Grant McCann insists nobody at Doncaster will be getting too carried away after they put their Christmas struggles behind them in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 win over in-form MK Dons.
Rovers suffered three consecutive chastening defeats over the festive period before stopping the rot with a well-deserved draw at Mansfield.
And first-half goals from Luke Molyneux, Joe Ironside and Tommy Rowe saw them sweep aside MK Dons in emphatic fashion for a first league win in six attempts.
But McCann says there is plenty of progress still to be made for Rovers to get their season back on track.
“I don’t think anyone is getting too overjoyed by it,” he said. “It’s a good result against a good MK Dons team that had been unbeaten for nine games in the league before this.
“It’s a nice reward for the hard work that we’ve put in over the last seven or eight days when we’ve had to bounce and rejig after the three disappointing results that we had.
“It’s a tremendous effort to go to Mansfield, who in my opinion are probably the best team in the division, and follow it up against another really good team and get the win.
“I thought we were very good in the first half. We played some really good football and created some great chances. We probably should have been six up rather than 3-0 up at half-time.
“I think we took the performance from Mansfield on into this one and the first half was excellent.”
MK Dons head coach Mike Williamson believes the defeat to Doncaster has delivered a stark reminder to his side that nothing will come easy to them in League Two.
The Dons had won their previous four matches and were unbeaten in the league since October prior to the heavy defeat.
“It was a disappointing 45 minutes and we were off our levels,” Williamson said. “We didn’t start well or play forward enough and were punished from two set-pieces and a long ball that we were caught out from.
“I wouldn’t say it was a wake-up call because we know how difficult this league can be, but I was pleased with the second-half performance and reaction, because everyone came out, took responsibility and we had chances to score.
“So, it’s a difficult one to take but there are plenty of positives to take away because I was pleased with the response to the first half and we just have to dust ourselves down and be prepared for the next game.
“We can’t afford too many lessons like that this season but, if we can learn from it, then that will be a positive.”
Brazil 1-1 Colombia: Stuttering Selecao seal Copa America quarter-final spot
Brazil joined Colombia in the Copa America quarter-finals, but they were denied top spot in Group D after a nervy 1-1 draw in San Francisco.
Raphinha's stunning free-kick after just 12 minutes was cancelled out by Daniel Munoz in first-half stoppage time, as the spoils were shared at Levi's Stadium.
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).
However, Dorival will be concerned by his side's lack of sharpness in front of goal, with just three shots on target and an xG of 0.31 across the 90 minutes.
And they will head into a tricky quarter-final tie with Uruguay, who are fresh from winning all three of their Group C matches, without the suspended Vinicius.
Although, similarly to his nation’s opener against Costa Rica, the Real Madrid forward flattered to deceive here with his tallies of 28 touches and 13 passes the lowest by any player appearing for the duration of the contest.
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.
Stubborn Colombia's unbeaten streak continues
Colombia have finished third in two of the last three editions of the Copa America, and they will be confident of embarking on another deep run this time around.
One thing is for certain; Lorenzo's side will be difficult to beat at the business end of this tournament.
Despite seeing a 10-game winning streak come to an end today – while their wait for successive victories over Brazil goes on – Los Cafeteros are now unbeaten in each of their last 26 matches.
They had won each of their three previous games when conceding the opening goal, and that determination was evident once more as they responded yet again.
Munoz's strike was their fourth goal in the last 15 minutes of the first half at this year's Copa America; more than any other side has registered. Next up for them, Panama in Arizona.
St. Louis City v San Jose Earthquakes: Hosts prepare for life without Carnell
St. Louis City will play their first MLS game without Bradley Carnell after the head coach was dismissed ahead of Thursday's meeting with San Jose Earthquakes.
Carnell's departure was confirmed this week after failing to triumph since mid-May, slipping down to 12th in the Western Conference standings after a nine-game winless run.
St. Louis were guided to a first-place finish in the West last season, their maiden campaign in MLS, yet they are preparing for a new era with technical director John Hackworth in interim charge.
"Given Bradley's many contributions to the club, this was not an easy decision,” said City's sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
"Unfortunately, based on our results to date, we believe a coaching change is in the best interest of the club as we regroup and look to improve, both our performance and our results."
Hackworth has almost 30 years of coaching experience, including positions within the United States men's national team and MLS rivals Philadelphia Union.
His first task will be downing an out-of-form San Jose, who sit at the bottom of the West standings with just three wins to their name all year.
The Earthquakes are also without a manager after Luchi Gonzalez's dismissal, falling to a 3-0 defeat against LA Galaxy in their first match since his dismissal.
Gonzalez's assistant coach Ian Russell took interim charge for that home humbling, and will be desperate to turn things around as San Jose remain in search of a new full-time boss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – Njabulo Blom
Njabulo Blom's seventh-minute goal on Saturday was St. Louis' 10th from outside the box in regular-season play in MLS, with Blom the ninth different player to record one of those strikes.
Blom may fancy his likelihood of adding another long-range strike in this outing, considering the Earthquakes defence is far from convincing.
San Jose Earthquakes – Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez has contributed to a goal in each of his first four MLS road games (two goals, two assists), with the midfielder hoping to extend that impressive run here.
However, only two players have recorded a goal contribution in each of their first five MLS road games: Cucho Hernandez (six straight in 2022) and Romain Alessandrini (also six in a row in 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – ST. LOUIS CITY WIN
The hosts are the heavily backed favourites for victory in this encounter, despite their woeful run of form of late.
St. Louis are winless in their last nine matches, losing six of those. Prior to this run, they had only lost as many games in 27 league matches dating back to June 2023.
Yet, the home side will fancy their chances of arresting that streak given St. Louis beat San Jose twice last season, winning 3-0 and 2-1.
The Earthquakes' form is poor, too, having lost 15 of their first 20 matches this season. Only Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001 suffered more such losses in the post shoot-out era since 2000.
Only four teams have collected fewer points than San Jose's 11 this year at this stage of a campaign, most recently D.C. United (10) in 2013, and that drab spell could extend here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City win – 52%
Draw – 24.5%
San Jose Earthquakes win – 23.5%
Southgate salutes England's 'togetherness and spirit' but acknowledges need for improvement
Gareth Southgate hailed the togetherness and spirit demonstrated by England, but acknowledged the need to improve ahead of their Euro 2024 quarter-final with Switzerland.
The Three Lions were considered one of the pre-tournament favourites to go all the way in Germany, but have produced generally underwhelming displays in their four matches so far.
England topped Group B despite winning just one of their three games, and were just seconds away from a humbling last-16 exit against Slovakia, until Jude Bellingham's sublime acrobatic effort spared their blushes.
Harry Kane then completed the turnaround in the early stages of extra time, as Southgate's relieved side scraped through to the last eight by the skin of their teeth.
Nevertheless, the England boss is adamant his players' last-gasp exploits against Slovakia will provide momentum ahead of facing Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday.
"There's no question it will give the whole group belief," said Southgate.
“We know we should be better than we've been, but we've ended up with a lot of young players in important positions and trying to solve problems right the way through the four weeks of the camp.
"But the standout is the way the players are dealing with it. Their togetherness, their spirit."
Southgate referred to the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 as similar instances where England were slow out of the blocks, before going on to reach the semi-finals at each tournament.
"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.
"We were bang average against Switzerland [in the opening game at Euro 96]. We were the same against Scotland; Scotland missed a penalty at 1-0 [down]. Spain should have beaten us in a 0-0 draw [in the quarter-finals].
"1990 was similar, so you do go through these moments in tournaments."
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.
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
