Forest Green boss Steve Cotterill hailed his already-relegated side for playing with pride and passion as they beat Morecambe 2-1 in League Two at the Mazuma Stadium.
First-half goals from Charlie McCann and Kyle McAllister gave the visitors three three points as they came from behind after Charlie Brown’s 30th-minute opener, but Cotterill thought they should have won by a greater margin.
He said: “I thought we were well worth the win and that 2-1 flattered them to be honest. It could easily have been five or six today with the chances we missed.
“Some of our football was very good today and the fact we came from behind and showed the spirit we did was a real bonus.
“We have to remember this lot could have been near the play-offs if they hadn’t had some points deducted and lost some of the players they had earlier in the season so this was always going to be a tough game but we worked really, really hard and played really well and deserved that three points.
“I’ve told the lads that we have to play with professional pride and finish the season off as strongly as we can and we did that today.”
Morecambe struck the first blow after 30 minutes when Brown took advantage of Forest Green goalkeeper Vicente Reyes’ failure to control a back pass and was able to slide the ball over the line.
But Forest Green hit back with two quickfire goals. McAllister played in McCann with a smart through ball which the midfielder slotted past Archie Mair after 38 minutes to level the scores.
Six minutes later, the visitors were ahead as McAllister ran into the box and drilled a low shot past Mair’s left hand.
Morecambe went close to an equaliser when Gwion Edwards’s low shot was superbly saved by Reyes midway through the second half before Forest Green squandered two late chances on the break with Christian Doidge and McAllister both failing to find the target from great openings.
Speaking after the Shrimps’ eighth defeat from their last 10 games, Morecambe boss Ged Brannan did not hide his frustrations.
He said: “I’m very, very disappointed with our performance.
“They have already been relegated and we should have been right at them from the start, playing with desire and tempo. But there was none of that. We were just not at the races and nowhere near good enough.
“We can’t seem to get any sort of performance at home and I’m really disappointed for the fans because they have been brilliant.
“I told the lads that they have to have pride when they play football and put in performances week in week out and we are not doing that.
“We can’t seem to get a win, or even a performance at home and it is driving me mad.”
Inter Miami came from behind once more to beat CF Montreal 3-2 and go three points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference.
For the sixth match in a row, Miami found themselves behind when Bryce Duke slotted in the 22nd minute, and Jules-Anthony Vislant, who set up the opener, finished off a lovely team move 10 minutes later.
However, Miami displayed their fighting spirit again. Matias Rojas stepped up to a free-kick while Lionel Messi received treatment, curling a delightful strike into the top corner.
Shortly before the break, Luis Suarez turned the ball into an empty net while Benjamin Cremaschi completed the comeback in the 59th minute when he bundled it over the line after being picked out by Rojas.
Miami hold a three-point lead over Supporters’ Shield holders FC Cincinnati at the top of the East, with the Orange and Blue keeping pace with a 2-1 win over Columbus Crew.
Data Debrief: Comeback Kings
Miami have won 20 points from losing positions already in the MLS this season, more than any other team. It is the first time they have come from 2-0 down to win since a 3-2 victory over Charlotte in July 2022.
On a quiet day for Messi by his standards, Suarez stepped up with a crucial goal, netting his 11th of the season to equalise. The Uruguayan has now scored in each of his last three matches.
Pioli says speculation over his Milan future is part of the job
Milan coach Stefano Pioli said criticism and speculation are part of his job, as he still does not know if he will remain in the role for next season.
Milan snapped a six-match winless streak with an emphatic 5-1 win over Cagliari on Saturday, yet the pressure remains on the Italian coach, with the Rossoneri only aiming for second place in Serie A after city rivals Inter became champions.
"We are a big club, there are big expectations, so fierce criticism is to be expected, just as ebullient praise is expected when you win," Pioli told Sky Sports.
"That is part of the job, you have to accept it all, or you do a different profession.
"I try to help the team to overcome difficult moments and play as well as possible. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes I got things wrong."
A section of Milan fans have been holding protests at matches, demanding clarity from the management regarding the club's plans after two seasons without silverware.
The club ended their Europa League campaign in the quarter-finals last month, losing at Roma.
Pioli added: "I am really sad about this situation, as we were so proud to create that symbiosis with the fans, which passed on positivity, energy and confidence.
"I have not yet talked to the club. We have another two rounds to go, the season is not over yet.
"I hope everyone around Milan can rediscover that harmony, enthusiasm and energy that helped us to achieve things that perhaps nobody believed were possible."
Al Hilal crowned Saudi Pro League champions after Al Hazm hammering
Al Hilal secured their fourth straight Saudi Pro League title after Aleksandar Mitrovic starred in Saturday's 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Al Hazm.
Faiz Selemani restored parity after Mitrovic's 15th-minute opener at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, only for Jorge Jesus' hosts to roar back and be crowned champions with three games remaining.
Ahmed Al Juwaid's own goal handed the initiative back to the dominant Al Hilal, who led 4-1 at the break after Mitrovic added another to his tally and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was on target.
The second of Mitrovic's strikes took him to a team-leading 26 league goals this term as Al Hilal breezed to another title, moving an unassailable 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr.
Jesus' side are unbeaten through all 31 games this season after securing their record-extending 19th top-flight crown in history, while Al Hazm need to win their last three matches to have any chance of staying up.
Al Hazm's relegation rivals Al Tai boosted their chances of survival in Saturday's earlier clash after a 1-1 draw away against Al Raed.
Al Tai are just a point away from 15th-placed Abha Club in their bid for top-flight safety after Ibrahim Al Nakhli's strike was cancelled out by Al Raed's Mohammed Fouzair in the second half.
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