wanted to appoint Xabi Alonso as Tuchel's successor, but the former midfielder has elected to stay with Bayer Leverkusen.
While Leverkusen stormed to the Bundesliga title to end Bayern's 11-year dominance of the competition, Tuchel's team can still salvage silverware in the form of the Champions League.
Bayern head into the second leg of their semi-final tie with Real Madrid on the back of a 2-2 draw in Munich in Tuesday's first leg.
Dortmund boss Terzic not surprised by Sancho's quality
Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said he was not surprised by Jadon Sancho's quality after the on-loan forward helped the German side to a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first-leg tie of their Champions League semi-final.
Sancho joined Manchester United from Dortmund for 85 million euros ($91.11 million) in August 2021 but failed to hold down a regular spot and returned to Germany after becoming embroiled in a row with manager Erik ten Hag.
After impressing on the right wing against PSG, Terzic said he always sees Sancho's quality in training.
"It's maybe not so easy to bring it onto the field, especially when you haven't had rhythm for a while," he told reporters.
"We know his quality, and we saw it again today. We knew we needed a performance like that from Jadon."
Dortmund bagged the winner in the 36th minute through Niclas Fullkrug to take a slim advantage going into Tuesday's return leg in Paris.
Despite winning the first leg, Terzic knows that the tie is still all to play for in the second leg.
"We showed a very good game, a narrow win but a deserved one. It was a great teamwork performance that got us there. We wanted that small advantage. We know next week will most likely be tougher than today," he said in a press conference.
"This is just half-time and next week will be a different story. It won't be easy to deal with their power play in front of a home crowd. We felt it today from the 45th to the 60th minute.
"We felt their quality. We showed our best game against PSG, but next week they will have a euphoric backing of their fans, and they will want to turn the tie around.
It is a victory that, coupled with Bayern Munich’s draw with Real Madrid on Tuesday, secures Germany a fifth automatic Champions League spot next season.
"We wanted to qualify for the Champions League through the Bundesliga and not this way. But the fact that it will be enough to qualify as fifth is also partly down to our success, our contribution," Terzic added.
"Our minimum goal was to qualify for the Champions League. Now it [added spot] does not improve our Bundesliga season, but it does offer a softer landing."
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