AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson said he understands why Jurgen Klopp wants to take a break from management after Ronan Curtis snatched a last-gasp 2-1 win against 10-man Mansfield.
The former Portsmouth winger, making his debut for the Dons, tapped home in the sixth minute of stoppage time to end a three-game winless run.
It had looked as if high-flying Mansfield, playing with 10 men for 70 minutes after Jordan Bowery’s dismissal, would earn a hard-fought draw with Will Swan cancelling out Omar Bugiel’s opener.
But Curtis had the final say, capping a whirlwind of emotions for his new manager Jackson, who referenced Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season in his press conference.
“I can understand why Klopp wants to have a year out, and I’ve only been doing it two years,” joked Jackson.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. Honestly, it’s as good as it gets in football when you score a last-minute winner.
“After probably as low as it gets on Tuesday to have that high, that’s football for you. That’s why we love it.”
The hosts suffered a 3-1 defeat to bitter rivals MK Dons in midweek, denting their play-off ambitions, but the win on Saturday moved them up to eighth, two points off Notts County.
“(The play-offs) have always been in sight. We had an opportunity on Tuesday to get into them, but we didn’t take it,” Jackson added.
“But we said, when the dust settled, we’ve just lost a game of football. There’s a chance in three or four days to bounce back and we’ve done that today.”
In the other dugout, Nigel Clough could not fault his players’ efforts in response to Bowery’s red card and Bugiel’s goal in first-half stoppage time.
He said: “If you go to 10 men for 75 minutes and then come out the stronger team, get an equaliser and look to win the game in the manner that we did, I’m unbelievably proud.
“It says an awful lot about the spirit in the camp. With 15 minutes to go there was only one team you could really see winning it.
“I think if the officials do their jobs correctly, we do (win it).”
Clough took issue with the sending off, as well as having a potential penalty for a foul on Davis Keillor-Dunn waved away just before Curtis’ winner.
The substituted Stephen Quinn was also shown red for dissent in a tense final few minutes.
“I think the provocation that we’ve had to deal with today has been extreme,” said Clough. “Right from the first 20 seconds, to the sending off and the penalty denied.
“Then you’ve got a fourth official who is winking and smiling at the technical area and the bench in an act of nothing else but provocation.
“We had to put up with them all afternoon.”
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku and McTominay on target to extend hosts' Serie A lead
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera in the box, with Lukaku stepping up from 12 yards to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) with three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
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