JThe September window of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League A group stage is now complete, and standout performances have led to Jamaica's Michail Antonio and Kasey Palmer, along with Guyana's Isaiah Jones, being named in the Best XI for the group stage fixtures.

Palmer was a crucial figure for the Reggae Boyz, dominating the midfield with his commanding presence. Defensively, he was a rock, securing eight steals and disrupting the opposition's play consistently. In addition to his defensive work, Palmer was also efficient in possession, completing an impressive 92.42 percent of his passes, making him a key conduit in transitioning from defense to attack. His dynamic performance in the midfield was instrumental in Jamaica's strong start to the Nations League campaign.

Leading Jamaica's attacking efforts, Antonio once again demonstrated why he is one of the country's top forwards. Antonio contributed a goal and was a constant threat to opposing defenses, taking five shots over the two group-stage matches. His ability to put pressure on the opposition and create scoring opportunities played a vital role in Jamaica's offensive strategy. Antonio's inclusion in the Best XI reflects his consistent ability to impact games at the highest level.

Guyana's Jones also earned his spot in the Best XI with a standout performance in the group stage. Jones scored a crucial brace in Guyana’s visit to Martinique, securing the team's first points of the campaign with a significant draw. His efforts were pivotal for Guyana, showcasing his goal-scoring instincts and resilience on the international stage.

The Best XI also features notable performances from players like Nicholas Hagen of Guatemala, who was instrumental in his team's unbeaten start with key saves and a clean sheet against Costa Rica. Costa Rica's defensive duo, Juan Pablo Vargas and Francisco Calvo, made the list for their commanding performances, each contributing both defensively and offensively to Costa Rica's solid start. Honduras' midfielders David Ruiz and Kervin Arriaga impressed with their all-around play, with Ruiz particularly standing out as a young talent to watch.

The inclusion of two Jamaican players in the Best XI highlights the team's strong performance in the early stages of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League. With both Michail Antonio leading the attack and Kasey Palmer anchoring the midfield, the Reggae Boyz have demonstrated their quality and potential as they aim for success in the competition. The recognition of these players also underscores the depth and talent present in the Caribbean football scene, showcasing their impact on the regional stage.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke believes Leeds’ 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough was a “good advertisement” for Championship football.

An end-to-end encounter at the Riverside produced five goals in just the first half, starting with the hosts taking an early lead through Isaiah Jones.

Leeds netted two goals in 11 minutes when Summerville slotted home from the spot and Patrick Bamford came back to haunt the Riverside after bundling a goal home.

Emmanuel Latte Lath drew Boro level on the 30 minute mark but Wilfried Gnonto restored the visitors’ advantage in a frenetic first 45 minutes.

Summerville bagged his second of the game after the break with a curling strike and there was late drama when Latte Lath scored a looping header in the 87th minute but Leeds held on for the three points.

Reflecting on a thrilling clash, Farke believes his players showed “great mentality” to see out victory.

He said: “First of all a good advertisement for Championship football, I think all the supporters have enjoyed the game.

“(It was) a great piece of football from two good sides who really went for it to win this game.

“To start the game with this unlucky goal, deflected pass that normally wouldn’t have been a chance, they scored out of this.

“Middlesbrough played today with freedom because it was more or less their last highlight, they could go for it and had a really good shape, then they are 1-0 up after just a few moments.

“To show such a reaction in the first half to come back to create so many chances, to score fantastic goals, was great for us to have.

“Compliments to Middlesbrough, they showed a fantastic performance, but great mentality from our players to lead 3-2 at half-time.

“We needed to show some steel and resilience in the last minutes to dig in and grind out this important result for us and we did.

“Many compliments for the heart, the mentality and the character of our players today and for their offensive quality.”

The result means Leeds climb to second in the table, overtaking Ipswich who have three games left this season compared to the Yorkshire club’s two.

Boro remain ninth in the table and boss Michael Carrick praised his side for their “incredible effort” but believes Gnonto’s goal, which appeared to be offside, was a “massive decision” in the game.

“I enjoyed the game, I thought we did a lot of good things,” he said.

“They’ve got some good quality and they’ve showed it all season. At the top end of the pitch they’re really dangerous.

“I thought we defended largely in shape really well, we were really good with the ball and dominated and controlled large parts of the game.

“I was really pleased with the boys and the effort was an incredible effort all the way to the end. We went for it, we had to go for it, we threw everything at them.

“The offside goal is a massive decision. We asked the boys to defend well and hold the line together, the line’s impeccable really and I think there’s three of them in the line around the edge of the box hold the line.

“You expect offsides given, which it was too clear not to be.”

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna was “proud” of his team’s performance in the thrilling 1-1 home draw with Middlesbrough which put them one point clear at the top of the Championship.

Town went into the game looking to take advantage after seeing automatic promotion rivals Leicester and Leeds lose to Plymouth and Blackburn respectively.

Boro took the lead after 20 minutes through a header from Emmanuel Latte Lath but Town struck back 10 minutes later when Massimo Luongo crashed home a corner by Leif Davis.

Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky produced two wonderful saves, firstly from Isaiah Jones and then Matt Clarke, to keep the scores level.

McKenna said: “Frustration isn’t my feeling at the moment. Maybe it will be tomorrow but at the moment it’s pride around the performance.

“I thought it was a brilliant game, I thought the performance was excellent against a good side and I was really proud of how we went about our business really.

“I thought we played brilliant, we played confident, tactically it was a really good battle, we created plenty of chances to win the game and I thought it was a really good performance.

“Over the course of the last two games could we have had an couple of extra points, for sure we could we have lost today, Vaz (Hladky) produces a great save at the end.

“The players have given everything and what’s more pleasing for me is the performance and at the end of the season we will get as many points that we get, I don’t think they are going to leave an ounce of effort out there.

“I really liked the way we went about our business and at the end of the day we pick up a point from a really good performance and we have a little bit of recovery now and look forward to last week and three great games.”

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick was happy with a share of the spoils in the end.

He said: “It’s a tough place to come and you can see they’re a really good team, confidence is high and they’re in a really good place.

“Their record here is really good so it was always going to be challenging to come here, which makes it probably a decent point in isolation.

“But, for us, we came here to win and we wanted to win, so it’s a bit of mixed feelings really overall.

“We know what we needed [as far as play-off hopes were concerned]. It doesn’t change what we do for the next game, though.

“We want to finish the season strongly and continue to do the right things. We’re on a decent run at the moment and we want to try and keep building on that. The aim is to just try and keep winning football matches really.

“There are a lot of good things again. There are things we need to improve upon and be better at but there are some good things that we can take from it.

“We’ve been doing that for a number of games now which is pleasing. But we still want to be coming to places like this and winning. We tried to but we just didn’t quite pull it off.”

Ipswich moved a point clear at the top of the Championship after a thrilling 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Portman Road.

Town went into the game looking to take advantage after seeing automatic promotion rivals Leicester and Leeds lose to Plymouth and Blackburn respectively.

In a breathless first half the visitors took the lead through a header from Emmanuel Latte Lath but Town struck back 10 minutes later when Massimo Luongo crashed home a corner by Leif Davis.

Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky produced two wonderful saves, firstly from Isaiah Jones and then Matt Clarke, to keep the scores level deep into the second period.

Ipswich were on the front foot from the start but Middlesbrough were carving out their own chances and they got their noses in front after 20 minutes when a cross from Leeds loanee Luke Ayling found Ivorian striker Latte Lath, who headed home.

There were strong shouts for handball after Boro defender Clarke blocked a cross from Axel Tuanzebe but referee Sam Allison ruled it out and awarded a corner from which Town equalised as Luongo came rushing in at the far post and fired the ball home via the underside of the bar.

Town almost immediately took the lead when Jeremy Sarmiento was played through by Conor Chaplin and chipped Seny Dieng as he rushed off his line.

It looked like it was going into the net but it clipped a post. Ali Al-Hamadi tried for the rebound with a back-heel flick but it was blocked.

Boro wasted a great chance to take the lead just before half-time when they countered down the left through Sammy Silvera.

Latte Lath’s first shot was deflected, with a handball shout from the visitors, before the second went out for a corner from which former Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson headed wide.

A dazzling run by Omari Hutchinson saw him leave Middlesbrough defenders in his wake and as he closed in on goal his shot was deflected over the bar by Danish defender Lukas Engel.

As both teams pushed Hladky had to dive to his right to deny Boro substitute Sam Greenwood after Town skipper Sam Morsy lost possession while at the other end Dieng parried away a shot from Hutchinson.

Hladky produced two wonderful saves to keep the game level. First he stopped Jones from point-blank range and then stretched to palm over a header from Clarke as the game drew to a nail-biting close.

Michael Carrick admitted Middlesbrough’s bench made the difference after they came from a goal behind beat Millwall 3-1 at The Den in the Sky Bet Championship.

Carrick’s Boro were on a high after Tuesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg victory over Chelsea and rounded off an impressive week with victory over another London side.

Joe Bryan opened the scoring for the hosts before strikes from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and substitute Marcus Forss turned things around.

Matt Crooks also came off the bench to have a positive impact in the second half.

Carrick said: “We knew it was going to be a challenge but we found our way the longer the game went, I’m delighted for the boys.

“We showed good spirit and quality and the bench made the difference for us, which we missed for a period of time.

“I thought the squad felt strong today and it can get stronger. We have a good group.

“Marcus (Forss) has worked hard for a period of time now and it’s a big goal for him and for us.”

Millwall struggled to replicate their dominant first half display and lost their way in the second 45.

Manager Joe Edwards highlighted his team’s injuries and agreed that Boro’s squad depth played a part on the day.

He added: “We felt that today (Boro’s depth). I’ve felt it in other games as well.

“I remember being stood down there when we were hanging on to a 1-0 lead against Norwich and when I saw the subs they were bringing on I thought ‘wow, that’s some impact and it will now get harder in the final 20 to 30 minutes.’

“That’s something I felt today.

“There’s a group of around seven of our players in their tracksuits today who are unable to play and that hurts us.”

Edwards struggled to hide his disappointment after the Lions failed to make it four successive league wins.

He said: “It’s disappointing. The goals they scored were soft and the bottom line is if you are playing a team at that level and dominate as much as we did in the first half an hour we needed to cash in and get that second goal.”

Middlesbrough conceded early but battled back strongly to win 3-1 win at Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship.

Michael Carrick’s Reds, who beat Premier League Chelsea in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, claimed another London scalp on Saturday.

Joe Bryan opened the scoring for the home side at The Den but goals from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss turned things around in favour of the Teessiders.

Millwall took a deserved 10th-minute lead, as the visitors cracked under early pressure.

Ryan Longman’s cross was cleared but only into the path of Bryan, who guided his effort into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

The Lions came close to doubling their lead five minutes later. Bryan turned creator and whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, with centre-back Jake Cooper’s first-time effort clipping the bar.

Boro spent large parts of the first half on the back foot but they managed to break forward and equalise seven minutes before the interval.

Jones, whose positive form carried on after his impressive display against Chelsea, threaded a pass to Sam Greenwood. The on-loan Leeds player found the Engel with a low cross and the unmarked Dane levelled with a  close-range finish.

The visitors took the lead in the 58th minute after Bryan misjudged heading a high ball, with pacey former Tooting & Mitcham player Jones advancing and coolly finished past Matija Sarkic.

Millwall sought a way back into the game but failed to replicate their dominance of the early stages and played slow passes around the back, much to the frustration of animated manager Joe Edwards.

The visitors turned the screw and looked the most likely to score again.

Substitute Matt Crooks showed quick feet, turning his man in midfield before unleashing debutant Luke Ayling down the right.

The former Leeds right-back produced an excellent pass for Morgan Rogers,  who failed to connect properly.

However, the points were sealed in added time when Forss scored as the visitors moved into the top half.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick hailed the “unbelievable” spirit of his players after the 2-1 victory over Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Both sides missed easy chances in the first period, with Boro’s Isaiah Jones miskicking the ball two yards in front of an open net before Town’s Josh Koroma crashed off the crossbar after rounding the goalkeeper.

Second-half substitute Josh Coburn lifted over Jacob Chapman to put Boro in front but the home side were not behind for long as Michal Helik’s strike from the edge of the box made it 1-1.

Boro had the chance to win it late on from the penalty spot but Jonny Howson saw it saved by Chapman only for him to redeem himself and net the winner moments later.

Carrick said: “It’s not the perfect way or ideal way to go about it but sometimes you have got to find a way.

“The spirit is unbelievable in the group with the staff and backroom staff. It’s an effort from everywhere, a lot of clubs have injuries as well, it’s something you have to deal with and accept to a point.

“As we are in the league now, come the end of the year with everything to play for in the cup so there is a lot to be pleased about but still a lot of work to do for sure.”

Carrick was happy to see Howson net the winner just a minute after his spot-kick was saved.

He added: “It was a hell of a save to be fair from the goalkeeper, sometimes there are good penalties and bad penalties but it’s a hell of a save.

“You can see the emotion on Jonny’s face, what it meant to him and to everyone and celebrations were ramped up by the fact he missed the penalty.

“Sometimes it’s quite nice to win like that, really digging and fighting and Jonny showed that moment. It was one of those games that didn’t really come easy for us really.

“It was a slog, a grind, bit chaotic with chances at both ends and I said at half-time ‘if it is going to be one of them games then make sure we win the battle’.

“To be fair to the boys they all chipped in in different ways and I’m delighted with the result.”

Huddersfield boss Darren Moore felt his side did not deserve to lose.

He said: “I said to the boys to keep their heads up really because what’s doing Huddersfield is small lapses of concentration but credit to the players for the performance.

“It’s fine margins that split the difference and that’s what’s done us in the end tonight really. I’m encouraged because the performances are there so the results won’t be too far away.

“It’s a hard one to take but we have to take the positives from the game and take it forward.”

Middlesbrough took full advantage of Dan Neil’s first half red card and ran riot after the break to hammer Sunderland 4-0 in the Wear-Tees derby at the Stadium of Light.

Midfielder Neil was sent off for Tony Mowbray’s side deep in first half stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card for dissent, allowing Boro to take complete control.

Former Sunderland youngster Sam Greenwood, who came through the ranks on Wearside before leaving for Arsenal when he was just 16 and later joining Leeds, broke the deadlock on 58 minutes before Matt Crooks added a second goal two minutes later.

The impressive Isaiah Jones scored the third 17 minutes from time before substitute Marcus Forss wrapped up the emphatic victory in the last minute.

After failing to pick up three points in any of the first seven Championship games, Boro – who were widely fancied for promotion before a ball was kicked this season – have now won four league games on the bounce.

Sunderland had won five of their last six games and were first to threaten when Abdoullah Ba fired just over the crossbar inside the first 10 minutes, before Patrick Roberts forced a fine save out of Seny Dieng after a weaving run from the right.

Boro responded well and after Greenwood’s shot was only parried by Anthony Patterson, Josh Coburn hit the outside of the post with the rebound from a tight angle.

The game swung in Boro’s favour deep in first half stoppage time when Neil, who had been booked earlier in the half for a foul on Coburn, was given a second yellow card for dissent. A melee then broke out at half-time after a Coburn foul on Ballard, with Carrick and his coaching team rushing on to the pitch in an effort to calm things down.

Boro had two glorious chances early in the second half as they set about making the most of their numerical advantage. Patterson made a fine save at the feet of Crooks, who looked certain to slot home Jones’ cross from the right. From the resulting corner, Paddy McNair headed over just four yards out.

The goal Boro had threatened arrived 13 minutes after the break. Dael Fry picked out Greenwood inside the box and the 21-year-old lashed beyond Patterson. Just two minutes later the game was all but over as Jones beat Clarke down the right before teeing up Crooks for a tap in.

Jones got the goal he deserved after weaving across the pitch from the right and keeping his cool to slot home with his left foot. And after substitute Latte Lath’s shot was saved by Patterson in the 90th minute, Forss was on hand to score the fourth.