Related items

• ‘We bottled it’ says Peterborough boss after shoot-out shock at Mansfield

  Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson called his players ‘bottlers’ after they lost a Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out 3-1 at League Two Mansfield.

  Posh came from behind to lead but the game ended 2-2 when Lucas Akins netted a stoppage-time penalty.

  Former Peterborough goalkeeper Christy Pym then saved two spot-kicks before Davis Keillor-Dunn netted the winner as the Nottinghamshire team ensured they remain the only EFL side unbeaten this season, making the fourth round of the competition for the first time since 1975.

  Ferguson said: “I don’t like criticising my players in public and I very rarely do as a manager. But I am not letting them get away with that one. They absolutely bottled it.

  “For the first 65-70 minutes, the penalty aside, I thought we were really, really good and they couldn’t get near us.

  “But all of a sudden Mansfield started going back to front a bit more and we just bottled it, pure and simple. I can’t dress this one up.

  “It is terrible result, there is no other way of putting it, and it is a massive opportunity missed.

  “It was a massive chance to get in the last 16 and I hope Mansfield now get Manchester United away or something like that so our players can see it tomorrow night.”

  Will Swan put the Stags ahead from the penalty spot in the fifth minute but the visitors piled on the pressure and levelled when Jonson Clarke-Harris’ 25-yard free-kick went through the wall and past Pym on the half hour.

  Clarke-Harris swept home a second in the 47th minute but Mansfield raised their game and began to dominate and were rewarded with Akins’ spot-kick success three minutes into added time, before emulating their shoot-out win at Sheffield Wednesday in the previous round.

  Delighted Stags boss Nigel Clough said: “We are into the next round for the first time in nearly 50 years, which is a hell of an achievement, but so is going 12 games unbeaten.

  “For quite long spells we were second best as they were so good. There wasn’t too much we were doing wrong. They were just very competent.

  “The respect they showed us by naming a full side said everything. They are a top side in League One and you can see the big difference, the pace and the speed they move the ball.

  “We just hung on in there, trying not to concede a third goal and at 2-1 anything can happen in the last 20 minutes.

  “I thought the equaliser was coming after Lucas Akins’ goal that was offside. It was no more than we deserved for hanging on in there.

  “We have been good taking penalties in training and at Sheffield Wednesday so we saw no reason why we couldn’t win the shoot-out.”

• Serge Gnabry facing stint on the sidelines after breaking arm

  Serge Gnabry faces a period on the sidelines after suffering a fractured forearm in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 DFB Pokal win at Preussen Munster.

  The 28-year-old fell awkwardly in an early challenge and was substituted shortly after Eric Choupo-Moting fired the Bundesliga champions into a ninth minute lead.

  Bayern later revealed the extent of Gnabry’s injury on their social media accounts, writing: “Serge Gnabry is confirmed to have suffered a fracture of the ulna in his left forearm.. following an X-ray examination during the match.”

  Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel described the loss of Gnabry, who scored in his side’s Champions League win over Manchester United last week, as a “bitter blow”.

  Tuchel confirmed: “Serge will undergo an operation tomorrow and will miss several weeks.

  “It’s a bitter blow for him personally but also for us. He is an important player and a super character.”

• ‘We gifted them two goals’ says Millie Bright after England lose to Netherlands

  Skipper Millie Bright said England “gifted” the Netherlands their goals and were “not ruthless enough” after the Lionesses were beaten 2-1 in Utrecht in their second Nations League group game.

  The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute when Georgia Stanway was closed down near her own box, the ball went to Danielle van de Donk and she teed up a Lieke Martens finish, which it appeared would have been ruled out for offside if VAR had been in operation.

  After Alessia Russo’s 64th-minute equaliser, England were then punished after losing possession again in the 90th minute as Alex Greenwood gave the ball away and Martens fed substitute Renate Jansen, who rifled past Mary Earps.

  Bright told ITV: “I think there were some really good parts of the game where we really dominated.

  “I thought they were ruthless when they had their opportunities, and to be honest we gifted them two goals, which is really disappointing on our behalf.

  “I think when you concede in that manner, that’s the most disappointing thing, especially when games like this really matter.

  “They had probably less chances but were really, really clinical in those. We had a couple but were not ruthless enough in that area.”

  Having threatened little for much of the first half, England went close to levelling in the 41st minute, Rachel Daly volleying against a post, and Lauren Hemp and Lucy Bronze then saw efforts saved by Daphne van Domselaar, before Linda Beerensteyn struck the bar for the home side.

  Van Domselaar subsequently made an excellent save to deny Hemp early in the second half before Russo’s leveller and Jansen’s decisive late impact as the battle between England boss Sarina Wiegman’s current and former employers – both of whom she has guided to Euros glory and a World Cup final – proved an unhappy occasion for the 53-year-old Dutchwoman.

  Wiegman afterwards expressed frustration at the opener, replays of which suggested Van de Donk had been in an offside position.

  The manager described it as “obviously offside” as she voiced her disappointment at what is only the third loss of her 41-game England tenure.

  Wiegman told ITV: “(It is) absolutely a tough one to take and a very, very unnecessary one.

  “The first half they were the better team. I think second half we totally dominated the game, and of course we scored one goal – but before that we got lots of huge opportunities too. And it’s just one moment that we don’t manage the game and in the counter-attack they score for 2-1. That’s very, very disappointing.

  “I also think – that’s disappointing too – when they scored their first goal, we didn’t do well, we didn’t play well, but it’s so obviously offside. That needs to be seen.

  “I think the standards of the game are getting higher and higher, so (having VAR) would absolutely help. It’s just a little bit disappointing.”

  The result leaves both England and Andries Jonker’s Netherlands on three points in Group A1. Belgium, who England face twice in October in their next group games, lead the pool with four points after drawing 1-1 with Scotland, who have one.

  Wiegman’s side, 2-1 victors over Scotland in their opener last Friday, are attempting to secure a Paris 2024 Olympics qualification spot via this competition, and need to finish top of their group to have a chance to do so.

  Bright said: “It’s still all to play for. We have to rest, recover, go again – (and) reflect. These opponents are getting better and better, and we have to reflect, evolve, get better as a team, develop.”