Scott Murray's Blog, page 116

The Open 2019: second round – live!

Updates from the second round at Royal PortrushAndy Bull: Fighting talk cannot hide McIlroy’s chokeThe official live leaderboard for the 148th OpenAnd why not email scott.murray@theguardian.com

9.57am BST

Like Oosthuizen before him, Spieth follows birdie at 5 with a forensic tee shot at 6. He’ll have a very good look at birdie from eight feet. Up on 7, Koepka sends his ball just over the back of the green with two huge hits. He’ll be thinking about bumping up a chip, or possibly putting, from the swale. An outside eagle chance. Up and down for birdie. Meanwhile back on 2, the co-leader Holmes is pin high in two. A 25-foot eagle putt coming up.

9.53am BST

A first birdie of the day for Jordan Spieth, at 5, and he’s quietly moving back in the right direction after a mid-round wobble yesterday. The 2017 winner is -2. Tommy Fleetwood escapes with his par on 7. Erik van Rooyen is inches away from draining a long birdie putt at 9, but he’ll be content enough to turn in 33. Yet another birdie for An Byeong-hun, his fourth of the day, at 12; he’s -2 and increasingly a factor in this tournament. And Lee Westwood’s birdie effort on 1 is miserable, always turning off to the right. A chance for the fastest of starts spurned.

9.46am BST

Lee Westwood must be thoroughly fed up with his eternal bridesmaid status. With a view to addressing this misery, he sends his approach at the opening hole pin high to ten feet. That’s a lovely shot. Birdie putt coming up that may inform the rest of his round. Meanwhile on 7, Fleetwood is halfway up a steep hill, his feet miles below a snagged ball. Two bunkers in between him and the green. He does extremely well to clip his ball into the swale to the right of the green; a chance to get up and down for par from there.

9.42am BST

A no-sweat par for Holmes at the opening hole. He’s now sharing his lead with Hatton, of course; the Englishman can only par the 7th. They’re both -5. Coming behind, Fleetwood would take that par right now, as he lashes a long iron into the bonny heather well to the right of the green. Halfway up a big slope, he’ll have a puzzle to solve getting back down.

9.38am BST

Back-to-back birdies for Oosthuizen! He follows up his easy-going birdie at the short par-four 5th by swishing an effortless iron towards the flag at the par-three 6th. He’s eight feet away, and in goes the putt. He joins his partner Koepka at -3, the current PGA champion unable to covert a decent opportunity from 12 feet. Par.

9.31am BST

Here comes the overnight leader JB Holmes! Easy to forget that, were it not for the freakish, other-worldly, once-in-a-generation antics of Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at Troon in 2016, Holmes would already be an Open champion. He was the best of the rest that week, a mere 14 shots shy of Stenson, 11 behind Lefty. OK, OK, but you get the point. A wonderful 66 yesterday, and he opens his second round by splitting the fairway.

9.27am BST

Koepka is really trying it on at 5. If he creams his drive, he’s surely bumping through the green and out of bounds, with the white stakes only a couple of feet behind. So he creams his drive ... and is fortunate that he’s a tad off line, so his ball snags in rough at the front right of the green. Then he chips aggressively, unable to get any spin from the curly kale. His ball is only a few joules of energy shy of rolling through the green and OB. Like Frank Costanza, it stops short. He should escape with par with a couple of putts from the fringe. Yep, four. Lucky Brooks. He’s -3. Birdie meanwhile for Oosthuizen, who drove the green and took a couple of wise putts. Much more sensible. He’s -2.

9.20am BST

A shame for Van Rooyen, who sets his six-foot eagle putt off to the left, and it’s never turning back. A misread. But it’s his third birdie today. Such a shame, though, because the long iron in was so sweet. Still, he’s just one off the lead now ... a lead shared by Hatton, who makes his birdie at 6 without fuss or drama. And it’s all happening at the top, because Fleetwood gets up and down from the side of the risk-reward short par-four 5th (it’s driveable, but there’s OB just over the back) and makes birdie. Look at how this is hotting up, and it’s only just gone 9am on the Friday!

-5: Hatton (6), Holmes
-4: Van Rooyen (7), Fleetwood (5), Lowry
-3: Koepka (4), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat

9.14am BST

There could be some more movement atop the leaderboard soon. Hatton has just caressed a gorgeous iron at the par-three 6th to six feet. Meanwhile up on the par-five 7th, Van Rooyen nearly pipes an iron into the cup from the fairway for an albatross! The ball bounds a few feet past the hole, so eagle’s not a gimme. But he should be making birdie at the very least from there. For the record, it would have been the first albatross at the Open since Paul Lawrie lashed one in from distance at the 7th hole at Turnberry in 2009.

9.08am BST

Koepka goes backwards for only the second time this week. He’s very fortunate with his tee shot on 4, the ball sticking on the shoulder of a bunker and refusing to topple back in. However he comes up short with his second and, shortsided, does well to chip to 15 feet. But he can’t make the putt. He’s back to -3, his place at -4 taken by Tyrrell Hatton, who birdies 5 to move within a shot.

-5: Holmes
-4: Hatton (5), Lowry
-3: Van Rooyen (6), Fleetwood (4), Koepka (4), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
-2: Fox (6), Rose, Park, Turner, Langasque

8.56am BST

A second bogey of the day for Justin Thomas, who misses a short one on 4. He throws his putter away in frustration. He’s +2. Much more of this, and he’ll have to start fretting about the cut. A long way to go, of course, but early guesswork, nothing more, suggests it might fall around +3 or +4. Meanwhile Ryan Fox arrests his early morning slide with birdie at 5. He’s -2.

8.51am BST

Koepka sends his tee shot at 3 into the swale to the left of the green. No matter: he just gracefully scoops his wedge to a couple of feet, and tidies up for par. For a player with a boom-boom reputation, he’s got such a delicate touch around the greens. He’s the complete player. Meanwhile a second birdie of the day for the increasingly impressive Erik van Rooyen; the 29-year-old South African has been hanging around the leaderboards at the majors for much of the last year. A breakthrough could be a-coming, because he moves to -3, sinking a 15-foot putt at 5 after leaving an eagle attempt egregiously short. Two men with ice in the veins.

8.44am BST

While Koepka was making his birdie at 2, Sharma was doing the same, repairing the damage of the opening hole. He’s back to -1. Oosthuizen was busy making a disappointing three-putt par. He stays at -1. A fast start meanwhile for Thomas Pieters, who birdies 2 and 4 to move to -1. The big Belgian has top-ten finishes at the Masters and the PGA under his belt, but he’s done little at the Open. Time to make good, perhaps.

8.40am BST

An Byeong-hun hasn’t really done anything in the majors to date. But the 27-year-old from Seoul finished the recent US Open tied for 16th, his best effort yet. And he could be in the mood to trump that this week. He’s followed up his early birdie at 2 with others at 4 and 7. He’s whistled 52 places up the leaderboard to -1. Meanwhile on 2, Koepka nearly drains his eagle putt, but taps in for birdie. The first positive move at the toppermost of the poppermost:

-5: Holmes
-4: Koepka (2), Lowry
-3: Hatton (4), Fleetwood (3), Westwood, Finau, Rahm, Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat
-2: Van Rooyen (4), Rose, Park, Turner, Langasque

8.33am BST

Bounce-back birdie for Tommy Fleetwood at 2. All down to a lovely second into the meat of the green. His eagle putt wasn’t too far away. Coming behind, Brooks Koepka sends his second at the par-five pin high. He’ll have a relatively straight look at eagle from 25 feet or so.

8.22am BST

Golf is such a wonderfully weird game. Ryan Fox couldn’t stop making birdies yesterday afternoon; now, not much more than 14 hours later, the new record holder for the low back nine at the Open can’t stop making bogeys He follows up his mistake at 1 with a short yip at 3, and he’s down to -1 already.

8.20am BST

Another par for Hatton at 2. Greenside in two, his chip on doesn’t spin back to set up a makeable birdie putt. Still, he remains at -3. Back on 1, Koepka powers his second from the thick stuff into the heart of the green, then lips out from 25 feet. So close to a sensational turnaround in fortune after that poor tee shot. But he’ll have taken his par. Oosthuizen pars as well. But it’s a first bogey of the week for Shubhankar Sharma, who makes up this group, the result of a wayward tee shot. He was only half a turn away from salvaging his par, too. A breakthrough statement can’t be long in coming for the 22-year-old from India. A high finish this week could be it.

8.10am BST

Fleetwood’s first putt, from the fringe to the side of 1, is woefully underhit. He leaves himself a 30-foot hope for par, and the putt’s never going in. He slips back to -2. And his partner Thomas can’t get up and down from the sand, so he’s going the wrong way as well; he’s +1. But up on 2, Erik van Rooyen rattles one in from distance, and the early birdie takes up up to -2. The 29-year-old South African is beginning to make his name in the majors, after good showings in last year’s Open, and this year’s US Open and PGA. Someone to keep an eye on this week.

8.06am BST

Here comes the world number one, Brooks Koepka! The gallery gives him the ovation he deserves. But his opening tee shot isn’t up to standard. Like Fleetwood before him, he toys with the OB stakes down the left, and is pleased to see his ball nestle in the thick rough and refuse point blank to bounce towards serious scorecard-related bother. Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 champion, is a bit braver than most: instead of playing it safe with iron, he takes a fairway wood. And claps it down the middle.

8.01am BST

There are only three players under 30 with a major to their name. Justin Thomas is one. (Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are the others.) The 2017 PGA champ has a reasonable lie down the right of 1. But he undercooks his second, the ball stopping short of the green and turning off into a bunker to the left. A tricky up and down to come. Tommy Fleetwood makes a much better fist of his second from the left, powering his ball pin high, just off the side of the green to the right. He’ll have taken that for sure when he was anxiously watching his tee shot sail towards the out-of-bounds markers. Now all he needs to do is get up and down. No biggie.

7.57am BST

A huge reception for Tommy Fleetwood as he tees it up. But the crowd fall quiet as his ball whistles towards the OB down the left. Fortunately it snags in the thick rough just before the white posts. Lucky Tommy. Justin Thomas, who salvaged his round yesterday after a slow start, ending up with a level-par 71, finds the cabbage down the right. Up on the green, Tyrrell Hatton leaves his birdie effort well short, but salvages the situation with a hard-as-nails par saver from 12 feet. That’ll give him heart. A dropped shot on 1 after bogey at 18 yesterday might have sent a notoriously emotional player off into a tailspin. But he looks pretty happy with that.

7.50am BST

All hot streaks must come to an end. Ryan Fox birdied six of his last seven holes last night, but he’s bogeyed his first today. On in regulation, he trundled a hot birdie effort miles past the cup, and couldn’t save himself coming back. He slips to -2, then sends his drive at the par-five 2nd into sand on the left, so his chances of bouncing back with a birdie on one of Portrush’s more forgiving holes are immediately diminished.

7.47am BST

Tyrrell Hatton would be one off the lead were it not for a closing-hole bogey yesterday evening. Heart on sleeve as ever, he looked thoroughly deflated after finishing with his only dropped shot of the day. But you can’t knock an opening round of 68 at the Open. A good round this morning, when the weather’s kind, and he’ll be set fair for the weekend. England hasn’t had an Open champion since Nick Faldo won at Muirfield in 1992. Pre-Faldo, the English are looking at Tony Jacklin in 1969. Before that, it’s Max Faulkner, the 1951 winner at ... Royal Portrush. Some sort of sign? OK, it’s a stretch. But it’s got to happen sometime. He knocks his tee shot down the middle, then sends his second pin high, albeit just off the putting surface to the right.

7.35am BST

Ryan Fox hasn’t got much of a track record in the majors. The 32-year-old from Auckland’s best showing in one of the big ones is a tie for 27th in last year’s PGA at Bellerive. But he’s now got a record in the majors: yesterday afternoon he birdied 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18, a blitz that saw him come back in 29 strokes, a new Open best. The previous record of 30 was set by Eric Brown at Lytham in 1958, and was since matched by Tommy Nakajima (1986 Troon), Ross Drummond (Muirfield 1987), Mark Brooks (Turnberry 1994), Phil Mickelson (St Andrews 2000), Stuart Appelby (Muirfield 2002), Kenichi Kuboya (Turnberry 2009), Rory McIlroy (St Andrews 2010) and Justin Rose (last year at Carnoustie). But you can strike through all of that now. Fox receives a warm ovation as he tees it up this morning, then cracks his iron down the track. He’s -3, the first of the leading pack out today.

7.26am BST

The first birdies of the second round, and they both go to South Koreans. An Byeong-hun, coming off the back of a decent showing at Pebble Beach in the US Open, moves to +1 after picking up a shot at 2. Meanwhile Innchoon Hwang, playing in the Open for the first time at 44, birdies the opening hole, reward for a delightful second arrowed straight at the flag. He’s level par now.

7.21am BST

Rory’s not long for this championship either. Here’s Andy Bull’s take on his head-spinning horror show yesterday.

Related: Rory McIlroy’s talk of resilience cannot disguise horrible Open choke | Andy Bull

7.10am BST

You’ll need some reading matter to go with that breakfast cuppa. Here’s Tiger on his sore back. Get him while you can, because he won’t be here this weekend.

Related: Tiger Woods struggles with old enemies of weather and bad back | Sean Ingle

7.00am BST

It’s sunny and relatively still this morning at Portrush. But don’t expect it to stay that way forever. It’ll begin to cloud over soon enough. The morning is expected to stay dry, the odd squall excepted, but the chances of showers increase in the afternoon. We should avoid heavy rain, but don’t bet the farm on it, this is links golf, this is the Open Championship. The wind should be gentle all day, though the aforementioned don’t-risk-the-mortgage caveat remains.

6.54am BST

Lehman’s errant drive leads to a bogey. Not the ideal start to the champ’s valedictory round. He slips to +8. Niemann’s salvage bid looks doomed as he too drops a shot; he’s +6. Jimenez is the only one of the three to make par, but he remains at +11. It’ll be a wee while before things hot up this morning. Plenty of time to make yourself a cup of coffee.

6.43am BST

The 1996 Champion Golfer gets the second day’s play underway. Tom Lehman, at 60 exempt for the final time, is most likely playing his last round at the Open today, having shot 78 yesterday. He sends his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker to the right. He’ll be going round with the current Senior Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, who ran up an 82 yesterday and is just biding time until he defends his title next week. The 20-year-old Chilean prospect Joaquin Niemann makes up the three-ball. He’s got plenty of work to do today if he’s to extend his Open debut into the weekend, having shot 76 yesterday.

9.10pm BST

Yesterday, JB Holmes shot 66, Tiger carded 78, Rory McIlroy took 79, Ryan Fox came back in 29, Emiliano Grillo aced 13, and David Duval ran up 14 on 7. If today has half as many jaw-dropping moments, we’ll be doing pretty well. Here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks after the first round ...

-5: Holmes
-4: Lowry
-3: Noren, Simpson, Garcia, Frittelli, MacIntyre, Aphibarnrat, Fox, Hatton, Fleetwood, Koepka, Westwood, Finau, Rahm
-2: Langasque, Rose, Park , Turner

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The Open 2019: first round – live!

Updates from the first round at Royal PortrushThe official live leaderboard for the 148th OpenSign up for The Recap, our free weekly email of editors’ picksAnd feel free to email scott.murray@theguardian.com

9.35am BST

Langasque didn’t have the sole lead for long. Coming up short at 8, he was only able to send his chip up from the bottom of a bank to 12 feet. He missed the putt, and he’s back in the back at -2. Meanwhile a simple two-putt birdie for Ian Poulter at 2: he’s -1.

9.30am BST

A super start for Xander Schauffele. Only Brooks Koepka has more top-ten finishes in the majors during the last couple of years. In the mix right up until the end last year at Carnoustie, it’s surely just a matter of time for the 25-year-old from San Diego. He’s unflappable. And in goes a long birdie putt at 1. Pars for his partners G-Mac and the 2016 champ Henrik Stenson.

9.25am BST

We have a new leader: Romain Langasque. The 24-year-old Frenchman is a man in form, having finished third at the Scottish Open last week, a couple of strokes behind the Bernd Weisberger / Benjamin Hebert play-off. He rattles in a 20-footer on 7 for his third birdie of the day. Meanwhile James Sugrue finds himself out of position on 11, and though he nearly rescues the situation with a 30-foot par putt, the ball stops a turn short. And his partner Darren Clarke, much to the gallery’s chagrin, makes his second bogey in five holes. Both slip out of the leading bunch, dropping to -1.

-3: Langasque (7)
-2: Pepperell (6), Lowry (5), Noren (5), MacIntyre (3), Johnston (3)

9.19am BST

Here comes another gallery favourite: Graeme McDowell of Portrush. He looks anxiously after his tee shot, an iron that just creeps into the thicker stuff down the left. But he might get a good lie. Whatever, he’s got an ear-splitting roar of support at his back. Wait until Rory rocks up in an hour’s time. Meanwhile Sergio has opened with four pars. He might have missed a short birdie effort at 2, but he’s since made a couple of missable par putts, so he’ll be in a reasonable enough mood. He’s level par.

9.15am BST

The biggest cheer of the day so far! Why, who could it be? It’s Beef, isn’t it. He finds the par-five 2nd in two big crashes, then rails home a 50-footer for the first eagle of the week! The gallery go wild, as Beef shrugs and smiles, soaking up the love. It’s so good to see the big man back on form. He’s going round with the young Scottish prospect Robert MacIntyre, and the shinty-loving 22-year-old from Oban has opened with a pair of birdies. No sweat, no fuss. And another birdie for Lowry, at 5. This is hotting up nicely now ... though nobody’s been able to make an early break for it.

-2: Clarke (10), Sugrue -a- (10), Langasque (6), Pepperell (5), Lowry (5), Noren (4), MacIntyre (2), Johnston (2)

9.10am BST

Another birdie for Padraig Harrington! This one comes at 5. He joins the leaders at -2 ... as does James Sugrue, the amateur bouncing back with birdie at 10. But then Harrington hands his shot straight back after a poor tee shot at the par-three 6th. His place at the top table is taken by Alex Noren: the 37-year-old Swede, who finished in the top ten in 2012 and 2017, follows an opening-hole birdie with a second at 4.

9.06am BST

Away from the golf, some local bobbies have got their panda car stuck in sand down on the beach. They’re wheelspinning away, trying in vain to reverse out of bother, and the tide’s coming in. Shoulders to the boot. Heave! No time to spare. Let’s hope they hoick their vehicle out of the big hole they’ve dug for themselves, else both officers find themselves standing impotently on the shore, watching their car bob off towards the North Atlantic, wondering what to tell the duty sergeant when they return, on foot, to the station. Nobody wants to see any of that.

8.56am BST

A slow start for the new lo-cal Lefty. Mickelson, slim as a rake after a six-day fast, leaves a chip at 4 well short, and isn’t able to scramble his par. He’s +1. Energy levels low? Meanwhile Sergio’s out and about, and having knocked his approach at 2 to eight feet, misreads the birdie putt and walks off shaking his head. He’s level par. And Darren Clarke reaches the turn in 34, saving his par at 9 after leaving a long putt short. The last three holes have been a struggle for Clarke, but he’s hung on in there.

-2: Clarke (9), Langasque (5), Pepperell (4)
-1: Sugrue -a- (9), Hoffman (9), Levy (7), Harrington (4), Lowry (4), Noren (3), MacIntyre (1)

8.47am BST

Beef at breakfast. Andrew Johnston hasn’t been on top of his game for a while now, struggling through some tough times, feeling low. But the wildly popular 30-year-old Londoner rediscovered his form at the Scottish Open last week, shooting a final-day 62 to grab one of the last places at this Open. He cracks an iron down the middle of the opening hole, receiving a welcome barely less wild than the one afforded local hero Darren Clarke at the start of the day. A lovely moment. Meanwhile birdie for another popular Englishman, Eddie Pepperell, this time at 4. He joins Clarke and Langasque in the lead at -2.

8.39am BST

Lovely birdie for Shane Lowry at the par-three 3rd. He sends his tee shot over the flag, then guides in a right-to-left curler from 20 feet. Loud cheers as he joins the group at -1. Up on 8, the first backwards stumble by James Sugrue, the amateur left with a ten-footer to save his par. He strikes the putt with confidence, but it lips out on the right. He’s back to -1. Meanwhile - apologies to Peter Hall (8.15am) for bearing bad news - Zander Lombard bogeys 5 to return to level par.

-2: Clarke (8), Langasque (4)
-1: Sugrue -a- (8), Hoffman (8), Levy (6), Harrington (4), Pepperell (3), Lowry (3), Noren (2)

8.30am BST

Dark clouds overhead. The wind picking up. But at least no rain at the moment. It’s going to be one of those days. A cloud of similar hue will be following Emiliano Grillo around right now: he’s run up a triple-bogey seven on 5, then followed it up with another dropped shot at 6. He’s just completed the easiest portion of the course in +3. His postman can stand down.

8.20am BST

Clarke nearly escapes 7 with an outrageous par. He putts from off the green, an uphill 50-footer with a big right-to-left break. It stops just one turn shy of dropping. But he’ll slip back to -2. Dreams are never meant to last.

-2: Clarke (7), Sugrue -a- (7), Langasque (4)
-1: Hoffman (7), Lombard (4), Harrington (3), Pepperell (2), Noren (1)

8.15am BST

He doesn’t get one. He’s forced to take an unplayable, and drops from knee height, as per the new rules. He slams his fourth towards the front of the green, and trudges towards it with both hands pushed low down in his pockets, another wry smile playing across his face as the rain begins to come down quite heavily. Birdie for Harrington at 3, though, as he knocks his tee shot to 20 feet and rolls in the straight putt he’s left with. And Pepperell joins him at -1 with birdie at 2. “Is Zander Lombard a possible dark horse?” wonders Peter Hall. “While he has had a generally poor season, he did well at Lahinch recently . . . and (little known fact). . . he was very narrowly beaten in the final of the Amateur Championship when it was held at Portrush a few years ago. So has good experience on these links.”

8.11am BST

A rainbow streams across the sky. Not quite so pretty: Clarke’s second at the par-five 7th, sliced into the dunes on the right. He allows himself a wry smile, then goes off in hope of finding a kind lie.

8.05am BST

Here’s Shane Lowry, and he gets the home-hero treatment. He whips an iron down the middle of 1. He’ll be going round with 2013 champion Phil Mickelson and Branden Grace, who shot that epochal 62 at Birkdale a couple of years ago. Meanwhile the amateur James Sugrue rattles in a straight 30-footer on 6 to make second place all his own ... ah scrub that, because 24-year-old Frenchman Romain Langasque, playing in only his second Open, has birdied 2 and 3. There are plenty of chances for birdies over the opening stretch.

-3: Clarke (6)
-2: Sugrue -a- (6), Langasque (3)

7.53am BST

Darren Clarke is making himself at home here. Well, to be fair, Darren Clarke is at home. The Royal Portrush GC member takes advantage of the short par-four 5th to card his third birdie of the day. This is quite something from the 2011 champ, who at 50 would become the oldest major champion in golfing history were he to continue in this manner for the next four days. The estate of Julius Boros (1968 PGA, 48 years) watches on with interest.

-3: Clarke (5)
-1: Sugrue -a- (5), Hoffman (5), Grillo (4), Lombard (2)

7.48am BST

Eddie Pepperell, who finished sixth last year after shooting a final-round 67 with a sore licensed-premises head, is greeted heartily by the Ulster crowd. He splits the fairway. No such luck for Bubba Watson, whose record at the Open is the inverse of his brilliance. He whistles an iron into the thick stuff down the left. But up on the green, there’s hope, because Fitzpatrick, who was forced to take his medicine from the rough and hack out, gets up and down from 100 yards for a scrambled par. Harrington walks off happy with his par, too, having sunk his approach into thick oomska to the left of the green. A fine chip whipped through the lush rough to four feet saves the day.

7.40am BST

The rain has started to come down. It’s already hammering away in Andy Sullivan’s heart, as his nightmare start continues apace. A bogey at the par-five 2nd, the head scrambled, and he’s +3 already. Meanwhile a display of local knowledge at 4 from Darren Clarke, who uses a hillock to the right of the green to send his ball sharp left, towards a pin tucked away behind a bank. He can’t make the mid-range birdie putt he leaves himself, but had he hit his approach another few feet up the hillock, he’d have set himself up with a proper birdie chance. A lot of players will be fast-forwarding through Clarke’s round on the Sky planner this evening, taking copious notes.

7.35am BST

Here comes another Irish hero. Padraig Harrington, the 2007 and 2008 Champion Golfer, takes to the tee. Looking as intense as ever, he skelps an iron down the middle of the fairway. Meanwhile Matthew Fitzpatrick - who tied for 44th to win the silver medal for low amateur in 2013, a career-high finish he matched as a pro four years later - furrows his brow as he sends a hybrid into the thick stuff down the left.

7.27am BST

Emiliano Grillo’s Open record isn’t much to write home about. A tie for 12th at Troon, but missed cuts at Birkdale and Carnoustie. But the Argentinian postal service might have some work to do this weekend if the 26-year-old’s antics down the par-five 2nd are anything to go by. A lovely second fired into the green to 20 feet, an eagle putt nearly dropping. He joins Clarke and Sugrue in the red at -1.

7.21am BST

In goes the birdie putt, and the early Open leaderboard has a breakfast flavour so Irish it could be served with a soda farl. Meanwhile that wild opening tee shot has cost Andy Sullivan at 1. The first dropped shots of the 148th Open: a double bogey. Of the nine players to have completed a hole so far, he’s the only one over par. He’s +2.

-2: Clarke (3)
-1: Sugrue -a- (1)

7.15am BST

Clarke sends his ball - a Titleist with a shamrock Sharpied onto it - to a couple of feet at the 177-yard par-three 3rd. Nearly a sensational hole-in-one, and he deserves another smoke. He turns his back to the wind, lights it, and then spins to face the camera with a smile nearly as wide as the one he flashed at Sandwich all those years ago. He’s enjoying this, taking advantage of the mild early weather. They were expecting rain, but it hasn’t arrived yet. It’s coming later this morning, though, and the wind’s likely to pick up a little too. Sunny spells in the afternoon. Changeable, in other words. Hey, this is the Open, all part of the charm.

7.09am BST

Clarke settles for par on 2, though he very nearly snaked in a birdie putt from the fringe at the back. He looks in the mood to cash in years of experience round here for tangible reward. He remains at -1. But he’s joined in the early lead by James Sugrue, the 22-year-old Amateur Champion playing the par-five in textbook fashion, two long and straight shots to find the green, a couple of calm putts to make his birdie. And so the Open, for what it’s worth at this infant stage, is now led by a former champion and an amateur.

-1: Clarke (2), Sugrue -a- (2)
E: Hoffman (2), Grillo (1), Kang (1), Thurloway -a- (1)

7.02am BST

Clarke’s drive at the par-five 2nd dribbles into a bunker down the left, and he won’t be able to go for the green with his second. After splashing back out onto the fairway, he takes a pensive draw from a delicious morning cigarette. But his stress levels will be nothing on poor Andy Sullivan: the 33-year-old from Nuneaton, who tied for 12th at Troon three years ago, hooks his opening drive out of bounds down the left. A horror start. He’s the first to do so, but almost certainly won’t be the last, as there’s OB running down both sides of 1. If you’re feeling tight, it’s tight.

6.53am BST

The dream start! Hoffman and Sugrue have good looks at birdie from 30 feet or so, but both efforts stop just short of the hole. An opening par at the Open never to be sniffed at. But the Royal Portrush CG member Clarke, having sent his second pin high to 15 feet, guides a lovely right-to-left slider into the cup! Local knowledge could be priceless this week. The first birdie of the 148th Open Championship goes to the home hero. Darren Clarke leads the Open ... again!

-1: Clarke (1)
E: Sugrue -a- (1), Hoffman (1)

6.45am BST

“This is game number one. On the tee from Northern Ireland, Darren Clarke.” Having received a spine-tingling ovation from the early-morning gallery - shades of the Ryder Cup at K-Club in 2006 - the 2011 champion finds the fairway with the first Open shot in Northern Ireland for 68 years. Just. “Left! Left!” he orders his ball, as it toys with the semi-rough down the right. It obeys. The Cork amateur James Sugrue and Charley Hoffman follow him down. Relieved - because he’ll have thought about that tee shot for quite a while - Clarke stops to enjoy a bit of on-air patter with Sky pundit Paul McGinley, reminding him that he’d beaten him at Portrush in the final of a tournament back in the day. After all the waiting, we’re under way!

6.22pm BST

Bout ye ... and welcome to our coverage of the 148th Open Championship. To date, 96 Opens have been staged in Scotland; 50 have been held in England. But only one of the 147 previous tournaments has taken place in Northern Ireland, here at Royal Portrush way back in 1951. Well, it’s back, baby! It’s been a while, but it’s back.

And what a venue! Carnoustie might have the reputation as the toughest course on the Open rota, St Andrews the one most steeped in history. But Portrush - set among rolling dunes hugging the gorgeous Antrim coast, offering views of the Giant’s Causeway, hilly Inishowen, peaty Islay, all that - is perhaps the prettiest.

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Egypt 0-1 South Africa: Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 – as it happened

South Africa shock hosts Egypt to set up a quarter-final with Nigeria.

11.16pm BST

Related: Egypt 0-1 South Africa: Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 – as it happened

9.54pm BST

Nope! That’s it! Egypt are knocked out of their own Africa Cup of Nations. It’s a thoroughly deserved result, too. South Africa were the better team from the get-go, solid in defence and always dangerous in attack. The Cairo International Stadium falls silent, much like the Maracana did after the final match of the 1950 World Cup, I’ll be bound. What a shock! Mohamed Salah looks crestfallen, but can have no complaints. To a man, Egypt were thoroughly second best tonight. Congratulations to South Africa; commiserations to the hosts. Thanks for reading!

9.53pm BST

90 min +4: Veldwijk is immediately sent clear down the inside-right channel. He’s one on one with El Shenawy, but can’t convert. Will South Africa live to regret giving up that gilt-edged opportunity?

9.51pm BST

90 min +3: And the clock ticks on further as Veldwijk comes on for the goalscorer Lorch ... who is nearly manhandled off the field by an irate Trezeguet.

9.50pm BST

90 min +2: Furman’s number goes up on the subs board. He takes his own sweet time to depart, causing Hamed all manner of head-heat. Furman eventually departs, and he’s replaced by Kekana.

9.49pm BST

90 min: Mokotjo romps into space down the left. He should find Lau free in the centre, but clanks his cross into Hegazy. That would have sealed it. As things stand, though, there will be four added minutes in which Egypt can save themselves.

9.48pm BST

89 min: Tau departs momentarily on the medical truck. Salah taps his wrist theatrically, the internationally recognised mime for “Add some effing time on, ref!”

9.47pm BST

88 min: Tau is down. He’s either injured, wants a rest, is running down the clock, or is trying his best to irritate the desperate hosts. Maybe all four.

9.46pm BST

87 min: The crowd gather themselves and turn up the volume again. Can they push their impotent heroes on?

9.45pm BST

They’re not worried now! Two passes out from the back, and Mothiba is racing down the right in acres, with Lorch free in the middle! No idea where Egypt’s defence has gone. But they’re not there. Lorch opens his body and rams a shot past El Shenawy and into the bottom right! The stadium falls silent in the style of the Maracana 1950. The hosts are on the verge of crashing out!

9.43pm BST

84 min: A little better from Egypt, as Soliman immediately gets involved down the right, linking up with Elmohamady and Salah. They can’t quite open South Africa up, but for a second the visitors were worried.

9.41pm BST

83 min: Egypt make their last swap of the regulation 90 minutes. Soliman comes on for Elneny.

9.41pm BST

81 min: Salah goes chasing after a long punt down the right, but is beaten to the ball by Williams, who comes off his line, claims, then sets South Africa on the attack. Mothiba crosses from the right, and Tau is penalised for over-excited play in the box.

9.39pm BST

80 min: Ah no, Salah leaves it to Warda at the last moment. Warda floats a godawful free kick into the box, easy pickings for Williams. Even if Egypt do get through tonight, they don’t look like champions. They’ve been incredibly poor.

9.37pm BST

79 min: He’ll get another go from a similar spot, because Zungu is booked for a hysterical lunge on Warda.

9.37pm BST

78 min: A free kick for Egypt out on the left. They load the box. Salah takes, and fails to beat the first man. That was dismal.

9.36pm BST

77 min: Warda turns in from the left and whips a shot well wide of goal. He hardly had any space to work with. The South African defence has been super-solid tonight.

9.35pm BST

76 min: A contested drop ball in the middle of the park, after play is stopped so Mokotjo can get some treatment. A rare spot these days.

9.33pm BST

74 min: Salah backs himself in a footrace with Hlanti down the right ... and loses. Egypt can’t get anything going. A lot of their players are visibly anxious. Their cup hopes could be going south here, quite literally.

9.31pm BST

72 min: A gorgeous move down the right, Mkhize in the centre of a series of one-twos that finally release Lorch into the box. He slams a shot towards the bottom right. El Shenawy parries and claims with safe hands. That was delicious football from South Africa.

9.29pm BST

70 min: Now it’s South Africa’s turn to pass up a golden opportunity to score. Hlanti swings the free kick towards the far post. Hlatshwayo rises highest and plants a header inches wide of the left-hand post. What a chance! He holds his head in despair.

9.27pm BST

69 min: Ashraf is booked for a late lunge on Mokotjo, who requires a little treatment as a result. It’s going to be a free kick out on the right.

9.26pm BST

68 min: Salah is at least looking a little livelier now. Elneny scoops a pass down the right, and he scampers after it, forcing Mkhwanazi into conceding a cheap corner. Nothing happens from the set piece, though, because Williams flaps in a crowded area, and gets his goalkeeper’s decision.

9.24pm BST

66 min: It’s not, though. It’s sent flat along the face of the Egyptian box, and easily cleared. Trezeguet races into acres of space on the counter, and very nearly releases Salah with a wedge down the inside-left channel. Mkhize does very well to read the danger and intercept.

9.23pm BST

65 min: A free kick for South Africa out on the right. Hlanti to take. This better be an improvement on that last atrocity.

9.23pm BST

64 min: Egypt make their second change, hooking El Said and sending on Warda.

9.22pm BST

63 min: A long ball down the middle panics Mkhize, who heads out for a corner under pressure from Ali. El Said to take the corner. The delivery is awful, and easily cleared. Hamed then shoots from the best part of 40 yards, which rather obviously signals Egyptian frustration.

9.20pm BST

61 min: Tau knocks the ball past Alaa down the right, in the playground style, then chases after it. He wins the race with the defender, but can’t catch up with the ball, failing by the width of a cigarette paper to keep it in play.

9.19pm BST

60 min: Hlanti fires the ball into the top left ... of the stand behind the goal. That was ludicrously off target. A preposterous effort. What a waste.

9.18pm BST

59 min: Hamed clips Mokotjo to the ground, 30 yards from goal. The resulting free kick is just right of centre. Hlanti to take. Everyone else on the edge of the box.

9.17pm BST

57 min: Ali flashes a wild one over the bar. But then Egypt come back at South Africa, and should really open the scoring. Salah, deep and cutting in from the right, rolls a stunning diagonal pass between the South African central defenders to release Trezeguet into the box, just to the left of goal. Trezeguet is one on one with Williams, and shapes to sidefoot into the bottom right ... but once again slaps a lame effort straight at the keeper. The best chance of the match.

9.15pm BST

56 min: Salah picks up a loose ball and bursts down the right. But Hlanti has his number, and barges him off the ball. The crowd are slipping into a frustrated funk. Their team have achieved very little tonight.

9.12pm BST

54 min: Salah has a belt from distance. It’s blocked. Egypt’s star man has been extremely quiet.

9.12pm BST

53 min: El Said wedges a ball over the top for Ali, who nearly gets clear of Mkhize. But the defender keeps strong and the striker can’t get a sniff. South Africa have been superb in defence. They’ve only conceded twice in the tournament so far. Egypt of course yet to let one in. We possibly shouldn’t be too surprised that it’s still 0-0.

9.10pm BST

51 min: Mkhwanazi launches long down the left and releases Lorch into an awful lot of space. Lorch lets Egypt off the hook by taking a heavy touch and running the ball out of play for a goal kick. There was danger for Egypt there.

9.09pm BST

50 min: Now it’s Egypt’s turn to whip in a cross. Elmohamady hoicks one in from the right, with Trezeguet waiting at the far post. But there’s far too much juice on the ball. Goal kick.

9.07pm BST

49 min: Space for Mokotjo down the left. He hooks into the box. El Shenawy goes well to punch clear under pressure from his own players ... and wins a free kick anyway. Goalkeepers are a protected species all right.

9.06pm BST

47 min: Egypt have obviously been given a rocket, though. Trezeguet bustles his way past Furman, then feeds Elneny, who strides purposefully towards the box and whistles a rising shot inches over the crossbar. Were that on target, it was nestling in the top left, and Williams wasn’t getting there.

9.04pm BST

46 min: Lorch is quickly up and at Egypt again, rolling his way down the left wing before sending across a fairly aimless pass to nobody.

9.03pm BST

Here we go again! South Africa get the second half underway. Egypt have made one half-time change, withdrawing Mohsen and sending on Ahmed Ali.

8.49pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Other international tournaments are available. To this end, here’s Hope Solo on tomorrow’s Women’s World Cup final ...

Related: Players tell themselves the World Cup final is just another game. They're wrong | Hope Solo

Related: Ricardo Gareca bids to join rare group by leading Peru to Copa América title | Jonathan Wilson

8.46pm BST

The South Africans have looked dangerous. The hosts have not.

8.45pm BST

45 min: Salah tries to cream a diagonal shot into the top left. It’s well wide, and Williams had it covered anyway.

8.45pm BST

44 min: Hlanti is booked for a slide tackle that results in his standing on Salah’s foot. Salah isn’t happy with the challenge and for a second it briefly threatens to kick off. But it’s just a yellow card, and a free kick just to the right of centre, 25 yards out.

8.44pm BST

43 min: Egypt enjoy a bit of sterile possession in the midfield. It’s not what the punters want to see, but in truth they could do with hearing the half-time whistle, so it’s not a bad ploy.

8.42pm BST

41 min: Salah tries to sprint past Mkhwanazi down the right, but runs out of room. He wants a free kick as the pair tussle, but the decision goes the other way. Salah, beyond livid, smashes a shot towards the side netting in anger and frustration. He’s very fortunate not to get himself booked.

8.41pm BST

39 min: Tau slips a pass down the inside-right channel for Lorch, who is denied a shot on goal by El Shenawy, out quickly to challenge. The next phase leads to a corner that causes quite the scramble. Egypt eventually clear, but they are rocking.

8.39pm BST

38 min: Another Egyptian attack fizzles out into nothingness. Salah has been quiet; Trezeguet, one fine run apart, fairly ineffectual. If they don’t get their gamefaces on, and quick, they could be going out tonight.

8.37pm BST

36 min: A deep cross into the Egyptian box from the left. Hegazy misjudges it. Lorch takes up possession and sends a screamer goalwards from a tight angle. The shot hits Ashraf’s upper arm, but he had both of his arms behind his back, and the referee’s not interested in a clearly accidental incident. Then South Africa come again, Mokotjo sending a low fizzer inches wide of the left-hand post. Bafana Bafana have been by far the better team.

8.35pm BST

34 min: A free kick for South Africa out on the right. Hlanti whips it into the Egyptian area. Mohsen heads clear. South Africa take an age over the resulting throw. Nothing comes of it, but they’re doing a fine job of disrupting Egypt’s rhythm and frustrating the hosts.

8.33pm BST

33 min: A period of scrappy play. South Africa will be much the happier of the two teams. Egypt just haven’t got going.

8.32pm BST

31 min: Elmohamady has time and space down the inside-right. Salah is begging for the ball to his right. Elmohamady instead rolls a pass across the face of the box, hoping to tee up El Said for a shot. Mkhize is wise to Elmohamady’s game, though, and steps in to intercept with ease. Egypt are strangely ponderous in attack.

8.30pm BST

29 min: Mothiba’s presence on the edge of the Egyptian box creates panic, and a little space for his strike partner Lorch, on the right-hand edge of the D. Lorch swivels and sends a speculative snapshot inches wide of the left-hand post. The crowd are beginning to get a little pensive now. South Africa have come the closest to scoring, on more than a couple of occasions to boot.

8.28pm BST

28 min: Egypt nearly open up South Africa with the cutest move of the match so far. Trezeguet drives down the inside-left channel and crisply one-twos with Mohsen, but just as it looks as though there’s a route into the box, Mkhize and Hlatshwayo slam the door shut.

8.27pm BST

26 min: A free kick for Egypt out on the left. El Said to take, with everyone else on the edge of the box. Mkhize heads clear with power. Suddenly South Africa are on the counter, with Egypt light, but Mokotjo and Lorch make some poor choices and the chance to trouble the hosts is gone. I’m not quite sure how this is still goalless, because both teams really are going for it.

8.25pm BST

24 min: ... Egypt should score. A simple blooter clear suddenly finds Salah leading a three-on-two charge, South Africa having seriously over-committed at the corner. Salah could take a shot on himself from the edge of the box, having run half the length of the pitch with the ball himself. But he opts to roll in Trezeguet to his right. Trezeguet’s clear in the box ... and he rolls a dismally soft effort straight at Williams, who does extremely well not to burst out laughing. That was awful.

8.24pm BST

23 min: The corner from the left is worked to the right flank. Furman loops into the mixer, forcing El Shenawy into a desperate tip away from a crowded six-yard box. Another corner. From which ...

8.23pm BST

22 min: Lorch stands over it. He’s preparing to take. But then he wanders off, and Tau whips a glorious effort over the wall and towards the top left. El Shenawy, who has been in decent form in this tournament, tips over the bar. Nothing was expected of South Africa tonight, but they’re right in this match.

8.21pm BST

21 min: Lorch and Mokotjo busy themselves 25 yards from the Egyptian goal. Eventually an Egyptian leg extends in frustration and clips Mokotjo over. A free kick in a very dangerous central position.

8.20pm BST

19 min: South Africa have been excellent so far. It’s the sort of performance that would, in most other stadiums, have quietened the crowd. Not here. Not this one. The atmosphere is fantastic.

8.18pm BST

17 min: A long diagonal pass by Elneny sets Salah scampering down the right. He’s in space, but his cross is no good. Egypt may be the hosts and hot favourites to win this match, but they aren’t quite clicking at the moment. South Africa are giving as good as they’re getting.

8.15pm BST

15 min: A poor touch by Furman allows Salah to break upfield with great intent. He’s got Mohsen to his left, and should play him in on goal with an easy pass. But Salah’s pass is poor, behind his team-mate, and South Africa are allowed to go up the other end themselves, Tau cutting in from the right again and looking for the top right from 25 yards. He stings El Shenawy’s hands, a fine effort.

8.14pm BST

13 min: Salah drops deep and wedges a pass down the inside-right channel for El Said. There’s just too much weight on the ball, which was a shame for Egypt as El Said had sprung the offside trap with a perfectly timed burst.

8.12pm BST

11 min: A brief break in play as Hamed gets some treatment. It looks like Mothiba accidentally stood on his trouser arrangement as he made his challenge. That’s gotta hurt.

8.11pm BST

10 min: Mothiba tears at great speed down the right, and for a second it looks like he’s breaking clear. Hamed slides in, though, to stop him with a desperate last-ditch tackle. Mothiba performs a spectacular triple roll in the hope of winning a free kick on the edge of the box, but it’s a fair tackle, just, and Egypt clear their lines.

8.09pm BST

8 min: El Said takes possibly the worst free kick in the entire history of the sport. With the box loaded, he hoofs the ball from a position tight on the byline as hard as he can, miles over the heads of everyone in the area, and out of play for a goal kick. That really was appalling. Such good work from Trezeguet to win the free kick, as well.

8.07pm BST

7 min: Some sloppy play by South Africa in the midfield, and Trezeguet is allowed to showcase his skills down the left. He draws a foul from Mkhize, and this is a free kick that’s essentially a corner.

8.05pm BST

5 min: Salah slips a pass down the right for Elmohamady, who from the byline cuts the ball back into the box. A deflection sends the ball straight to Salah, just inside the area. He has a first-time flash towards the bottom right, but it nicks off a defender and out for a corner. Nothing comes of the resulting set piece, but that was a very decent chance for Salah, and he really should have done better.

8.03pm BST

3 min: This is a very hectic start. Mohsen sends a shot straight at Williams. Then up the other end, Tau sashays in from the right and peals a shot over the bar from 25 yards. Well over in the end, but it was a fantastic run.

8.02pm BST

2 min: Trezeguet works his way down the left and crosses to ... nobody in particular. But the hosts will be happy at having made progress down both flanks already.

8.01pm BST

We have kick-off! The hosts get the party started, and stroke it around the back for a bit. Then suddenly Elmohamady sprints down the right and crosses ... to nobody in particular. South Africa come straight back at Egypt, Lorch sending a strange floater in from the left that’s an easy claim for El Shenawy. A bright start!

7.58pm BST

The teams are out! Both anthems performed and thoroughly respected. Egypt’s bumps along at a fair old pace, and one of the players is a good few semitones out of key, but he’s belting it out with great passion so fair enough. South Africa’s epic is only a few minutes shorter than the Ring Cycle. Egypt sport red shirts and white shorts. South Africa wear yellow shirts and green shorts. We’ll be off in a minute!

7.53pm BST

A magnificent atmosphere under the lights at the Cairo International Stadium. It looks like a near-capacity 75,000 crowd, and they’re all giving it plenty. The home fans are busy honouring their favourites ...

7.35pm BST

Egypt won all three of their Group A matches. A goal from right-winger Trezeguet decided their opening match against Zimbabwe. After that, they registered two identical victories against DR Congo and Uganda: both matches ended 2-0 with goals from Mohamed Salah and captain Ahmed El Mohamady.

South Africa have coughed and spluttered. Two 1-0 losses, to the Ivory Coast and Morocco, bookmarked a 1-0 win over Namibia. Bongani Zungu is their only goalscorer in the tournament so far. It was enough to scrape into the knockout stage as the fourth-best third-placed finishers.

7.30pm BST

This is only the third time Egypt and South Africa have met in the Africa Cup of Nations. On both previous occasions, the Pharaohs have beaten Bafana Bafana, 1-0 in the groups in 1996, 2-0 in the 1998 final. OK, it’s a small sample size, but given that South Africa went on to lift the cup in 1996, whoever wins today will be thinking history is very much on their side going forwards. The winner of this match will meet Nigeria in the quarters.

7.17pm BST

Egypt: Mohamed El-Shenawy, Ashraf, Ahmed El Mohamady, Hegazy, Alaa, Hamed, Elneny, El Said, Salah, Mohsen, Trezeguet.
Subs: Razek El-Shenawy, Morsy El Mohamady, Gaber, Ghazal, Said, Mansour, Kamel, Hamdi, Emad, Warda.

South Africa: Williams, Hlanti, Mkhwanazi, Hlatshwayo, Mkhize, Furman, Zungu, Mokotjo, Lorch, Mothiba, Tau.
Subs: Keet, Maela, Cardoso, Mphahlele, Maboe, Serero, Mabunda, Bvuma, Vilakazi, Kekana, Veldwijk.

11.09am BST

Can hosts Egypt make it to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations? Recent form points to yes. They won all three of their group games, and while the performances have yet to wow their fans, at least they’re getting the job done.

By comparison, South Africa only scraped into the last 16 as the fourth and final best third-placed finishers from the groups. They scored a grand total of one goal in doing so. South Africa manager Stuart Baxter is on record saying it’d be a “national disaster” for Egypt should they fail to win this one, and you can see his point.

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England 1-2 Sweden: Women's World Cup third-place play-off – as it happened

An early Swedish surge put paid to England’s bronze-medal hopes.

6.33pm BST

Related: Sweden beat England to Women’s World Cup bronze with help from VAR

Related: Phil Neville insists England must be ruthless to break semi-final barrier

6.17pm BST

And so England’s 2019 World Cup campaign comes to a painful end. Sweden once again put them to the sword - that’s 15 wins in 26 meetings now - though England will point to a contentious VAR decision that they’ll argue cost them bronze and also, perhaps, Ellen White the golden boot. But you can see how it was given handball. Louise Taylor was at the Stade de Nice to see hopes of bronze slip away. Her report is below. All that’s left is to offer congratulations to Sweden and commiserations to England, and to thank you for reading this MBM. To Lyon, then, for tomorrow’s final!

Related: Sweden beat England to Women’s World Cup bronze with help from VAR

6.11pm BST

Post-match postbag.

“Definitely a game of two halves with Sweden absorbing a lot of pressure in the second half. Unfortunately for England all that possession only provided four shots on target out of 13 attempts. Comparatively, Sweden had eight on target out of nine. And despite the best efforts from some on social media, that shot to shots on target ratio cannot be blamed on the referee” - Clare Lawrence

6.06pm BST

A downbeat Phil Neville speaks. “I think maybe there was a carry-on from the semi-final, that emotion. The two goals probably sparked us into a bit of life, and after that, I don’t think I’ve seen us play better. Their courage to keep going forward, their energy at the end ... most teams would have been on their knees. They gave everything. We gave it our best shot, we fell short, and next time we have to be better. It is really difficult to get yourself up for third-place games. Well done Sweden, but it’s a nonsense game. We came at this tournament to win it, not to finish fourth. The players have delivered everything I wanted, but we’ve got 15, 20 percent to go. That’s sport. Many a champion has had to suffer before they get what they deserve. But I’m immensely proud. We dissect, we debrief and get back on the horse again. Thank you for your support.”

6.01pm BST

Fran Kirby looks beyond gutted. She was excellent today. But it was an off-day for most of her team-mates. They all gather in a circle, as Phil Neville addresses his dejected troops. He’ll be pointing out that, while defeat stings right now, they’ll soon look back on this campaign with pride. It wasn’t the epochal victory they so desperately desired ... but fourth place at a World Cup is never to be sniffed at. They’re a fine side. It’s just that the USA, the Netherlands and Sweden are that little bit better.

5.58pm BST

And that’s it! Sweden end the 2019 World Cup in third place, with the bronze medal. England pushed them hard in that second half, but the Swedes were the better side overall. Phil Neville’s disappointed side fall to the turf as one, as do Sweden, in a massive celebratory pile-on.

5.56pm BST

90 min +4: Moore is booked for bringing down Blackstenius, breaking clear on the halfway line. It should probably be a red card, and the ref does initially brandish it, but then changes her mind. No point. Look at the time. Yellow.

5.55pm BST

90 min +3: Daly crosses into the Swedish box from the right. For once Lindahl can’t claim. The ball drops to Greenwood, who can’t control. The ball sails into the crowd behind. Greenwood drops her head, dejected. That could have been England’s last chance, albeit a very difficult one.

5.53pm BST

90 min +1: Carney has a look from 25 yards. Easy for Lindahl. Sweden flood up the other end, where Zigiotti really should score. She’s free just inside the box, but slips, then gathers herself, and shoots straight at Telford. Mighty fine save, but she should never have been allowed to make it.

5.52pm BST

90 min: A sensational clearance! This has to be seen to be believed! A corner for England on the right leads to a second. And from that, Bronze pearls a shot from the penalty shot goalwards. It’s beaten Lindahl and it’s travelling. But Fischer is on the line, and she stands firm to head the ball straight back upfield. That was outstanding. There will be four additional minutes.

5.50pm BST

88 min: England are taking risks now, piling everyone forward. That leaves space for Jakobsson, who should tear clear down the inside right but is visibly tiring and sends a weak shot straight at Telford.

5.48pm BST

87 min: Moore threads a through ball down the left to nobody. Lindahl claims. The clock ticks on.

5.47pm BST

86 min: Bronze, out on the right, sends a dangerous cross towards the far post. Taylor’s waiting for it, but Lindahl catches spectacularly. That’s immense keeping in the circumstances. What a claim!

5.46pm BST

84 min: Bronze makes another pointless foul, dragging down Hurtig, who had no escape route near her own left-hand corner flag. Free kick. Lindahl is booked for taking her own sweet time over it.

5.44pm BST

83 min: Moore has another crack from distance. It’s no good. England make their last switch, throwing on Daly in place of McManus.

5.43pm BST

81 min: Carney drives down the left, released by Greenwood. She fizzes a low cross towards White and Taylor, who are right next to each other. But the ball breaks to neither of them. White tries to spin and shoot from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, but can only scoop the ball out of play for a goal kick.

5.41pm BST

79 min: Fischer dawdles on the ball and is robbed by Taylor, who races off down the left. The ball’s swung to the far post, and Eriksson isn’t quite sure how to deal with the situation. She’s very fortunate to be shoved pointlessly in the back by Bronze, as she was shanking the ball out for a corner. Instead, it’s a free kick, and a chance for Sweden to run down the clock a little.

5.39pm BST

78 min: England ping it around the middle of the park to little effect. Sterile domination.

5.37pm BST

76 min: Glas swerves with great panache, in from the right, and very nearly works the space for a shot from the edge of the box. England hold firm.

5.37pm BST

74 min: Here comes Karen Carney, for the 144th and final time. She takes the place of Parris.

5.36pm BST

73 min: Scott isn’t too far from releasing White down the middle, but there’s a little too much juice on the pass. Lindahl gathers.

5.34pm BST

72 min: It’s all become a little bitty. Sweden will be more than happy with this state of affairs, the clock very much their friend right now.

5.33pm BST

70 min: Ilestedt comes on for Bjorn.

5.31pm BST

68 min: Bjorn is down getting a little treatment.

5.29pm BST

66 min: Bronze is brushed off the ball in midfield and suddenly Sweden are three on three. Bjorn drives forward and lays off to Zigiotti, whose low shot is smothered by Telford.

5.26pm BST

64 min: A long pass down the inside-right channel nearly finds Taylor, but the ever-adventurous Lindahl comes out of her box to chest clear.

5.25pm BST

63 min: Kirby slips out of a tight spot out on the left and rolls a pass down the wing for Taylor, who skedaddles clear, enters the box, and curls a shot off the bottom of the right-hand post and out for a goal kick. She was well offside, though. Sweden had stopped, and the lino had put her flag up. But what excellent set-up play by Kirby, who slithered away from a couple of challenges with elegant ease.

5.23pm BST

62 min: ... Houghton heads harmlessly over the bar when meeting the ball at the near post. That was a decent opportunity, she’ll be disappointed not to have done better.

5.22pm BST

61 min: Greenwood swings in a cross from the left. Sembrant half-clears under pressure from White. Bronze picks up possession on the right, and forces a corner, England’s second of the match. And from that ...

5.21pm BST

59 min: England continue to probe, to ask questions. The ever-excellent Scott plays a cute reverse pass from a tight position out left to release Greenwood along the byline. Greenwood can’t get a meaningful shot away, and Lindahl is once again on the spot to mop up.

5.20pm BST

58 min: Kirby has been England’s best player so far. She dribbles with purpose down the right and sends a cross-cum-shot towards the near post. Lindahl does well to gather under pressure in a crowded area.

5.19pm BST

57 min: Kirby, playmaking from a deep pocket, spins and nearly releases White down the left. Glas does very well to put a stop to her gallop. Scott then has a clack from distance; Fischer blocks. This isn’t quite the rollercoaster of the first half, but it’s still open and entertaining. And on that topic, here’s the latest missive from this MBM’s co-author Mary Waltz: “What a tonic these women are giving us, to give us respite from the sludge of the real world for at least 90 minutes. I for one am grateful.”

5.17pm BST

56 min: So having said that, it’s a free kick for the Swedes out on the right. They load the England box. Sembrant nudges Houghton in the back and it’s a pressure-releasing free kick. But Sweden are quickly coming back at England, Jakobsson taking on Greenwood yet again. This time, however, Greenwood stands strong and brushes her opponent into touch. Goal kick. Fine defending.

5.15pm BST

54 min: England have looked the sharper side since the restart. All hail the magical powers of Phil’s Special Half-Time Box. I wonder if this music plays when you open it?

5.13pm BST

52 min: Scott caresses a fine pass down the left and nearly releases Taylor. Lindahl comes racing from her box to intercept ... then misses. Fortunately for the keeper, hysterically sliding across the turf, a surprised Taylor can’t control and Fischer is able to guide the ball away from danger.

5.11pm BST

50 min: Moore has a blast from distance. It’s always heading left of the target, but that was flying.

5.11pm BST

49 min: England make their first sub. Taylor comes on for Mead.

5.09pm BST

47 min: A nice end-to-end start to this second half. Both teams going for it. Nobody thinking about extra time. Just before the restart, Phil Neville told the BBC that his team have “put that first 20 minutes in a box in the dressing room”. He’s going to make a fine motivational speaker one day.

5.08pm BST

And we’re off again! Sweden have made a second change. Kosovare Asllani, who took that knock late on against the Netherlands, is replaced by 21-year-old striker Julia Zigiotti.

4.54pm BST

Half-time entertainment.

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4.53pm BST

And there’s the half-time whistle. England could easily be losing heavily, they could easily be level, they could easily be winning. One of those matches. It’s been magnificent entertainment. More soon!

4.51pm BST

45 min +6: Parris races at the Swedish back line. She slips the ball down the inside-right channel for White, who is one on one with Lindahl! White pokes unconvincingly towards the bottom right; the keeper sticks out a leg and hacks clear. England so close to going in on terms!

4.51pm BST

45 min +4: Houghton attempts to chest the ball back to Telford, who doesn’t come to claim. Blackstenius nips in between and wedges an instinctive effort over the keeper ... and just over the bar. There’s a VAR check for a potential penalty, the ball having brushed Houghton’s shoulder, but that would have been beyond ridiculous. We play on.

4.49pm BST

45 min +3: Bronze and Parris combine well down the right, the latter reaching the byline and clipping a cross into the centre. Lindahl claims easily enough.

4.47pm BST

45 min +2: Mead gets a little treatment after coming off second best in a 50-50 challenge with Sembrant. An opportunity for the players to take on some more water. It’s blistering hot in Nice.

4.45pm BST

45 min: There will be five additional minutes of this first half.

4.45pm BST

44 min: Moore has a frustrated kick at Asllani, and is fairly fortunate not to go into the referee’s notebook. It is a free kick, though, and one which results in Jakobsson sending a tame effort towards Telford from distance.

4.44pm BST

43 min: Jakobsson has Greenwood on toast. She swans past her on the right again, only to send her cross out of play for a goal kick. England have worked their way back into this match, but they still need to sort this out.

4.42pm BST

42 min: But England are awarded a free kick out on the left. However it ends in farce. Mead takes a cheeky one, before the whistle is blown. The ball sails harmlessly through to Lindahl, as everyone else was waiting on the referee to restart the game. The referee simply waves play on. Very strange.

4.41pm BST

40 min: Kirby cuts in from the left and rakes a lovely crossfield ball towards Parris, who kills the ball stone dead and fizzes a low cross into the mixer. Kirby, now in the box, claims she’s been shoved in the back by Jakobsson, but neither the ref nor VAR are interested.

4.39pm BST

39 min: Asllani belts a clearance straight down the park. Blackstenius, who has been quiet by her own standards, nearly powers her way past McManus, but the stand-in central defender does extremely well to stand her ground and see off the striker. “Harsh VAR ruling,” argues Mary Waltz. “Bite the bullet and keep the pressure on, attack, attack, attack!”

4.38pm BST

37 min: Scott swings a free kick into the Swedish box from the left. Lindahl claims easily enough. Small mercies for England: at least they have some momentum now, and have given Sweden something to think about.

4.36pm BST

35 min: But it’s been disallowed. When White span around Sembrant down the inside-left channel, the ball reared up on her right arm. And so for the second match in a row, White has a goal ruled out by VAR. White is incensed, saying she couldn’t do anything about it. But that’s the call.

4.34pm BST

And in a flash, England are level! Mead crosses from a deep position on the left. White brings the ball down, back to goal, spins Sembrant and prods past Lindahl and into the net!

4.32pm BST

Here’s that inspiration! Scott draws a couple of players in the midfield and slips Kirby away down the right. Kirby’s been in a no-nonsense mood from the get-go, and here she drives towards the Swedish box, cuts in from the right, and sends a precision curler across Lindahl and into the bottom left. What a finish!

4.31pm BST

30 min: A long ball that White can’t get her head on. England need some inspiration here.

4.29pm BST

28 min: A tearful Rolfo is replaced by Hurtig. Then England should really reduce the deficit, Parris entering the box from the right in a lot of space. She should shoot, but lays off to Kirby on her left. Kirby should have a go as well, but shuttles the ball further left to Mead, who shanks a shot across the face of goal. Fischer blocks and Lindahl claims, and the flag goes up for offside anyway. England over-elaborated there. They should be back in it.

4.27pm BST

26 min: The players get moving again. Sweden are down to ten women, with Rolfo off the field receiving treatment.

4.26pm BST

25 min: A cooling break. Time to take some water on board. And perhaps to have a bit of a tactical rethink. England are getting ripped apart here.

4.24pm BST

24 min: England try to strike back quickly. Kirby goes on another power run down the middle of the park, then Bronze has a shot from distance that’s heading into the bottom corner before it’s tipped around the post by Lindahl. The corner comes to nothing.

4.23pm BST

They’ll have to get going up front now, because they’re two behind. Jakobsson has been running riot down the right, but here she pops up on the left, taking up a cut-back from Blackstenius near the corner flag. Jakobsson strides into the area, and curves a glorious shot across Telford and into the bottom right! That was simply unstoppable, one of those finishes that has you up out of your seat, shouting in awe. A peach of a finish.

4.21pm BST

21 min: A little bit of space for Parris out on the right. She rolls a diagonal pass into the Swedish box in the hope of finding White, cutting in from the other side. But Lindahl is all over it. England are doing very little in attack.

4.20pm BST

19 min: Now Sweden have a free kick out on the left. England can calm things down when Asllani hangs the set piece too high, an easy pick for Telford. On the touchline, Phil Neville has the good grace to look highly concerned.

4.19pm BST

18 min: Sweden are in total control here. The ball keeps coming back at England, usually down the right. Jakobsson once again tears into space and whips a vicious cross towards Asllani, who would surely have battered home from ten yards had Bronze not nipped in to flick the ball away from danger. That’s fine defending. But it’s last-ditch defending, and England are struggling here.

4.18pm BST

17 min: The corner’s hoicked into the mixer and causes all manner of panic in the England six-yard box. The referee blows for a foul on Telford, much to England’s relief.

4.17pm BST

16 min: England are so fortunate it’s still just 1-0. A simple long pass down the right sends Jakobsson free. She drifts into the box and pearls a shot towards the bottom right. The ball cannons off the base of the post, onto the back of Telford, diving despairingly, and nearly ricochets into the net. Inches wide. A corner.

4.16pm BST

14 min: Eriksson nearly concedes a corner with a ludicrously overhit backpass, but Lindahl does extremely well to scamper after it and stop the ball dead on the line, before launching a quick counter attack. Jakobsson nearly gets past Greenwood, who is being repeatedly targeted by the Swedes down this right flank. Not this time. But every time Sweden go down that side, they look very dangerous.

4.14pm BST

13 min: That was dreadful defending. Houghton was on the touchline gesticulating, arms out wide, asking why she couldn’t run back on. But she’d have not made it back to her position in time anyway, so the point is moot.

4.12pm BST

Rolfo crosses from the left. There’s a big Houghton-shaped gap in the centre of the England defence. Greenwood tries to thump clear, but only succeeds in cushioning the ball down for Asllani, who under no pressure whatsoever, whacks a shot into the bottom right from ten yards.

4.11pm BST

10 min: Houghton is down receiving attention. She’s holding her right ear, perhaps having taken a whack on the noggin. A frown, a tablet and a swig of some blue isotonic beverage. She trots off and waits to be allowed back on. And while she waits ...

4.09pm BST

8 min: Asllani, thankfully fully recovered after that worrying knock towards the end of the semi-final against the Netherlands, feeds Rolfo down the left. Rolfo reaches the byline and whips in a low cross that Houghton does well to nick clear.

4.07pm BST

6 min: A nice open feel to this match. England are indeed set out in a 4-3-3.

4.06pm BST

4 min: Telford faffs around with the ball at her feet, and is very nearly closed down by a rampaging Blackstenius. A crisp turn in the six-yard box gets the keeper out of trouble, but that was so, so close to an embarrassing mistake. Playing out from the back isn’t as easy as Japan made it look.

4.04pm BST

3 min: From the corner, England stream upfield on the break. Kirby flies off on another lightning run, this time down the inside-left channel, and slips the ball wide for Mead, who looks to recreate England’s goal against the USA by whipping a cross in for White. But Lindahl is down to smother before the ball can get through to England’s six-goal sensation.

4.02pm BST

2 min: Sweden come straight back at England, though, Jakobsson driving down the right wing and nearly getting the better of Greenwood. She shoots from a tight angle, but Greenwood sticks to her guns and extends a leg, deflecting the striker over for a corner.

4.01pm BST

And we’re off! Straight from kick-off, Kirby runs directly at Sweden down the middle of the park. For a second things look like opening up, the Swedes slightly shocked at the brazen ambition of the dribble. But eventually Kirby’s shepherded towards the right flank and the gambit comes to nothing. Some start to this match, though!

4.00pm BST

The teams are out! Anthems are played and respected - Ann Widdecombe would be appalled - then hands are clasped in friendship and coins are tossed. We’ll be off before you know it! “Please tell me that England will correct that brain cramp and return to a 4-3-3 and let Bronze and Parris roar down the right flank,” writes Mary Waltz. Yes, our Phil has been guilty of overthinking things at times during this tournament, but you’ll be pleased to hear he’s gone back to basics and done exactly what you’re after. Unless he’s devised some new do-si-do spin on Total Football which will have changed the sport for ever more by 4.03pm, no going back ... I suppose we shouldn’t assume anything.

3.53pm BST

Phil Neville speaks. “We’ve had to freshen up in certain areas. Certain players have earned the right to play. In the last couple of days, the players have been my motivation. They’ve motivated me because they’ve played in this game before, four years ago. They’ve been giving me messages on how important it is to go home with a medal. Karen Carney has been one of the best, one of the pioneers, and she will 100 percent get on the field today. So too will Jodie Taylor, she’s been immense in this campaign. The problem Jodie has had is Ellen White, who has been phenomenal. So they will definitely get on the field. A medal will mean we’ve got something to show for the last 51 days we’ve been away. Something Sue Campbell [the FA’s director of women’s football] said to me last night, is that even though it’s a bronze, in certain colour of light it still looks like gold. So I’m going to get a light at home that makes my bronze medal, hopefully, look like gold! We want to go home with another victory, and keep that feeling of winning.”

3.38pm BST

It’s been a fantastic World Cup, so there’s a celebratory mood in the Stade de Nice. Preach on, sister.

3.30pm BST

Shirtwatch. Both teams will wear their first-choice gear this afternoon. England’s Karen Carney will pull this elegant design on for the very last time ...

3.20pm BST

It’s nice in Nice. The mercury is nudging 30 degrees centigrade. It’s partly cloudy, perfect conditions for swing bowling. There might also be a few clouds of hot steam parping out of the ears of several English and Swedish supporters, given the oaf in charge of the big screens at the Stade de Nice has just transmitted highlights of both semi-finals. We were aware, you know.

3.12pm BST

England make four changes to their starting line-up. Millie Bright is suspended after seeing red in the semi-final against the USA, so is replaced in central defence by Abbie McManus. Alex Greenwood returns at left-back in place of Demi Stokes, while in midfield Fran Kirby and Jade Moore replace Rachel Daly and Keira Walsh.

Sweden make two changes to their semi-final XI. Fridolina Rolfo returns from suspension, replacing Lina Hurtig up front, while Nathalie Bjorn comes in for Elin Rubensson on the right side of midfield.

3.07pm BST

England: Telford, Bronze, Houghton, McManus, Greenwood, Kirby, Scott, Moore, Parris, White, Mead. Subs: Bardsley, Walsh, Taylor, Duggan, Stokes, Williamson, Daly, Stanway, Carney, Staniforth, Earps.

Sweden: Lindahl, Glas, Fischer, Sembrant, Eriksson, Bjorn, Asllani, Seger, Jakobsson, Blackstenius, Rolfo.
Subs: Faik, Andersson, Janogy, Hurtig, Ilestedt, Roddar, Zigiotti Olme, Anvegard, Larsson, Schough, Rubensson, Musovic.

2.37pm BST

It’s been a heartbreaking week for these two fine teams. England’s chance of appearing in their first World Cup final was snuffed out by the reigning champions USA on Tuesday evening; Sweden’s hopes of making it to their second went south when the Netherlands pipped them during extra time 24 hours later. And so both sides were fated to contest the one match in which no footballer ever wants to play: the third-place play-off.

Still, it would be nice to win, and take the edge off. Third place, the bronze-medal position, isn’t so bad when the sting of coming so close to glory subsides. And both countries have managed it before. The Swedes finished third in the very first World Cup, back in 1991, thrashing Germany 4-0; they did it again in 2011, besting France 2-1. And England finished third last time round, beating Germany 1-0 in Canada four years ago.

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England 1-2 USA: Women's World Cup 2019 semi-final – as it happened

USA are through to Sunday’s final after England had a late penalty saved and a goal ruled out by VAR in a pulsating match

12.25am BST

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11.18pm BST

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11.00pm BST

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10.31pm BST

England were superb tonight. Problem being, the USA - the reigning champions and the best team in the world - were just that little bit better. The USA will play either the Netherlands or Sweden in the World Cup final on Sunday; England will face off against the losing team on Saturday in the third-place match. Congratulations to the Americans; commiserations to England. All that’s left is to guide you towards Louise Taylor’s match report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night, wherever you are!

Related: Alex Morgan fires USA past England into Women’s World Cup final

10.25pm BST

An emotional Ellen White talks to the BBC. “I’m gonna cry.” She takes a moment to wipe away the tears before bravely gathering herself. “Obviously I’m devastated not to get to the final. But all I feel is pride, proud of my team-mates. The USA had an amazing match, we couldn’t quite match them. I’m disappointed about the one that was offside. But I’m just proud to be English, and wish the USA the best of luck in the final. But I’m devastated.” Could England have done any more tonight, she’s asked. “Scored!” A big laugh, the gallows humour in full effect. “The first half we were a little bit sloppy but got ourselves back into the game. In the second half we tried to play and created some chances. We’ve got an unbelievable squad, and we had belief that we could make the final. But it wasn’t quite enough, and we look forward to the third-place final.” As for her friend Steph Houghton? “It takes a lot of courage to step up and take a penalty. It happens. Keepers save penalties. We’ll never put anything on Steph, she’s our leader. We’ll rally round her.”

10.19pm BST

Victorious US coach Jill Ellis speaks! “I can’t express how proud I am. It was such a great effort. We had some challenges in terms of bodies, and everyone stepped up, and that’s what this team are about. That was Alyssa Naeher’s shining moment, though we’ve got one more game. What a frickin’ stop! I couldn’t be more proud of this group of players. Stay humble, we’ve got one more.”

10.16pm BST

Tea party. Alex Morgan celebrated what turned out to be the winner by pretending to sip a nice cup of splosh. Details of this seismic event can be found in our latest bid for the Pulitzer Prize below.

Related: Alex Morgan's World Cup tea celebration against England causes a stir

10.09pm BST

Finally Neville has a word for the captain Steph Houghton, who will perhaps be hurting most tonight after missing the crucial penalty. “She’s an amazing person on and off the pitch. She’ll deal with it the way that she does. She’ll look forward. She’ll be upset, she’ll be disappointed, but she’s been phenomenal, and no blame should be attached to her. That’s football, that’s sport. We’ll go again.”

10.06pm BST

As for the VAR decisions and the sending off ... “The disallowed goal was offside. We’ve had VAR decisions that have gone our way. We got on with it, we came back. We got the penalty. You score them, you miss them. That’s football. And Millie shouldn’t have got booked in the first half, 100 percent. I thought the referee wasn’t in control of the game, to be honest with you, but she sent Millie off. We went to three at the back, and it became stretched. But I can’t ask for anything more. We’ve had the time of our lives, and they’ve really played their hearts out.”

10.04pm BST

An emotional but proud Phil Neville speaks. “My players gave me everything. We said before the game, we wanted to leave our hearts and souls on the pitch, and they did. They gave everything. We’ve gone toe-to-toe with the best team in the world. They’ve showed great experience at the end with taking the ball into the corner. We went down to ten when we ran out of steam. But I asked them to play football the way I wanted them to play. We’ve come to this tournament and done our very best, we’ve not left anything in that dressing room, and I’ve told them there should be no tears tonight. We should be proud. We’ve touched the hearts of the nation back home, and they’ve left their hearts on that football field. So I’m happy.”

9.59pm BST

Ellen White is in floods. No World Cup final for her, or England, despite her tournament tally of six goals. She’s been magnificent, scoring one tonight and earning a penalty lifeline that her captain Steph Houghton couldn’t grab. Tears for Lucy Bronze, too, as she lets out a sob and allows her shoulders to slump. Poor England. It’s going to be a long night. But the USA were too good over the entire piece, and deserved winners. Wearing perhaps the widest smile as they celebrate: Megan Rapinoe, who bounces onto the field of play to embrace her team-mates. A win over the Netherlands or Sweden on Sunday, and a fourth World Cup is theirs!

9.54pm BST

The reigning holders reach their third World Cup final in a row! And England fall at the semi-final stage, just as they did four years ago.

9.53pm BST

90 min +6: Moore sends a harmless shot miles wide right from distance. She had options either side as the USA desperately held their shape. That was England’s last chance, surely.

9.52pm BST

90 min +5: Parris is cautioned for barging into the back of Lloyd, as the US striker kills time near a corner flag.

9.51pm BST

90 min +4: Stokes lets the ball slip from her hands mid-throw. An elementary mistake at a time England simply can’t afford one.

9.50pm BST

90 min +3: Bronze scampers down the right. But her cross is no good, and Lloyd can make her way into the space vacated by the England right-back. Lloyd doesn’t really go anywhere, eventually checking back and losing possession, but that clock keeps on keepin’ on.

9.48pm BST

90 min +2: A long ball. Parris rises to flick a header on. Naeher gathers. The clock ticks on.

9.47pm BST

90 min: But there’s going to be seven additional minutes, a legacy of those VAR checks. The USA have one foot in the final ... but ten-woman England aren’t out of this yet!

9.46pm BST

89 min: England’s last throw of the dice, as Stanway comes on for Daly. The USA are pressing England back in their final third. Parris is getting extremely agitated about the time they take over a throw.

9.45pm BST

87 min: How quickly the bottom fell out of England’s world back there. The USA take the sting out of the game by swapping O’Hara for Krieger, and taking their sweet time about it. England would do the same.

9.44pm BST

86 min: Bright slides in, studs up on Morgan. It’s reckless, and over the ball. There’s not much contact, but that’s not really the point. It could have been a straight red; it’s just a second yellow. The referee Edina Alves Batista nearly does a Graham Poll, momentarily forgetting that she’d already shown Bright a card. But someone points it out, and Bright’s on her way.

9.42pm BST

84 min: That wasn’t a good penalty kick, but it still required Naeher to guess the correct way. She’s America’s hero right now. It was the right decision to award the spot kick, by the way. Sauerbrunn did make contact with White’s boot from behind.

9.40pm BST

83 min: The captain Steph Houghton squanders the chance to equalise! She sidefoots towards the bottom left, but hits it poorly, and Naeher smothers the ball!

9.39pm BST

82 min: After what seems like an interminable wait, the ref points to the spot and books Sauerbrunn! It’s a penalty!

9.38pm BST

80 min: Heath is replaced by Carli Lloyd. But the game doesn’t restart with a goal kick, because that White-Sauerbrunn challenge has gone to VAR! Is this a penalty?

9.37pm BST

79 min: White misses a huge chance! Kirby spins in the midfield to make space, then sends Stokes into the USA box. Stokes rolls a pass across the front of the six-yard box. White will surely sidefoot home ... but under pressure from Sauerbrunn, she takes a fresh-air swipe. White claims there’s been contact. The referee isn’t interested.

9.34pm BST

78 min: A loose pass out of defence by Bright has England on the back foot. O’Hara, who has worked the right flank well, nearly bursts clear. But not quite.

9.33pm BST

76 min: Heath goes down in order to get some treatment. And maybe to catch her breath. She’s not the only one who needs it. Everyone takes the opportunity to make for the touchline and take a bang of an isotonic beverage.

9.31pm BST

75 min: It’s all a bit scrappy now, as the teams tire. Some passes aren’t sticking. Other passes are a mile off target. And no wonder: it’s hot in Lyon.

9.29pm BST

73 min: If nothing else, that disallowed goal will at least give England some hope. They have the ability to carve the USA open. But they don’t have much time left in which to do it again (and this time to specifications that will keep VAR happy).

9.27pm BST

71 min: Keira Walsh has arguably been England’s best player tonight. But she’s tiring, and so on comes Jade Moore.

9.26pm BST

69 min: The equaliser’s ruled out by VAR! It’s the correct decision, but it’s oh so tight. White had one hand and half a boot offside. She’s stuck on six goals. And England are still going home as things stand. Shame for England, because that was such a lovely move.

9.24pm BST

And very costly! Because Walsh, in the centre circle, flashes a pass forward for Scott, who turns it instantly round the corner to release White. The striker takes a touch and flashes a stunning finish into the bottom left!

9.23pm BST

66 min: O’Hara has the better of Daly down the right, and is bundled over as a result. A free kick just to the right of the England box. Heath floats it in ... and the ball disappears down Telford’s throat. That’s very poor.

9.22pm BST

65 min: Lavelle makes her way back to the bench, Phil Neville gives her a sympathetic tap on the back of the head. A lovely sporting moment amid the hubbub. She’s replaced by Mewis.

9.20pm BST

64 min: Lavelle’s race looks to be run. She drops to the floor and signals to the bench: it’s her hamstring. That’s a terrible shame, she’s been superb tonight.

9.19pm BST

62 min: The USA are pressing England back. Heath dribbles into the box from the right and very nearly gets clear of Stokes, but the defender sticks to her guns and eventually runs the attacker out of play for a goal kick. A little bit last-ditch.

9.18pm BST

60 min: Carly Telford has been selected for her distribution skills, but she nearly gifts the match to the USA here. A dreadful heavy touch on the edge of her box allows Press to take up possession. Press looks to curl one into the top left corner of the unguarded net. Fortunately for England, the shot is way off. Telford puts her hand up to apologise, as well she might. She got very lucky there.

9.16pm BST

58 min: England make the first change of the evening, Fran Kirby replacing Beth Mead. Meanwhile in the room women come and go, talking of Megan Rapinoe. “Fox Sports at halftime say that they have had a report from ‘several sources’ that Rapinoe is out because of a hamstring injury rather than tactical reasons,” reports Stephen Davenport. “Of course, this might still be mind games.”

9.13pm BST

56 min: Lavelle sashays down the centre of the pitch with little regard for anyone around her. It’s a brilliant run, challenges bouncing off her. She’s eventually stopped on the edge of the England box, a victim of her momentum as much as anything else, control finally lost. But England were panicking as they backtracked there. Lavelle has been a danger from the get-go.

9.11pm BST

54 min: Ertz and Horan exchange short, crisp passes down the inside-right channel. Ertz has an ambitious look at the top-right corner from distance, but her effort flies well off target.

9.10pm BST

53 min: Bronze jinks her way out of her own area and releases Scott down the right. Scott shuttles the ball further forward to Parris, who is hoping to release White ... but her striking partner is offside. Slick move, though.

9.08pm BST

52 min: Scott drives down the middle of the park, a rangy and determined run. She exchanges passes with Daly and tries to burst into the box, but eagerness gets the better of her and she fells Sauerbrunn. A free kick that relieves the pressure on the USA. England have started this half in sprightly fashion.

9.07pm BST

50 min: Walsh loops long, towards the far post. Houghton rises highest and heads downwards. White, her back to goal, attempts to hook over her shoulder from a tight angle. Naeher gathers, and it turns out three or four England players were offside anyway.

9.05pm BST

49 min: Bronze busies herself down the right and feeds Parris, who is clattered from behind by Dunn. This is a free kick in a very dangerous position, 25 yards out on the wing.

9.04pm BST

47 min: Horan’s the victim this time as Daly’s studs meet her leg. It looked accidental, but it’s certainly a sore one, and Horan isn’t too happy about it. This half has yet to get going.

9.03pm BST

The teams are back ... and we’re off again! No half-time changes. The USA restart this very entertaining match. Horan tries to burst into space down the left but she’s stopped by Bronze, who takes a whack in the mouth for her trouble. Horan is booked.

9.00pm BST

Half-time analysis. “The more this game continues, the better Jill Ellis’s decision to leave Rapinoe out of the starting line up is looking,” suggests David Wall. “There is surely no way they can keep up this pace and intensity in this heat for the full game. Introducing such a good player late in the game to exploit tiredness seems a good plan (if it’s needed).” Ian Copestake has another way of making pretty much the same point: “To think, the US have yet to play their Trump card.” He’s here all week, ladies and gentlemen, try the president’s cold and quickly congealing McDonald’s Happy Meal buffet.

8.50pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Megan Rapinoe’s partner Sue Bird has penned an extremely amusing piece for the Players’ Tribune. She takes on the Rude Man in the White House, and as you’d imagine, it’s not a fair battle of wits. Enjoy!

8.47pm BST

The holders are 45 minutes away from yet another final. They started and finished the half as much the stronger team, but England gave them a match in between times, and it’s that period that will give them succour as they plan to turn this around in the second half.

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45 min: A poor pass upfield by Dunn is intercepted by Bronze, who zips down the right wing with great intent. She earns a corner off Dunn, who had done well to recover from her mistake and stay on Bronze’s shoulder. The corner is met by Scott, who heads weakly wide left from 12 yards.

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43 min: Bright fails to clear a long ball. It breaks to Mead, who enters the box from the right. Bright does well to get back and guide the ball out for a corner with Morgan lurking. The set piece results in nothing. England look extremely nervous in their final third, though.

8.42pm BST

41 min: The resulting free kick is launched into the England area. Horan rises highest, but her header flies harmlessly high and wide. Horan wants a penalty, claiming Bronze had given her a wee shove in the back as the pair jumped, but she’s not getting one.

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40 min: Morgan and Bright tussle for a ball in the centre circle. It looks as though Morgan’s going to get away, so Bright sticks out an arm. Her hand slaps Morgan in the face, and that’s an inevitable booking.

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38 min: Press nibbles at Daly’s ankles, much to the England midfielder’s annoyance. For a second it looks as though it’s going to kick off, but everyone calms down soon enough.

8.37pm BST

36 min: A cross comes into the England box from the right. Bronze does extremely well to glance a header backwards to deny the lurking Horan. England look super-exposed every time the USA swing a ball into the area.

8.36pm BST

35 min: The USA nearly score a fine team goal of their own, Lavelle and Heath exchanging passes down the right as they spin around elegantly to open England up. Ertz takes up possession, drifts infield, and sends a shot just over the bar.

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33 min: Walsh strides into a little space in the middle of the park, and sends a rising heatseeker towards the top right. It’s in all the way ... except Naeher extends to full length and tips it away from danger. That was a wonderful shot and an even better save. This is such a great game.

8.32pm BST

Another cross, another header, another goal! So simple for the champions! Horan wedges in from the left wing. Morgan runs towards the near post, across a snoozing Stokes, and plants a header into the top left! That came out of nowhere, and England were caught napping.

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29 min: The resulting corner is hoicked straight out of play by Mead. The USA can breathe again.

8.30pm BST

28 min: Good luck calling who’ll score next. Bronze jigs in from the right, dancing across the face of the USA box, not so much avoiding challenges as ignoring them. She lays off to Mead, who tries to turn into space down the inside-left channel but slips. Then Walsh floats in a cross from the left. Sauerbrunn panics and sticks out a leg, the ball dropping towards White. She sends it flashing inches wide of the top right. So close to a spectacular own goal!

8.27pm BST

27 min: The USA decide to go long. O’Hara nearly finds Morgan down the middle with a 1980s-style hoof. Nearly, not quite. Telford gathers on the edge of her box.

8.26pm BST

25 min: Ertz loops into the England box from the right. Heath rises to head but is clattered accidentally by Bronze, the pair clashing heads. The USA want a penalty. No! The ball breaks to Lavelle, who sends yet another screamer goalwards. This one is parried away excellently by Telford. This is superb entertainment. Both teams are going at it full throttle.

8.24pm BST

23 min: Lavelle has a dig from distance. Her shot smacks Bright right on the noggin. A brave block, that’ll have stung. England go straight up the other end, reinvigorated now. Daly cuts in from the right and tries to feed White down the channel. White goes over claiming a penalty, but Dahlkemper behind her didn’t really make much contact. This is a contest now.

8.22pm BST

21 min: Just before that equaliser, Bronze had dribbled down the right only to be shepherded out of play by Press. Another notch in Jill Ellis’s credit column, I was about to say. But news ages fast these days.

8.20pm BST

They’ve asked a question now! And the USA haven’t been able to answer it. This is a wonderful goal. Walsh flies an incredible diagonal ball to the left for Mead, who takes a touch and whips a cross into the middle. White nips in between Sauerbrunn and Dahlkemper, opens her body, and guides a glorious shot into the top right past Naeher. That’s her sixth goal of this World Cup, and it’s a hell of a finish!

8.18pm BST

17 min: Houghton sprays a glorious pass down the left wing for Mead, who traps and turns in one smooth movement, then nearly slips White clear down the inside-left channel. But O’Hara reads her intention and cuts out the pass. Better from England, though; they haven’t asked too many questions of the Americans yet.

8.16pm BST

16 min: Heath worries Stokes down the right yet again with her pace. Stokes just about keeps the door shut. The ball’s worked infield to Lavelle, who takes a touch and larrups a shot over the bar from 20 yards. While England look nervous, it’s the USA’s excellence that makes them so jittery. The holders have been magnificent so far.

8.15pm BST

14 min: Press dribbles hard down the left, nips back and nearly finds Morgan in the middle. Houghton does extremely well to cut out the low cross. England are hanging on a bit; the nerves are on display right now. Two-pass moves at a premium. They need to take a deep breath and calm down.

8.13pm BST

12 min: Bronze didn’t cover herself in glory there. She was facing the wrong way when the cross came over, allowing Press time to guide her admittedly excellent header into the top left. The USA have continued their habit in this World Cup of taking the lead early doors.

8.11pm BST

O’Hara bombs down the right. She crosses deep. Rapinoe’s replacement Press rises over Bronze at the near post, and plants a header into the top left! Telford had no chance. Easy as that! Hats off to Jill Ellis, huh.

8.09pm BST

9 min: England show in attack for the first time this evening. Daly has a bit of space down the right, but her cross is poor and easily intercepted by Sauerbrunn.

8.08pm BST

7 min: Now Telford flaps at a Heath right-wing cross. A claim that her poor punch hits the arm of Scott, but neither referee nor VAR is interested in awarding a penalty.

8.06pm BST

6 min: The USA have started brightly. A free kick out on the left. Lavelle floats it in. Just too high for Morgan, who was free in acres six yards out. The England defence was all over the shop! Had that free kick been delivered a couple of inches lower, England were in serious trouble.

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4 min: There’s a bit of pinball in the area, then England half-clear the corner. The ball’s worked back right to Lavelle, who nutmegs Bright deliciously along the touchline, cuts back upfield, then snaps a shot towards the bottom right. Telford does extremely well to parry and England clear at the second time of asking ... but only just.

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3 min: Heath turns on the jets and wins a corner down the right, Stokes doing pretty well to keep up with her. The US load the box, and the stadium falls quiet in nervous anticipation.

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2 min: A little bit of space for Lavelle out on the right. She floats a pass to the other flank for Horan, who momentarily looks like dribbling into the England box. But Bronze and Houghton are quickly over to put a stop to that notion. England clear their lines. Both teams already playing at a brisk tempo.

8.01pm BST

And we’re off! England get the party started, White knocking the ball back to Houghton, who pumps long. The ball quickly comes back to her. Then a first touch for Bronze, who contemplates dribbling down the right but checks back. It’s all a bit frenzied, as you’d expect at the start of a World Cup semi!

7.58pm BST

The teams are out! An electric atmosphere of anticipation in a packed Stade de Lyon. National anthems are hollered, hands are clasped, pennants are swapped, coins are tossed. We’ll be off in a minute! In the meantime, a word from Tracy Mohr: “For Neville and England’s sake, let’s hope his dropping the first-choice keeper doesn’t have the same outcome as when USA coach Greg Ryan dropped Hope Solo for Briana Scurry in 2007’s semi against Brazil. Go USA! USA!! USA!!!”

7.52pm BST

Rapinoe hasn’t taken part in any pre-match warm-ups. Instead she’s been watching her team-mates being put through their paces from the sidelines. Make of that what you will. Injured after all? I suspect we’ll not be getting to the bottom of this until after the match ... unless she comes on and scores another couple of goals, that is, in which case we’ll have it all worked out well before the 90 minutes are up. “I 100% love Phil Neville’s selection of Rachel Daly to start on the right of midfield,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “It was frankly my hope, as I thought it would take Rachel and Lucy Bronze to double on Rapinoe, who is now absent. England now can offensively overload on the right. It’s like a free line of attack for us.”

7.41pm BST

Phil Neville speaks ... and it would seem that Carly Telford’s inclusion isn’t simply down to Karen Bardsley’s fitness. “Karen picked up a minor injury in the game against Norway. When you get to these games, you need players that are 100 percent fit. We trust Carly, it’s a game where we need to play out from the back, and Carly’s distribution, technique and speed is going to be vital for us, and we need everyone to be 100 percent on the field. So it was a tough decision, probably the toughest one I’ve made since coming into the job. Rachel Daly and Beth Mead have both been playing well. It’s a game when we need all our speed and energy on the pitch, and then 55 minutes into the game, we’ve got quality on the bench to come on when the game opens up. We’re excited and we’ve picked an attacking team that stays true to our values. Tonight’s not a massive game. Sunday’s a massive game, tonight’s just another step on our journey to where we want to go, and that’s the final.”

7.29pm BST

Some more natter regarding Rapinoe. The suspicion among folk in Lyon is that it’s a tactical switch, with Jill Ellis concerned about the threat of Lucy Bronze. The US coach thinks Christen Press is better equipped to handle her. Of course, that doesn’t mean Rapinoe won’t feature at all tonight. “Although she played better last game against France, Rapinoe played poorly versus Spain,” argues USA fan Jim D’Altorio. “I’ll guess second-half sub? She does score...”

7.24pm BST

England will be wearing their first-choice white shirts tonight. Steph Houghton will be handing over a slightly dull pennant.

7.08pm BST

Why no Rapinoe? Caitlin Murray, who is covering the USWNT for the Guardian, has the latest from Lyon.

Megan Rapinoe is not starting. US Soccer spokesman couldn’t say if it was injury-related, but she is on the bench as a sub. Spokesman said not disciplinary though. #USWNT

6.57pm BST

Well, well, well. Some big team news from both camps! England keeper Karen Bardsley is out with a hamstring injury. Carly Telford takes her place. Telford will be making only her second appearance in a big tournament, having debuted against Argentina in the group stage. Meanwhile Rachel Daly and Beth Mead replace Fran Kirby and Toni Duggan in what looks like a 4-4-2.

But anything Phil Neville can do, USA coach Jill Ellis can do better: she’s dropped the captain Megan Rapinoe! She must be injured or exhausted, surely. Or is it tactical? Either way, Christen Press takes her place on the left. Lindsey Horan meanwhile replaces Samantha Mewis in the midfield.

6.53pm BST

England: Telford, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Walsh, Scott, Mead, Daly, Parris, White.
Subs: Bardsley, Greenwood, Taylor, Kirby, Duggan, Williamson, McManus, Moore, Stanway, Carney, Staniforth, Earps.

USA: Naeher, O’Hara, Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn, Horan, Ertz, Lavelle, Heath, Morgan, Press.
Subs: Harris, Pugh, Mewis, Brian, Lloyd, Krieger, Davidson, Sonnett, Rapinoe, Long, McDonald, Franch.

6.45pm BST

The fans are gathering in Lyon. Plenty of supporters of both sides, American fans this month finding themselves second in number only to hosts France, while England is just a quick hop over the briny. Here’s one English fan hoping for a retro rerun of 1982 (when the men didn’t win, but did go home undefeated).

6.30pm BST

Bassett’s story was revisited in our recent superb series of World Cup game-changing moments. For those of you coming to the party late, you can get up to speed quick-smart by simply going on an entertaining click-about here. Also features tales of Japan, China, Marta, Brandi Chastain and 100,000 punters at the Azteca in 1971.

Related: Women’s World Cup game-changing moments No 2: Denmark in 1971

6.20pm BST

The USA have reached the semi-finals of every single World Cup since the tournament began in 1991. England by contrast are relatively new to it all. This is only the second time they’ve made that last four of the biggest competition in the game. The first, against Japan in Edmonton four years ago, ended in heartbreak for poor Laura Bassett.

Related: Women's World Cup 2015: England dream dies with heartbreaking own goal

6.15pm BST

The two countries last met four months ago to the day. They battled out a 2-2 draw in the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville. Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris scored for England, their goals bookended by Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath in a to-and-fro tussle. England went on to win the invitational tournament for the very first time.

Related: England’s Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris score to earn draw with USA

6.10pm BST

This is the 17th time England have met the USA. The Americans have won on ten occasions, England just the four. But it’ll be just the second time the pair have met at a World Cup. That happened in the 2007 quarter-finals, and the USA won easily enough, thanks to a 12-minute, three-goal, second-half blitz by Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx and Kristine Lilly. Here’s how the Guardian reported that back in the day.

Related: Women's World Cup: England 0-3 USA

3.56pm BST

England have made a habit of getting to the semi-finals of major championships lately. In the last ten years, they’ve made it to the last four at Euro 2009, the 2015 World Cup in Canada, Euro 2017 and now France ‘19. So far their strike rate is just one in three - goals from Kelly Smith and Jill Scott took them to the final of Euro 2009 - but trends are there to be bucked. And after winning all five matches so far in France, scoring 11 and conceding just the once, their tails will be up. Especially as five-goal Ellen White is on the lookout to seize the day and make this tournament her own.

Only problem is, the USA’s record is on another level entirely. They’ve never failed to reach at least the semi-final stage at any World Cup. Since the tournament’s inception in 1991, they’ve won four of seven semis, going on to win the trophy on a record three occasions. And it’s not just history on their side. The USA haven’t quite managed to find top gear in this tournament to date, yet they’ve put out the holders, beat the impressive Swedes, and won one of their matches by 13 goals. There’s also Megan Rapinoe, who has been beyond immense, scoring five times and putting in a series of captain’s performances, walking the walk despite having to deal with Big Baby Blowhard bloviating away on social media 24/7. What a woman!

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The Fiver | A round of applause in recognition of another glorious FA triumph

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For the second time in less than a year, English football fans have been put in a situation that is quite frankly intolerable. Yes, it’s a semi-final of a major tournament, one step from glory, and we all know how these effing things usually pan out. England have only ever won three semis in a history stretching all the way back to 1872: at the 1966 Football World Championship for the Jules Rimet Trophy, the 1984 European Competition for Women’s Football, and the 2009 Uefa Women’s Championship. To be fair, that data isn’t quite as damning as it first appears. England would clearly have notched a few more semi-final wins had the women been allowed to play from the get-go, as opposed to 100 years later. They’ve reached twice as many finals in less than a third of the allocated time! Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause please, in recognition of another glorious FA triumph.

Related: Nikita Parris and England relishing the chance to make history

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Germany 1-2 Sweden: Women's World Cup quarter-final – as it happened

Sweden came from behind to beat Germany for the first time in 24 years and make the semi-finals.

7.52pm BST

Congratulations to Sweden, whose dream of a maiden World Cup win survives. And commiserations to Germany, who will have to wait for World Cup number three. All that’s left is to direct you towards the match report ... and here it is, just a simple click away. Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

Related: Stina Blackstenius sends Sweden past Germany and into World Cup semi-final

7.31pm BST

The semi-final line-up, then.

7.29pm BST

Sweden are the first team in the knockout stage of this World Cup to come from behind and win! They’re the first side to inflict such a turnaround on Germany in the World Cup since the USA did it in 1999. Tonight they’re gonna party. They cavort in celebration, exhausted but exhilarated. Germany, who went into this match as favourites, look stunned ... but they were very much second best today. They couldn’t cope with Stina Blackstenius at any point, and the Linköpings striker delivered the killer blow just after the break. Pity poor Lina Magull, whose magnificent opening goal was all for nothing.

7.24pm BST

Sweden will play Netherlands in the semi-final next Wednesday, after a deserved victory that’s been 24 years in the making!

7.23pm BST

90 min +5: Rolfo is replaced by Hurtig. Sweden are so close to the semis now.

7.23pm BST

90 min +4: Asllani looks to have won a corner on the right, but the flag goes up for a goal kick. She nearly complains her way into the book.

7.21pm BST

90 min +3: A huge chance for Germany! Huth is sent scampering down the right and wedges a cross towards Hegering at the far post. Under pressure from Glas, she flashes her header high and wide from close range.

7.20pm BST

90 min +2: Marozsan manages to dig out a cross from the tightest of positions on the right. Lindahl does extremely well to claim a ball that would have looped into the net.

7.19pm BST

90 min: Oberdorf dribbles down the left and cuts back for Dabritz, who shoots straight at Lindahl. There will be six minutes of added time.

7.18pm BST

89 min: Blackstenius sends a screaming shot over the bar from 25 yards. Sweden have had their chances to put this to bed. Incidentally, the offside decision against Germany was preposterously marginal, Magull’s arm dangling over the line. But what’s right is right.

7.16pm BST

88 min: What a chance for Germany to save themselves! It’s another free kick, this time out on the right. Marozsan waves her wand at the ball, curling it to Oberdorf at the far post. Lindahl had come out flapping and missed. The goal was gaping ... but Oberdorf sent her header wide.

7.15pm BST

86 min: Now Popp’s knocked to the floor by Ilestedt. A free kick, 30 yards out. Before it’s taken, Sweden swap Rubensson with Bjorn. Then Marozsan floats the free kick into the mixer. Popp clips Seger, and it’s a pressure-releasing free kick.

7.13pm BST

84 min: The tension is palpable as referee Stephanie Frappart converses with the denizens of the VAR studio. Popp was definitely offside, so Lindahl’s subsequent intervention, knocking Popp down as she tried to punch clear, is neither here nor there. The ref waves play on.

7.11pm BST

82 min: Marozsan probes down the left, checking back, then turning and whipping a stunning cross onto Popp’s head, ten yards out. Popp’s offside, though. But Lindahl had clattered into Popp, and so there’s a VAR check for a penalty kick.

7.09pm BST

80 min: Germany remain strangely flat. Patience is all good and well, but time is running out. They need to raise the tempo. Sweden are looking very comfortable at the moment.

7.07pm BST

78 min: Jakobsson was clearly listening to Lindahl, and with renewed vigour, nearly sends Sweden into the semis for sure. She dances down the inside-right channel and sashays past Hegering on the edge of the area with great ease. A shot’s battered towards the top right; Schult does very well to parry and gather.

7.06pm BST

77 min: We’re off again. Lindahl delivered quite a speech during that break. Only 15 minutes to go and we’re in the semis, would have been the gist of it, I’ll be bound.

7.04pm BST

75 min: COOLING BREAK. Smart Water all round. Other beverages are available.

7.02pm BST

73 min: A couple of German corners. Neither delivered convincingly by Marozsan. The two-time winners and current Olympic champions are beginning to run out of ideas. Lindahl hasn’t had much to do.

7.01pm BST

71 min: Blackstenius powers down the left into acres of space left by Doorsoun. For a second, it looks as though she’s going to make it into the box ahead of Hegering and shoot, but the defender holds her ground and ushers the striker away from goal. Under pressure from Hegering, Blackstenius takes a fresh-air swipe and falls, allowing Schult to gather.

6.59pm BST

70 min: Germany make their final substitution in the regulation 90 minutes. They’ll have another if they take the game to extra time. But for now this is it: Schuller is replaced by Oberdorf.

6.58pm BST

69 min: It’s all Germany right now ... but it’s sterile domination. All in the middle of the park. When they press forward, a loose pass flies out for a goal kick. Sweden holding their shape very well.

6.55pm BST

67 min: A free kick for Germany out on the left, and a chance to load the box. Everyone on the edge of the area. Marozsan loops the set piece towards Popp, but Sembrant gets in ahead of the German striker and heads clear.

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66 min: Fischer’s back up and about, but it looks as though she’s going to be subbed. She wants to continue, but on comes Ilestedt.

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64 min: A searching cross from the right by Maier causes momentary panic in the Swedish box, but Fischer eventually clears. The Swedish defender then goes down with cramp. On comes the doc.

6.52pm BST

62 min: The game’s gone a little bit scrappy. Plenty of loose play in the midfield in the last couple of minutes. There’s not been too much of that in this highly entertaining match.

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60 min: ... there’s no action of note. A poor delivery by Dabritz that sails harmlessly over everyone in the box. On the touchline, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg doesn’t look best pleased.

6.47pm BST

59 min: Germany are slowly working their way back into this. Huth dribbles down the left and earns a corner. From which ...

6.47pm BST

57 min: Lindahl races out of her box to clear a loose ball. She shanks it towards Dabritz, who tries to return it into the unguarded net from 40 yards. Dabritz pulls the effort well left, saving the Sweden keeper’s blushes. Lindahl smiles sheepishly.

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55 min: Rolfo will miss the semi if Sweden make it. She’s booked for sticking a leg across Magull. She suddenly realises the implications of her actions, and holds her head in despair.

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54 min: Blackstenius nearly bulldozes her way past Doorsoun and Hegering. Not quite, but she’s so dangerous at full pace.

6.42pm BST

53 min: Popp crosses from the left. Schuller nearly gets a head to it, ten yards out. But not quite. Huth recycles possession on the right and fizzes in a cross that forces Sembrant to concede a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece, but this is better from Germany, who haven’t asked Sweden many questions since taking the lead.

6.40pm BST

51 min: As things stand, Germany won’t be in Japan next year to defend their Olympic title. A huge 40 minutes ahead of us.

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50 min: Blackstenius hadn’t scored an international goal for a year before her winner against Canada. Now she’s got two in six days! London buses, huh. Schult meanwhile was appealing for a foul in the build-up - Glas had clipped Magull on the halfway line - but VAR didn’t pull it back. Germany had plenty of other chances to stop Sweden, but couldn’t do it.

6.38pm BST

Jakobsson powers down the right and stands one up to the far post. Rolfo rises highest and guides a header towards the top right. Schult manages to claw the ball out, but it drops to Blackstenius, who roofs it from six yards. Could Sweden’s 24-year run of misery against Germany come to an end today?

6.36pm BST

47 min: Marozsan throws herself into a couple of challenges. Clearly not worried about that toe.

6.34pm BST

And we’re off again! A big change, with Germany going for it, replacing Dallmann with Dzsenifer Marozsan. “Thoroughly enjoying this World Cup and as a long-time devotee of women’s football it is so good to see the rise in both floor and ceiling of the game,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “That said, much like the last men’s World Cup, one change I’d like to see is a re-seeding after the Group phase. One side of the draw has the three strongest sides in the US, England and the gone-too-soon France. Could Germany, Sweden or the Netherlands win the Cup? Sure, but much like Croatia last year it would be one heck of an upset.”

6.23pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Suzanne Wrack has been zig-zagging around France, staying in hotels with no air con so you don’t have to. Here’s her diary!

Related: Women’s World Cup diary: Bronze brilliance and carbohydrate cursing

6.19pm BST

An entertaining first half comes to a close. The players troop off to get themselves some water and shade. Germany will be happy to hear the whistle, because Sweden were beginning to cause quite a lot of trouble in their final third. It’s going to be a cracking second half, as this is on a knife-edge. Extra time and penalties a real prospect!

6.16pm BST

45 min: More bedlam in the German box, as Blackstenius and Rubensson take each other out while trying to latch onto a loose ball. Germany boot it away from danger. It’s really not clear how Germany kept four clean sheets before this match, because their back line has been all over the place today.

6.14pm BST

44 min: Simon can’t continue. She’s replaced by Maier.

6.14pm BST

43 min: Sweden go long again. Fischer nearly releases Blackstenius, but Doorsoun nicks the ball, passing back to Schult who is forced to hack out for a corner. From the set piece, there’s some head tennis in the box, then a game of pinball. Germany hack clear, eventually, but not particularly convincingly. The increasingly dangerous Blackstenius bombs down the left and hooks a shot over the bar from a tight angle.

6.12pm BST

41 min: Simon is off the field having treatment on her knee. Germany, down to ten, go on the attack anyway. Magull thinks she’s won a corner off Fischer, but the referee awards a goal kick. Simon comes back on. A scrappy couple of minutes.

6.10pm BST

39 min: Asllani picks up a misplaced Simon pass and drives forward. She rolls a pass upfield, with the intention of releasing Blackstenius again, but Hegering gets a toe to it and guides it back to her keeper. Sweden look like busting the German offside trap every time they go forward.

6.08pm BST

37 min: Popp rises highest to head the corner clear. Germany’s captain, who scores every other game on average, is putting in quite the defensive shift today.

6.07pm BST

36 min: We’re off again! And Sweden are quickly bearing down on the German goal again. Rolfo, playmaking from deep, rolls a pass down the inside-right channel to release Blackstenius, who looks for the top right from distance. Schult is forced to tip over. Corner.

6.05pm BST

34 min: COOLING BREAK. Time for isotonic beverages and wet towels around the neck.

6.03pm BST

32 min: Blackstenius nearly breaks clear down the right, but Popp sticks on her shoulder and forces her to turn back. Sembrant then has a shot from the best part of 40 yards; full marks for ambition.

6.02pm BST

30 min: The effervescent Magull nearly bustles her way through the centre of the Swedish defence. She’s an absolute menace. Sweden don’t know how to deal with her. A flick intended for the nearby Huth goes awry. She might have done better by continuing to barge through.

5.59pm BST

28 min: Gwinn is sprung into space down the right. She cuts back for Dabritz, who has space just inside the box. But a heavy touch means she can’t get a shot away. The flag goes up for offside, sparing her blushes, because that was a fine chance. Sweden don’t look particularly convincing at the back, though. Quite a few sloppy mistakes.

5.57pm BST

26 min: A dismal lapse in concentration by Fischer, who lets a rolling ball slip under her foot and allows Huth to skedaddle down the left wing. Huth drifts inside and thinks about shaping a shot towards the top right, but can’t find the space. Fischer’s defensive team-mates got her out of hole there.

5.55pm BST

24 min: Germany have been rattled a little by that goal, which came from nothing. Blackstenius is gifted possession by Popp, and she’s got options either side. A poorly weighted through ball sails harmlessly through to Schult. “Jakobsson is intimidating,” opines Mary Waltz. “She strides across the pitch like the Night King across the ice.”

5.53pm BST

Game on, right here! A long blooter of a clearance by Sembrant sends Jakobsson clear of a snoozing German back line! Jakobsson powers down the middle, drifts a little to the right and, under pressure from Simon, guides a fine finish across the advancing Schult and into the bottom left! Germany finally concede in this World Cup.

5.51pm BST

20 min: Jakobsson dribbles down the right and hooks a cross into the mixer. It’s brought down and cleared by Fischer without too much fuss. Sweden are getting plenty of joy down both wings, but the centres haven’t been accurate enough.

5.49pm BST

18 min: Sweden try to strike back immediately. Some space for Jakobsson down the left. But her cross is easily claimed by Schult. Germany go up the other end, Huth working her way down the right and dinking infield for Schuller, who sends a header straight at Lindahl.

5.48pm BST

What a goal this is! Eriksson gifts the ball to Dabritz, who blazes down the inside-right channel before gliding infield. Dabritz draws a couple of defenders and dinks a cute pass forward for Magull, who is just inside the area, and in a lot of space. Magull flicks the ball up, then swivels and lashes a bicycle kick into the bottom left! That’s some finish.

5.45pm BST

15 min: Space for Schuller down the left. Sweden are on the back foot again. But she runs the ball out of play for a goal kick.

5.43pm BST

13 min: The first shot in anger, as Jakobsson is released down the inside-left channel by a superb Asllani pass. Schult comes out to close the angle and block. A corner, from which Eriksson heads harmlessly over. But Sweden are right in this now after a slow start.

5.42pm BST

11 min: Huth zips down the right and briefly threatens to break clear, but eventually meanders down a cul-de-sac and the danger’s gone.

5.41pm BST

10 min: Sweden show in attack for the first time, Jakobsson and Aillani taking turns to bother Germany down the right wing. A cross by the latter is fumbled by Schult, but there’s nobody nearby in blue, so it’s not a desperate mistake. Germany clear.

5.40pm BST

9 min: Simon, deep and tight on the left touchline, rolls a gorgeous diagonal pass towards Huth, taking three Swedes out of the game and nearly releasing her team-mate into the area. Huth can’t quite shake off Glas, though, and she’s forced to check back. What a pass, though.

5.37pm BST

7 min: Germany are first to everything right now. Dabritz strides towards the Swedish box and falls backwards while taking a shot. Lindahl brings it in. Dabritz had Magull in quite a bit of space to her left then; perhaps shooting wasn’t the best option.

5.36pm BST

6 min: Magull looks for the top-left corner. She doesn’t get anywhere near it, and it’s an easy gather for Lindahl.

5.35pm BST

5 min: Dallmann wins the ball in the middle of the park with a crunching tackle on Seger. She shuttles the ball forward for Magull, who backflicks to Dabritz on the edge of the box. She’s crudely checked, and that’s a free kick in a very dangerous position, just to the left of the D.

5.34pm BST

4 min: It’d been a quiet start on the pitch too, but suddenly Dabritz rolls a pass down the left for Simon, who earns the first corner of the match. From the set piece, Popp rises at the far post and sends a soft header into the arms of Lindahl.

5.33pm BST

2 min: An eerie quiet. It’s almost as though the crowd don’t want to deplete their energy levels too soon in this heat. Eventually there’s a ripple of applause and everyone gets going.

5.31pm BST

And we’re off! Germany get the party started, and stroke it around the back awhile. Everyone gets a touch.

5.28pm BST

The teams are out! Germany wear their famous white (with Atari Breakout stripes) while Sweden are in second-choice blue. Both anthems are proudly played, sung and fully respected with warm applause from all four corners of the stadium. Followers of a certain men’s team who also play in white, please take note. Hands are clapped, coins are tossed, pennants are exchanged. We’ll be off in a hot minute!

5.15pm BST

This match is a repeat of the 2003 final. Relive all the German joy and Swedish heartache here, as Nia Künzer’s golden header in Carson, California secured Die Nationalelf’s first World Cup.

5.08pm BST

The winner of this match will play the Netherlands on Wednesday evening. The Dutch booked their place in the semi-finals - and next year’s Olympics - by seeing off Italy. Vivianne Miedema and Stefanie van der Gragt did the business with second-half headers. Kieran Pender was at the Stade du Hainaut; his report is a mere click away.

Related: Netherlands jump for joy as Stefanie van der Gragt finishes off Italy

5.05pm BST

It’s very warm indeed in

Guardian Towers
Rennes. Roazhon Park is like an oven, a cauldron, a tandoor. It’s 31°C, or 88°F in the old money. During their pre-match exercises, players have cooled down by standing in the spray of the pitch sprinklers. There will be drinks breaks during the match. Both teams have been provided with a portable air-conditioning unit in their dressing rooms. They’ll be chugging away like billy-o as we speak. Phew, what a scorcher!

4.48pm BST

Dzsenifer Marozsan doesn’t make the Germany starting XI. But she will be on the bench with a view to coming on if required, as Martina Voss-Tecklenburg suggested yesterday. Voss-Tecklenburg makes two changes to the XI sent out against Nigeria in the last round. Carolin Simon replaces Verena Schweers at left-back, while Linda Dallmann comes in for Melanie Leupolz in the centre of midfield.

Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson names the same team that began the match against Canada. And he’s refusing to worry about his country’s wretched run against the Germans. “It’s history. We have new players now.”

4.38pm BST

Germany: Schult, Gwinn, Doorsoun, Hegering, Simon, Dabritz, Dallmann, Magull, Huth, Popp, Schuller.
Subs: Benkarth, Hendrich, Maier, Oberdorf, Goessling, Marozsan, Elsig, Schweers, Leupolz, Buhl, Knaak, Frohms.

Sweden: Lindahl, Glas, Fischer, Sembrant, Eriksson, Rubensson, Asllani, Seger, Jakobsson, Blackstenius, Rolfo.
Subs: Faik, Andersson, Janogy, Hurtig, Ilestedt, Roddar, Bjorn, Zigiotti Olme, Anvegard, Larsson, Schough, Musovic.

1.40pm BST

Sweden haven’t beaten Germany at a major tournament for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1995, as hosts of the World Cup, they triumphed 3-2 in a sensational group encounter, coming back from two down at half time thanks to a couple of goals from Malin Andersson and one from the legendary Pia Sundhage. At this point in history, they were very much the bosses of Germany, having also beaten then 4-0 in the third-place play-off at the inaugural World Cup four years earlier.

But the tables have since turned dramatically. The two countries met again in the 2003 final, Nia Künzer scoring a golden goal for the Germans. Subsequently, whenever the Swedes have come up against Germany while chasing the big prizes, they’ve been sent packing, whether it’s been the Olympics, the Euros or the World Cup. Last time round, in Canada, the Germans were 4-1 victors in the round of 16. This is a lop-sided rivalry.

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The Fiver | Ruining the lives of Undercooked Pork Chops across the land

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During the last couple of weeks, angry gentlemen of a certain age, political persuasion and cheek hue [Fiver note to self: think of a catchy name for these cool dudes] have been leaping over each other to inform everyone that they’re not watching a single minute of the Women’s World Cup. You can understand their stance, given the sheer quality of programming on the other channels, such as 1972’s Emmerdale Farm, a reboot of Ask The Family with Dara Ó Briain in the Robert Robinson role only standing up and without an elaborate combover, and highlights of the ICC Cricket World Cup, whatever that is. Whatever it is, good luck witnessing a team from England getting to the semi-final stage of that.

Related: England must handle World Cup expectation now that talent matters most | Louise Taylor

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Football transfer rumours: William Saliba off to Arsenal or Tottenham?

Today’s tittle-tattle is gumming up the works

Bayern Munich have a cob on. They’re after Leroy Sané and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but nothing’s happening. They need to get a grip. The Rumour Mill wasn’t happening either until 10 minutes ago, due to an almighty rota cock-up. It happens.

Leroy Sané and Callum Hudson-Odoi are still not going to Bayern, as things stand. But here’s the Mill! You lucky people!!!

Related: Transfer window 2019 – every summer deal from Europe's top five leagues

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Netherlands 2-1 Japan: Women's World Cup 2019 last 16 – as it happened

Japan were firmly on top and pushing for a winner ... and then a dramatic last-minute penalty turned everything on its head.

10.17pm BST

Congratulations to the Netherlands, the seventh European side to reach the quarter-finals. They’ll play Italy in Valenciennes on Saturday afternoon. Commiserations to Japan, who passed the ball around quite deliciously tonight and will wonder how they let that one slip. All that’s left is to point you in the direction of Suzanne Wrack’s match report. Enjoy, enjoy. Thanks for reading. Nighty night!

Related: Netherlands’ Lieke Martens scores last-minute penalty to knock Japan out

10.02pm BST

Poor Saki Kumagai is in floods of tears. She’s being consoled by Shanice van de Sanden and Sari van Veenendaal, but neither Dutch player can stem the tide. You have to feel desperately sorry for her. In the current climate, it was a penalty kick: her arm was in an unnatural position, it stopped Miedema’s shot, and you know how the refs roll these days. But she was pretty close to Miedema, and a second look suggests she was trying to withdraw her arm as the ball hit it anyway. The law is an ass. It’s such an awful break for Kumagai and Japan, who were by far the better side tonight. Then again, the Netherlands dug deep, held their nerve, rode their luck, and carved out that chance right at the end thanks to Lineth Beerensteyn’s mazy dribble. Having dodged a bullet tonight, they might begin to wonder if this is their year. What a dramatic finish to the game of the tournament so far!

9.55pm BST

The Dutch make it to the quarters! They celebrate like they can’t quite believe it, having weathered one hell of a storm and won a late penalty. Japan certainly can’t believe it: they look stunned at the brutal end to their World Cup dream. What a football match that was!

9.53pm BST

90 min +4: Takarada launches long into a packed Dutch box. Van Veenendaal comes off her line to punch confidently clear. Momiki tries to make space for a shot but is closed down. It looks all over for Japan.

9.52pm BST

90 min +3: Japan have swapped Iwabuchi for Takarada, by the way.

9.52pm BST

90 min +2: A huge scramble in the Dutch box! Kumagai and Sugasawa try to force it home from the middle of a melee. Think a cartoon cloud with boots and fists sticking out of it. But they can’t get a shot away, and inevitably the referee blows for a mild infringement in favour of the defending team.

9.51pm BST

90 min +1: There will be five added minutes. Can Japan save themselves? How they’ll rue all those missed chances. No luck either, of course. But they win a corner on the left. This isn’t over yet!

9.49pm BST

Martens sends Yamashita the wrong way, and rolls the ball into the bottom right. So clinical. So unfortunate for Japan, who have been by far the better side.

9.48pm BST

89 min: There’s a VAR check first, of course. But it’s going to be given. Adding insult to injury, Kumagai is booked.

9.47pm BST

88 min: Beerensteyn dribbles in from the right. She causes much panic. The ball ends up at the feet of Miedema, who smashes a first-time shot goalwards. It hits Kumagai’s right arm, which is hung out by her side. That’s a nailed-on penalty.

9.46pm BST

87 min: Roord replaces - a surprise, this - Van de Donk, who has been Holland’s best player tonight.

9.45pm BST

86 min: Van Es comes on for Van Dongen.

9.44pm BST

85 min: Iwabuchi, to the left of the Dutch D, exchanges passes with Sugasawa before launching high over the bar. Japan are creating plenty of chances. A mixture of bad luck and bad finishing means they’ve yet to find what would surely be the winner.

9.43pm BST

84 min: Of course, the Dutch could still nick this as well. Miedema nearly makes space for a shot on the edge of the Japanese box. Then Beerensteyn twists and turns down the right, making enough space for a shot from a tight angle. Yamashita smothers.

9.41pm BST

82 min: Japan come again. Again. Momiki, who has been outstanding since coming on, draws a defender and slips Miura clear on the right. She’s one on one with the keeper but leans back and blazes over. This is a quite sensational passage of play by Japan ... but can they make it count?

9.40pm BST

80 min: The Dutch are seriously rocking here. There’s some pinball in their box. Japan are aware of what’s going on. Holland are not. The ball breaks to Momiki on the penalty spot. She shoots for the bottom right. Van Veenendaal turns it clear at full stretch! Corner ... which comes to nothing.

9.39pm BST

79 min: Sugasawa slips Sugita clear down the right. Sugita looks to have taken far too long to shoot. She’s closed down. But then she cuts inside and launches a shot that beats Van Veenendaal, heading towards the top left. But it crashes the underside of the bar, down, out and away! So unlucky!

9.37pm BST

78 min: Beerensteyn barrels down the right and earns a corner. Miedema meets the set piece with her head, but not altogether convincingly. Japan clear. This is such a good game. Goodness knows who’ll win this.

9.36pm BST

76 min: Now Momiki, playmaking from deep, releases Iwabuchi with a fine wedge down the inside-right channel. Iwabuchi enters the box and should pull back for Sugasawa in the centre, but blasts into the side netting instead. What a waste!

9.35pm BST

74 min: Martens crosses high from the left. Japan struggle to clear. Groenen takes the ball down and shoots from the edge of the box. It’s blocked. Japan go straight up the other end. Momiki sprays a glorious right-to-left crossfield pass to release Sugasawa into the box! But Sugasawa dithers and allows Van der Gragt to come back and block. And she’s offside anyway.

9.31pm BST

73 min: Japan make their first change, withdrawing Nakajima and sending on Momiki.

9.31pm BST

71 min: Japan nearly score another sensational team goal. A few passes pinged down the inside-left channel. Suddenly Iwabuchi is in the area, her back to goal. She clips a clever backheel inside to Hasegawa, who opens her body and whips a low curler towards the bottom right. It’s inches wide, with the keeper beaten. Japan are so good to watch when it all clicks.

9.29pm BST

69 min: Ah good news: the pain subsides quickly and Groenen is good to continue. It really did look a sore one. Meanwhile the Dutch make their first sub of the evening, replacing Van de Sanden with Beerensteyn.

9.28pm BST

67 min: Groenen is down, and she’s hurt. Miura slid in, a fair challenge to get the ball, but she then accidentally clattered into Groenen’s standing leg. Her ankle bent in worrying fashion.

9.24pm BST

65 min: Miedema busies herself bothering the Japanese defenders. Her hard work nearly springs Van de Donk into the box, where she’d be one on one with Yamashita. But there’s a rare technical failure, as the ball runs under her foot, and the brief window of opportunity slams shut.

9.23pm BST

63 min: Nakajima styles in from the right and sends a pearler towards the bottom left from 20 yards. It’s heading in, but Van Veenendaal extends herself to parry it clear. Sensational play all round. Both teams are really going for this. A very entertaining game.

9.21pm BST

62 min: A ball falls from great height. Van de Donk stuns it dead. What a touch. She spins and floats off down the left, before crossing deep for Van de Sanden, who sends a weak header straight into the arms of Yamashita. Van de Donk is such a gifted player.

9.20pm BST

61 min: Something of a lull. It’s almost as if both teams are keeping a little back in case this goes to extra time.

9.19pm BST

59 min: Japan are slowly beginning to find their passing game again. Good luck calling which way this is going to go. Meanwhile reports of the death of the Great Dutch Songbook have been wildly exaggerated. “The Dutch brass band (named Kleintje Pils, literally something akin to little glass of beer) might have played the melody of Auld Lang Syne, but the text isn’t the same,” explains Lena. “It’s a Dutch football song with lyrics ‘Wij houden van Oranje’ (we love Orange).” I wonder if there’s a version of Oei Oei Oei (Dat Was Me Weer Een Loei) in Lowland Scots?

9.17pm BST

57 min: Japan have been quiet since the restart, but Iwabuchi shifts the ball in from the left, then Sugita shuttles it further inside to Sugasawa, who leans back and hoicks a shot over the bar from the edge of the box. A reminder for Holland that Japan are well capable of soaking up pressure only to spring forward quicksmart.

9.15pm BST

55 min: Both teams just probing at the minute. More of it goes on in the Japanese half, but not to any great effect.

9.12pm BST

53 min: Van de Donk nearly latches onto a long pass down the inside right but Yamashita comes to the edge of her box to claim. The Dutch appear to be refreshed after the half-time break.

9.10pm BST

51 min: Japan don’t half like playing out from the back. Yamashita has nerves of steel. She’s very nearly closed down again, this time by Van de Donk, on her own goal-line. But she simply drops a shoulder to change direction as her opponent races in, and flicks the ball away from danger with a perfect pass to Shimizu. That was outrageous. On her own goal-line!

9.07pm BST

49 min: Spitse is clattered from behind by Iwabuchi, 25 yards from the Japanese goal. Spitse gets up and takes the free kick herself, whipping one around the wall and down towards the bottom left. Yamashita sees it late, and does extremely well to smother.

9.06pm BST

47 min: Van de Sanden powers down the right and whips a cross into the mixer. She’s got the beating of Sameshima. But her cross is too near Yamashita, who can flick the ball away from Miedema, and from danger. “Matt Phillips (12 mins) is, indeed, still struggling with his Dutch,” tut-tuts Wim Roefs. “‘Kop’ does mean ‘cup’ but it also means ‘head’. It’s a less distinguished term for head when used to indicate a human head, in which case the more distinguished word is ‘hoofd’. But it’s not offensive to say ‘kop’ in that case, as in the perfectly fine ‘kaaskop’, where the use ‘kop’ actually adds a measure of fierceness that would be lacking if you were to say ‘kaashoofd’. No one says the latter. ‘Kop’ is often use for animals, such as in ‘paardekop’, which is ‘horse head’.”

9.04pm BST

And we’re off again! The Dutch get the ball rolling again and launch it long. Goal kick. “This has been fantastic football,” says Mary Waltz. “I have no clue who will end up on top and that is what makes this game exciting.”

8.57pm BST

Half-time reading. The winners of this match will play Italy in the quarter-finals. Kieran Pender was at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier to see Milena Bertolini’s side breeze past China.

Related: Valentina Giacinti steers Italy into quarter-finals as China brushed asides

8.50pm BST

Nothing of note happens in the time added onto the first half. The Netherlands needed to hear the whistle, because after a powerful start, Japan got stronger and stronger before scoring one of the goals of the tournament. It’s been a fine match. More, please! “The Netherlands look tired after chasing the ball so much and trying to keep it,” observes Ruth Purdue. “Japan’s style is a joy to watch, if a little brave a times. Bring on the second half.”

8.48pm BST

45 min: There will be three added minutes. The Dutch look rattled ... but that goal had been coming, Japan slowly working their way into the match as they imposed their passing game.

8.46pm BST

44 min: Miedema has been quiet ... and she nearly restores Holland’s lead immediately! She works her way into the box from the right, rides a couple of challenges, then slams a shot straight at Yamashita. Either side of the keeper and the European champions were ahead again.

8.45pm BST

This is a sensational goal! Sugita sashays in from the left. She lays off to Sugasawa, on the edge of the box, her back to goal. Sugasawa immediately cushions a pass for Iwabuchi, who shrugs off Groenen, draws Van der Gragt, then dinks a cheeky pass forward to Hasegawa, suddenly inside the area in acres of freshly created space! Hasegawa gently wedges the ball over Van Veenendaal and into the top right! As calm as you like. A stunning finish, a stunning team goal.

8.42pm BST

41 min: Sugasawa goes sliding in on Van Lunteren and nearly makes very illegal contact. That was a wild swipe. But she doesn’t connect, and play goes on. Van Lunteren isn’t that happy about it, though, gesticulating at the referee afterwards.

8.40pm BST

39 min: The Dutch put on a possession showcase of their own. It’s all in the middle of the park right now.

8.38pm BST

37 min: Japan’s pass-and-move style is beginning to cause the Dutch some concern. But this is a fascinating battle of styles, because Holland look dangerous whenever they launch one of their fast, thrusting attacks.

8.36pm BST

35 min: A couple of neat Japanese passing moves. But the passes in the final third aren’t sticking right now. When they’re in full flow, though, it’s really good to watch.

8.34pm BST

33 min: The energy levels have dipped. Van de Sanden tries to get something going with a burst down the right but Sameshima shepherds the ball out of play.

8.32pm BST

31 min: The trumpeters are playing Auld Lang Syne. What a searing indictment of the Great Dutch Songbook.

8.30pm BST

29 min: Ichise slides in on Van de Sanden. It’s a clean tackle, though she’s landed awkwardly on her left arm, bending it back as she fell. For a second it looks really serious, but happily it looks like a short sting of pain rather than anything serious, because after a little treatment, she’s good to go again.

8.28pm BST

27 min: Japan are beginning to lose control again. Miedema, dropping deep, nearly pings Van de Sanden clear down the inside right. Van de Sanden’s got the beating of the Japanese back line, but Yamashita rushes out of her area to belt clear. That was a good read, one that got her team out of trouble.

8.26pm BST

26 min: Bloodworth nearly releases Martens down the inside-left channel with a long pass, but there’s a little too much pace on it. Meanwhile the Dutch fans are in full party mode, a pair of trumpeters giving it plenty. You’d hope they’ll play this one later:

8.25pm BST

24 min: Room for Van De Sanden out on the right. She considers trying to zip past Sameshima on the outside, but hits a first-time cross instead. It’s wayward and cleared. Maybe she’ll go on a dribble next time.

8.23pm BST

22 min: Japan have responded well to conceding the opening goal. Sugasawa’s near miss aside, they’ve held onto the ball better and are playing further up the pitch. “So, the Dutch are the original cheese-heads, not Wisconsonians?” wonders Rob Coughlin aloud. “Huh, I thought if it were from Europe, it would be the Swiss. Also, Wisconsin was mainly settled by the Germans. Cheese is weird.”

8.21pm BST

20 min: Japan finally wake up, and how! Some patient possession. Then suddenly they spring Sugasawa into the box! She opens her body and curls a shot towards the bottom right. Van Veenendaal is beaten, but the ball twangs off the outside of the post and out for a goal kick. So unlucky! In a parallel universe somewhere, Sugasawa blocks Martens’ flick then goes up the other end to score. It’s a thin line between success and failure in top-level sport.

8.19pm BST

18 min: That was a huge break for the Dutch, though the cuteness of the backflick earned that luck. It was a lovely touch by Martens. The Netherlands aren’t flattered by this lead.

8.18pm BST

The corner from the left drops at the feet of Martens, on the six-yard line. She back-flicks towards the goal. The ball breaks off Sugasawa, desperately spreading herself to block, and squeaks into the bottom right. Yamashita had no chance of changing direction.

8.17pm BST

16 min: Martens is yet again sent free down the left. Her dinked cross finds Miedema, whose header is uncharacteristically weak. The ball breaks back to Van De Donk, who shoots. The ball breaks off Ichise and out for a corner. Holland want a penalty, but they’re quite rightly not getting one. No matter, though, because from the corner ...

8.15pm BST

14 min: Van Dongen jumps into Nakajima and there’s a clash of heads. Nakajima requires a bit of attention. She’s taken a sore one on the cheek. It looks like an accidental collision, though VAR has to poke its virtual neb in, and there’s a brief pause while there’s a check. All clear, though we never doubted it.

8.13pm BST

12 min: The Dutch are first to everything right now. Japan can’t get out of their half. Meanwhile some corrections and clarifications with Matt Phillips: “I’m a Brit living in the Netherlands, and in Dutch, cheese head is actually kaaskop - kaas meaning cheese, and kop meaning cup, but in this situation it actually means head. It’s a complex language, that I’m still struggling with after ten years. Matt, from Holland/Netherlands.”

8.11pm BST

10 min: Martens speeds down the left yet again. This time she very nearly finds Van de Sanden with her cross, though the flag goes up for offside. No wonder she was in so much space ... that time. But no doubt she’ll be finding some more soon, and legally. She’s lightning quick.

8.10pm BST

9 min: Martens looks extremely dangerous every time she probes down the left. She nearly breaks clear again but can’t find enough space and time to measure a cross. It’s going to be a busy evening for the Japan left-back Shimizu.

8.09pm BST

8 min: The Dutch slowly take the upper hand in these opening exchanges. Japan are struggling to keep possession right now. When they do get the ball, Sugita passes it harmlessly to nobody, and out of play.

8.07pm BST

6 min: The corner is a non-event, as corners so often are. Anyway, that was a fine move by the Dutch, although it would have been a very fortunate goal in the end.

8.07pm BST

5 min: Martens bowls down the left. Van de Sanden runs towards the near post, dragging both central defenders with her. Martens crosses long, Miedema rushing into the space created by Van de Sanden. She attempts to pass the ball into the left corner, but it takes a deflection off Ichise and nearly flies into the top right. Yamashita was beaten all ends up, wrong-footed, but the ball shaves the outside of the post and goes out for a corner.

8.05pm BST

4 min: Yamashita, the ball at her feet, takes an age to clear. The keeper’s very nearly closed down by Martens. But she flicks the ball away to Shimizu just in time, whereupon Japan play some pretty triangles upfield to get themselves out of bother in style.

8.03pm BST

2 min: Both sides look fresh and bright. The Dutch forwards piled forward in the all-angles manner for the first 90 seconds or so; then Japan showcased some crisp tiki-taka in the middle of the park. It augurs well.

8.01pm BST

And we’re off! Japan get the ball rolling amid a fevered World Cup atmosphere. They soon give up possession, and Van de Sanden races down the right. Fortunately for Japan, who were light at the back, her cross is nowhere near Miedema and the ball is cleared.

7.58pm BST

The teams are out! The Dutch line up in their trademark oranje, while Japan sport their first-choice blue. The Japanese had a scare during the warm-up, when reserve defender Shiori Miyake took a smack in the face from a ball, and had to be assisted from the field. But she’s good to take her place on the bench. We’ll be off in a minute!

7.45pm BST

Netherlands nomenclature update. This courtesy of Andrew Williams. “The Dutch are sometimes known - colloquially - as Käsköppe (Cheeseheads) which is rather appropriate given that picture currently gracing the top of your report.” That snap will soon be replaced with some footballers, so to ensure this fan’s efforts aren’t lost forever to the ether, let’s post her picture here too. Altogether now ...

7.21pm BST

There’s still a fair bit of time to while away before kick-off. So why not immerse yourself in the heartwarming story of Japan’s 2011 World Cup win, wonderfully told by Nick Ames? Off you pop, we’ll still be here for you when you get back.

Related: Women’s World Cup game-changing moments No 5: Japan in 2011 | Nick Ames

7.15pm BST

The Dutch make one change from the team sent out against Canada. Barcelona defender Stefanie van der Gragt, who hasn’t played since injuring her knee in the opening game against New Zealand, replaces Anouk Dekker.

Japan have had no injury worries. But they’re yet to find their top gear, so make three changes to the side named against England: Yuika Sugasawa, Yui Hasegawa and Narumi Miura come in for Kumi Yokoyama, Jun Endo and Rikako Kobayashi.

7.04pm BST

Netherlands: Van Veenendaal, Van Lunteren, van der Gragt, Bloodworth, van Dongen, Groenen, van de Donk, Spitse, van de Sanden, Miedema, Martens.
Subs: Kop, Van Es, Dekker, Pelova, Renate Jansen, Kaagman, Ellen Jansen, Kerkdijk, Roord, Beerensteyn, van der Most, Geurts.

Japan: Yamashita, Shimizu, Kumagai, Ichise, Samashima, Nakajima, Miura, Sugita, Hasegawa, Sugasawa, Iwabuchi.
Subs: Ikeda, Utsugi, Sakaguchi, Kobayashi, Minami, Takarada, Momiki, Miyagawa, Endo, Yokoyama, Miyake, Hirao.

7.03pm BST

Style guide.

5.30pm BST

Has the round of 16 saved its best for last? You can certainly make the argument. Tonight’s rumble in Rennes concludes the first knockout stage, and pits the reigning European champions against the current champs of Asia. Throw in the fact that Japan have reached the last two World Cup finals, winning the thing in 2011, and there’s the debate practically settled: this is a summit meeting between two of world football’s classiest acts.

Japan will hope history is a sign. They’ve won five of their last eight matches against the Netherlands, and knocked them out at this stage four years ago. By contrast, the Dutch will prefer to deal in the here and now: they won all three of their group games while Japan’s performance in France has been average to date, having won just one game in Group D. But then Japan lost to England in the groups in 2011 as well, and look what happened there.

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