Santos football executive director Alexandre Mattos insisted that leaving Neymar out of their 3-0 Copa do Brasil defeat to Palmeiras was purely tactical. The veteran forward was omitted from the matchday team sheet, sparking debate surrounding his physical condition and the venue's synthetic surface.
Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes targeted silverware after coming off the bench to score twice in a 3-2 Carabao Cup victory over West Bromwich Albion. The triumph marked a first competitive win for new manager Matthias Jaissle at St James' Park, with Barnes striking late to send the Magpies into the third round.
The Natal Rich Boys were hoping to finally snap their winless streak, but the Soweto giants were equally determined to preserve their unbeaten Betway Premiership run. Both sides produced an entertaining and hard-fought display, trading blows in a four-goal thriller before ultimately settling for a share of the spoils.
Junior Dion was the Abafana Bes'thende hero yet again, while newly promoted Stallions move up the table with a credible draw against Rise and Shine. Meanwhile, on Tuesday night Khalil Ben Youssef finally ended the wait for his first win, guiding his side past Kruger United. Elsewhere, the Rockets showed their fighting spirit by coming from behind to sink Gallants, while the Chilli Boys battled their way to a valuable point on the road.
Martin O'Neill took full responsibility after Celtic suffered an extraordinary collapse against LASK to crash out of Champions League qualifying. The Scottish giants squandered a commanding 4-0 aggregate lead before falling to a 5-1 second-leg thrashing after extra time, missing out on the league phase for the second consecutive campaign.
Babina Noko assistant coach Paulus Masehe has jumped to the defence of his head coach following his late dismissal during the club's PSL clash with the Buccaneers. The encounter ended in a 2-0 defeat, but it was the late drama on the touchline that dominates the post-match talking points.
Joe Rodon praised the depth across the Leeds United squad after they eased past Nottingham Forest 2-0 to reach the Carabao Cup third round. Having secured their second win at the City Ground in the space of three days, the Welsh international insisted everyone will have a big role to play as the Whites look to build early-season momentum.
Keith Andrews praised the depth of talent in his Brentford squad after witnessing a heavily rotated side achieve a resounding 6-1 victory over Birmingham City in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday evening. The Bees produced a commanding attacking performance at St Andrew's to book their place comfortably in the third round.
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