Sutton secure emphatic first win since opening day of the season against Walsall

By Sports Desk October 07, 2023

Sutton lifted themselves off the foot of Sky Bet League Two in style with a thumping 4-0 victory over Walsall.

Matt Gray’s side had not tasted victory in the league since an opening day 5-1 thrashing over leaders Notts County. But when they do win, they win in style at Gander Green Lane.

The U’s faithful were treated to a picture-perfect victory in the south London sunshine.

The game was done and dusted by half-time as Harry Smith’s double did the majority of the damage.

Omari Patrick started the party in the sixth minute as he thundered home a free-kick from the edge of the box.

The lead was doubled six minutes later as Smith hammered home his first of the afternoon on the turn.

Smith seemingly doubled his tally in the 27th minute but defender Joe Riley’s touch deemed it an own goal.

But the Sutton striker got his deserved brace eight minutes before half-time as he headed home at the back post.

Dangerous Smith missed out on a hat-trick with 20 minutes to go before Aiden O’Brien was denied by a super save from Owen Evans.

For Walsall, it was a disappointing third defeat in five matches.

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    The draw was enough for the Selecao to secure second place in Group D – one point ahead of Costa Rica, who beat Paraguay 2-1 – though it came at a cost, with Vinicius Junior collecting a second yellow card in three games to rule him out of their last-eight clash with Uruguay.

    Meanwhile, having held onto top spot with seven points from their three games, Nestor Lorenzo's Colombia will take on Group C runners-up Panama in the last eight. 

    Los Cafeteros went close with a 25-yard free-kick in the eighth minute, when skipper James Rodriguez clipped the top of Alisson's crossbar. 

    Raphinha went one better from a similar distance four minutes later, with goalkeeper Camilo Vargas only able to help his fierce delivery into his top-left corner.

    It was the first goal Colombia had conceded in the first half of a match since their 3-2 win over Mexico last December, but they responded well. 

    Davinson Sanchez's header was rightly ruled out for offside, before the equaliser arrived in the second additional minute of the first half. James fizzed the ball into Jhon Cordoba, who neatly threaded it through for Munoz to fire past Alisson.

    Colombia continued to carry the greater attacking threat after the break and almost completed the turnaround with six minutes remaining, when substitute Rafael Borre fired over from six yards out.

    At the other end, it took Vargas' smart reflex save to tip Andreas Pereira's effort over and prevent Brazil from snatching top spot with a dramatic last-gasp winner, as they joined their opponents in the last eight.

    Selecao stutter into knockout stages, and must do without Vinicius

    The nine-time champions have progressed beyond the Copa America group stage for the 14th time in their last 15 appearances.

    And by avoiding defeat, the Selecao have also equalled their longest unbeaten streak in the opening phase at this tournament of 10 matches (also achieving the feat between 1993 and 1999).

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    It was his fellow winger Raphinha who took centre with his superb free-kick breaking the deadlock. Ironically, three of Brazil's last four goals from free-kicks have come against Colombia.

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    "Everybody now, 30 years on, looks back at [Euro] 96 in a different way to how it was at the time," the Three Lions boss added.

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    The 53-year-old will oversee his 100th England game in charge against Switzerland, becoming only the third Three Lions head coach to reach triple figures after Walter Winterbottom and Bobby Robson.

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