Anthony Musaba struck a 91st-minute winner as Sheffield Wednesday moved off the foot of the Championship table with a 1-0 victory at Stoke.
Cameron Dawson was the Owls’ other hero, saving a second-half penalty from Ryan Mmaee as Wednesday extended their unbeaten run to three games.
“Sacked in the morning” were the chants aimed at Potter boss Alex Neil after Musaba broke away to fire the ball past City’s rookie keeper Tommy Simkin.
A day after his 19th birthday and recalled recently from a loan spell at National League side Solihull Moors, the teenager could do nothing to prevent Wednesday’s priceless winner which saw them leapfrog South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham.
In contrast, opposite number Dawson kept out Mmaee’s 64th-minute spot- kick as City failed to win for a sixth successive game to up the pressure on disconsolate Neil.
Danny Rohl’s team have now collected seven points from a possible nine as they won away from home for the first time this season.
The game certainly came to life after a miserable opening period.
Bookings for Wednesday pair Akin Famewo and Marvin Johnson plus Stoke’s Wouter Burger were the lowlights of an opening half devoid of goalmouth action.
Simkin could not have wished for an easier introduction to his Championship career, comfortably saving a Di’Shon Bernard header when eventually called upon.
And apart from punching away a deflected Lyndon Gooch shot, Dawson was equally unemployed.
The growing dissatisfaction among home fans manifested itself with half-time boos.
The mood did not improve as Wednesday were an upright away from taking the lead in front of their travelling supporters.
Fortunately for Stoke, George Byers could not squeeze his effort inside Simkin’s left post.
Eventually, there was home applause, albeit sarcastic in nature, when Josh Laurent fired wide after 55 minutes. The skipper’s attempt was followed by: a chant of “We had a shot’ from the Boothen End.
Dawson did well to block Bae Jun-ho’s close-range effort soon after Mmaee shot wide, while Burger had another chance blocked.
Then came a rare moment of drama as referee David Coote adjudged Famewo had pushed Laurent in the six yard box
It looked soft from a Wednesday perspective. Dawson though came to the rescue by diving to his left to keep out Mmaee’s equally tame effort.
Little had been seen of Wednesday as an attacking force in the second half until substitute Michael Ihiekwe headed wide from Will Vaulks’ 71st-minute corner.
Stoke continued to carve out the better chances and Gooch’s raking cross from the right was met by Mmaee who could only poke his close-range effort into the gloves of grateful Dawson.
Michael Rose almost broke the stalemate but he was spared the embarrassment of an own goal as his clearance drifted wide for a visitors’ corner.
But two minutes into stoppage time Djeidi Gassama threaded the ball through for match winner Musaba.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with AC Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to AC Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A, but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.
They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.
Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.
"To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.
"Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.
"Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."
Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.
Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.
"I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.
"The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.
"And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez
Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.
Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.
New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.
No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN
This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.
The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.
NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).
The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York City FC – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
New York Red Bulls – 27%
Serie A side Genoa confirm sacking of head coach Gilardino
Serie A side Genoa have confirmed the departure of their head coach Alberto Gilardino, with Patrick Vieira reportedly on his way in.
Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, leaves the club with them sitting just one point above the relegation size with 10 points from 12 matches this season.
A former striker who played for clubs including Genoa, Parma, AC Milan and Fiorentina, Gilardino took charge of Genoa in 2022 and helped them earn promotion to the top division before a 11th-place finish during the 2023-24 season.
"The club thanks Gilardino for the goals achieved together over the years and wishes him the best for his career," Genoa said in a statement.
The 42-year-old saw his side salvage a late 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como in their last match before the international break.
Genoa were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the second round following a defeat to Sampdoria on penalties in September.
Arsenal legend Vieira is set to replace him, according to multiple reports.
The former France midfielder has been out of work since leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent in July.
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