Wigan boss Shaun Maloney got one over on his good friend Gary Caldwell, but praised the role his young players had in Saturday’s 2-0 League One win at Exeter.
Martial Godo capitalised on an Exeter defensive error to tap in Shaun Humphreys’ low cross for the opener after eight minutes, before Jordan Jones’ stoppage-time strike took a huge deflection off Will Aimson before nestling in the net to complete the win.
“We put a challenge to the group but I wasn’t sure how the game would look,” Maloney said. “I wasn’t sure what it would look like in terms of adversity. I am very proud of my young players.
“We went quite aggressive with the front three. I knew how Exeter would play, they try and dominate the ball, but I felt with the front three we could win the ball back very quickly and then be a threat.
“It is quite satisfying for a coach to see the whole squad celebrating like that.
“The victory meant a lot and we had a really good travelling support considering the distance. We are happy to give them something to go home with.
“I wasn’t quite sure with that young a group how we would compete but the young players did a really good job and the senior players got them over the line.”
Maloney and Caldwell have known each other for over 20 years and the Exeter manager was left frustrated after seeing his side register 29 shots on goal and dominate the game with 72 per cent possession.
“I thought we played well, but I felt we gifted them a goal and the way that they came to win the game, it allowed them to play very deep and slow the game down at every opportunity and frustrate us,” Caldwell said.
“I still think we created moments and opportunities, but we have to be better in the final third. We have to be more clinical. We had 29 shots and only four on target and I think that tells the story of the game.
“It’s clear we need to be better in that area of the pitch and I am sure we will get better when Ads (Admiral Muskwe) and different players pick up their fitness levels and that understanding of playing with each other.
“Another lesson is that we can’t concede a goal as easily as we did. Wigan didn’t come here to score, they came here to frustrate and wait for a mistake and we gifted them that opportunity.
“The effort and application was outstanding, we kept going right to the end and their second goal just sums up what’s been happening with a ricochet of (Pierce) Sweeney and a big deflection.
“But we need to stick together and be resilient, keep believing in what we are doing and I thought we showed that in the second half.”
Austin FC v LAFC: Cherundolo hopeful of maintaining 'contagious' winning feeling
Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo is hoping to maintain their "contagious" winning feeling when they travel to the Q2 Stadium to take on Austin FC.
The Black and Gold are unbeaten in their previous six MLS fixtures after emerging 3–1 victors away at Orlando City last time out to keep them within striking distance of league leaders Real Salt Lake.
Cherundolo's team have the comfort of an extra game in hand over the surrounding sides, but the 45-year-old wants an improved performance after their display last week.
"Winning is contagious, and winning is important," Cherundolo said. "Winning away from home is a lot of fun.
"It certainly wasn't one of our prettiest games, but we had solutions at times, but not all the time. We were hoping to manage our game a little better in possession, but we were unable to do that.
"That is what we will take away for something to improve on, but the result, the effort are some big pluses to take away from tonight."
Meanwhile, Austin are eighth in the Western Conference having suffered a third consecutive defeat as they went down to the Colorado Rapids.
Austin are winless in their last three games against their opponents, and head coach Josh Wolff expects another difficult encounter on Thursday.
"LAFC are one of the best teams in the league," Wolff began. "They have enough weapons, and their attacking players are ruthless and are extremely dangerous.
"For me they are the best team in the league once again. I think they have so much talent and so much depth which goes a long way in this league. If it's a difficult day, they still have players to make plays.
"We have got to do better with our chances. Our key players have to perform and execute."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Sebastian Driussi
The Austin captain will hope to mark his 100th appearance for the club with a goal, and is currently the top scorer for the Verde and Black's with five goals.
LAFC – Mateusz Bogusz
Mateusz Bogusz has been involved in a goal in six consecutive league matches with four goals and two assists.
Only Carlos Vela (11 in 2019-20) has produced more in LAFC history, while only two players (Luciano Acosta - nine, Lionel Messi - eight) have had a longer streak in MLS this season.
MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN
LAFC enter the contest as the favourites to emerge with the three points.
Cherundolo's side have won eight consecutive matches in all competitions. The only MLS team to win nine straight matches outright (excluding breakaway shootout wins) in all competitions were the Seattle Sounders in 2018.
The Black and Gold's are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Austin scoring at least three goals in each of those triumphs.
Austin's last victory over their opponents came in 2022, with the Texas side winning both of their MLS encounters with LAFC that season.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC - 27.6%
Draw - 24.1%
LAFC - 48.3%
Tadic tips 'hungry' Bellingham to 'win next Ballon d'Or'
Jude Bellingham "has everything to win the next Ballon d'Or", Serbia skipper Dusan Tadic insisted after his side fell victim to England's star midfielder.
Bellingham was the hero with his first-half header ensuring Gareth Southgate's side got off to a winning start at Euro 2024, as they edged out the Eagles 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen.
The Real Madrid midfielder built on the momentum from his memorable debut season with Los Blancos, for whom he scored 23 goals and helped win LaLiga and the Champions League.
The second player after Michael Owen to score at the World Cup and European Championship before turning 21, he is also the first to do so for the Three Lions while playing his club football outside of England.
And Tadic, who appeared as a second-half substitute in Serbia's first match at the European Championship as a unified nation, paid tribute to the 20-year-old.
When asked whether he thought Bellingham was the difference in the Group C contest, the Eagles skipper told reporters: "Yes, definitely. I think he is a great player and a great personality. I think he has everything to win the next Ballon d'Or.
"I think everything that he did was great today, he showed personality, he took England to the next level. He was always asking for the ball and I think he had a great game.
"What I think is most important for such a young player is that he always takes responsibility. That is amazing to see, and you can see he is very hungry."
Scriptwriter Bellingham thrills England boss Southgate
Gareth Southgate said Jude Bellingham "writes his own scripts" after the England star sealed a 1-0 win for the Three Lions over Serbia.
The Real Madrid midfielder was on target in Gelsenkirchen to take his international tally to four goals, becoming just the second player to score at both the World Cup and Euros before the age of 21 in the process.
Bellingham timed his run into the penalty area to perfection to head Bukayo Saka's cross beyond Predrag Rajkovic, and put on yet another mature display way beyond his years.
"I mean he writes his own scripts doesn't he," Southgate told BBC Sport.
"The timing of his runs, it was a super bit of play in the build-up to the goal as well, and I thought at different moments all of our forward players looked dangerous."
Southgate maintained his record of winning the opening in all four of the major tournaments that he has been in the England dugout, with only Alf Ramsey having a better win rate at international competitions.
England dominated the first half, but were forced to grind out the victory against a revitalised Serbia side following the interval.
Southgate feels the way in which the game played out was good for his team heading into the encounter with Denmark on Thursday, though.
"That's the reality of tournaments," said Southgate when asked if the victory was tougher than he was expecting.
"They are a strong team, and we had to suffer a bit which I think is really good for us to come through and defend out box the way we did was important for the group.
"We obviously had good chances to extend our lead and to kill the game which we didn't manage to take, so I was really pleased with a lot of the play, especially the first half."
England were limited to just five shots throughout the contest, with Harry Kane coming closest in the second half as he saw his header brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Rajkovic.
Southgate referenced the difficulty of playing against Serbia's compact defensive rearguard, but was confident his forward line will be firing on all cylinders in the fixtures that follow.
"Today was just the finishing and a good save from the goalkeeper with the header towards the end. But that will come," he added.
"I am confident that we will score goals. We were playing against a back five which is not easy to create chances but we did and in the end, one was enough.
"I liked the fact that we had to suffer a bit without the ball because I think that is an area we have worked on a lot this week, and we were obviously so much better than we were last week in doing that."
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