Askou urges Motherwell to rediscover “clinical” nature

Jens Berthel Askou admits his side’s lack of sharpness is “one of the major reasons” why Motherwell have not tipped results in their favour. Saturday’s defeat at Tynecastle extends the Steelmen’s winless run to five matches, but the Dane is “positive” his side can find their cutting edge in the split. “Earlier in the season, we didn’t need many chances to score goals; now we need a little bit more. And we’re working on that every week, and that’s football. “Sometimes you have spells like that, but I’m really positive that we created these chances in a difficult place to create chances.” Askou labelled the award of Lawrence Shankland’s penalty as “very soft”, and VAR urged Matthew McDiarmid to consult the video monitor. Askou asked what Stephen Welsh was expected to do against a player “dribbling” with his head at ground level. “It’s a shame for the game that it gets decided like that.” “You can argue every time there’s contact that there’s a foul. Then it’s about the amount of contact, the speed of contact, the situation.” Despite the defeat, Askou was encouraged by Motherwell’s display. “But what I want to underline again is that I’m really, really proud of our performance. “We took control of a very difficult game against a very good team who are really, really good at what they do, who have an atmosphere that really drives them and can get you emotionally unstable if you’re not there. We dealt with that extremely well. “Some of the play we set up in the second half, leading to our chances, also the goal, was absolutely outstanding.”

Man Utd 1-2 Leeds: Okafor double halts United momentum

Manchester United 1-2 Leeds United Casemiro (69′)    Okafor (5′ , 29′) A ruthless first-half performance boosted Leeds United’s survival hopes against 10-man Manchester United.  Noah Okafor was the hero for Daniel Farke, sending the visitors into an early lead after sidefooting Jayden Bogle’s cross past Senne Lammens in the 5th minute. The second arrived on the half-hour mark. A right-footed volley deflected past a helpless Lammens to send the away allocation into frenzy. Michael Carrick’s impact at Old Trafford has been evident since his interim appointment in mid-January. But his side were not at the races for large spells of the first half. Matters were made worse ten minutes into the second period, after Lisandro Martinez pulled Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the floor by his hair. Paul Tierney decided to send off the Argentinian after a lengthy VAR wait. United rallied for the final half hour. A trademark Bruno Fernandes cross was bulleted into the net by Casemiro to offer a glimpse of hope for the European hopefuls. Leeds edged out the game, and a valuable three points move them six clear of the relegation spots. For United, their positive momentum was halted with defeat, but Carrick’s side remains in pole position to secure Champions League football next season with six to play. Manchester United: Lammens, Mazraoui (Dalot 70′), Martinez, Fernandes, Cunha, Yoro, Amad (Mbuemo 70′) Casemiro, Shaw, Ugarte, Sesko. Leeds United: Darlow, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Struijk, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Longstaff 86′) Bijol, Okafor (Gnonto 74′) Tanaka (Gruev 74′) Justin.

“Confident” McCann backs Kilmarnock to escape relegation threats

Neil McCann knows there is “a lot of hard work” standing between his Kilmarnock side and Scottish Premiership survival, but the former Rangers and Hearts winger has an abundance of belief ahead of the split.  Speaking at full-time after their entertaining 2-2 against Dundee on Saturday, McCann was pleased with his side’s “bravery” but acknowledged frustrations over a late equaliser. “I’m standing here probably a bit disappointed we’ve not got three points from the game. You’re looking at a game that we probably deserve three points, I feel certainly, that we could’ve got nothing. In hindsight, maybe tomorrow it might look like a good point. “We just didn’t take a couple of chances that came our way but I can’t have any complaints in how we approached the game. I thought the boys were brilliant. They were brave, loads of courage, worked their socks off.” First-half goals from Jordan Hugill and Michael Schjonning-Larsen gave Killie a 2-1 first-half advantage. But Scott Wright’s equaliser and Jordan Westley’s penalty miss almost stole all three points for Dundee. Kelle Roos produced an outstanding low save to deny Westley. But a delayed VAR decision in deciding the penalty was a source of frustration for McCann, who described the incident as “chaos”. “It’s a ridiculous situation when the referee’s got to come over and he’s got to judge whether that’s offside or not. I think it was offside. I don’t think it’s a penalty either. It’s so soft. There’s a wee bit of contact but this is a contact sport, he’s clearly not going to get on the ball. Kelle makes a good save. “We were told that they couldn’t calibrate the machine, and they couldn’t get the lines in, and then they’ve had to support the on-field decision.” The point, along with St Mirren’s defeat at Celtic Park, edges Killie just two points behind their nearest rivals, who sit 10th. With an upturn in home form, McCann’s men look reenergised and will feel confident of beating the drop. Kilmarnock’s Post Split Fixtures Aberdeen v Kilmarnock- April 25th 3 pm Kilmarnock v Dundee United – May 2nd 3 pm St Mirren v Kilmarnock – May 9th 3 pm Kilmarnock v Dundee – May 12th 7:45 pm Livingston v Kilmarnock – May 17th 2 pm

McInnes praises “calm” Hearts after Motherwell fightback

Derek McInnes believes Hearts’ ability to manage the “anxiety” of Saturday’s 3-1 win over Motherwell was crucial, as the Jambos reached 70 points and remained atop the Scottish Premiership heading into the split. Goals from Lawrence Shankland, Claudio Braga, and Pierre Landry Kabore settled a comeback victory for Hearts. Speaking at full-time, McInnes lauded his side’s performance in a “fiercely contested” battle. “I think we saw a lot of the good in both teams. Some things we could do better, Motherwell will be disappointed at one or two of their bigger chances. “But I thought we were the better team in the first half. We shaded it just in terms of Motherwell didn’t really connect the game they normally do. “But they did get a couple of shots from the edge of the box. They are good at creating that space in front of centre-halfs. “They caused us a bit of anxiety with their speed. Longelo, Maswanhise, Just and Said, they are all lovely footballers, but I thought in the main we dealt with it really well. “It has hard to keep a good team round and there was a feeling when we went 1-0 down, we had it all to do.” A tactical switch proved key for McInnes, with his side chasing the game after Emmanuel Longelo’s low finish in the 50th minute. “It was important we stayed calm. I reverted to my 4-4-2. Sometimes it is good to go back to the familiar, but it gave them more control in the middle of the park, so we reverted back and I thought we were far better. “We had some good moments, I thought my subs did well and obviously a great goal from [Claudio] Braga gets us back on our way. “Nobody was settling for 1-1. We tried to put stress on their back line. I wasn’t sure about the penalty, but everyone who’s seen it back says it is a penalty – he gets kicked in the head. “Lawrence Shankland tucks it away brilliantly and Kabore finishes it off. So your three strikers scoring. We were strong in the last 10 minutes to see it out for a great three points.” Shankland expressed his own excitement for the final month of this gripping title race. “It’ll make for a brilliant end to the season for Scottish football in general, but we’ll just look to go and win as many games as we can, and if we do that, we could be in a really good place. ” When we started out the season, you had an idea that we were a strong side and had a good feeling about the place. “We’ve managed to carry that through, got a lot of positive results and are still sitting in a good position come April and getting into May. We can be excited, there’s a lot to be excited about. “A lot of big games coming up and it’s just about getting ready for them.” The Hearts captain has featured in all three matches against Motherwell this season, and appreciates the challenge that Jens Berthel Askou’s side provide. “They’re a good side and they cause you problems,” he said. “It was just about dealing with that throughout the majority of the game. “We dealt with a lot of it pretty well, but when they have that much of the ball, they are going to have moments where they threaten a goal. “They went 1-0 up, and it’s just about character from there.”

FIFA Unveils Officiating Team for “Historic” 2026 World Cup

FIFA has officially announced the match officials for the 2026 World Cup, ready for the unprecendted scale of the upcoming 48-team tournament. A total of 170 officials, including 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials, have been selected from all six global confederations. The selection follows a three-year scouting process centred on a quality-first principle. With the tournament expanding to 104 matches across three host nations, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina emphasised the need for the expanded squad, which features 41 more officials from Qatar 2022. “The selected match officials are the very best in the world,” Collina stated. “Our goal is to ensure they are in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive.” The roster also confirms a continued commitment to diversity, with six female officials selected to officiate the men’s event. In a move set to improve the viewing experience, FIFA will introduce AI-powered body cameras. This technology will allow fans to see the game from the referee’s perspective, with software used to ensure a smooth broadcast. Officials will also be tasked with enforcing new IFAB mandates to increase match tempo and significantly reduce time-wasting. The officiating squad will meet in Miami on May 31 for a ten-day camp. While the on-field officials will remain based in Florida, the VAR team will move to the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas. Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, added to Collina’s comments, stating, “All candidates have been closely evaluated by instructors and medical staff to ensure they achieve the highest possible standards for this groundbreaking competition,”.

“Delighted to be amongst it” – McInnes relishing split after fixture announcement

Derek McInnes claims he would be happy to face Hearts’ title rivals “in a car park” following the release of their highly anticipated post-split fixtures. Speaking before they clash with Motherwell, the manager acknowledged that while the team is focused on the pitch, the specific scheduling of the Jambos’ remaining games may be a source of frustration for the supporters. “I actually don’t really care from our point of view where we play and the times and all the rest of it.” “We’re just delighted to be part of the whole conversation, delighted that we’re going to be in amongst it and looking forward to the games when they come up,” “It’s not great for the fans that they don’t get Saturday three o’clock, but I think, you know, having three away games, it was probably difficult to fit everything in. “I get how not everybody’s going to be happy. I think the league have got a tough job to try and keep every club happy and every set of supporters happy, but for us we’re just obviously excited about the games that are coming up. “I think you look at them, a lot of mouth-watering fixtures, we’ve said that the top six would sort everything out, and these fixtures will. They’re brilliant fixtures.” Roughly 600 away supporters are expected at Celtic Park to witness a potentially historic moment for Hearts, as the club stands on the verge of securing its first top-tier league title in over six decades. “That’s disappointing, that is, and I can understand the frustration from that.” “Let’s hope that we are getting into that game with plenty to play for, and we’ve got a lot of work to do before then, but I totally get that.” The Hearts manager believes the final day showdown with Celtic will be an “unbelievable” finale. “If both teams are still in the mix for winning a league, it’s the most dramatic fixture you can have.” McInnes believes the title drama could go down to the wire, with Falkirk hosting Rangers on the final matchday simultaneously. “They’ve got a difficult away game last game of the season as well, so I think it’s up to the league and the TV companies to try and maximise the drama,”. Hearts Post Split Fixtures Hibernian v Heart of Midlothian (26th April 4:30 pm) Heart of Midlothian v Rangers (4th May 5:30 pm) Motherwell v Heart of Midlothian (9th May 8:00 pm) Heart of Midlothian v Falkirk (13th May 8:00 pm) Celtic v Heart of Midlothian (16th May 12:30 pm)

“That’s a clear penalty” – Askou bemoans officiating after Falkirk defeat

Jens Berthel Askou believes his side were denied a clear penalty during their 3-2 defeat against Falkirk, as Motherwell fell to their third defeat in four league games. Speaking at full-time, Askou was full of praise for his opponent, who secured top six with the victory. “They’re a brilliant football team, and I put them up there among the best. Congratulations to them for the win and what they’ve achieved so far. I think they deserve it. The Dane was pleased with many aspects of the performance, but an inability to capitalise on their positive moments cost them dearly. “In terms of intentions, willpower, and work rate, our performance was good, but there were a lot of moments where we should have been better. Both in attacking moments, leading to attacks. But also, there were moments to score goals we didn’t take, but there were moments we lost the ball in critical places where we have to be better. “When we play against the best, then we need, sometimes, the things we cannot control to also go our way, so far this season, that has not happened. I have been hoping that, eventually, it will go our way.” Askou was left frustrated with an early officiating decision on top goalscorer Tawanda Maswanhise. The striker seemingly collided with Falkirk’s Liam Henderson in the box, but Duncan Nicolson chose not to point to the spot. There’s a clear penalty on Tawanda Maswanhise. It is very clear Liam Henderson wipes him out. That’s a clear penalty and a potential red card. After seven minutes we should have been 1-1. It was a massively decisive moment that, for some reason, they cannot get right. “I think the penalty against Ibrahim Said is very debatable. I have seen situations like that many, many, many times where those situations haven’t been given as a penalty. “We can’t get the penalty back now so there’s no reason to start to ask for one. Hibernian’s 3-0 win over Kilmarnock means Motherwell’s hold on 4th place has reduced to three points. European football remains the priority for the Steelmen, and Askou encouraged his side to focus on improvement across the last six games. “I know there are a lot of other clubs who can and will say the same. Our main focus for us is to try to improve, and we try to not let this stop us. “Many of the performances we’ve had lately have been similar to the performances where we’ve just succeeded in winning. We just haven’t been as sharp in moments.”

McGlynn lauds “incredible” bairns after soaring to top six finish

15 years after their last top-flight appearance, John McGlynn’s hungry Falkirk side opened their highly anticipated Premiership campaign against Dundee United in August. Fast forward 7 months, and with a historic top-six finish secured, McGlynn hailed the result as their “greatest achievement” yet in a trophy-laden tenure. Saturday’s impressive 3-2 win over Motherwell finally concluded Falkirk’s top-six status. McGlynn praised his fearless side at full-time. “As much as we’ve been invincible [in League 1] and we’ve won the Championship, I think this is probably the biggest achievement, the greatest achievement,” “We’ve come into the top league. We have not tried to just go in and defend and scrape for a point here and there. “We’ve been out to attack in every game, we’ve played attacking football, attractive attacking football, and we’ve come out in a top-six position, which is incredible. “It means everything, actually. The players have been so good the whole season, and they deserve to be there. Their performances have been so good, and I’m so proud of them.” Calvin Miller shone at Fir Park, setting up Barney Stewart’s earlier opener, and coolly slotting a penalty to round out the scoring. The winger exudes a confidence and swagger that could benefit Scotland in the World Cup later this year. McGlynn pointed out Miller’s performance and his delight at housing the tricky player. “His performance was different class. He’s at the top of his game, and I’m delighted to have him. He’s got another year on his contract after this one, and hopefully he’s strutting his stuff for us going forward.” Falkirk’s season could yet yield further success and history. With a Scottish Cup semi-final on the horizon, McGlynn’s side may add silverware to their brilliant year. “We’ve got so much to play for, but the guys are not going to be on the beach. They’re not going to be in holiday mode. “We’ve got a big part to play in the last five games of the season. Obviously, we’ve got Rangers next week, and we’ve got a semi-final of the Scottish Cup, which is huge for us. “When it comes to these last five games, we’ve got a bit of a say in where the title will go. That will keep us motivated right to the end.” Falkirk round out their pre-split fixtures against Rangers next Sunday, before facing Dunfermline at Hampden. In a season full of surprises, it is impossible to rule out a late European surge from the swaggering Bairns.

Hibernian 3-0 Kilmarnock: Quickfire start boosts Hibees European hopes

Hibernian 3-0 Kilmarnock Elding (1′)  Passlack (12′) Suto (90+3′) A strike after just 13 seconds spurred Hibernian to a home victory over Kilmarnock, as they returned from the international break to close the gap on Motherwell to three points in the European spots of the Scottish Premiership. The hosts made a dream start with barely a second on the clock. Owen Elding repaid his manager’s faith to slide under Kelle Roos in the box after a marauding forward run by Felix Passlack. The lead became two after twelve minutes. Elding, playing with such swagger, released Jordan Obita through on goal after spinning on the halfway line. Roos attempted to close the angle, but the wingback squared to Passlack, who rolled home. David Gray’s side was so sharp and showcased a conviction that has been lacking in a somewhat inconsistent season. With news of Barney Stewart’s headed opener filtering through the stands, Hibs looked destined to close the gap on Motherwell to three points. Kilmarnock thought they had established a foothold in the game with their first chance of the match. Brad Lyons collected a rebounded ball on the byline and slid across the box for Findlay Curtis to sidefoot home. But after a lengthy VAR check, Lyons was adjudged to be standing offside, and the goal was swiftly ruled out. Neil McCann’s side closed out the first half better than they started, but struggled to penetrate the Hibs back three. The hosts’ swashbuckling opening 15 minutes was the difference in the Capital. The visitors started the second half positively. Curtis did unbelievably well to beat Chaiwa in the corner, but his back-post cross was cleared. The next goal felt critical in this crunch encounter. The winger scored his first Kilmarnock goal against Livingston 2 weeks ago, and seemed to be McCann’s best outlet for drawing level. Kiltie tested Raphael Sallinger with a speculative from twenty yards as the visitors continued to press. Hibs looked comfortable, but Gray would hope his side could find a third and kill the game. Kilmarnock continued to dominate the ball to no great avail. McCann would have been disappointed with his side’s efforts to create clear-cut chances in a mediocre second half. Hibs rounded out the scoring with seconds to play. Substitutes Martin Boyle and Ante Suto combined, the latter rolled past Roos to finish a productive afternoon for the hosts. Gray’s men move just three points behind Motherwell with just six games remaining. But for Kilmarnock, lessons to be learned for McCann’s side, who remain rooted in the relegation playoff spot. Hibernian: Sallinger 7 Hanley 8 O’Hora 7 Iredale 7 Passlack 7 Obita 7 Barlaser 7 McGrath 7 Chaiwa 8 Scarlett 7 Elding 8 Substitutes: Newell 6 Suto 6 Andrews 6 Boyle 3 Campbell 3 Kilmarnock: Roos 6 Stanger 6 Brandon 6 Deas 6 Schjonning-Larsen 6 Tshibola 6 Polwarth 4 Lyons 4 Kiltie 6 Curtis 7 Hugill 5 Substitutes: Watson 6 Watkins 6 Thompson 5 Anderson 2 Thomson 2

Title hopes hang by a thread: SPFL Breakdown Round 32

After an underwhelming international break, the return of the Scottish Premiership could not come quick enough. With seismic matchups at the top and bottom of the league, these are the main talking points for this weekend. Game of the Round – Dundee v Celtic Martin O’Neill’s side returns to the City of Discovery just 14 days after a dismal showing at Tannadice. That deserved 2-0 defeat to United left the reigning champions trailing league leaders Hearts by five points, leaving virtually no margin for error as they return to Tayside. Celtic’s struggles in Dundee have become a season-long narrative, stretching back to October 2025. On that occasion, a Clark Robertson header and a Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal handed a Brendan Rodgers-led side their first league loss of the campaign. Now in April, and with eight total defeats on the books, O’Neill will understand the gravity of the situation, especially with both Hearts and Rangers playing earlier in the weekend. Standing in their way is a Dundee side that has defied many this season. Originally tipped for relegation, Steven Pressley’s men sit comfortably in 8th place, five points clear of the relegation playoffs. The flair of Tony Yogane and Cameron Congreve has electrified the Dens Park faithful, and having already taken points off both halves of the Old Firm this season, the Dark Blues will be eager to secure their top-flight status further. With Celtic’s title defence hanging in the balance, this trip to Dens Park feels like the latest defining moment in an historic season. Manager Spotlight – Stephen Robinson Stephen Robinson’s legacy in Paisley is already secure. With three consecutive top-six finishes and a knack for punching well above his weight, he reached legendary status in December by leading St Mirren to a historic League Cup victory over Celtic. However, this weekend, Robinson returns to the SMiSA Stadium with his new side, Aberdeen. While the title race captures the headlines, a desperate struggle is unfolding in the bottom half of the table –  Kilmarnock, St Mirren, and Aberdeen are currently separated by just three points in a bid to avoid the relegation playoff spot. The outlook at Pittodrie is increasingly tense. Robinson’s primary remit, securing Aberdeen’s Premiership status, has hit a wall, with the Dons recording only a single league win in 2026. Coming off a bruising 4-1 defeat at Ibrox, confidence looks to be thin. The narrative is cinematic – St Mirren’s former hero, the man who delivered silverware just four months ago, returns to his old stomping ground to deliver a knockout blow to his former club’s survival hopes. Will Robinson be able to spark an Aberdeen revival against his former side this weekend? Player to Watch – Lawrence Shankland Tynecastle was thick with tension as Hearts remained locked in a stalemate with Dundee on the last matchday. However, the atmosphere shifted in the 54th minute when Derek McInnes introduced captain Lawrence Shankland. His return immediately steadied the home support, providing the platform for Hearts to grind out yet another vital 1-0 victory. It was Shankland’s first appearance since the agonising penalty shootout defeat to Falkirk in the Scottish Cup back in January. While Hearts have managed to maintain their position at the top of the table in his absence, the struggle of the last eight games has been evident. His tactical intelligence, hold-up play, and clinical finishing are tools that McInnes will be thrilled to have back for the home stretch. In a three-way title race, Hearts possess the one thing Celtic and Rangers have often lacked this season: a truly consistent, proven goalscorer. With two massive fixtures against Livingston and Motherwell looming before the split, Shankland could well be the catalyst that turns a historic title charge into a reality for the Gorgie side.