logo
'We had luck on our side'

'We had luck on our side'

BBC News13-03-2025

Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk says high energy and "a little bit of luck" helped the side move back to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Millwall.It was a first win in three matches for the league leaders, who saw their 17 game unbeaten streak ended by Portsmouth on Saturday following a competitive 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at the start of the month."We wanted to show more energy, especially," Struijk told BBC Radio Leeds. "I felt like the last game was a little bit flat and there were moments as well in the West Brom game where after we scored, we got a little bit flat."The Whites led from the third minute when Manor Solomon's cut-back deflected off Millwall defender Jake Cooper and into the net.Leeds then went onto to seal the win with Ao Tanaka's strike from the edge of the box."I'm happy that we got the luck on our side tonight," Struijk added."It's been frustrating when you have so many chances like on the weekend and you don't finish them off, so to get this little bit of luck to start us off straightaway, it's always nice."You can listen to Struijk's full post-match reaction and more on the Don't Go To Bed Yet podcast.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Promotion: Tony Pulis doesn't rule out Wrexham going up
Promotion: Tony Pulis doesn't rule out Wrexham going up

Leader Live

time30 minutes ago

  • Leader Live

Promotion: Tony Pulis doesn't rule out Wrexham going up

That is the view of Tony Pulis who believes nothing is impossible at The Racecourse. The Reds finished runners-up in League One last term to go straight up to the Championship where they will line-up for the first time in 43 years. Having made history by clinching back-to-back-to-back promotions, with the club climbing from the National League to the second tier at a rapid rate, Wrexham will make the biggest step-up yet when they come up against the likes of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton. But former Premier League manager Pulis says Parkinson knows that is needed in this division, where he managed Bolton Wanderers, and refuses to discount Wrexham. Pulis told BoyleSports, who offer the latest football odds, "Phil Parkinson has experience of Championship football. He'll understand what's needed. "To get three promotions, I don't care what anybody says, to get three promotions on the bounce is just exceptional. "They are in such a positive place at the moment, the crowd are behind them massively and they'll have to be next year as well because the level moves up again, but nothing is impossible. "The fans will really get behind them and it's going to be an interesting league next year. Very, very interesting. "It'll be interesting to see what Wrexham do and what they can achieve."

Belgium will be ‘shaking in boots' ahead of Wales game in Cardiff
Belgium will be ‘shaking in boots' ahead of Wales game in Cardiff

Glasgow Times

time5 hours ago

  • Glasgow Times

Belgium will be ‘shaking in boots' ahead of Wales game in Cardiff

Belgium inflicted Craig Bellamy's first defeat as Wales head coach with an extraordinary 4-3 World Cup qualifying victory in Brussels on Monday. The Red Devils, ranked eighth in the world, let slip a three-goal lead before Kevin De Bruyne spared home blushes with an 88th-minute winner. Sorba Thomas (left) battles for the ball with Belgium's Jeremy Doku in Brussels (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP) The return fixture is in Cardiff on October 13 and new Stoke signing Thomas said of Belgium: 'That's a team that is top 10. People will say 'little old Wales' but we took the game to them. 'They're going to be shaking in their boots when they come to Cardiff to play us. We're hungry, we're a young group. 'I felt when it went to 3-3 it was in our hands. But it's a devastating game, football is a horrible sport sometimes. (Against) top 10 in the world and we feel we should have walked away with a win.' Wales seemed to be heading for a humiliating night when Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku struck inside the opening 27 minutes. Brennan Johnson (second right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring Wales' third goal against Belgium (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP) There was a party atmosphere inside the King Baudouin Stadium as home supporters began a Mexican wave. Thomas said: 'Them behaving like that put it down to the pitch. The players got relaxed and we punished that. 'They might have been doing the Mexican wave but they weren't doing it when it went to 3-3. 'They're entitled to do what they want, but we deal with what's on the pitch. The whole game shifted. 'They countered us a few times, but I felt we played their big players well. 'We're a young team and we're going places. That's one loss in 10. We'll learn from this and get better and better.' After Harry Wilson converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, winger Thomas scored his first Wales goal and then set up Brennan Johnson's equaliser to cap a memorable week. The 26-year-old also started Friday's 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein and the following day left Huddersfield to join Stoke on a three-year deal. Sorba is a Stokie 🔴⚪ — Stoke City FC (@stokecity) June 7, 2025 'Personally it's been one heck of a week,' said Thomas, who has spent the season on loan at Ligue 1 club Nantes. 'I've secured my future and got my first Wales goal. I hope my family all watching at home were proud. 'I've loved my time at Huddersfield. They took me from non-league and made my dreams reality to play for Wales and put me in this moment. 'To get it (the move) done early was important because I can focus on my football. 'I want to play well in the Championship every week next season and give the manager a headache to keep putting me in the team.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store