Wigan and Rotherham shared the spoils after a goalless Sky Bet Championship draw at the DW Stadium that lived up to its billing as a dead rubber.
With the Millers already safe and the Latics already relegated, there was little to play for in front of a bumper crowd, boosted by a sell-out contingent from South Yorkshire.
All of the pre-match talk had focused on Wigan’s failure to pay their players on time for a fifth time this season.
And a number of their first-team ‘regulars’ were absent from the matchday squad named by boss Shaun Maloney.
James McClean – one of the players who had not been paid – did play, however, and wore the captain’s armband on what could turn out to be his last appearance for the club.
Youngster Sam Tickle was making his league debut in goal, and he had a confidence-boosting first involvement very early on.
Tariqe Fosu danced through the Wigan defence and got in his shot, but the goalkeeper was able to make a fine stop with his body.
The home defence parted again as Jamie Lindsay made his way through some non-existent tackling.
But this time on-loan midfielder Christ Tiehi – another making his final appearance – stuck out a foot in the nick of time to toe it back to Tickle.
As half-time approached, Fosu crossed from the right and the ball flew only just in front of the lunging Jordan Hugill at the far post.
After the restart, a Rotherham break saw them threaten two-on-two, but a great recovery from Tom Pearce and then McClean snuffed out the danger.
Tickle was called into action again from a Fosu free-kick before a Charlie Hughes cross found Thelo Aasgaard unmarked at the far post at the other end. His header was straight at Viktor Johansson.
The Millers goalkeeper pulled off a stunning save moments later to keep out Omar Rekik’s header from a Callum Lang free-kick.
As Wigan looked to end a disastrous campaign on a high, Tiehi sent a half-volley from 20 yards over the top.
Lang had one last effort to break the deadlock right at the end but his shot, which was travelling, was superbly gathered by Johansson.
There had been suggestions that some home supporters would try to get onto the field in the closing stages to protest at the club’s ownership.
Nothing transpired, although the game was halted in stoppage time when the away supporters threw a couple of red flares onto the field.
Uruguay's last-gasp win over Colombia will 'bring everyone closer', says Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa believes Uruguay's memorable 3-2 win over Colombia in World Cup Qualifying, secured by Manuel Ugarte's 101st-minute strike, will "bring everyone closer".
Former Leeds United boss Bielsa had found himself under pressure, with La Celeste going five matches without victory since finishing third at the Copa America.
However, they climbed to second in the CONMEBOL qualification group – ahead of Colombia on goal difference – by edging a five-goal thriller in Montevideo.
Andres Gomez's 96th-minute strike had appeared to salvage a point for Colombia, but Ugarte volleyed home following a knock-down from Facundo Pellistri mere moments after Uruguay had kicked off again.
Speaking after the dramatic finale, Bielsa said: "Victories like today are healing in the sense that they bring everyone closer, around a feeling as strong as Uruguay's connection with the national team.
"It was a very exciting match, and the players' determination to secure the win was evident.
"They have a well-oiled style of play; they defend, press, manage the ball, and have individual brilliance, which makes them a tough rival to beat.
"It's not easy to win against this opponent, as they have physically gifted, technically proficient players across all positions, many of whom can change the game's dynamics."
Next up, Uruguay face Brazil, with the Selecao languishing in fourth after they played out a frustrating 1-1 draw with Venezuela on Thursday.
Bielsa, however, is under no illusions regarding the magnitude of the task awaiting his team in Salvador on Tuesday.
"If Colombia is an athletically strong team with an offensively capable system that creates danger and has organisation in possession, Brazil has that and more," he said.
"We will try to control the ball in their half and not ours. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we don't, like against Venezuela."
Amorim wants Man Utd players to be inspired by club's history
Ruben Amorim wants his Manchester United players to be inspired by the club's history as he bids to bring a winning mentality back to Old Trafford.
Amorim, taking over at the Premier League club following the departure of Erik ten Hag, was speaking in his first interview with the club after a tour of their home venue.
The Portuguese tactician had visited Old Trafford earlier in the week and met a group of supporters, as well as the women's team's vice-captain, England star Ella Toone.
"When you come [to Old Trafford], it's so different. You see the trophies, you see the tragedy that we have as a club. The history," said Amorim.
The 39-year-old added the manner in which the club defied the odds to succeed under Matt Busby after the Munich air disaster in 1958 should be a particular source of inspiration.
"This kind of strength, I think it's important to put in our team. When the players come here, they should take the stadium tour all the time. I think this is very important to do," Amorim said.
"It's normal if you go a lot of years without winning, you start losing that feeling. So I think we need to put all the players doing the same thing, to regain that feeling.
"We haven't won the Premier League for a long time. But if you ask, United is the biggest club in England.
"So this is part of history, it is not now. So we have to address that, to show that and to try to win again."
Asked what his footballing philosophy is, the former midfielder said it all comes down to being a team.
"The team is the most important thing for me. And if you work as a team, then the talent individually is going to shine," he said.
"But if I have to explain the importance of everything, it is the character, the way we fight, the way we play, and we must have an identity.
Indonesia 0-4 Japan: Visitors stay unbeaten with rout
Japan continued their unbeaten start to World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 victory over Indonesia on Friday.
Two goals from the visitors in either half were enough to seal the three points and get them back to winning ways after a stalemate with Australia last time out.
Ragnar Oratmangoen should have put Indonesia ahead, but he hesitated one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and Japan did not look back after that. They got a bit of fortune with their first goal, Justin Hubner deflecting a cross into his own net in the 35th minute.
Takumi Minamino got their second just before the break, finishing off a pacy counter-attack by darting onto the end of Kaoru Mitoma’s cross to sweep it past Maarten Paes.
While there was not much the goalkeeper could do with that one, he was at fault for the third as he gifted the ball to Hidemasa Morita, who coolly picked out the bottom corner just after the break.
Yukinari Sugawara came off the bench to round off the scoring in the 69th minute. He raced down the right wing and instead of looking to his options, he rifled it in from a tight angle at the near post.
Japan are up to 13 points after five games, sitting top of Group C, while Indonesia are bottom, still in search of their first win.
Data Debrief: Clinically done
For a team still chasing their first win, Japan are probably not high on the list of opponents they would want to face, and Indonesia were undone by their visitors.
Hajime Moriyasu's side created 0.79 expected goals (xG) to Indonesia's 0.72, while they only had four more shots than their hosts (12 compared to eight).
Japan took their chances, and though the win margin may look harsh, they were deserving of the three points, having dominated throughout the game.
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