Stockport manager Dave Challinor hopes his side’s comeback victory at AFC Wimbledon will help cure any lingering hangover from losing last season’s Sky Bet League Two play-off final.
The Hatters arrived at Plough Lane having won only one of their first six league games of the campaign and were forced to name two goalkeepers on their bench due to a long list of absentees.
Another setback looked to be on the way as they trailed at half-time to Josh Davison’s opener, but goals from Louie Barry and Will Collar in the second half gave them a much-needed boost and ended the Dons’ unbeaten start.
Challinor said: “We needed that as a group to get ourselves kickstarted.
“You keep taking shots below the belt in terms of mistakes, and things like that, and they can affect what happens, but they’ve shown an awful lot of character in the second half from what happened in the first half to go and get a massive three points.
“We have to use that as a bit of a springboard and hopefully we will do.
“You have to go to them lengths to win games of football.
“It was always going to be tough, there were always going to be frustrations and you’ve got a group there that are absolutely empty in terms going to the lengths they went to at the back end to see the game out.”
Wimbledon went ahead after 32 minutes when Davison managed to get free of his marker to turn in James Tilley’s corner.
But Stockport hit back five minutes into the second half when Isaac Olaofe drove into the Dons’ half before setting up Barry, who whipped a good finish into the bottom corner.
The comeback was complete in the 62nd minute when Barry got in behind down the left and his cut-back was thumped in first-time by Collar.
The win was almost snatched away from the Hatters in the ninth minute of stoppage time, however, when Tilley shot a big opportunity into the side netting.
Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson said: “I don’t think we were at our best today.
“My biggest frustration was that we probably weren’t brave enough with the ball today – we were too predictable, didn’t cause them enough problems.
“They’re a tough team to play against but I don’t think Stockport necessarily had to be at their best and they haven’t seen Wimbledon in the best light, so that’s the frustration.
“I thought it was good in the first half.
“They had a lot of the ball, but I don’t think they hurt us because our shape was really good and we had some really good moments where we countered, although we probably didn’t make the most of some of those.”
International record goalscorer Sinclair to retire after NWSL season
Christine Sinclair, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League in November.
Sinclair, 41, has 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, making her the top scorer across both men's and women's football.
She has played for the NWSL's Portland Thorns since 2013, helping them to win the inaugural title that year. She added further league crowns to her collection in 2017 and 2022.
The Canadian great has had similar success with her national team, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also one of three players to score at five World Cups, alongside Brazil's Marta and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sinclair retired from international football in December 2023, and will now call time on her club career.
"Portland, thank you will never be enough. Soccer has been my passion since I was four years old and it has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined," Sinclair wrote on Instagram.
"As I finish out this last ride, I want to say what a privilege it has been to represent this unique, beautiful, and passionate city that I will always call home."
Dorival calls for patience over Neymar's Brazil return
Brazil head coach Dorival Junior called for Neymar to be given as much time as he needs to make a full recovery from a knee injury before returning to the national side.
Neymar ruptured his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty last October in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, missing the Copa America as a result.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery and returned to training with Al-Hilal in July, but he is yet to make his comeback, with head coach Jorge Jesus saying this week the Brazilian was not ready.
Neymar is Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances and is 15 caps shy of breaking Cafu's record for the most outings for the Selecao.
But the forward is again missing from the Brazil squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru next month, with Dorival saying he will wait until the right moment to welcome Neymar back into the fold.
"We'll wait, we'll be patient, it doesn't matter if he can't come back in October, November or even February," Dorival said.
"He needs to be confident, he needs to play and above all he needs to be completely healed from this injury.
"We are starting to realise how important he is.
"If he returns in the coming years, we will have one of the greatest players in world football at a remarkable moment in his career and in our national team."
Dorival recalled Barcelona winger Raphinha and Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli for their upcoming fixtures next month.
Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick were the other attacking options included for the five-time world champions.
Brazil have 10 points from eight qualifiers after losing four of their last five matches, leaving them fifth and just one point above Paraguay, who occupy the play-off spot.
Guardiola declares "war" on Arsenal in escalating rivalry
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City had been "provoked" into a "war" with Arsenal after the two sides drew 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium in a drama-filled clash.
City players John Stones and Kyle Walker suggested the Gunners used the "dark arts" as they sought to defend a 2-1 lead in the second half with 10 men.
Mikel Arteta's men had just one shot and 12.4% possession following the break, after Leandro Trossard had been sent off just before half-time.
While Stones salvaged a point with a late equaliser, Arsenal’s defensive approach led Guardiola to call into question what had previously been a cordial relationship with former protegee Arteta.
"Gabriel [Magalhaes] said it perfectly in the press after the match, so this is a war. We have to provoke the opponent, to push them, and at the end, what can you do? You provoke me, OK, I'm there," the City boss told the media.
"You want a war? Now we war."
Last Sunday's result means City have failed to beat Arsenal in their last four meetings in all competitions.
Arsenal had overturned a 1-0 deficit in the first half after an early Erling Haaland goal to lead 2-1 through Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
When asked about accusations of the "dark arts", Arteta reflected the claims back on his opponents in reference to the time he spent at City as Guardiola's assistant.
"I was there for four years. I have all the information, so I know, believe me," the Spaniard jibed.
The City boss responded: "Next time Mikel has to be more clear about exactly what he means.
"He said he was here four years and knows exactly what happened here. That can be related to the process now with 115 charges, maybe he knows information about that? Or maybe he had something like, I don't know?
"Hopefully, this question has been asked, and he can answer exactly what he means."
Arteta is still hugely respectful of his former mentor.
"I love him, I respect him, and I admire him. I admire his team and everything that he does," added Arteta.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
