Steven Schumacher claimed “it’s not done yet” despite a 3-0 victory against his former club Plymouth all-but securing Stoke’s Sky Bet Championship status.
The Potters boss enjoyed the bragging rights as goals from Dutch trio Ki-Jana Hoever, Million Manhoef and Wouter Burger secured a win which saw his side move up to 17th in the table – six points clear of the drop zone with two fixtures remaining.
“It was a big day; I had my eye on this game since I came here,” said Schumacher, who left Home Park in December having led Argyle to the League One title last season.
“I would have hoped both teams would have been safe by now, so there could have been a bit less pressure.
“It’s weird when you come up against people who you are friends with and you have a feeling in your belly all week that’s not nice.
“I’ve got a lot of affection for Argyle and always want them to do well, but today was about Stoke and trying to get three points that we needed.
“It was probably the best home performance from us; it was really good all-round.
“We knew how difficult the game would be and if our performance wasn’t right we would have got hurt by Argyle today.
“But credit to the players, they were brilliant from the first minute and, in the big moments, we showed some composure and quality.
“We stressed all week that there was going to be a bit of noise around the game and everybody understood how important it was.
“It’s not done yet; it’s important that we get in on Monday and have another good week and focus on Southampton.
“You never know in this league, and you have to keep going until it’s mathematically secure and at the moment it’s not.”
Plymouth’s three-match unbeaten start under interim boss Neil Dewsnip ended in disappointing style.
The Pilgrims could muster only one attempt on target as they slipped to four points above the relegation zone.
“We’re really disappointed to lose – we knew how important the game was for us,” said interim boss Dewsnip.
“Stoke were by far the better team on the day and credit to them.
“After the first 35 minutes, the crowd seemed to get really involved and Stoke got a big lift from that.
“We didn’t handle that emotion particularly well and I was disappointed with our performance in the last 10 minutes of the first half.
“We showed immaturity, which is something we’ll address and look to do better in the future.
“We’ll take the lessons; Millwall’s going to be a tough place to play and we need to be ready for that.
“We need to handle moments in the game much better.
“The commitment is definitely there (from us); sometimes in football you have to hold your hands up and say your opponents were better.
“Last Friday night, the same group of players gave everything physically and emotionally, and that might have taken it out of us more than we realised.
“Our goal is to stay in the Championship and we’re two games out from doing that.
“If you’d have given us that at the start of the season, we’d have grabbed that opportunity, so we’re in a positive mental state.”
Milan 3-3 Genoa: Thiaw own goal denies Rossoneri in six-goal thriller
Milan were pegged back to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Genoa in Serie A on Sunday.
Second-half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Olivier Giroud put Milan on course for victory, but a late own goal from Malick Thiaw rescued a point for the visitors.
Genoa's Mateo Retegui converted a penalty five minutes in, but Milan equalised just before half-time through an Alessandro Florenzi header.
The visitors regained the lead three minutes into the second half, however, when Caleb Ekuban sent a towering header home.
Milan turned the game around in three minutes, as Gabbia headed home in the 72nd and Giroud scored the hosts' third of the match with a volley from an acute angle.
Yet Genoa continued to push and a cross into the Milan box was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Thiaw.
Second-placed Milan have 71 points, six ahead of Juventus who play later on Sunday. Genoa are 12th with 43 points.
Data Debrief: Like a fine wine
Age really is just a number for Milan's veteran campaigner Giroud, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A this season.
It is his highest tally in a single league campaign since netting 16 for Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015-16.
Reggae Girlz forward Jody Brown graduates from Florida State University
Reggae Girl and Florida State University soccer star Jody Brown celebrated a significant milestone this past weekend as she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Humanities. At just 22 years old, Brown has achieved remarkable success both on the soccer field and in her academic pursuits.
Brown was among 101 student-athletes who graduated from FSU between last Friday and Saturday.
During her time at Florida State, Brown played a pivotal role in securing two National Division 1 Soccer titles in 2021 and 2023, adding to her impressive list of accolades. She was also part of four ACC Division One championship-winning teams in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, highlighting her exceptional talent and contribution to collegiate soccer.
Brown's impact extended beyond the field, as she excelled academically, culminating in her graduation this year. Reflecting on her university experience, Brown took to Instagram to express her gratitude and nostalgia: "Four years of unforgettable memories, lessons, and lifelong friendships. Thank you Florida State University."
Her Instagram post garnered warm congratulations from fellow Reggae Girlz teammates, including Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, Kiki van Zanten, and Tiffany Cameron. Jamaican track and field icon Veronica Campbell Brown, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 200m, also joined in celebrating Brown's achievement.
Brown's journey from representing Jamaica at the age of 16 to competing in the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2023 underscores her dedication and talent both on and off the field. As she embarks on the next chapter of her career, Brown's achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and scholars alike, demonstrating the power of determination, resilience, and academic excellence in pursuit of one's goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen: Alonso's champions roll on
Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak as they secured a 5-1 away victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
The result leaves champions Leverkusen at the summit with 84 points, while Frankfurt sit sixth with 45.
Leverkusen's record unbeaten run, meanwhile, has now extended to 48 matches across all competitions.
Xabi Alonso's team opened the scoring through Granit Xhaka's bending strike from outside the box after 12 minutes.
Hugo Ekitike's perfectly timed header restored parity just after the half-hour mark, however.
Leverkusen retook the lead just before half-time through Patrik Schick's towering header.
It was 3-1 in the 58th minute, Exequiel Palacios converting a penalty after Niels Nkounkou pulled Nathan Tella by the shirt.
Jeremie Frimpong added a fourth for the visitors with 13 minutes remaining, tapping in from short distance, before the wing-back played a key role in Leverkusen's fifth, winning a penalty which was put away by Victor Boniface.
Data Debrief: Club history for free-scoring Leverkusen
Leverkusen have now scored 82 goals in this Bundesliga season, a new season record for the Werkself in the top flight.
They also lead the Bundesliga for the most goals from long-distance (11), most goals from set-pieces (23) and most goals in the final 15 minutes of matches (19).
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