Martha Thomas says she has rediscovered her smile on the pitch following her summer switch to Tottenham from Manchester United and is thriving on the belief being shown in her at her new club.
The Scotland forward concluded a two-year stay with United after a 2022-23 season in which she made 20 Women’s Super League appearances for Marc Skinner’s side but only one start within that, scoring one goal.
Moving on to Robert Vilahamn’s Spurs, Thomas – starting at centre-forward – went on to net six times in the team’s first four league games this term to top the early Golden Boot standings, and was named Barclays Player of the Month for October.
Asked if she had surprised herself at all with her form, the 27-year-old told the PA news agency: “No, I think I’ve always had the belief in myself – it’s just having people around me that sort of believe in that as well.”
Regarding last season, Thomas said: “Personally, it was a really tough season for me, off the pitch, on the pitch, mentally, physically. I felt quite drained.
“It was hard because the team was doing quite well, so I was happy for the girls around me. But when it came to the summer, I knew what the best decision for me would be.
“I was playing in a team sometimes not even in my actual position that I feel I’m best at. So it was definitely the right time for me to step away, because I knew they weren’t getting the best out of me and I wasn’t getting the best out of myself there. It no longer felt like the right fit.
“There was definitely times throughout the season where I did feel like I deserved that chance and sort of wasn’t given it, or was given it but then not given long enough to show it.
“That’s just the way it goes. United had their best finish (second), so it’s sort of hard to really argue – but at the same time I felt like I needed and deserved more, so it was the right time for me to get that somewhere else.
“I wasn’t enjoying my football. I needed just to enjoy it again, and I needed to find my smile again on the pitch.”
She added: “I didn’t feel like I came here with a point to prove, I just feel like it’s worked out that way because I’m playing football with a smile, that’s when I play my best, and you’re just now seeing what I’m actually capable of doing.
“If I’m happy and playing in a team where I feel valued and they’ve got that belief, then I’m going to play my best and the goals are going to come.
“I think I’ve settled in really well here, I think the style Robert wants to play and the team we have complement me quite well.”
While Thomas has been on her hot streak, Tottenham striker Bethany England, who had a major impact for them last term after joining in January, has been recovering from hip surgery.
Vilahamn, as well as stressing his belief Thomas can win the Golden Boot this season, has said he is confident he will find a way for the two to play together, something Thomas says she can see herself doing, adding: “I think we would complement each other really well.”
Having finished ninth last season, then appointing Vilahamn in July, Tottenham are currently in the Champions League places, lying third as one of four teams with 10 points from five games, three behind leaders Chelsea.
Last Sunday’s 1-1 home draw with Everton followed a run of three successive wins, and Thomas said: “For us to be really gutted with that draw shows what kind of finish we’re looking for. We’re looking to climb as high as we can.
“The top three, four teams have had that consistency over the past however many seasons and that’s what other clubs need. But I think with the start you’ve already seen, it wouldn’t be surprising to me to see another team break into that – and we can hope it’s us.”
Tottenham host Liverpool – another side on 10 points – on Sunday.
England head into the Under-17 World Cup with Phil Foden’s words for inspiration.
The Young Lions are aiming to become just the third England side to win a World Cup.
They touched down in Indonesia last week and face New Caledonia at the Jakarta International Stadium on Saturday.
Six years ago, Manchester City’s Foden was part of the squad which included Conor Gallagher, Jadon Sancho and Morgan Gibbs-White to lift the World Cup in India. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Spain and won player of the tournament.
Now he is part of a montage which includes the Under-17 victory and this summer’s Under-21 Euro 2023 triumph, which the current crop have been shown across their qualification campaign.
“We heard from players like Phil, his recollections of that tournament in 2017, and how he felt it helped and developed him on his journey,” boss Ryan Garry tells the PA news agency from England’s base in Jakarta.
“It’s a huge achievement winning the World Cup at any level. The fantastic work done by the players and staff is a real reference point, not just for this age group but for a lot of people at St. George’s Park.
“You’re never going to be too far away from hearing or speaking about success. That age group have then gone on to repeat their success in the Euros this summer.
“It’s something our group aspires to do. The message was about being together.”
England also face Iran on Tuesday and defending champions Brazil next Friday in Group C.
The squad includes Ethan Nwaneri, who became Arsenal’s and the Premier League’s youngest ever player when he made his debut aged 15 and 181 days in 2022, Chelsea’s Ted Curd, on loan at Hashtag United, and Chris Rigg who scored on his Sunderland debut in September.
For Garry, it is the latest step in his own coaching career after he was forced to retire at 27 due to a nerve issue in his leg, related to several injuries including a broken leg and shin splints.
The former defender is an Invincible, even if he will not class himself as one, after making his only Arsenal start in the 6-1 win at Southampton which kicked off the Gunners’ 49-game unbeaten run in 2003.
After retirement, following four years and 86 games at Bournemouth, he coached at Poole College and Wimborne Town while working with the Cherries first-team under Eddie Howe before returning to Arsenal’s academy in 2013.
“I wouldn’t say there was a hole to fill. For any person who has to retire at a young age there’s a period of adjustment and I was very lucky I was coaching before I had to retire,” he says, having worked with an 11-year-old Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe when he was in his early teens.
“My passion has continued, but just down a different route. You have aspirations as a player and then when you’re a coach, you see it slightly differently.”
Bruno Fernandes knows Manchester United have a “mountain to climb” if they are to keep their Champions League campaign alive following Wednesday’s chaotic late defeat at Copenhagen.
A night that began with talented Rasmus Hojlund’s brace against his former club ended in a crushing 4-3 loss sparked by Marcus Rashford’s contentious red card late in the first half.
United boss Erik ten Hag was unhappy with that decision and disputed the Copenhagen goals that quickly followed from Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves.
Fernandes put Ten Hag’s 10 men back ahead from the penalty spot in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to inflict United’s third defeat in four Group A games.
It leaves the Red Devils bottom and facing an early Champions League exit, with defeat at Galatasaray sealing that before hosting already-qualified leaders Bayern Munich in their final match.
“We have a mountain to climb, so we must climb,” captain Fernandes told UEFA after the defeat at Parken.
“We have two games and we have to win those two games.
“Before tonight, our aim already was to win our remaining three games. We couldn’t win today. We have to win the next two.”
Fernandes continued that theme when speaking to MUTV, saying: “You have to win them if you want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition.
“We have to win against the best, so we have a really tough game away against Galatasaray and after, we play against the top of the group.
“We want to win both but now we have to focus on Luton (in the Premier League on Saturday) because it’s going to be a tough game again.
“We need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping on the winning track in the Premier League.”
United’s clash with promoted Luton will be key to the mood around Old Trafford heading into the international break.
Defeat in Saturday’s Premier League match would send the club into a tailspin on the back of some poor performances and a galling loss in Denmark.
“I think for everything we did in the game, we could – and we should – have got something from the game,” disappointed skipper Fernandes said.
“It’s difficult at the moment. Obviously the mood is not the best because I think we’ve fought so hard with 10 men.
“Even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that, many decisions that were against us.
“Today was a tough day but I think the team effort was good, we tried.
“We could have done some things better, but it was difficult for us from the 30 minutes on, playing with one player less.”
Rashford’s red card is sure to be pored over in the aftermath but United dealt well with being a man down after half-time.
“Yeah, of course, we understood that we could get something from the game, we could win the game there,” Fernandes added.
“But obviously, as we said, it’s difficult to play so long with 10 men.
“In some moments they will get spaces because you’re running behind the ball, you’re trying to get into everywhere with every player.
“It’s difficult to cover so much space and they got their two goals to win the game.”
Reigning Ben Francis champions Glenmuir High had a positive start in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup quarterfinals, as they blanked Manchester High 2-0 in a lively Group A encounter at their May Pen base on Wednesday.
Glenmuir, who are contesting the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2017, got their goals four minutes apart through Ja-son Whyte (51st) and Orane Watson (55th), and are now poised for a semi-final berth, provided they see off defending champions Clarendon College and Christiana High in their next two fixtures.
Clarendon College, who are heavily favoured to retain their title, also started positively with a 4-0 beating of Christiana High to grab an early lead in the group. They enjoy a two-goal difference over Glenmuir, heading into Saturday’s second round of games.
At May Pen, Glenmuir came out more purposeful, as Kyle Gordon paraded his nippy footwork in breaking down Manchester defence, while DeAndre Johnson forced a save from Jevanni Bennett with a stinging right-footer from about 20 yards out, in the early exchanges.
In fact, Manchester’s first real show of quality in attack came in the 14th minute when they got in behind Glenmuir’s defence, but were unable to find the go-ahead goal.
Both teams continued to assert their attacking prowess in the probe to break the deadlock. Glenmuir again went close in the 36th when Gordon found Watson at the top of the 18-yard box, but the latter’s effort was kept out by Bennett diving away to his left.
Manchester responded shortly after and it took a tidy save from Antwone Gooden in goal for Glenmuir to deny Michael Reid on the stroke of the break to ensure the score remained goalless.
However, Glenmuir again came out spiritedly on the resumption and inevitable found the breakthrough six minutes in when Whyte’s well-struck freekick from about 30 yards out, beat Bennett all ends up. It was a goal befitting of his first for the season.
And before Manchester could contemplate a comeback, they suffered a second blow when Watson outpaced a defender and drove a right-footed effort past the hapless Bennett for his sixth of the season.
The tempo of the game fell from there and it wasn’t until the later stages of the contest that both teams again showed some life in attack, albeit, failing to capitalise on the opportunities.
Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart said the win is just what the doctor ordered.
“It is important because we wanted to start the group very well. At the half we weren’t so pleased with the intensity at which we played, we gave Manchester High a little bit too much room, especially in the middle of the field.
“But second half, we got a brilliant goal by Jason Whyte and then it was about pressing high up the field again that led to the second goal. So I am very pleased in terms of the reaction in the second half and in the end, the result,” Peart said in a post-game interview.
His counterpart Patrick Graham believe his team was lacking in parts.
“First, let me congratulate the Glenmuir team. I believe they showed a bit more fight than us, we surrendered some crucial areas on the pitch when they were in possession and it cost us the game.
“The positive is that after going two-nil down, we showed a little bit more fight and more composure and it shows that we can play whenever we decide to play. So, we just have to prepare for the next two games,” Graham noted.
Meanwhile, over in Group two, Garvey Maceo High and Dinthill Technical registered 4-0 and 2-0 victories over BB Coke and Cornwall College respectively. Much like it is in Group A, Garvey Maceo hold a two-goal difference over Dinthill Technical.
Wednesday’s results
Group A
Clarendon College 4, Christiana High 0
Glenmuir High 2, Manchester High 0
Group B
BB Coke 0, Garvey Maceo 4
Dinthill Technical 2, Cornwall College 0
Saturday’s fixtures
Group A
Manchester vs Clarendon College @ Manchester
Christiana vs Glenmuir @ Glenmuir
Group B
Cornwall College vs BB Coke @ Jarrett Park
Dinthill Technical vs Garvey Maceo @ Ewarton Sports Complex
Erik ten Hag was angered by “three tough decisions” that went against Manchester United in a chaotic late loss at Copenhagen that damages their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout phase.
Wednesday’s helter-skelter Group A encounter started with a Rasmus Hojlund brace against his former club but ended in a crushing 4-3 defeat sparked by Marcus Rashford’s red card.
The United forward was sent off after a VAR review late in the first half for catching Elias Jelert, with Mohamed Elyounoussi quickly scoring before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the spot.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty put the visitors back ahead in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to score in a blockbuster conclusion to a bonkers match.
“It’s clear we’re very disappointed and because you play very good,” Ten Hag said. “I think we started the game so well. The best minutes of this season.
“We are winning the game and I think the red card changes everything.
“Then we concede two goals before half-time, which should never have counted.
“First is offside, second a penalty and that is – in four games – four penalties against. I say three are very debatable.
“(Rashford’s red) is also harsh. I think he went for the ball and the referee needs such a long time to make it a red card.”
Ten Hag says an offside player was in Andre Onana’s vision when Elyounoussi scored and was aggrieved by the decision to award handball against Harry Maguire for Goncalves’ penalty.
The United boss was also annoyed by the slow motion and freeze frame shown to referee Donatas Rumsas by the VAR as he decided on Rashford’s red.
“I think when you freeze it, it always looks worse,” Ten Hag said. “As I say, it takes them so long and they make a red card of it.
“I’m very disappointed about such decisions. I think the game is never meant to be like this.
“It has nothing to do with football. Decisions have to be made and I accept that also wrong decisions are made by some at this level.
“Three such tough decisions, you control the game and I think the game is never meant to be for that.”
The defeat leaves United bottom of Group A and knowing they will be unable to reach Champions League knockout phase if they lose their penultimate match at Galatasaray at the end of November.
“This squad is resilient,” Ten Hag said. “The whole season, so many decisions are against us, so many setbacks for injuries.
“Every time there is a spirit, there is a fight and we will keep going because I am sure and I said to the lads it will turn – on one moment in the season it will turn in our favour.”
Copenhagen counterpart Jacob Neestrup admitted Rashford’s red card changed the dynamics of a win he felt his side deserved after their promising start to the group.
“I have never said in the first three rounds we have been unlucky,” the head coach said. “I’ve said it’s been a lack of quality.
“If there was something that was called luck in football, then we’ve got it today. But we also hunted.
“The early goal made us very, very shaky. We are the second best team on the pitch in the whole first half until the red card.
“That of course changed momentum for the next 15 minutes in the first half where we scored two goals.
“Of course the red card changed the opportunities in the game and for me as Copenhagen coach it was by far the weakest performance we have had in this group stage so far.
“If you take the picture today, then we maybe didn’t deserve three or maybe even one point.
“But if you take it over four rounds, then it’s very, very well deserved that Copenhagen is in second place because I believe truly that we have been the second best team over four games. Not today, but over four games.”
Mikel Arteta played down concerns over Bukayo Saka’s fitness after he was forced off during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Sevilla in the Champions League.
Saka scored in front of England manager Gareth Southgate to help the Gunners record a third victory in Group B and move within touching distance of the last-16.
Arteta substituted goalscorer Leandro Trossard and the excellent Gabriel Martinelli in the 81st minute but left Saka on and seconds later he went down holding his ankle after landing awkwardly before he limped off.
Arsenal host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday while Southgate names his England squad for this month’s European Championship qualifiers with North Macedonia and Malta on Thursday, but Arteta suggested his six-goal attacker would be fine despite this latest bruising encounter.
He said: “At the end he wasn’t comfortable to carry on. Hopefully it’s not too much but I’m really pleased with his performance.
“I think he’s getting used to it (being kicked). I don’t think that’s going to change, especially with the way he plays and the way he attracts players, so he better get used to it because I don’t think it’s going to change.
“It was just a kick and I was told by the physios on the radio he wasn’t happy to continue. So he will have some discomfort but hopefully I am going to assume he will be OK.”
After the controversy of last weekend’s loss at Newcastle, where Arteta labelled the decision by VAR to award Anthony Gordon’s winner as “embarrassing”, this was a much-needed routine night for his injury-hit team.
With Eddie Nketiah ruled out with an ankle knock to join Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, Trossard led the line and broke the deadlock when he finished off a slick move in the 29th minute.
Jorginho unlocked the Sevilla defence with a wonderful through ball to Saka, who squared for Trossard to stroke home his fifth goal of the campaign.
Saka, who was fouled four times inside the opening 17 minutes, made the points safe with a smart finish after 64 minutes.
Martinelli released the England international away on the right and Saka cut inside Adria Pedrosa before he curled into the bottom corner.
Arsenal would have qualified for the knockout stages had Lens been victorious at PSV. But with a four-point gap at the top of Group B, the north London club will almost certainly continue their Champions League adventure in 2024.
Arteta added: “I think it was more of the really good things that we did against Newcastle. We didn’t need a response because the team performed extraordinarily well against a team that are really difficult to play against.
“Today it needed other requirements, tactically we needed something else and we implemented what we wanted really, really well, so I’m really happy with the last two performances.”
On top of worries over Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu was also taken off during the interval.
“He had some discomfort in the first half,” Arteta said of the defender.
“We didn’t want to take any risks because he’s played a lot of minutes. With Alex (Oleksandr Zinchenko) on the bench ready to come in, I think it was the right decision.”
On Odegaard (hip) and Nketiah (ankle), Arteta added: “They are racing against the clock to be fit.
“They tried their best to be here today with us, it wasn’t possible and we have another 48 hours before we play Burnley. We’ll try again and see because we need players at the moment.”
Sevilla only managed their first shot on target in the seventh minute of stoppage time and suffered a second group defeat.
Boss Diego Alonso admitted: “We weren’t able to put in the performance we wanted to.
“Our opponents were better than us and did well. Our aim was to win the ball high up the pitch, but we were very far away from their area. That is my assessment.”
Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery admitted he was frustrated at his side’s failure to close out victory at St Mirren.
Hibs looked set for a first win in seven games only to concede a stoppage-time equaliser to Lewis Jamieson to draw 2-2.
Goals from Josh Campbell and Joe Newell – either side of Mark O’Hara’s penalty – had Hibs in control before Jamieson struck with his first ever St Mirren goal.
Montgomery said: “It’s another game we could have got three points out of, but we only have ourselves to blame.
“We can talk about managing the game and finishing it off and I thought we had plenty of chances to do that even in the first half. We were outstanding.
“But the equaliser is of our own doing. There’s a minute to go and we just need to see the game out.
“We had a breakaway and we somehow turn the ball over and the next thing it’s in the back of the net.
“It’s another game where we have led away from home, and it might be a good point come the end of the season but right now it’s a difficult one to take.”
Montgomery felt that St Mirren defender Richard Taylor had dived for the penalty that was converted by O’Hara.
He added: “I’m not here to talk about refereeing or VAR, but if that’s a penalty there are going to be 10 penalties in every game. I’m a little bit frustrated by that one as well.
“Look, the ball wasn’t even going in that area. I’ve watched it and the lad has got in front of Jordan Obita – but he’s six-foot-five and he’s just dropped to the floor with no contact.
“If players want to just throw themselves on the floor and they’re going to go and look at VAR, there are going to be a lot of stoppages.”
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson admitted his team had been defensively sloppy but felt they had created enough chances to win the match.
He said: “I thought it was a point we thoroughly deserved. We weren’t as defensively good as we could have been but our forward play and some of our movement and deliveries were excellent.
“I thought we were calm, we kept the ball, and we moved it well and got balls into the box. We should have been level before we were, we could have potentially been going for a winning goal.
“It wasn’t to be, but overall I think it’s one of our best performances this season, the way we played, the way we battled, the response we showed to adversity was excellent. I’m actually disappointed that we didn’t win the game.”
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Real Sociedad all booked their places in the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare on a dramatic night of European action.
Bayern made it four wins out of four in Group A but only after a frantic finish in their 2-1 win over Galatasaray.
The visitors had the ball in the net just after the hour but Lucas Torreira was offside, and Bayern took the lead when Harry Kane flicked in Joshua Kimmich’s free-kick with 10 minutes to go, with the goal awarded following a VAR check after initially being ruled offside.
Kane then doubled the lead with his 25th career Champions League goal, turning in Mathys Tel’s cross in the 86th minute, and they needed the cushion as Cedric Bakambu scored for Galatasaray in stoppage time.
Despite defeat Galatasaray remain second in the group after Manchester United suffered a costly 4-3 defeat in Copenhagen, blowing a 2-0 lead after Marcus Rashford was sent off.
Rasmus Hojlund’s early brace against his former club put United in control despite the loss of Jonny Evans to injury, but the night changed when Rashford saw red for a challenge on Elias Jelert following a VAR intervention in the 42nd minute.
Ex-Southampton forward Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the penalty spot after a Harry Maguire handball deep into first-half stoppage time.
Bruno Fernandes restored United’s lead with a 69th-minute penalty after Lukas Lerager handled, but the Copenhagen midfielder made amends with an 83rd minute equaliser before Roony Bardghji won it four minutes later, leaving United bottom of the group before their trip to Istanbul.
Real Madrid cruised through with a 3-0 win over Braga. They overcame an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors after Lucas Vazquez fouled Cristian Borja just four minutes in, but once Brahim Diaz put them in front in the 27th minute there was no looking back.
Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the scoreline with two goals in five minutes early in the second half, and there was no way back for the visitors.
The other Group C game between Napoli and Union Berlin ended 1-1 as David Fofana’s first Union goal – and the club’s first away from home in the Champions League – cancelled out Matteo Politano’s opener.
Inter edged out RB Salzburg 1-0 in Austria to secure their progress, with the game decided by Lautaro Martinez’s 84th-minute penalty after Mads Bidstrup handled in the area.
And that result also saw Real Sociedad go through from Group D after their 3-1 win over Benfica earlier in the evening.
Early goals from Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal had Sociedad in control after just 11 minutes and it was 3-0 10 minutes later as Ander Barrenetxea fired into the roof of the net.
Brais Mendez hit the post with a penalty just before the half hour and Rafa Silva pulled one back for Benfica early in the second half, but Sociedad comfortably took the points.
Arsenal are in control of Group B after goals from Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka earned a 2-0 win over Sevilla.
The Gunners top the group with nine points, four clear of PSV Eindhoven and Lens, who are level on five after Luuk de Jong’s 12th-minute header was enough for 1-0 win over Lens, who had substitute Morgan Guilavogui sent off late on.
Harry Kane’s late brace earned Bayern Munich a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League after beating Galatasaray 2-1.
A frustrating first half saw Bayern have the better chances, with Kane and Leroy Sane testing Fernando Muslera, but Galatasaray began to grow into the game after the break and had a goal ruled out for offside.
The hosts earned their reward with Kane scoring twice in the final 10 minutes and they saw out the victory despite Cedric Bakambu’s stoppage-time strike.
Bayern progress to the knock-out stages having won all four of their matches in Group A so far, while defeat leaves Galatasaray third in the table.
Bayern had chances early on when Sane cut inside and had his attempted cross deflected out for a corner before Kane fired from outside of the box, but Muslera did well to tip the powerful strike over the crossbar.
The goalkeeper was called into action again, smothering Sane’s effort in a one-on-one and another Bayern attack saw the winger slice the ball wide.
A good move on the right flank saw Kingsley Coman cut inside to find Jamal Musiala, but his shot just whistled past the bottom left corner. Sane came close again, but was denied following pressure from Sacha Boey.
Bayern were forced into an early change when Musiala was taken off in the 40th minute through injury, with Thomas Muller coming on to replace him, before a rare break forward just before half-time resulted in Mauro Icardi being denied by Manuel Neuer.
The hosts had a great chance to take the lead seven minutes into the second half when a great cross from Coman was deflected by Leon Goretzka and Kane came flying in at the far post, but smashed the ball off the woodwork.
Substitute Baris Alper Yilmaz came close with his header going over the bar and the visitors had the ball in the net after Lucas Torreira poked home, but the goal was ruled offside.
Kane eventually broke the deadlock in the 80th minute after a great free-kick from Kimmich picked out the England captain, who rose highest to nod the ball home and despite initially being ruled out for offside, the goal stood following a VAR check.
He earned his second six minutes later after a brilliant move saw Muller thread the ball to Mathys Tel on the left and his low pass across goal allowed Kane to slot home his 19th Bayern goal on just his 15th club appearance.
Bayern nearly added a third when a neat ball from Serge Gnabry found Muller, but his shot trickled past a post.
The visitors pulled one back three minutes into stoppage time after an excellent pass from Sergio Oliveira picked out Bakambu, who made a great run cutting into the right and fired the ball into the bottom corner.
Inter Milan booked their place in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic 1-0 win away at RB Salzburg.
The in-form Lautaro Martinez came off the bench to secure the victory, netting from the penalty spot in the 85th minute to put the Italian side on 10 points in Group D, seven above their opponents.
Salzburg relied on the heroics of goalkeeper Alexander Schlager but they finally succumbed to Serie A leading scorer Martinez.
The hosts started strong and enjoyed touches in dangerous areas where they produced half chances through Roko Simic and Mads Bidstrup, whose 12th-minute shot failed to hit the target.
Inter were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Carlos Augusto appeared to bundle Simic to the ground from a corner but the referee did not award the hosts the spot-kick they searched for.
Inter went close after 35 minutes.
Set-piece specialist Hakan Calhanoglu stood over a free-kick and his whipped pass found the head of Alessandro Bastoni whose effort narrowly went wide.
Inter should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Marcus Thuram went forward and played a testing ball to Alexis Sanchez who acted quick and opted to pick out Davide Frattesi, but he blazed his effort over the bar.
Manager Simone Inzaghi cut a frustrated figure and must have motivated his men at half-time because they came out looking stronger in the second half.
In the 73rd minute they threatened again from a set-piece.
Federico Dimarco lined up the ball from a corner and delivered a perfect cross to Thuram who somehow failed to throw his head onto the ball inside the six-yard box.
Moments later Schlager saved Kristjan Asllani’s dipping long-range effort.
Inter’s players were up in arms when Thuram was denied a penalty in the 80th minute.
Substitute Martinez, who has 12 league goals to his name this term, glided with the ball and played in Thuram who took it around his marker before being brought down.
Inter’s appeals were waved off before Martinez’s header was sensationally tipped onto the bar by Schlager.
But Salzburg’s defence was finally breached when they conceded a penalty with five minutes remaining.
Nicolo Barella’s shot struck the arm of Bidstrup and Martinez stepped up to send Schlager the wrong way.
Manchester United’s Champions League hopes received a huge blow as Erik ten Hag’s side twice blew a lead following Marcus Rashford’s red card before super sub Roony Bardghji sealed a bonkers 4-3 win for Copenhagen.
A fortnight on from injecting hope into a faltering continent campaign by narrowly beating the Danish champions, Parken witnessed a scarcely believable comeback that leaves the Red Devils bottom of Group A.
Rasmus Hojlund’s brace had put United in control against his former club, but Rashford’s red card sparked an incredible turnaround as Copenhagen’s pre-match tifo reading “your theatre of nightmares” proved prescient.
This first half was as dramatic as it was action-packed. Hojlund’s third minute opener at the end of a fine team move was followed by several breaks in play, before the Copenhagen native scored his second and was denied a hat-trick.
Things soon spectacularly unravelled for United. Rashford was sent off for catching Elias Jelert after a VAR review, with Mohamed Elyounoussi scoring before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the spot after a Harry Maguire handball.
A wild first half was followed by a pulsating second period. Skipper Bruno Fernandes’ penalty put United back ahead, only for Lukas Lerager to level again and substitute Bardghji to seal an incredible Copenhagen victory.
Arsenal took a huge step towards qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League as Bukayo Saka starred in victory over Sevilla before limping off late on.
Saka set up the opening goal for Leandro Trossard before scoring the second himself as the Gunners secured a straightforward 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium that leaves them on the cusp of the last 16.
Mikel Arteta opted to play Trossard through the middle as his central striker with Eddie Nketiah joining Gabriel Jesus in the treatment room, with the Belgium forward the only change from Saturday’s contentious defeat at Newcastle.
There was not such drama here although four early fouls on Saka went unpunished as both Nemanja Gudelj and Kike Salas left their mark on the England international.
Kai Havertz, without a goal from open play since his £65million summer move from Chelsea, fluffed his lines with an early headed chance, but Arsenal set out their intent from the off.
Saka went down again under close contact from Salas, but this time Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs was unmoved as the hosts wanted a penalty.
Just moments later, however, and the deadlock was broken. The lively Saka unsurprisingly laying on the assist for Trossard to tap home – but Jorginho was the architect with a slide-rule pass to start the move.
It proved to be the only shot on target of a forgettable first half as Sevilla, without a LaLiga or Champions League win under head coach Diego Alonso since his appointment last month.
Havertz bent an effort inches wide as Arsenal went in search of a second after the break and Trossard should have done better soon after, but curled his strike the wrong side of the post.
It was Saka, though, who made the difference once again, beating the offside trap to race onto a Gabriel Martinelli pass before cutting inside Adria Pedrosa and tucking home with aplomb.
Gabriel Jesus had provided the goal and assist that ultimately saw off Sevilla in Spain a fortnight ago, but he was injured during the game and has not played since.
The same went for Saka here, who fell awkwardly and limped off with five minutes to go, with England manager Gareth Southgate – who announces his next squad on Thursday – watching from the stands.
Arteta had said on the eve of the game that Arsenal should “put to bed” qualification for the last 16 with two games to spare and his players did their bit.
But PSV Eindhoven’s win over Lens leaves Group B open, although a draw against the Ligue 1 side at the Emirates Stadium in three weeks time would be enough for Arteta’s side to advance.
Real Madrid cruised into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Braga.
After overcoming an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors, the 14-time European champions took the lead through Brahim Diaz in the 27th minute and then seized control early in the second half as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the score line.
A fourth win out of four in Group C, and ninth straight game at home without defeat in the Champions League, saw Real book their place in the last-16 with two games to spare.
With the hosts needing only a point to be sure of progression, Carlo Ancelotti took the opportunity to rest a number of regulars.
Jude Bellingham was on the bench after suffering a blow to the shoulder at the weekend, while David Alaba and Dani Carvajal were also among the substitutes.
It was a dramatic start to the match as Braga were awarded a penalty just four minutes in, with Lucas Vazquez pulling Cristian Borja back by the shirt and earning a yellow card for his troubles.
But Real avoided further punishment with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin equal to a weak spot-kick from Djalo.
The home side wanted a penalty of their own moments later when Rodrygo went down under a challenge from Sikou Niakate but the referee waved play on.
Diaz, who replaced Bellingham in the side, thought he had scored in the 12th minute following a mistake from Niakate, sweeping home Rodrygo’s pass, but the Brazilian was deemed guilty of a foul in the build-up.
Braga were appealing for another penalty in the 20th minute when Vazquez barged into Bruma, but the winger had already lost control of the ball as he tried to punish a wayward header from the defender.
The hosts went straight to the other end where Federico Valverde blazed over but the goal was coming and arrived in the 27th minute when Rodrygo pulled the ball back for Diaz to lift into the roof of the net.
Rodrygo had a chance to double the lead before half-time but shot straight at Matheus from the left.
Diaz was close to a second 10 minutes into the second half after Vinicius cut the ball back, but his first effort was stopped by the goalkeeper and his follow-up shot blocked by Jose Fonte.
Real were turning up the heat, and the second goal came in the 58th minute as Vinicius finished off a neat move, cutting past Fonte and finding the bottom corner.
And they killed the game off three minutes later, hitting Braga on the break as Rodrygo exchanged passes with Vinicius before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper.
Braga dropped back in numbers to ensure there was no fourth on the night and almost got a goal of their own in stoppage time through Abel Ruiz’s header, which was well saved by Lunin.
Lewis Jamieson’s stoppage-time strike earned St Mirren a battling 2-2 draw at home to Hibernian in the cinch Premiership.
Joe Newell’s second-half goal looked to have earned Hibs a first win in seven games after Josh Campbell’s opener had been cancelled out by a Mark O’Hara penalty.
Jamieson, though, grabbed his first goal for Saints, who remain in third but have now won just one of their last six games.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson made just one change from the team beaten by Celtic a week earlier, with Mikael Mandron coming in for Toyosi Olusanya.
Hibs were looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their Viaplay Cup semi-final loss to Aberdeen and made two changes to their line-up.
Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller both dropped to the bench, their places taken by Rory Whittaker and Campbell, the former making his first league start at the age of 17.
The home side had the first chance when Scott Tanser shot well wide from just outside the box but it was Hibs who moved in front after 12 minutes.
Alex Gogic misjudged Jordan Obita’s ball forward and allowed it to run under his foot. Dylan Vente took advantage to play in Campbell who finished well.
St Mirren rallied from the setback but it was Hibs who looked more likely to score again.
Richard Taylor did well to block an Elie Youan goalbound effort before Vente tried his luck from a tight angle, his shot only narrowly off target.
Saints responded with a hopeful O’Hara long-range header that was easily held by David Marshall, before Youan was twice denied at the other end, the second by a smart Zach Hemming save. The winger then thrashed a shot wide of the far post when he ought to have hit the target.
At the other end, Caolan Boyd-Munce tried his luck from distance but failed to hit the target to leave Saints trailing at the break.
They started the second half again on top and Marcus Fraser’s volley went just wide.
Hibs nearly doubled their lead after another Gogic mistake. The defender was weak with a back pass allowing Campbell to nip in but Hemming did brilliantly to save the forward’s shot.
That save became even more significant when St Mirren were awarded a penalty after a VAR intervention. Obita fouled Taylor at a corner and, after referee Steven McLean confirmed the decision, O’Hara stroked home the spot-kick.
Hibs responded with a Youan strike that Hemming did well to tip around the post before forging back in front after 69 minutes.
Youan spun away from Taylor to send Vente clear and the Dutchman’s cross was finished at the back post by Newell.
That looked like being the winner until Jamieson’s finish from close range earned his team a point.
Former Portmore United striker Maalique Foster and Tyreek Magee make a long-awaited return to international football, as they join newcomer Jonathan Bell in the senior Reggae Boyz squad to face Guatemala on Saturday.
The friendly international is scheduled to take place at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Foster, who currently represents Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the USL, last represented Jamaica in 2019 in Concacaf Nations League B action when he scored twice in their 6-0 beating of Aruba in Willemstad, Curacao.
Prior to that, the now 24-year-old Foster scored a late equalizer in the Boyz 2-2 stalemate with South Korea in a friendly contest in Turkey.
Now back, the nippy attacker, who is also known for his pace up front, will be hoping to impress Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and company, especially with the Nations League quarterfinals against Canada, and possibly an appearance in next year’s Copa America, to come.
Magee, 24, who also plies his trade in the USL with the Switchbacks, made a solitary appearance for the Boyz last year, and like Foster, will be aiming to make this opportunity count.
Bell, 26, is an American-born defender, who currently represents Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit St Louis City.
Meanwhile, Lamonth Rochester is making his transition from the national youth setup, while Shaneil Thomas and Shaqeil Bradford, would have been called up to the senior setup at some point or another without making the final cut.
Squad: Amal Knight, Jahmali Waite, Richard King, Kyle Ming, Jamoi Topey, Lamonth Rochester, Damani Osei, Jonathan Bell, Javain Brown, Shaneil Thomas, Lamonth Rochester, Trayvone Reid, Shaqeil Bradford, Devon Williams, Demario Phillips, Ramone Howell, Romario Williams, Deshane Beckford, Maalique Foster
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
