Barrow boss Pete Wild hailed Kian Spence’s start to life in the EFL as the former FC Halifax midfielder scored his second goal since a summer move to secure a 1-0 win at Harrogate.
Spence, 22, had spent two-and-a-half years playing non-League football for the Shaymen and Scarborough after being released by Middlesbrough.
But, having scored the Bluebirds’ opening-day winner at Tranmere, he also settled this game against his hometown club with a spectacular 21st-minute strike from 25 yards.
A delighted Wild said: “I want our midfielders to score goals and shoot from the edge of the box and, if he can keep pulling out strikes like that, everyone will be happy.
“I’ve known Kian for a long time and he takes information on board and implements it.
“I think he’s mature beyond his age and I knew he would be fine making the step up. He’s still got a lot to learn but he’s made a really good start to League football.”
Wild was encouraged with how his side adjusted to a change in system that saw three out-and-out strikers – Dom Telford, Jamie Proctor and Emile Acquah – all included in the starting XI.
“I was really pleased with the way we came out in the first half,” he added. “We were on the front foot having changed to a formation (4-3-3) that we have been working on.
“We came here and played 3-5-2 last season and it didn’t work, so I knew we had to try something different. We had three forwards and it was pleasing to see us create lots of chances.
“The only frustration is we didn’t score more goals but, in the second half, Harrogate caused us problems and, when we needed our keeper he made a great save from the penalty.”
Paul Farman denied Jack Muldoon from the spot and, despite Harrogate being the joint-lowest scorers in League Two, home manager Simon Weaver hopes striker Luke Armstrong’s collapsed deadline-day move to Wrexham still goes through.
A fee, rumoured to be in the region of £500,000, was agreed between the two clubs and a move announced late on Friday night, only for an EFL spokesperson to confirm that the necessary paperwork had not been submitted in time.
But Weaver, who also brought in Josh March from Stevenage on Friday as a replacement for Armstrong, said: “I’m aware there might be an appeal from Wrexham. I’ve spoken to their manager, Phil Parkinson, and he’s disappointed, so hopefully everybody can end up winning from the situation.”
Weaver also felt his team failed to match Barrow’s physicality on the day, saying: “Everyone is 6ft 2ins and big and strong in their side and I don’t think we had an answer to their physicality in the early stages.
“They’ve also ended up winning a tight game from a fantastic strike that I’m sure their player was buzzing about, but I thought we could have closed him down better.”
Spalletti willing to switch things up after 'mistakes' in Spain defeat
Luciano Spalletti is aiming to get Italy back to their best against Croatia on Monday after admitting to not getting things right during their defeat to Spain.
Spain secured top spot in Group B after their 1-0 victory over Italy on Thursday, with Riccardo Calafiori's own goal handing La Roja the win in the 55th minute.
Despite the narrow scoreline, Italy struggled to test their counterparts in the final third, managing just four shots in the match, with Unai Simon only having to make one save.
Spalletti had named the same starting line-up from their comeback win over Albania but used all five of his changes by the 64th minute.
The head coach admitted even that was not soon enough for his team, but is confident Italy will bounce back on Monday.
"Of course, after a game like that, there is the notion and the idea to change the team a little bit," Spalletti said.
"I probably made mistakes in not mixing things up quicker in terms of the performance we produced, but I thought it would be a gamble to tweak anything because we saw everything that had been said in recent times.
"Now that we have noticed that there is a bit of fatigue and rust in terms of results, we certainly will change things."
Italy know that a win will confirm second place in the group, while a defeat will either knock them out immediately if Albania beat Spain or leave them waiting to see if they can go through as one of the best third-place teams.
"There are certain matches which ultimately dictate whether it's been a great tale or a tale to forget, so the glory of your tale comes down to matches such as this," Spaelletti added.
"Talk is cheap, you've got to go out there and walk the walk. We said things we weren't able to exhibit against Spain, we need to walk the walk and leave talk to one side."
Albania's Daku banned by UEFA for two games after offensive chanting
UEFA has banned Albania's Mirlind Daku for two games after the forward led supporters in nationalistic chants following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Croatia at Euro 2024.
Daku grabbed a megaphone before joining in with offensive chants about Serbia and North Macedonia after full-time in Hamburg.
Issues persist at the European Championship in Germany, with chants relating to historic political and ethnic tensions in the Balkans region.
"Daku will be banned for a total of two UEFA representative team competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligible," a statement from European football's governing body said on Sunday.
"[Daku] failed to comply with the general principles of conduct, violated the basic rules of decent conduct, used sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and brought the sport of football into disrepute."
Daku has since apologised for his actions but will miss Monday's game against Spain in Dusseldorf, where Albania could book their place in the knockout stages for the first-ever time with victory.
The Albanian Football Association sent out a statement to issue an "appeal to all Albanian fans to be more responsible and avoid the creation of these totally avoidable incidents and riots".
Albania's football federation has also been fined €47,500 for lighting fireworks, a pitch invasion and transmitting provocative messages not fit for a sports event during the same match.
Meanwhile, Croatia were also penalised for lighting and throwing fireworks during the game, with UEFA issuing a €28,000 fine.
Serbia had already threatened to withdraw from the tournament over the chanting by Croatia and Albania fans at their match before the Serbia FA condemned "shameful racist behaviour" in a separate statement.
France v Poland: Deschamps remains calm despite Les Bleus' struggle for goals
France manager Didier Deschamps says he is "not concerned" with his side's recent struggles in front of goal ahead of their final Euro 2024 group game against Poland on Tuesday.
Les Bleus are all but through to the knockout stages of the European Championships, sitting joint-top of Group D with four points, but need to avoid defeat to ensure progression.
Yet France's only goal at the tournament so far has come courtesy of Maximilian Wober turning into his own net in the opening 1-0 victory over Austria, before a goalless draw with the Netherlands on Friday.
France failed to score with any of their 15 shots in a wasteful display against the Oranje as Deschamps went without Kylian Mbappe, who was only fit enough for the bench due to his broken nose.
Asked about Les Bleus' profligate showings, Deschamps responded: "I am not concerned. It is just the name of the game.
"Sometimes you have countless chances and don't hit the back of the net, and sometimes it is the other way round.
"I would be worried if there were not any chances. Efficiency at high-level football is important, and it is something we can work on.
On Mbappe's fitness, Deschamps added: "Everything is going in the right direction; he is recovering from the shock, there is the haematoma part which will diminish each day, he will get used to his mask, which modifies the vision a little. But he is fine."
Poland became the first side to be eliminated from the tournament following France's draw, after they lost their opening matches to the Netherlands (2-1) and Austria (3-1).
They have faced their own problems without Robert Lewandowski, who missed the start of the tournament due to a hamstring injury before appearing from the bench against Austria.
"We are depressed by this result, but we still have one more game in our group, and we need to put our best foot forward and try to win three points," Lewandowski said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
France – N'Golo Kante
N'Golo Kante was a surprise inclusion in Deschamps' squad for the tournament after a two-year absence from the national side, but his performances so far have earned him the Player of the Match award in their opening two games.
The midfielder has made more major tournament appearances without losing than any other European player, with France unbeaten in all 17 games he has played across the Euros and World Cup (W12 D5).
Poland – Piotr Zielinski
Poland may be out of the tournament but will be desperate to go down fighting, with Piotr Zielinski again expected to be key here.
Zielinski has been directly involved in more shots than any other Poland player at Euro 2024 (11 – seven shots, four chances created), as well as completing the most passes for his side (68) across the first two rounds.
MATCH PREDICTION: FRANCE WIN
This will only be the third meeting between France and Poland in a major tournament, and the first at the Euros. Poland won a third-place play-off match 3-2 at the 1982 World Cup, while France triumphed 3-1 in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup.
Including all competitions, France are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Poland (W4 D4), since losing a friendly match 4-0 in August 1982.
Les Bleus simply need to avoid defeat to qualify for the knockout stages, and they are unbeaten in their eight games in the group stage at the Euros under Deschamps (W4 D4), with their last such defeat coming on MD 3 versus Sweden at Euro 2012 (2-0), under Laurent Blanc.
Meanwhile, Poland have lost both of their games at Euro 2024 so far but have never previously suffered three defeats in a single group stage at a major tournament.
Poland have lost their final group stage match in three of their four previous appearances at the European Championships, with the exception being a 1-0 win against Ukraine in 2016 – the only time they have reached the knockout rounds of the competition.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
France – 73.9%
Draw – 14.8%
Poland – 11.2%
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