EPL

Frank ‘still irritated’ despite Brentford’s thrilling comeback against Ipswich

By Sports Desk October 26, 2024

Brentford manager Thomas Frank said he was still irritated after his side defeated visitors Ipswich Town 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller in the Premier League.

Bryan Mbeumo struck a 96th-minute winner at the Gtech Community Stadium as the Bees recorded their fourth win of their 2024-25 league campaign. 

Sam Szmodics and George Hirst gave Ipswich a 2-0 lead, but Yoane Wissa initiated a Brentford comeback before Harry Clarke’s own goal levelled the scores. 

Mbeumo then struck to give the hosts the lead before Clarke was sent off for Ipswich, who did not give up without a fight and restored parity through substitute Liam Delap late on. 

However, Mbeumo scored his second of the game to cap off a positive, yet tense outing for Frank and the Brentford faithful. 

"Being completely honest, I am still irritated. In many ways we did not do well enough, so big respect and praise to Ipswich,” the Brentford boss told BBC Sport after the game.

“They were by far the better team for the first 40 minutes, there was only one team on the pitch. It was one of our worst ever in the Premier League. 

"The last five was better and then in the second half, we were clearly the better team and got back to 3-2 and then lacked the killer instinct to finish it off.

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  • Van Nistelrooy keen to return Man Utd assistant role under Amorim Van Nistelrooy keen to return Man Utd assistant role under Amorim

    Ruud van Nistelrooy is keen to become Manchester United manager one day but says he wants to return to his role as assistant coach under new boss Ruben Amorim. 

    Having returned to Old Trafford as one of Erik ten Hag’s assistants in the summer, he has stepped up as caretaker head coach since his compatriot was sacked last month.

    Van Nistelrooy has overseen victories over Leicester City in the EFL Cup and PAOK in the Europa League, drawing his other game against Chelsea in the Premier League. 

    The Foxes are the visitors once again to Old Trafford in the Dutchman's final game in charge on Sunday before Amorim takes the reins the following day. 

    Asked if he would like to manage the team he scored 150 goals for during his playing days, Van Nistelrooy said: "Yeah, of course.

    "I thought this through well when I made the decision to come to United as an assistant manager or assistant coach," Van Nistelrooy said.

    "I knew that coming to Manchester United was for me a special occasion, where I felt I wanted to be part of this journey with the club in also an assistant role.

    "I had clear ambitions to manage. I made the decision to sign a two-year deal as an assistant, and I'm still in that frame of mind to stay in that capacity."

    The 48-year-old does have managerial experience, too. He was previously the manager of PSV Eindhoven, winning the Dutch Cup in his only season in charge. 

    During his short tenure in the Netherlands, he won 34 of his 50 games in charge (D8 L8), scoring 126 goals and ending with a win percentage of 66.67%. 

    Van Nistelrooy is under contract with United until 2026, but question marks have been raised over his future with Amorim set to bring in his own staff.

    But he insisted that this weekend's sole focus is on ensuring that United are in the best possible shape for Amorim's impending arrival at Old Trafford. 

    "I called it an important period because I think it was important to get through the four games as good as we could," said Van Nistelrooy.

    "I think we've done very well so far. The players have reacted very well in the games.

    "The focus now is to build on that and show that on Sunday, with a big game ahead and a massive three points that are there to win.

    "I don't know if it will be very emotional. I take it very pragmatically as well, although I am proud to be able to fulfil this. We'll see how I feel on Sunday."

    And while this may be Van Nistelrooy's second Old Trafford farewell, he has reason to be confident of ending his latest Red Devils stint on a high. 

    United have lost just two of their last 17 Premier League games against Leicester (W10 D5), with those defeats coming consecutively in May and October 2021.

  • KC school Tivoli High in 5-0 win as Jamaica College, Mona play out 1-1 stalemate KC school Tivoli High in 5-0 win as Jamaica College, Mona play out 1-1 stalemate

    Former champions Kingston College produced a five-star performance to open the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup quarterfinal round in commanding fashion as they blanked Tivoli High 5-0, while reigning champions Mona High and Jamaica College played out a 1-1 stalemate in the Group A double-header at Stadium East on Friday.

    A brace from Damaine Smith (3rd and 19th) and one each from Matrim Martin (32nd), Kamaul Patterson (45+3) and Deshawn Byfield (51st) got the job done for Kingston College in the lopsided feature contest.

    Meanwhile in the curtain-raiser, Sean Leighton’s 35th-minute strike for Mona High was cancelled out by Jamaica College’s captain Dyllan John, who converted a 65th-minute penalty to secure his team a share of the spoils.

    With the result, Kingston College took command of the group on three points, while Jamaica College and Mona trail with a point each. Tivoli will have to play catch up from the foot of the four-team standing.

    Kingston College were always favoured to take three points off Tivoli High, and they did so with consummate ease in what was a showcase of their offensive prowess and defensive strength as they overwhelmed the opponents from start to finish.

    The famed purples wasted little time to break the deadlock as Smith got on the end of a weighted pass and easily fired past Daniel Bailey in goal for Tivoli High.

    Their precise passing and tactical awareness kept Tivoli on the back foot, and it was another of those passes from the back that sent Smith on his way to complete his brace with another simple finish.

    That brace set the tone for what would be a long and arduous game for Tivoli High, who soon found themselves 3-0 down when Shareef Ricketts’ weighted corner kick picked out Martin at the far post and the Guyanese made no mistakes from goalmouth.

    Struggling to find any answer to the waves of attacks that Kingston College unleashed, the West Kingston team were left visibly demoralized as another weighted freekick from Ricketts eluded defenders and Patterson capitalised at the far post to make it 4-0 at the break.

    The second half saw no reprieve for Tivoli High, as Kingston College continued to drive forward with confidence and added to their tally six minutes in when Byfield fired home after Smith’s effort burst through the hands of the hapless Bailey.

    Tivoli High tried to play their game when Kingston College eased up a bit, but their offensive efforts were always easily thwarted by the North Street-based team’s backline long before they posed any real threat.

    Kingston College’s Head coach, Vassell Reynolds, praised his players for their discipline and focus.

    “We really wanted to get three points today because that put us in good stead to push on for the remainder of this round, and I thought the boys responded well and did pretty well. So I am pretty satisfied with our conversion rate and the overall performance,” Vassell said in a post-game interview.

    Tivoli’s assistant coach, Lance DaCosta, believes a lapse in concentration resulted in the loss but backed his team to bounce back against Mona and Jamaica College.

    “I think we struggled defensively; we made too many errors, and they cost us. At this stage we should be more mature and more focused, but we just have to motivate them and try to win our next two games to advance,” he said.

    Earlier in what was one of the season’s most anticipated clashes, Mona forced the initiative and camped out in Jamaica College’s quarters in the early exchanges. They took a few cracks at target, which tested Taywane Lynch, but the Jamaica College custodian proved equal to the task on each occasion.

    Jamaica College eventually found their footing in attack and thought they had the go-ahead goal in the 28th when Giovanni Taylor fired home from close range, but it was controversially called back for an offside.

    Mona eventually grabbed the ascendancy when Leighton finished his fifth goal of the season with aplomb after Robino Gordon’s effort was saved to make it 1-0 at the break.

    However, Jamaica College pulled level five minutes past the hour mark when John fired home from the 12-yard spot after being awarded a controversial penalty.

    Friday’s results

    Mona 1, Jamaica College 1

    Kingston College 5, Tivoli High 0

    St Catherine 3, Campion College 0

    Hydel vs Excelsior (Postponed)

  • Smith calls for intense and aggressive Charlotte approach in playoff decider Smith calls for intense and aggressive Charlotte approach in playoff decider

    Dean Smith is hoping Charlotte FC can replicate their aggressive approach from game 2 when they travel to Orlando City in their MLS playoff decider.

    Charlotte forced a third match in their best-of-three series against Orlando, winning 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw on Thursday.

    However, they lost the first game 2-0 when they travelled to Inter & Co Stadium and have not had much luck on the road against the Lions, failing to win there since March 2023.

    Smith was proud of how his side took the game to Orlando on home soil and is urging his players for more of the same when they return to Florida.

    "There's still a job to be done. We think we can go to Orlando and put in a performance that will put us through to the Conference semi-finals," Smith said.

    "We have to take our intensity in. That's what gave us that performance, our aggressiveness.

    "We forced them into mistakes, and we restricted them to almost no chances, so we were doing something right. We need to make sure we're on the front foot again and take it to them."

    Meanwhile, Orlando are hoping their home advantage will provide a much-needed boost as they look to put that shoot-out defeat behind them.

    They only managed one shot on target in that match and then netted just one of the four penalties that they took, but Oscar Pareja is confident they are in a strong position to go through.

    "We're good. We're aiming for the same intensity, the same intentions, the same plans and the same positive essence that we have.

    "When things get tight you've got to use the advantage, and we have that by being at home. We're going to be faithful to the tactics that have got us to this point.

    "We have to be confident and be ourselves. Have full belief in what to do. We have a team that plays very well and one that has earned this ride, so we plan to use our advantages."

    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Orlando City – Duncan McGuire

    Orlando attempted just three shots in their game 2 draw and penalty shoot-out defeat to Charlotte, their fewest in any MLS match this season, while hitting just one on target.

    Duncan McGuire was responsible for one of those, generating 0.25 expected goals with that effort. The substitute also had the most touches in the box (three) of any Orlando player.

    Charlotte FC – Kristijan Kahlina

    Charlotte have won both of their penalty shootouts, beating Orlando City 4-1 on Friday after recording a 3-1 shootout win in the 2023 Leagues Cup group stage.

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    MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

    Orlando have won eight of their last 10 home matches against MLS opposition in all competitions (D1 L1), including a 2-0 victory over Charlotte in Game 1 on October 27. The Lions scored multiple goals in all eight wins over that time.

    While Charlotte stayed alive with a penalty shoot-out win after a scoreless draw against Orlando in Game 2 on Saturday, the Lions have now kept clean sheets in three straight matches against them after not doing so in any of the first six meetings in all competitions.

    Charlotte's only defeat in their last seven matches in all competitions was their Game 1 loss at Orlando on October 27. In fact, Charlotte’s last loss prior to this run of seven games (W4 D2 L1) also came in Orlando (on September 18), with the omens not looking good going into their final match.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Orlando City – 53.7%

    Draw – 23.7%

    Charlotte FC – 22.5%

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