Tommy Conway’s first half penalty and a string of fine saves from Max O’Leary saw Bristol City record a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win over Sunderland.
The hosts made the decisive breakthrough in the 20th minute after Sunderland were caught playing out from the back. Taylor Gardner-Hickman was tripped by goalkeeper Anthony Patterson and Conway sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with a low spot-kick.
An inspired performance from O’Leary protected the lead and Sunderland will feel hugely frustrated not to have taken something from an impressive display at Ashton Gate.
The game began badly for Conway, who picked up a booking on 45 seconds for a late challenge on Luke O’Nien.
The hosts had a strong penalty appeal rejected in the seventh minute when Mark Sykes went down inside the box.
However, Sunderland looked in confident mood with Trai Hume and Patrick Roberts forcing early saves from O’Leary.
Conway’s penalty was City’s first shot on target, but it galvanised Liam Manning’s team and six minutes later Anis Mehmeti struck a post with a low drive from inside the box.
Patterson had to dive to keep out a Jason Knight shot from distance, but Sunderland gradually rediscovered their composure and saw efforts from Jack Clarke and Roberts fly wide of O’Leary’s goal.
Roberts should have done better with his left-footed curler but caused problems with his ability to take on and beat defenders.
Sunderland finished the half strongly, with Rob Dickie picking up a booking for halting a dangerous run from Hume and Alex Pritchard clipping the crossbar with a free-kick from out on the left wing.
The second half began with the visitors playing towards their 2,600 travelling fans. They forced a string of corners and O’Leary was not able to hold a low shot from Pierre Ekwah to concede the first of them.
It was all Sunderland as O’Leary produced a brilliant save on his line to keep out O’Nien’s header and another diving stop to deny Abdoullah Ba.
Gardner-Hickman had a shot saved by Patterson on a rare City break but they came under more pressure and O’Leary had to be alert again to keep out another O’Nien header.
A couple of Sunderland penalty appeals for handball were waved aside by referee Stephen Martin as City defended for their lives, then O’Leary made yet another stunning stop, diving full-length to keep out a header from substitute Jobe Bellingham.
City had a great chance to settle the outcome when substitute Harry Cornick broke clear, only for his control to let him down as he prepared to shoot.
Sunderland threw everything into the dying minutes but they dropped out of the top six as Manning’s men put bodies on the line in front of the unbeatable O’Leary to hold out.
Real Salt Lake v Seattle Sounders: Schmetzer enjoying playoff pressure
Seattle Sounders visit Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake in midweek and Brian Schmetzer is enjoying the challenges of chasing an MLS playoff spot.
The visiting Sounders have two wins and a draw in their last three outings after defeating Portland Timbers 2-1 on the road.
Seattle sit 10th in the West, just three points shy of St. Louis City above them, and Schmetzer knows the pressure is there to chase a postseason position.
"We're three points from the playoff line, that pressure is still there," said Schmetzer.
"We're still too far down the standings for our liking. But you go to Philly and get points, you come here [to Portland] and get points.
"You have 120 minutes of kids gritting it out [in the U.S. Open Cup]. I can sense that the group is finding its form."
Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan added: "We feel we definitely have a good enough team to compete for trophies this year."
The hosts are unbeaten in their last eight league matches, sitting top of the West standings by two points heading into this midweek clash.
Pablo Mastroeni's side were held to a 2-2 draw with LA Galaxy in their last outing, with this now the chance to respond on home turf.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Cristian Arango scored both of Real Salt Lake’s goals on Saturday to take his total to 11 for the season.
Only five players have scored more than 11 goals in a season for RSL, including just one, Damir Kreilach (twice), since 2015.
Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz
Raul Ruidiaz scored the winning goal for Seattle against Portland on Sunday, his seventh goal of the season, and the fifth different game he's scored in.
The Sounders have collected 10 points (W3 D1 L1) in the five games in which Ruidiaz has scored compared to three points (W0 D3 L4) in the seven he hasn't.
MATCH PREDICTION – REAL SALT LAKE WIN
Salt Lake are unbeaten in 13 straight regular-season home matches against Seattle (W10 D3) with the Sounders' only ever league win at RSL coming in 2011.
RSL has had just one longer home unbeaten run against a single opponent, going 18 in a row at home against the Colorado Rapids without losing from 2007—19, making them the favourites for this clash.
Yet Seattle have won consecutive away matches for the first time since March-April last season.
The Sounders scored five times in those matches after scoring just four in their first five on the road this season, suggesting goals are on the cards here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake win – 40.3%
Seattle Sounders win – 30.1%
Draw – 29.6%
Kroos for the Ballon d'Or? Why not, says Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti has backed Toni Kroos for this year's Ballon d'Or if Real Madrid and Germany win the Champions League and Euro 2024 respectively.
With another LaLiga title under their belts, Madrid are into the Champions League final after they overcame Kroos' former club Bayern Munich in the last four.
Borussia Dortmund stand in Los Blancos' way of a record-extending 15th European crown.
And Kroos, who has come out of international retirement in order to boost Germany's Euro 2024 chances, has played a key role in Madrid's success this term.
In fact, he has been so good, that Ancelotti cannot see why the Ballon d'Or would not be a possibility.
"The Ballon d'Or for Kroos? Well, anything can happen," Ancelotti told reporters after Madrid hammered Alaves 5-0 on Tuesday.
"If he wins the Champions League and the Euro. I think he can do a double. Germany can win with Kroos."
Kroos has played 46 times in all competitions for Madrid this season, with only Joselu, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde making more appearances.
The 34-year-old leads Madrid's squad for chances created (85), while he is second for assists (nine) and expected assists (7.6).
He has attempted 3,257 passes, over 500 more than any of his club-mates, completing 3,083 of them (94.6 per cent).
However, his immediate future is not yet certain, though Ancelotti is not concerned.
"At the moment, we are not worried about what he is going to do, neither am I, nor the club, nor Toni," the Italian added.
"Until June 1, this is a secondary issue. We are now thinking about winning the Champions League."
Madrid now want to make the most of their remaining LaLiga games as they prepare for their showdown with BVB.
"These games are important to maintain the rhythm, the good dynamics, the motivation and the good play. There are two weeks left. Now we'll rest for a few days and next week we'll do some physical work. In the second week we will do tactical work," Ancelotti said.
"For me as a coach, it's the best season. The team has been fantastic, we deservedly won LaLiga. We're on a cloud, but we have to keep going because we haven't played the most important game yet.
"This team has a lot of talent. Very young people with a lot of quality. It has the opportunity to mark an era in the future, given the value of the youngsters we have."
Portland Timbers v San Jose Earthquakes: 'No time for sulking' – Neville calls on struggling hosts to respond
Phil Neville warned Portland Timbers have "no time for sulking" as the head coach offered an eye-opening appraisal of his side's struggles ahead of their MLS meeting with San Jose Earthquakes.
The Timbers are winless in a club-record nine straight matches after their 2-1 defeat to Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
Portland sit bottom of the Western Conference table and former Inter Miami boss Neville acknowledged the Timbers must improve – and rapidly.
"Massively disappointed, the result in these games is the most important thing," Neville said, looking back at the Seattle loss.
"I have to take full responsibility for this run, in life you get difficult moments and we have to really work hard; make sacrifices – that is the message for the players.
"There's no time for sulking, any criticism that comes our way has to be aimed at me. I select the team, the system, the tactics over the last nine games.
"We've got to be better, but I am absolutely convinced we are going to get this right.
"We've got to go out fighting, the results have to change very quickly. I am under no illusions about that."
The Quakes are just a position above the Timbers but overcame Colorado Rapids 3-2 in their last outing, suggesting to coach Luchi Gonzalez that his side are starting to click into gear.
"We had quite a bit of new additions to the team," he explained. "They're good players and they need time to adapt to this league.
"They're showing more confidence and showing how they can adapt to this league.
"We need to support them. We need to on and off the field know that with more time, this group can compete with anybody in the league."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander remains Neville's go-to man, having scored four and assisted three in just eight league appearances this year.
The Brazilian leads the Timbers for goal contributions in MLS this term, and Neville will hope his star man can deliver once more here.
San Jose Earthquakes – Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez was one player referenced by Gonzalez as needing time to find comfort in his new surroundings.
The Quakes man did just that on his first MLS start, scoring to overturn a two-goal deficit against Colorado.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
Portland are the overwhelming favourites for victory here, going unbeaten in 20 straight home matches against San Jose in all competitions (W16 D4) – dating back to September 2011.
That is the Timbers' second-longest home unbeaten run by one MLS team against another in all competitions, with this a chance to extend that impressive run.
Yet it will be by no means one-way traffic, considering Portland made it a club-record nine straight regular-season matches without a win (D3 L6), including three straight losses, with defeat to Seattle.
San Jose have also won three straight matches in all competitions for the first time in three years, setting this up for an enticing clash.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers win – 55.8%
San Jose Earthquakes win – 19.6%
Draw – 24.6%
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