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• Dom Rep secure Group C honours in League B; St Vincent and the Grenadines end on high with victory over Barbados

  Dominican Republic defeated Bermuda 2-0 to not only end the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifiers on a high, but also cop Group C honours in League B, on Tuesday.

  Following the top-of-the-table clash, Dominican Republic ended with 15 points and secured a playoff berth ahead of their Bermudan counterparts, who ended on 13 points. Meanwhile, St Vincent and the Grenadines register a consolation victory of the campaign against Barbados.

  St Vincent and the Grenadines vs. Barbados

  St Vincent and the Grenadines topped Barbados 4-2 in a lively contest at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

  Ashante Browne scored the first goal for the Lady Heat in the 12th when she pushed a pass over the top past goalkeeper Rhea Holder.

  Shanice Stevenson equalized in the 74th when she pounced on a loose ball inside the box with a curling effort into the left netting.

  St Vincent regained the lead through an 82nd-minute Samayaa Connell effort, as she rounded defenders and fired home from close range that left Holder flat-footed.

  Jessicia Miller extended the advantage for the Lady Heat in the 84th when she connected with Asanteni Charles's weighted free kick.

  Charles widened the gap with a goal of her own in the 89th by converting from the penalty spot. 

  Barbados eventually pulled another back courtesy of Altica Benn's own goal in the 90+3.

   

  Dominican Republic vs. Bermuda

  Dominican Republic proved too good for Bermuda on home soil at the Panamericano Stadium in San Cristobal.

  Alyssa Oviedo broke free and opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful shot that bounced off the left upright on its way in.

   

  At the half-hour mark, Kathrynn Gonzalez had shot on frame, but her free kick attempt was denied by Bermuda's goalkeeper Zakhari Turner.

  Lucia Marte was denied in the 44th, after she picked up the ball off a missed header and released a powerful attempt that was punched clear by Turner.

  Mia Asenjo was also denied in the 47th, as Turner was alert for the save early in the second half.

  But Asenjo broke through in the 86th with a powerful hit to the left netting to secure the three points.

• A special night – Mikel Arteta savours late Declan Rice winner

  Mikel Arteta hailed a “special night” for Arsenal after Declan Rice’s headed goal seven minutes into stoppage time secured a sensational 4-3 win against Luton at Kenilworth Road.

  Rice climbed to nod home Martin Odegaard’s cross and seal a victory that sent his team five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

  That outcome had looked unlikely when Ross Barkley squeezed a shot through goalkeeper David Raya to put the hosts 3-2 up early in the second half and send home fans into delirium.

  But Arteta said: “I really enjoyed it, especially the end.

  “It’s the incredible thing about football, emotions and the moments that you live together. It was a special night.

  “Credit to Luton for the incredible atmosphere that they created and the way they played. They made life really difficult for us. But we found a way to win. The resilience and the the character and the quality showed.

  “Playing every three days, and we have to win every game, the demands are there. It’s the way (the players) go about it, how much they want it.

  “Today we conceded some goals we’ll be disappointed with. That’s part of it as well, it’s going to happen. It’s how we react to that.”

  Arsenal had opened the scoring when Gabriel Martinelli tapped home after being set up by a low cross from Bukayo Saka, though Luton hit back quickly when Gabriel Osho headed in from a corner to make it 1-1.

  Arteta’s side regained the lead before the break, Gabriel Jesus nodding beyond Thomas Kaminski at the far post after good link-up play between Saka and Ben White on the right, but they were again pegged back shortly after half-time by Elijah Adebayo who out-jumped the goalkeeper to equalise.

  Barkley’s goal, an effort straight at Raya that passed through his hands and under his body, put Rob Edwards’ side in sight of a famous victory.

  That lead was wiped out within minutes when Kai Havertz scored his third goal in four games, beating Kaminski to the ball to score from Jesus’s dinked pass into the box.

  Then late drama as Rice’s intervention with virtually the game’s final touch broke Luton hearts and extended Arsenal’s winning run to four league games.

  It was the fourth league game this season in which Arsenal scored a winning goal beyond the 85th minute after similarly late shows against Brentford, Manchester City and Manchester United, with Rice scoring in the 96th minute against the latter.

  “We don’t want to draw, we want to win,” said Arteta. “That drive, that energy, that risk and that emotion we put in the pitch, you can sense it.

  “We should have scored before with the chances that we had. We didn’t, but we tried until the end and we got rewarded.

  The manager would not be drawn on the performance of Raya, who was arguably at fault for two of Luton’s goals.

  He added: “It’s not about blaming, we’ve never done it and we’re not going to do it now. It’s about how the team reacts to that. I loved that response. I think we can defend much better there, for sure.”

  Luton boss Edwards reflected on a game from which his team can take confidence despite a disappointing conclusion.

  “I didn’t know what to say to the lads afterwards,” he said. “I’m proud. We mustn’t let that one moment affect us too much, we’ve got to look at the bigger picture.

  “They did exactly what we asked of them and gave everything. We’ve just come up short tonight.

  “We made it a really uncomfortable night for them, we tried to make it chaotic, be aggressive and brave. We can take some positivity from it, and we have to.”

• I don’t know what to say – Sarina Wiegman stunned by Nations League finale

  Sarina Wiegman was left almost speechless with disappointment after England’s 6-0 win over Scotland was still not enough to make the Nations League knockout stages as Team GB’s hopes of reaching next summer’s Olympic Games also ended.

  Pedro Martinez Losa’s side, already relegated from League A1, were swept aside at Hampden Park but the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Belgium saw them top the group.

  Defender Alex Greenwood headed the opener after 12 minutes and two goals in a minute by Lauren James and another by Beth Mead just before the break had the game over by half-time.

  Striker Fran Kirby added a fifth with Lucy Bronze heading in what looked a crucial final goal in the third minute of added time – but Damaris Egurrola’s late brace for the Netherlands meant they pipped Wiegman’s side on goal difference.

  Wiegman, whose side was the nominated nation on behalf of Team GB for Paris next year and needed to win the group, was on the Hampden pitch with her players after the game when the Dutch, whom they beat 3-2 on Friday, scored their crucial fourth.

  She said: “Of course I am very very disappointed. That’s the biggest emotion I have now.

  “We delivered tonight and we delivered this December camp, the team showed lots of character, in this game too and we started the game really well, scored four goals in the first half.

  “When Lucy scored I said to the players that we are going to get this.

  “Netherlands scored in the late seconds and that’s how close it was.

  “We were waiting, long minutes but we really thought we got it and then we didn’t make it I said I actually don’t know what to say.

  “I am really proud of the performance and what we did this whole week but it was not enough and it is really disappointing and you don’t really have to say anything more.

  “If you don’t get through in goal difference then it is just not enough, that’s the facts. But that’s football.”

  Martinez Losa was similarly taken aback by what he had witnessed but for different reasons.

  He said: “We have to apologise to the fans, this was not what they expected.

  “We lost concentration in the first half after we conceded the first goal, we were out of the game at half-time.

  “I will never be embarrassed about the team, about the players, but it was not the performance we were expecting for our fans.

  “England were at a good level and took advantage of their good moments.

  “One of the consequences of the result is because we wanted to win the game. We pressed England high as well as they did. Some moments we were doing things well.

  “After the four goals it was difficult for our players to come back.

  “I considered [making first-half subs] but didn’t do it because in the end, the responsibility of the team is with myself. I respect the team, I understand for the players that it is a big occasion and I wanted to wait until half-time.”