Stoke boss Steven Schumacher was brimming with pride after his side held promotion-chasing Ipswich to a goalless draw.

The Potters had the better chances, but they had to hold on for dear life after Jordan Thompson was sent off in the second half.

Schumacher took over the reins at the Staffordshire club last month and they are now six unbeaten; but with only one win in the past two months.

“I’m really pleased and proud of the players,” reflected Schumacher. “They put some effort in for the fourth game in a row in 10 days against a tough team.

“I’m really proud of them because we’ve managed to get a result which I felt we deserved.

“We played really well for 20-25 minutes and caused lots of problems. We couldn’t get ourselves in f…

Niklas Sule already knows which club he will join when leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season, according to the defender s agent Volker Struth.

Germany international Sule confirmed to the club last week he will exit the Allianz Arena when his contract expires in four months time, having failed to agree to a new deal.

That led to criticism from club legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who stated Sule never really asserted himself in his position at Bayern.

Former Bayern skipper Stefan Effenberg went one further by accusing the 26-year-old of deciding against sporting success for more money , with newly rich Newcastle United among the sides linked.

But the player s representative has refuted those claims, insisting Sule s decision to leave Bayern is not f…

England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed he twice had to convince Kyle Walker to rethink international retirement.

The 33-year-old scored his first England goal in Saturday’s 1-1 Euro 2024 qualifier draw against Ukraine in Wroclaw.

It topped a fine performance from the Manchester City right-back, whose future for both club and country was uncertain over the summer.

Only an intervention from City boss Pep Guardiola saw Walker stay at the Etihad Stadium after Bayern Munich overtures almost saw him depart for Germany.

Now Southgate has told of how he also had to change Walker’s mind after both the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy and last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

“I’ve talked him out of retirement twice – out of international footba…

Prediction: Wales to win 3-0

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Latvia and Wales will lock horns with each other in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group D next week. The match between Dainis Kazakevičs’s side and Rob Page’s team will be held at Skonto Stadium in Riga and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm UK time next Monday.

Latvia

Latvia are one of the weakest countries in European football, and no one ever expects them to even remotely challenge to qualify for any competition. They are basically there to make up the numbers in qualifying groups. It is harsh but true.

Dainis Kazakevičs’s side are at the foot of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group D at the moment. Latvia have picked up zero point from three matches. They are as many as nine points behind l…

Travel-happy Harrogate boss Simon Weaver wants his side to transfer their away form to their own backyard after racking up another road win with a 1-0 League Two victory at Walsall.

George Thomson’s fifth goal of the season, a low strike from 20 yards that Owen Evans could only help into the bottom corner, helped Harrogate to a fifth-straight away win in all competitions.

It was also the first time Harrogate – who leapfrogged Walsall up to 14th in the table – have won four in a row away from home since being promoted into the Football League in 2020.

“It’s no mean feat and we are really pleased – it’s built on just trying to be solid first and foremost, nothing complicated. The shape has been good to us and it’s paid off,” Weaver said.

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Wydad reached the CAF Champions League final for the fifth time in their history after they drew 1-1 with Petro de Luanda to seal a 4-2 aggregate win.

The build-up to Friday s second leg between two-time champions Wydad and Petro, who were bidding to reach their first final in the competition, was skewed somewhat by Al Ahly s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the decision to host the showpiece match in Casablanca.

Ten-time continental champions Al Ahly, who hold a 4-0 advantage over Entente Setif in the other semi-final, claimed it was unfair that Wydad, winners in 1992 and 2017, could have home advantage in the final on May 30, and unless CAS overrules CAF s decision, then that will be the case.

Defender Amine Farhane scored in the 28th mi…

England boss Sarina Wiegman conceded she was “disappointed” after her defending champions could only manage a 1-1 draw with Sweden to kick off their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign at Wembley.

Alessia Russo nodded home Lauren James’ delivery to open the scoring in the 24th minute, but it was the visitors who looked likelier to score as half-time approached.

The Lionesses preserved their lead until the 64th minute, when England’s concentration switched off and allowed Fridolina Rolfo to drift in and nod substitute Rosa Kafaji’s delivery past Mary Earps.

THANK YOU, !

— Lionesses (@Lionesses)

Wiegman said: “I think this group is really tough. Of course I’m disappointed, because we always want to win.

“I think we scored a gre…

Stephen Welsh can draw on 15 years of pressure at Celtic as another season moves towards a tense and exciting run-in.

The 24-year-old defender came through the club’s youth ranks before making his debut in February 2020 during a 4–1 win away to Hamilton.

Welsh has had to fight for game time since but has taken over recently from injured Cameron Carter-Vickers and he was again paired with Liam Scales for the trip to St Mirren on Sunday.

The Scottish champions have been criticised at times this season for their performances but the 2-0 Scottish Gas Scottish Cup win in Paisley, which set up a quarter-final clash with Livingston next month, made it eight wins and a draw in their last nine games.

Celtic also lead Rangers by three points at the top of the c…

Lorenzo Insigne dismissed speculation linking him with a move to Serie A rivals Lazio amid doubts over his Napoli future.

Insigne is entering the final year of his contract and the captain is yet to re-sign with boyhood club Napoli, where he emerged from the youth team in 2010.

The Italy star has been linked with LaLiga duo Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, while Liverpool and Milan have previously emerged as possible destinations.

Insigne was asked about his future, with reports claiming Italy team-mate Ciro Immobile is trying to lure the 30-year-old to Lazio.

 Slalom time at

— Italy (@azzurri)

This rumour came out that Immobile is acting as sporting director to bring me to Lazio, but it s not true, Insigne said as Italy…

Aston Villa have completed the signing of France winger Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen.

While Villa have not disclosed the fee paid to secure the services of the 24-year-old, it has been widely reported that the club have broken their transfer record.

Diaby has 10 senior France caps but was not part of the squad that reached the World Cup final in Qatar last year.

Having come up through the ranks at hometown club Paris St Germain, Diaby moved to Leverkusen in 2019.

Mood.

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