Scott Murray's Blog, page 132

Sheffield United 1-2 Swansea City: Championship - as it happened

The Swans came from behind to win a cagey match at Bramall Lane.

7.51pm BST

And that’s your lot. All that’s left is to point you in the direction of our man Richard Jolly’s match report. Nighty night!

Related: Yan Dhanda goal sinks Sheffield United as Swansea come from behind to win

7.50pm BST

A disappointed Chris Wilder speaks. “We can’t defend like that against quality players. We have to defend properly. We haven’t gone with runners, we’ve not blocked. It’s a game we could have won, but shouldn’t have got beat in. And that’s the harsh reality of Championship football. We have to learn pretty quickly that if it is a tight game, we must get something from it. It’s disappointing.”

7.36pm BST

That man Potter speaks. “I thought we did really well. It was a tough game for us. We limited them in the first half, and we weren’t as good as we wanted to be ourselves, but to come here and quieten the crowd, and make it a flat game was good for us. In the second half we showed quality and character. I’m proud of the lads and pleased for our supporters. You can’t do anything with 11 players, you need a substitute to make an impact. It’s testament to the group we have, that players want to come on and help the team. Any win in football is hard. It’s nice for the supporters to go home happy.”

7.31pm BST

Another 45 games to go, and you’ll be unlucky if you see a worse half of football this season than the opening period of this match. But the second half delivered, with both teams contributing to the entertainment. Sheffield United were solid for the most part, and scored a well-worked goal through George Baldock. But while Swansea took an awfully long time to get going, they had the two most potent attackers on show, in Barrie McKay and the substitute Jefferson Montero. That pair would trouble any team in this division, and they ended up causing United all sorts of bother, turning the match around with their skilful dribbles. Yan Dhanda’s debut goal, scored less than 30 seconds after he came on, was the cherry on the cake of a good first day at the office for Graham Potter.

7.23pm BST

But Swansea hold on, and it’s a dream debut for Graham Potter!

7.22pm BST

90 min +3: Sharp races down the right and hooks into the centre. Van der Hoorn clears. Duffy tries from the other flank. Fernandez clears. Montero is sent scampering into space down the left, on the counter. He looks for McKay in the centre, which allows Henderson to claim and launch one Hail Mary attack.

7.19pm BST

90 min +2: Sharp tries to control a cross from Stevens on the right. It clanks out for a goal kick. He explodes in anger, demanding a corner that isn’t going to come. “Just catching up. Dundee United circa 2013? Sob!!! I’m like Andy Murray in Washington here.” He’s left it late. But I knew I’d smoke out Simon McMahon with that line.

7.17pm BST

90 min: There will be four added minutes.

7.17pm BST

89 min: The corner isn’t anything to write home about. Bramall Lane groans as one. Barring the travelling section belting out their Hymns and Arias, of course.

7.16pm BST

88 min: Baldock curls a cross in from the right. The ball clanks into an unsighted Roberts, and nearly flies into the top right! Nordfeldt paws it away for a corner.

7.15pm BST

87 min: United respond to that blow by replacing Basham with Duffy.

7.14pm BST

Montero tears down the left again, reaches the byline, and finds McKay with another looping cross. McKay brings the ball down and cuts inside to shoot. He’d score, but he’s brought down clumsily by O’Connell. It would be a penalty, but the ball breaks to Dhanda, who has been on the pitch a matter of seconds. And he slams it into the net!

7.12pm BST

85 min: Dhanda replaces Fulton. And this is some substitution, because ...

7.11pm BST

83 min: McKay has been Swansea’s bright spark up front all right. Now he rattles the crossbar! Montero makes good down the left and crosses deep. McKay chests down, cuts across the ball, and sends a curler towards the top left. Henderson is beaten, but the woodwork saves the day for Sheffield United!

7.10pm BST

82 min: Woodburn drifts in from the left, and lifts long, looking for Sharp. The ball bounces through to Nordfeldt, and rears up while doing so; the Swansea keeper does very well to claim the ball on his line.

7.07pm BST

80 min: As Baldock punishes himself by punching his own hand, Lundstram is replaced by Sharp.

7.07pm BST

79 min: Montero dribbles down the left in the baroque style. Baldock gets in the way, and tries to usher the ball out for a goal kick. But Montero battles his way round the defender, and he’s making his way along the byline! He lifts a cross towards McBurnie, who tries to gently help the ball into the bottom right with a deft header. Henderson’s beaten, but the ball agonisingly drifts wide of the right-hand post.

7.04pm BST

77 min: United have obviously decided to twist. A corner down the left, which leads to nothing. But they’re on the front foot again, having momentarily had the wind taken out of their sails by McBurnie’s equaliser.

7.04pm BST

76 min: Evans, deep on the right, magic-wands a delicious low cross towards Clarke, coming in towards the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. But the striker can’t quite connect.

7.02pm BST

75 min: Both teams take turns to stroke it around slowly at the back. Time for a breather, and to decide whether to stick or twist.

7.01pm BST

73 min: Ben Woodburn comes on to make his debut for Sheffield United. McGoldrick makes way.

7.00pm BST

McKay has been Swansea’s most potent attacker. He drives down the inside right, and one-twos with McBurnie. Suddenly he’s in the area, on the penalty spot, clean through! Clarke tries to toe the ball away from behind, but only succeeds in sending it towards the bottom right. Henderson saves brilliantly, but can only parry the ball to McBurnie, who slams home from close range and disappears in a glorious bundle of fans behind the goal.

6.56pm BST

69 min: The resulting corner comes to nought.

6.56pm BST

68 min: He has now! McKay jinks in from the right and chips towards Fulton, who tries to eyebrow the ball over Henderson and into the top left. It’s going in, but Henderson arcs his back and tips over the crossbar. What a save!

6.54pm BST

66 min: Swansea ping it around, 30 yards from the United goal. But the hosts are holding their shape well. There’s nothing doing for them in the middle. The young keeper Henderson, who looked nervous in the early exchanges of his debut, hasn’t been tested at all.

6.52pm BST

64 min: It’s kind of absurd to say, given how the first 50-odd minutes of this match had gone. But that had been coming! Swansea respond by hooking Asoro and sending on Montero.

6.50pm BST

This is a lovely goal! Fleck slips a pass down the inside-left channel to Stevens, who pulls one back from the byline. To the left of the D, Baldock meets the ball first time, sidefooting gloriously into the bottom left!

6.48pm BST

60 min: Suddenly we’ve got a game! Carroll glides in from the right and unleashes a rising shot that isn’t far away from the top left at all! Somewhere, in a parallel universe, four goals have been scored in the last seven minutes.

6.46pm BST

59 min: From a Swansea throw, Lundstram intercepts, one-twos with McGoldrick, then shanks a dreadful effort wide right with the goal begging.

6.45pm BST

58 min: Swansea ping it around nicely in the Martinez-Rodgers style. But then Celina plays a loose one to McGoldrick, who races towards the Swansea box. McGoldrick opens his body and tries to fashion a low curler into the bottom left. He beats Nordfeldt, but he’s also set the ball too far wide, and it flies past the post.

6.43pm BST

56 min: Swansea pin United back for a couple of minutes. Some pretty passes back and forth, this way and that across the front of the United box. But there’s no way to prise open some space in the middle. The hosts hold firm.

6.42pm BST

54 min: Baldock wedges a pass down the inside-left channel for Clarke, who enters the box and tries to dribble inside, where he hopes to shoot. But the ball doesn’t stick to his boot.

6.40pm BST

53 min: United stroke it around the back awhile. Then Evans gives it away in the midfield. McKay whizzes down the left. He’s in on goal, but opts to roll a pass across for Asoro, who takes a touch and sees his eventual shot blocked at source by O’Connell.

6.38pm BST

50 min: Clarke and van der Hoorn collide in the midfield, as the pair challenge for a high ball. There’s some rolling about. Other than that, nothing is happening.

6.36pm BST

48 min: We begin again where we left off. It’s very, very scrappy. Celina bursts down the left but clips the heel of Egan, who falls on his face while conceding a corner. But Swansea won’t get the set piece because United get the foul.

6.34pm BST

46 min: McKay tears down the left and zips past a static Egan. He enters the box but O’Connell comes over at pace. McKay panics, and toe-pokes the ball out of play for a goal kick. A promising run, though.

6.32pm BST

And we’re off again! No changes. United get the ball rolling for the second half.

6.19pm BST

Half-time reading: Today’s Football League round-up, for your pleasure.

Related: Football League: Wildschut sinks West Brom and Barton's Fleetwood lose

6.18pm BST

It’s going to be a long season if they keep this up.

6.17pm BST

45 min: From a throw-in on the left, needlessly conceded by Henderson, Swansea fashion a half-chance. The ball’s sent in from the wing by Olsson. Asoro brings it down and pokes goalwards; Egan clears off the line. But Asoro had handled, so it matters not.

6.15pm BST

44 min: McKay and Olsson combine nicely down the left. The latter looks for McBurnie in the middle. Nope. McBurnie has been a virtual spectator.

6.13pm BST

42 min: McGoldrick drops deep and takes a run at Swansea. His rising shot from distance is deflected out for a corner; there’s a suggestion that had it not been, Nordfeldt could have been in a world of trouble, his feet planted. United unlucky. The resulting corner is a waste of time.

6.12pm BST

41 min: Evans blooters a shot high into the stand behind the Swansea goal. Then up the other end, Roberts crosses from the right, sending the ball into the stand on the left. Dearie me.

6.11pm BST

39 min: Basham drives into the Swansea box down the right. He opts to fall into Fernandez’s leg, hoping for a penalty kick. He should be booked for a dive, but isn’t. Olsson is livid.

6.08pm BST

37 min: Now Asoro is clattered by O’Connell. This has descended into a scrappy nonsense.

6.07pm BST

36 min: After a wash down with the magic sponge, Fernandez is good to go again.

6.06pm BST

34 min: Evans tries to sidefoot one into the bottom right from the edge of a crowded Swansea box. It’s predictably blocked. Fernandez shapes to make off with the loose ball, and is accidentally kicked in the mush by Stevens. The boot on the other foot all right.

6.04pm BST

33 min: Stevens takes an accidental elbow across the nose from Asoro. He’s down and not particularly happy. Then he gets up. Still not chuffed. The referee waves play on.

6.02pm BST

31 min: United win a corner down the right. Nothing comes of it. Bramall Lane is a quiet place right now.

6.02pm BST

29 min: This match has failed to deliver so far. In the stands watching it unfold: former Blade and England star Harry Maguire, and Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia. We just need a minor member of the royal family and a category-C British movie star, and this will be just like Wimbledon.

5.58pm BST

27 min: United waste it, Fleck curling to the far post, where O’Connell has gone way too soon and is flagged offside. The free kick was overhit anyway.

5.58pm BST

26 min: Olsson and Carroll come together down the United right. The decision’s a free kick to United; Swansea were claiming one the other way. This is in a dangerous position.

5.56pm BST

24 min: United are beginning to worry Swansea with a series of crosses into the box. Fleck nearly finds McGoldrick. Van der Hoorn clears. Then Swansea counter, McKay confusing Basham down the left with a cute flick and dropped shoulder. He slips the ball to the right for Asoro, who reaches the byline and sashays along it with the grace of Philippe Petit, but his pullback into the centre doesn’t find a team-mate.

5.53pm BST

22 min: Olsson takes an absolute age over a throw-in. He eventually flings it to Carroll, who immediately shanks it out of play. What a fiasco.

5.51pm BST

20 min: McGoldrick fizzes a low ball in from the right. Fernandez is forced to slide it out for a corner on the left. United work it back up the flank, Evans finally curling one to the far post. It’s just too high for O’Connell and Egan. But Swansea hearts would have been in mouths for a second there.

5.50pm BST

19 min: Swansea ping it around in the pretty fashion. For a minute, it’s like 2011 all over again. Possession is eventually lost, nothing having been achieved, but then that’s not really the point: it’s a very early sign that Graham Potter is trying to reinstate the club’s trademark pass-and-move style.

5.48pm BST

17 min: It’s all a bit frenetic. No discernible pattern to this game.

5.46pm BST

15 min: Olsson tries to release McKay down the left from deep. He overhits the pass by a couple of inches. A shame for Swansea, because McKay would have sprung the United trap.

5.44pm BST

13 min: Stevens, Baldock and Fleck triangulate nicely down the left, but after a few crisp passes threaten to bamboozle Swansea, a heavy one scuppers the move.

5.43pm BST

11 min: Fleck scampers into space on the left, then very nearly finds McGoldrick in the middle. This is a nice open match, with both teams showing willing to attack.

5.41pm BST

9 min: O’Connell bombs down the left and Fosbury flops over the static Roberts. He wants a free kick - the crowd certainly do - but the referee simply isn’t interested.

5.38pm BST

7 min: Celina sends the free kick straight down Henderson’s throat. But Swansea soon get another free kick as they come again through Asoro, brought down by Stevens on the right. Olsson looks for the top right but Henderson claims that one too. Some early nerves from the keeper though, in so much as he slipped while trying to quickly throw upfield after claiming the first free kick, then fumbled the second before gathering. Still, no great mistakes, and it’s onwards and upwards.

5.36pm BST

5 min: Asoro picks up a loose ball in the midfield and drives upfield. He slips the ball to McKay on his left. McKay turns neatly and is dragged down by Basham. A free kick in a dangerous position, just outside the United box.

5.34pm BST

3 min: There’s early joy for United down this left flank. O’Connell drives down the wing and fires low into the centre. Nordfeldt gathers at the near post, with Fleck lurking.

5.33pm BST

2 min: It’s a bright start by United, who pin Swansea back in their final third. Fleck fizzes a low cross into the box from the left, but the ball refuses to break to McGoldrick.

5.32pm BST

And we’re off!

Dundee United
Swansea City get the ball rolling to a huge start-of-the-season roar. Followed by a chorus of The Greasy Chip Butty Song. A fine atmosphere in this wonderful old-school ground.

5.29pm BST

The teams are out! Sheffield United are in their famous old red and white stripes. Swansea City are dressed like Dundee United circa 2013. We’ll be off very soon!

5.20pm BST

Then Graham Potter speaks! “I want this challenge, and I’m looking forward to it. We’re at the start of a process, a few weeks of pre-season doesn’t count for much. The real learning and understanding starts today. But we’re happy with the players we’ve brought in. We will find out a lot today and in the coming weeks.”

5.19pm BST

Some pre-match confidence from Chris Wilder: “We looked at our squad, statistically and with our own eyes, to see what we needed to do to make us better. And we think we’ve done that.”

5.01pm BST

Some pre-match reading: Our man Stuart James met up with new Swans boss Graham Potter. Here’s the interview!

Related: Graham Potter: I did not move the family back from Sweden just for a job | Stuart James

4.49pm BST

Chris Wilder scribbles down three new names on the Sheffield United teamsheet: goalkeeper Dean Henderson, on loan from Manchester United; former Brentford centre-back John Egan; and striker David McGoldrick, once of Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich. On-loan Liverpool winger Ben Woodburn is named as a sub, but Kean Bryan, secured on a free from Manchester City, sits it out.

Graham Potter names three debutants as well, in his first competitive Swansea starting XI: 19-year-old Swedish striker Joel Asoro, signed from Sunderland; winger Barrie McKay, formerly of Rangers and Nottingham Forest; and Kosovan winger Bersant Celina, brought up by the Manchester City academy.

4.36pm BST

Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, Fleck, O’Connell, Basham, Lundstram, Evans, Clarke, Egan, McGoldrick.
Subs: Sharp, Woodburn, Leonard, Stearman, Duffy, Lafferty, Moore.

Swansea City: Nordfeldt, Roberts, Fernandez, van der Hoorn, Olsson, Fulton, Carroll, Asoro, Celina, McKay, McBurnie.
Subs: Mulder, Amat, Rodon, Grimes, Dyer, Dhanda, Montero.

2.49pm BST

Swansea haven’t won at Sheffield United in the league since March 1939. This would be some time for them to register their first away win of 2018, wouldn’t it?

After a miserable Premier League campaign, the Swans are desperate for something to arrest their downward plunge. New manager Graham Potter might do the trick: having worked wonders at Östersunds in Sweden, he’s determined to revive progressive philosophies at a club that had lost its mojo after the joy of the Martinez-Sousa-Rodgers-Laudrup era.

Continue reading...

Sunderland 2-1 Charlton Athletic: League One opener – as it happened

Lynden Gooch scored a dramatic injury-time winner to give the Stadium of Light something to sing about at long last.

2.46pm BST

And that’s your lot on a dramatic day on Wearside. Sunderland showed great character to give their long-suffering fans a little happiness; Charlton proved they’ll be in the promotion mix too, providing there’s a few quid spent to reinforce a threadbare squad. Louise Taylor was at the Stadium of Light. Her report will be up soon. See you later for Sheffield United versus Swansea City!

Related: Sunderland off to a flyer as Lynden Gooch added time goal sees off Charlton

Related: Perfectionist Marcelo Bielsa brings radical approach to Leeds United

Related: Joey Barton: ‘I’ve been through many scrapes … my chaotic career will help me as a manager’ | Donald McRae

2.41pm BST

The view of Jack Ross. “I don’t think there’s a better way to win a football match. Hopefully it’s a sea-change for us. But it was a really tough game. We were hanging in a little bit during the early exchanges, but I thought we were stronger as the game went on. We deserved something from it. It was a really competitive game, but winning in that manner is obviously something we’ll take. Their shape caught us by surprise, so I was keen to get two strikers on the pitch. Our players’ desire to get the winner was evident. It’s a small step forward, and we’ve a long way to go. The fans were incredibly positive for us during the game, even when we were a goal down. There’s a perception that it should be easy for us in this league, but that’s far from the case and today was a good example of how difficult it’s going to be, week in, week out. But it was an enjoyable afternoon for them, supporters will go home pleased, and hopefully we can develop a taste for that and do it more consistently.”

2.34pm BST

Goalscoring hero Lynden Gooch speaks! “The club’s gone through a rough time the past few years, and I’ve been here a long time, so it means a lot to everyone. The manager’s been really good with everyone, he’s been really upbeat and changed the mood of the place. You can see it with the fans. It’s a Premier League club, we need to get back, and he’s doing everything he can.”

2.32pm BST

What a magnificent effort by Sunderland! They were not far short of abject in the first half, but Jack Ross gave the side a good old shoogle at half time, and they came out much better for it in the second. A dramatic late winner may well have cleared a few pipes after a couple of difficult seasons on Wearside. This is how momentum shifts! Pity poor Charlton, though, who go away with nothing after an excellent showing in the first half, but were a little too passive in the second.

2.29pm BST

Sunderland have won on the opening day for the first time since 2009! This is how it began in 1987-88.

2.28pm BST

Maguire pulls back the corner for Gooch on the edge of the area. he shapes to shoot ... and takes a fresh-air shot! No matter, because Oviedo picks up the ball on the left, and floats it diagonally into the area. Gooch hasn’t let his head drop, and uses it to guide a brilliant effort across Phillips and into the top left! The Stadium of Light explodes!

2.26pm BST

90 min +5: Solly and Pratley form a yellow wall, and Charlton clear. But Sunderland come back at them. Oviedo has a whack from distance. It’s deflected, and out for another corner on the right. From which ...

2.25pm BST

90 min +4: Molyneux is instantly into the action, powering down the right and earning a corner. Late drama here?

2.24pm BST

90 min +3: Sinclair is down feeling his hamstring and wincing. He limps off. Luke Molyneux takes his place.

2.23pm BST

90 min +2: Page earns a corner for Charlton down the left. Sarr gets to Marshall’s delivery, but can’t bother McLaughlin.

2.21pm BST

90 min: There will be six additional minutes. Some good news for Charlton: Pearce is up on his feet, trudging slowly around the perimeter towards the dugouts.

2.20pm BST

89 min: It doesn’t look as though Pearce can continue. He’s in some distress, holding his left knee. Off he goes on the stretcher. Naby Sarr will come on in his place.

2.19pm BST

87 min: Gooch is booked for a late lunge on Pearce. For a second, he was out of control, both feet off the ground, but he managed to get one boot back onto the turf before making contact with Pearce. It’s probably the difference between yellow and red.

2.17pm BST

86 min: Taylor tries to get something going for Charlton. A left-to-right crossfield pass is sent in the general direction of Lapslie, but there’s too much on it. Goal kick.

2.16pm BST

84 min: Honeyman crosses deep from the right. Oviedo, on the left, hits a low, diagonal, cross-cum-shot across the face of goal. Sinclair slides in, and must score from six yards ... but somehow pokes the ball wide left! Charlton really are holding on now.

2.14pm BST

83 min: Sinclair bothers Pearce into the concession of a corner on the right. Solly manages to clear after a couple of attempts. But Charlton can’t get out of their final third. They’re trapped. They’re holding on now.

2.12pm BST

81 min: Solly is booked for a tug on Sinclair as the Sunderland man wreaks havoc down the left.

2.11pm BST

80 min: Maguire makes room down the right and curls one into the box, looking for Mumba, who isn’t a million miles away from connecting with a spectacular diving header.

2.11pm BST

79 min: Charlton were first to most loose balls in the first half. They’ve been markedly less proactive in this second period, and Sunderland are benefiting accordingly.

2.08pm BST

77 min: Gooch cuts in from the right and is sent sliding across the turf on his face by Aribo. A free kick 25 yards out, a little to the right. Maguire larrups a shot towards the top right. Phillips turns it away spectacularly. Great football all round! Then the ball’s whipped back into the mixer. Maja gets a header on target, but there’s no pace on it to trouble Phillips.

2.06pm BST

75 min: A quick throw down the right releases Taylor into some space. He wins another corner off Oviedo. Bauer wins a header on the penalty spot, but his effort flies wide left.

2.04pm BST

73 min: Marshall wins a cheap corner down the right off a snoozing Oviedo. He takes it himself. And miskicks it, the ball bumbling apologetically to the near post. It’s hacked clear by Oviedo. In the area, Taylor stands, hands on hips, nonplussed.

2.03pm BST

71 min: Lapslie tries to release Pratley down the right, but there’s too much on the ball. Charlton haven’t done a great deal in attack since the restart.

2.01pm BST

69 min: Charlton can’t keep hold of the ball right now. Sunderland - driven forward by today’s 31,079 crowd - have a new energy. Can they find the goal that would give them their first opening-day win since 2009?

1.59pm BST

67 min: That’s got the Stadium of Light singing! The release of 65 minutes of frustration ... scrub that ... two years of frustration. Gooch clips one in from the right, forcing Phillips to punch clear in a panic. For the first time, Charlton are suddenly on the back foot.

1.57pm BST

He’s been tested now! And what a glorious goal, out of nowhere! Matthews slips a ball down the inside-right for Maja, who is just inside the area, with his back to goal. He turns crisply, leaving Bauer, and whistles a low shot into the bottom right!

1.55pm BST

64 min: Oviedo scuffs a shot from just inside the area. The ball deflects out for a corner, which is wasted. Phillips still hasn’t been seriously tested today.

1.54pm BST

63 min: Honeyman embarks on a power dribble across the face of the Charlton box, right to left, then into the area down the channel. It’s a fine run, but Marshall and Solly perform a fine pincer movement on him. Neither make a rash challenge, and Honeyman runs the ball out for a goal kick.

1.52pm BST

61 min: And now Sinclair returns, to a great surge of emotion from the crowd. They’re doing their best to get the home heroes going.

1.52pm BST

60 min: Solly is back, but Sinclair is still off the field, getting stitched up. In the meantime, Maguire drags a shot wide right from distance.

1.51pm BST

59 min: Charlton win a corner down the left, the result of some good work from Aribo and Taylor. From the set piece, the latter nearly gets the chance to shoot from the middle of a melee. He’s crowded out of it just in time.

1.50pm BST

58 min: Sunderland are so dozy at the back. Loovens, not for the first time today, leaves his keeper short with a header back. Taylor nearly nips in. McLaughlin does extremely well to make up the ground and clear.

1.48pm BST

57 min: Solly’s up and about, but leaves the pitch to get patched up.

1.48pm BST

56 min: Sinclair departs down the tunnel, blood squirting from his forehead. He’ll be OK to continue, by the looks of it; he just needs a plaster and a new shirt. Solly looks in worse shape, though: he’s flat out for a while, and though he’s now sitting up, he’s leaking a lot of blood from his head too, and looks a little dazed.

1.46pm BST

54 min: Aribo drops deep and nearly slips a clever one down the middle to release Ahearne-Grant. Not quite. Then Matthews goes up the other end, dancing his way down the inside-right channel and making his way into the box without much Charlton resistance. He dinks into the middle for Sinclair, who catches more of Solly than the ball with his head.

1.44pm BST

53 min: Marshall, tight on the right touchline, tries a cheeky whip into the bottom right from distance, with McLaughlin on walkabout. The keeper is wise to the grift, though, and gets over in time to save.

1.42pm BST

51 min: Solly curls one in from the right. Aribo loops a header towards the top left. Shades of the goal that won it for Derby at Reading last night. But McLaughlin backtracks and claims the ball on the line. Sunderland go down the other end, Gooch fizzing a cross through the six-yard box from the right. He can’t find Maja or Sinclair, but the home side have a little more presence in the final third now.

1.40pm BST

49 min: Sinclair is quickly into the action, latching onto a Honeyman pass down the right and purchasing a cheap free kick from a clumsy Bauer. A dangerous position. Loovens nearly gets to the set piece at the far post, but Pearce blooters clear. Sinclair has another run at Charlton down the right, but passes the ball out of play, and the danger is finally over.

1.38pm BST

47 min: A Charlton free kick is dealt with easily enough by the new back line of Loovens-Ozturk-Matthews, but the visitors are soon coming back at them. Pearce barges his way into the box down the left, but can’t find space to cross or shoot, eventually running the ball out for a goal kick.

1.36pm BST

And we’re off again! Charlton get the party restarted. Sunderland have made their second change, this time a tactical one: Luke O’Nien is replaced by Jerome Sinclair. And the hosts are going three at the back.

1.24pm BST

Half-time reading: In case you missed it, the Championship kicked off last night. Derby boss Frank Lampard enjoyed the kind of start Jack Ross is still dreaming of.

Related: Derby get Frank Lampard era off to perfect start with win at Reading

1.22pm BST

Jack Ross runs off down the tunnel. He’ll have a few words to say to his men during the break. They’ve been poor, albeit with signs of improvement towards the end of the half. Charlton deserve their lead. It’s going to be a very interesting second half!

1.20pm BST

45 min +2: What a chance for Sunderland to equalise! Maguire takes a speculative shot from distance. He shanks it, but the ball dribbles diagonally, right to left, for Maja, who is clear on goal! But Phillips is out quickly to narrow the angle, and Maja shoots straight at the keeper. What a mood-changer that would have been!

1.18pm BST

45 min: Maguire earns a corner down the right. He takes it himself, and finds the head of Loovens, on the penalty spot. Loovens sends a header to the left of goal. Ozturk tries to bundle it in, but can’t quite replicate this goal:

1.16pm BST

43 min: Sunderland cause Charlton to panic for the first time today. Matthews whips a cross into the box from the right. The visitors can’t clear, and suddenly Oviedo is in a fair bit of space to the left of the box. A heavy first touch means he rushes his shot, which becomes a cross that Maja tries to turn into the net from ten yards. It screws wide left, but for the first time Charlton looked shaky at the back.

1.14pm BST

42 min: Oviedo takes a touch into some space down the left, and pearls a speculative shot straight at Phillips. Pearce is then booked for coming through the back of Maja in the alehouse style.

1.13pm BST

40 min: Gooch has another look from the left, and cuts inside, shoulders hunched, looking for a split second like Ted McMinn. He crosses deep, and nearly finds Honeyman romping in at the far post. But there’s a little too much on the cross. Goal kick. Gooch has been Sunderland’s most promising attacker so far.

1.11pm BST

39 min: Marshall floats a poor free kick towards a bunch of yellow shirts racing into the area from the right. McLaughlin, Sunderland’s best player so far by some distance, comes off his line to claim confidently.

1.10pm BST

38 min: Page makes good for the Sunderland box, cutting in from the left, and he’s bundled over by Mumba. Now it’s Charlton’s turn to load the box.

1.09pm BST

36 min: And then another reminder of Sunderland’s defensive vulnerability. The busy Ahearne-Grant twists and turns down the left and lays off to Lapslie, who dinks into the centre for Taylor. The striker tries an audacious spin and back-heel into the bottom right, a skill that has a difficulty tariff of 6.0, but he doesn’t connect and he’s offside anyway.

1.07pm BST

34 min: Maguire’s delivery is good this time: he curls it down the corridor of uncertainty, and Loovens nearly gets his head to it, six yards out. Not quite, and the ball goes out of play, the danger over. But much better from Sunderland.

1.06pm BST

33 min: Gooch turns Page out on the right and nearly has his shorts pulled down in the rugby style. The full-back will be booked for that, and here’s another chance for the hosts to load the box.

1.04pm BST

31 min: A free kick for Sunderland and a chance to load the box. Maguire slips a pass down the right for Gooch, but it’s easily read and intercepted by Page. That didn’t go down particularly well with the home support, whose levels of early-season optimism are not quite as high as they were 32 minutes ago.

1.03pm BST

30 min: Page romps down the left and looks for Ahearne-Grant in the middle. Ozturk gets in the road, but only tees it up for Lapslie, running down the inside-left. Lapslie shoots straight at McLaughlin, who must be wondering what’s going on in front of him.

1.01pm BST

29 min: Sky have just shown a replay of Taylor’s penalty. The striker celebrated its conversion by holding up the shirt of team-mate Jake Forster Caskey, who is out for the season after suffering ligament damage in training on Thursday. A lovely touch.

1.00pm BST

27 min: The corner finds Aribo, on the edge of the six-yard box. He heads down, and inches wide of the bottom-right corner. McLaughlin probably had it covered, but his defenders aren’t doing the keeper any favours so far. Aribo won that header with ridiculous ease.

12.58pm BST

26 min: And that’s not going to be helped any by the substitution of Love, who continues to have problems with his ankle. Oviedo takes his place before Charlton can take their corner.

12.57pm BST

25 min: Pratley is given all the time in the world to line up a shot from 25 yards. He sends a rising heatseeker towards the top right. McLaughlin tips it over the bar spectacularly. Sunderland are a shambles at the back.

12.55pm BST

23 min: Now it’s Love’s turn to get a dab from the magic sponge, having taken a knock to his ankle. He’s up and about soon enough.

12.54pm BST

21 min: After a good soak with the magic sponge, Page is back in the thick of it. Sunderland push Charlton back for the first time in the game, the crowd favourite Gooch sending a couple of decent crosses in from the right. Charlton deal with them easily enough, but that’s promising for the home side.

12.52pm BST

19 min: Page crashes into a couple of challenges down the left. He nearly breaks past Gooch and Love, but not quite. Then he goes over, having taken an accidental kick to the ankle. Worrying signs for Charlton, who have only named five subs today amid an injury crisis.

12.50pm BST

17 min: A chance for Sunderland to check Charlton’s momentum, as Gooch draws a foul from Page just to the right of the Athletic area. Maguire pulls a low free kick across for Loovens, who can’t get a shot away from the edge of the box.

12.48pm BST

16 min: Pratley nearly prises Sunderland open with a cheeky chip down the centre. Then Ahearne-Grant slips a pass down the inside-left for Taylor, who is sent clear but a yard offside. Sunderland are all over the place.

12.47pm BST

14 min: Ahearne-Grant is looking extremely lively. He makes for the byline down the left, checks back, and dinks one to the far post. Marshall isn’t all that far away from meeting the cross with his head. Charlton are looking as confident as Sunderland are edgy.

12.46pm BST

13 min: That early goal for Charlton has dampened the party atmosphere somewhat. The crowd are already getting agitated. As are the team. Honeyman, Maguire and Loovens have all made egregious errors already. Love gestures for his team-mates to calm it down. There’s still nine months and 77 minutes to go.

12.43pm BST

11 min: Loovens nearly turns a bad start for Sunderland into a nightmare, leaving a backpass short. McLaughlin does very well to slide in and clear, with Taylor sensing another goal.

12.42pm BST

Taylor lashes the ball high into the top-right corner. A wonderful penalty, and McLaughlin had no chance.

12.41pm BST

8 min: Matthews nearly opens Charlton up down the inside left. But his ball inside is to nobody, and Charlton break upfield. Ahearne-Grant powers down the middle, drifts off to the right, and is clumsily tripped by Maguire as he enters the box. The rashest of tackles. Maguire’s booked, and doesn’t bother complaining.

12.40pm BST

7 min: Ahearne-Grant aims for the top right, but his effort is deflected over the bar for a corner. The corner leads to nothing.

12.39pm BST

6 min: Lapslie dribbles inside from the Charlton right with great purpose. He’s crudely clattered to the ground by Ozturk, and this is another dangerous free kick, this time just to the right of the D.

12.38pm BST

5 min: Some good work by Gooch down the left leads to a corner. Maguire sends the set piece into the mixer, forcing Phillips to punch clear. It’s a good thing he does, because O’Nien was lurking at the far post.

12.36pm BST

3 min: Nope. Taylor tries to send a curler over the wall and into the top left, but it’s no good. Miles over the bar. The home fans enjoyed that, given the player snubbed their club this summer.

12.35pm BST

2 min: Charlton are putting their shoulders into this. They’re faster to everything right now. Marshall dribbles hard down the middle, and is barged over by Honeyman, who is already testing the referee’s patience. It’s a free kick, 25 yards out in a central position. Could this be a dream start for Charlton?

12.33pm BST

And we’re off! Another bellow of noise as Sunderland get the ball rolling. They soon give up possession, and there’s some neat footwork in the centre circle by Ahearne-Grant. He’s upended by Honeyman, who gets an early lecture from the ref. We move on.

12.29pm BST

The teams are out! Sunderland sport their famous red and white stripes, so Charlton are forced into third-choice yellow. A huge roar as the players emerge from the tunnel; the Stadium of Light is gripped by fevered anticipation. A party atmosphere. The opening game of the 2018-19 League One season will be off in a minute!

12.22pm BST

And now Charlton caretaker boss Lee Bowyer has his say on Sky. “The only way we can do better this season is promotion. So that’s what we’re aiming for. That’s what we’ve been working towards through pre-season. We’re short of numbers. We’ve been unlucky the last three weeks regarding injuries. But it’s a chance for some young lads. We’ve got young George Lapslie starting today for the first time, so one door closes, another opens. It’s a tough league, and there’s quite a few sides who will be expecting to do well. So I wish Sunderland all the best ... but there will be competition!”

12.11pm BST

New Sunderland boss Jack Ross, who won the Scottish Championship with St Mirren last year, speaks to Sky. “I’ve a lot of excitement. Everyone looks forward to the first game. Given what’s gone on at this club over the last two or three months, that’s heightened the sense of anticipation. It’s obviously a very different team to the one that finished last season, we’ve turned over a lot of players and still have several injured. And some academy players brings a freshness to it. That brings a degree of optimism to supporters, but it’s up to us to match that on the pitch with results. We have to produce a team that reflects how supporters feel about this club from the stands, because their loyalty and commitment to this club is not in question.”

12.05pm BST

This match will bring back memories of the famous 1998 Football League First Division play-off final between the clubs, Clive Mendonca, Michael Grey, all that. The man who missed the decisive penalty in that Wembley marathon is over it now, and he spoke to our top therapist Barry Glendenning a few years ago. It’s a charming interview and well worth another read.

Related: Missing a penalty at Wembley was the making of me, says Michael Grey | Barry Glendenning

11.50am BST

It’s a new-look Sunderland, with Luke O’Nein, Alim Ozturk, Glenn Loovens, Jon McLaughlin and Chris Maguire all making their debut. Though there’s even bigger news: a place in the midfield for 16-year-old Bali Mumba, who has seriously impressed the new boss Jack Ross in pre-season. It’ll be Mumba’s second appearance for the club: he made his first-team debut in the final game of last season against Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming on as a late sub.

Former Wimbledon striker Lyle Taylor makes his debut for Charlton Athletic, having turned down the chance of a move to the Stadium of Light in the summer. Darren Pratley also debuts. Lee Bowyer has named only five subs, a shot across the bow of the board whichever way you look at it.

11.45am BST

Sunderland: McLaughlin, Love, Loovens, Ozturk, Matthews, O’Nien, Mumba, Honeyman, Gooch, Maguire, Maja.
Subs: Oviedo, Baldwin, Sinclair, Ruiter, Embleton, Hume, Molyneux.

Charlton Athletic: Phillips, Marshall, Bauer, Page, Solly, Pratley, Pearce, Ahearne-Grant, Aribo, Taylor, Lapslie.
Subs: Ajose, Sarr, Maynard-Brewer, Maloney, Hackett-Fairchild.

10.57am BST

Sunderland’s fall has been vertiginous. They were playing Premier League football less than 15 months ago; now the six-time champions of England are about to begin only their second-ever season in the third tier.

But this need not become a disheartening experience. Because their 1987-88 season was F.U.N.! Sunderland bounced back at the first attempt under Denis Smith, topping the old Third Division in a high-scoring frenzy, Marco Gabbiadini and Eric Gates sharing 40 goals between them, defender John MacPhail chipping in with a penalty-assisted 16.

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Burnley 3-1 Aberdeen (4-2 agg): Europa League qualifying – as it happened

Lewis Ferguson scored a wonder goal for Aberdeen, but Burnley proved too much for the Dons in the end

Read Andy Hunter’s match report

10.38pm BST

And that’s your lot. A sad evening for Aberdeen, whose European campaign is over, two days into August. But they were excellent tonight, and when the dust settles it’s a performance that will give them great heart going into the new season. What a goal by Lewis Ferguson, by the way. As for Burnley, they showed great determination against stubborn opponents, and deservedly won through. They can now look forward to a tie with İstanbul Başakşehir, one step closer to the group stage. Andy Hunter was at Turf Moor: here’s his take. Nighty night!

Related: Europa League: Burnley’s Cork and Barnes sink Aberdeen in extra time

10.33pm BST

Sean Dyche speaks! “It really was a big test. They were excellent. They came to take the game on. Their keeper was fantastic. We’re still sort of a bit loose because it’s pre-season, the lads are still getting their eye in. It’s a weird thing, a competitive game in pre-season.” He goes on to speak a lot about the transfer market while offering no information whatsoever, which is fair enough.

10.26pm BST

Jack Cork, who scored the goal that broke Aberdonian hearts, speaks: “Aberdeen have been really tough. It could have gone either way. We’re just really happy to get through, that we’re still in Europe. We knew if we kept battling, we would get through. It’s great for the fans, 50-odd years since Europe. It’s good for them to get away and experience something different, a change of scenery!”

10.20pm BST

Nope. Aberdeen were brave, and very entertaining at times. But Burnley had more gas in the tank come extra time. After two hours of marvellous European football, it’s the Clarets who progress to a third qualifying round tie against İstanbul Başakşehir.

10.18pm BST

ET 30 min: May has a blooter from the edge of the box. His effort deflects out for a corner. Can they grab a consolation at the last?

10.16pm BST

ET 28 min: Burnley knock it around in the time-management style.

10.15pm BST

ET 26 min: Turf Moor rings with the songs of the Burnley faithful. They’ve waited 51 years for this, and they’re making the most of it.

10.13pm BST

Barnes slots the ball into the bottom right again. This time it counts. And it’ll be Burnley going through to the next round, unless Aberdeen can achieve something quite sensational in the next five minutes or so.

10.12pm BST

ET 23 min: Gudmundsson dribbles down the right. He chips inside. McKenna can’t get his arm, hanging out to the side of his body, out of the way. The referee points immediately to the spot and whistles. Barnes sweeps the loose ball into the net, but the ref definitely whistled beforehand, and so he’ll have to have another go from the spot.

10.10pm BST

ET 21 min: Ball dribbles inside from the left with purpose. He scoops the ball into the centre; Forrester tries to chest it goalwards, the ball not quite at the right height to head. Lindegaard gathers.

10.07pm BST

ET 19 min: Some aimless passes are hoofed back and forth by two tired teams. Burnley will be happy enough to continue like this for the next ten minutes.

10.05pm BST

ET 17 min: Hendrick’s first meaningful act is to handle the ball 3o yards from his own goal on the Burnley right. A chance for Aberdeen to put some pressure on. May takes the free kick, but it’s not much cop. But they come again. Considine dribbles fast down the left, reaches the byline, and fizzes low through the six-yard box. May wasn’t able to connect. Anything on that, and Aberdeen would be leading on away goals!

10.04pm BST

And we’re off again! Both teams make their bonus extra-time sub. Jeff Hendrick comes on for Westwood, while Chris Forrester replaces Ferguson.

10.00pm BST

Nothing much happens in them. Burnley are 15 minutes away from the third qualifying round. But Aberdeen will be in the box seat if they find an equaliser, on account of the away-goals rule.

9.59pm BST

ET 15 min: There will be two minutes added to this period of extra time.

9.58pm BST

ET 14 min: May floats the ball into the mixer. Barnes gets it away. That could have ricocheted anywhere.

9.57pm BST

ET 13 min: Cork is making his 100th appearance for Burnley tonight. What a way to celebrate! Aberdeen try to respond immediately, winning a free kick in Burnley territory. A chance to load the box.

9.56pm BST

When it came, it was so simple! Gudmundsson and Barnes shuttle the ball right to left for Taylor. From the flank, he whips high into the middle. Cork rises above a static Aberdeen back line, and plants a header into the top right!

9.53pm BST

ET 10 min: Cosgrove is replaced by Stevie May, formerly of Preston North End, and welcomed accordingly.

9.52pm BST

ET 8 min: Shinnie has a run at the Burnley defence. Tarkowski hacks out for a throw. Aberdeen take an absolute age over it. The players suddenly look, to a man, knackered. It’s very early in the season for a high-stakes European marathon, after all.

9.51pm BST

ET 6 min: Nothing comes of the corner. Probably just as well.

9.50pm BST

ET 5 min: After Burnley are awarded a disputed throw deep on the right, the ref overruling his linesman, Gudmundsson curls in from the wing. Barnes shoves Logan to the ground, and takes out Lewis in doing so. But the ref now gives the hosts a corner. If something comes of this, expect to hear Derek McInnes talk about it later, with some feeling.

9.48pm BST

ET 3 min: Mee meets the corner with a header, but it softly floats towards Lewis. Aberdeen go up the other end, Ferguson winning a corner off Taylor. But the referee - who has been far from perfect tonight - points for a goal kick to Burnley. Ferguson goes off on one. Where have we seen those words strung together before?

9.46pm BST

ET 2 min: Taylor cuts in from the left and crosses low for Gudmundsson, who shoots first time from six yards. But Considine sticks out a peg to deflect the ball out for a corner. Wonderful last-ditch defending.

9.44pm BST

Right, here we go again! Aberdeen get the first period of extra time underway. Charlie Taylor has replaced Ward at left back for Burnley.

9.39pm BST

Cork swings a Hail Mary into the mixer, but Devlin clears easily. And we’ll have 30 minutes of extra time!

9.38pm BST

90 min +2: Make that 60 seconds.

9.37pm BST

90 min +1: The first corner, on the right, leads to a second on the left. Mackay-Steven tries to find Cosgrove with his delivery, but overcooks it. Turf Moor prepares for 30 minutes of additional play ... unless something very dramatic happens in the next 120 seconds.

9.36pm BST

90 min: Cosgrove sends Mackay-Steven into acres down the right with a searching crossfield pass. Mackay-Steven skitters into the area and purchases a cheap corner. There will be three added minutes.

9.34pm BST

88 min: Aberdeen make their second change, replacing Hoban at the back with Dominic Ball.

9.33pm BST

87 min: Wright whips the free kick to the far post. Considine can’t get a touch. The ball flies inches wide of goal. So close to deciding this tie!

9.32pm BST

86 min: Shinnie is taken down by Cork as he sashays down the left. That’s a free kick, and a chance to load the box. But before the set piece can be taken, Lennon is replaced by 18-year-old Dwight McNeil.

9.31pm BST

85 min: From the corner, Aberdeen launch a counter. Suddenly Wright is dribbling at pace down the middle, with players on either side! He drops a shoulder to leave Lowton, but is cynically brought to ground before he can set a team-mate away. A booking. But that could have been a whole lot worse for Burnley.

9.30pm BST

84 min: Lennon dribbles with great purpose down the inside-right channel. He nearly opens Aberdeen up. But he’s forced to turn back. Burnley come again, Cork shooting from distance. Deflected wide for another corner.

9.29pm BST

83 min: Gudmundsson drives down the left and earns a corner off Hoban. He takes it himself, and it’s awful, straight down the throat of Lewis. Nerves are beginning to play a part now.

9.26pm BST

81 min: McGinn - who has excelled tonight - looks kaput, having given his all. He’s replaced by 20-year-old Scott Wright.

9.25pm BST

79 min: Shinnie isn’t far away from slipping Mackay-Steven into the area. Then Cosgrove converts in the rugby style from 20 yards, the ball sailing high into the darkening sky. Burnley hearts were in mouths, though, because a second away goal for Aberdeen now would put the hosts in all sorts of bother.

9.23pm BST

77 min: Considine is booked for clipping Lennon to the floor out on the right wing. It’s a chance for Burnley to load the box. But the resulting free kick is a whole load of nonsense.

9.22pm BST

75 min: Lowton curls in from the right. Vokes rises and crashes a glorious header towards the top right. Lewis looks to have been beaten all ends up, but the ball crashes off the underside of the bar and out! In fact, the keeper got a slight touch on that. Amazing!

9.20pm BST

74 min: Turf Moor is nervous as, from the corner, Considine nearly sets up Hoban with an easy header from six yards. Vokes reads the danger and heads out for another corner. Nothing comes of the second one.

9.19pm BST

73 min: Ferguson sends Shinnie racing into the Burnley box down the left. He smashes low towards the near corner; Lindegaard parries out well for a corner.

9.17pm BST

71 min: And now it’s one

London bus
yellow card apiece, as Gudmundsson barges into the back of McGinn.

9.17pm BST

70 min: A yellow card at last, as Shinnie slides at great speed into Ward. He can’t really complain about that on its own terms, though there’s probably a case in the context of the ones the referee let go earlier.

9.14pm BST

68 min: Mee heads the resulting corner harmlessly wide. This marvellous match is teetering in the balance. An extra 30 minutes would be no heartache.

9.13pm BST

67 min: There’s all sorts of bedlam on the edge of the Aberdeen box. Nobody can get control. But then suddenly Cork gets calm, and slides a glorious defence-splitting ball down the inside right. Barnes is clear, and hammers a rising shot goalwards. Somehow, Lewis gets a strong hand on the ball to tip over! What a save! Wonderful play all round.

9.12pm BST

65 min: McGinn scampers into acres down the left. He advances on the box, then slips a ball inside for Shinnie, who opens his body and sidefoots wildly over the bar. That’s a dreadful attempt, a wonderful chance spurned. But Shinnie has been one of Aberdeen’s stand-out players tonight, along with McGinn, Ferguson and Mackay-Steven, so let’s cut him some slack.

9.10pm BST

64 min: Ward is down getting a spot of treatment after being clattered by Mackay-Steven. There was no malice in the challenge, and by the looks of it Ward will be fine to continue. A chance for everyone to get a drink.

9.09pm BST

63 min: Vokes tries to inject a bit of life into the Clarets’ attack, taking a shot from 25 yards. It’s blocked the second it leaves his boot.

9.08pm BST

62 min: Burnley’s early second-half blitz has run its course. They spend some time in the middle of the park, doing not very much.

9.06pm BST

60 min: The set piece drops to Cosgrove, who miskicks while in space on the edge of the box. He still earns another corner. That leads to a period in which Burnley struggle to get out of their own box. Aberdeen have a look down both flanks, but can’t open the hosts up. Much better from the Dons, though.

9.04pm BST

58 min: Shinnie slides a pass to McGinn on the left. He turns on the jets to say goodbye to Lowton. He crosses hard and low; Tarkowski does very well to turn the ball round the post for a corner.

9.02pm BST

56 min: Tarkowski slides a pass down the inside right. Barnes flicks in the hope of releasing Vokes, but McKenna clears. Mackay-Steven tries to launch an Aberdeen counter, but it doesn’t come to much. The visitors really need to rediscover the mojo they found midway through the first half.

9.01pm BST

54 min: Burnley keep hogging the ball. On the touchline, Derek McInnes performs the international mime for Keep Calm Will You For God’s Sake. His team have been on the rack since the restart.

9.00pm BST

52 min: The Burnley fans turn up the noise. Their heroes probe and probe. Lowton crosses twice from the right. The first one hits McKenna’s back, the second Devlin’s arm, pinned to the side of his body. Two penalty shouts in two seconds, neither successful. Correct decisions. Burnley continue to knock it about. Westwood and Vokes nearly open Aberdeen up down the inside-left channel, but the latter is flagged offside as he shapes to shoot.

8.56pm BST

50 min: Vokes tries to spin Considine in the area, but falls over. Burnley claim a penalty but there’s nothing in the challenge. The crowd naturally don’t agree, and there’s a sense of seething injustice bubbling away in Turf Moor right now.

8.55pm BST

49 min: It’s a very open match right now. Gudmundsson romps into acres down the right. He’s got Barnes in the middle, unmarked, screaming for the ball to be rolled to his feet. That eventually happens, but far too late, and Hoban is on hand to block the eventual shot. Gudmundsson’s hesitation cost Burnley a goal there.

8.53pm BST

47 min: Early signs that Sean Dyche has delivered the mother and father of all bollockings to his team. Because they launch another fierce attack, Vokes heading down for Gudmundsson, cutting in from the right. Gudmundsson sends a first-time shot whistling towards the bottom right; Lewis does very well to turn it round the post. Nothing comes from the corner, but Burnley are back!

8.52pm BST

46 min: Burnley go straight at Aberdeen. Barnes nearly flicks Vokes free, then the move breaks down when Vokes and Lowton get their wires crossed.

8.50pm BST

And we’re off again! Burnley have made a change. The goalscorer Wood is injured and has been replaced by Ashley Barnes. Aberdeen keep Burnley waiting again, but finally turn up - to a chorus of pantomime booing. Eventually the visitors set the ball rolling once more. If there’s no scoring in this second half, we’ll be heading to extra time and possibly penalty kicks. God I miss the World Cup.

8.39pm BST

Half-time reading ... and what’s this? Another reason for Sean Dyche to simmer?

Related: Transfer roundup: West Brom reject Burnley’s £16m bid for Jay Rodriguez

8.36pm BST

Shinnie sends a low fizzer towards the bottom left of Burnley’s goal. Lindegaard tips round the post brilliantly. From the corner, Cosgrove gets a header on target, forcing Vokes to clear for another corner. And then there’s some penalty-box shoving to end the half. Derek McInnes runs off happily, Sean Dyche is on a rolling boil. This is poised perfectly for a wonderful second half!

8.33pm BST

45 min: Aberdeen get away with a big one here! Wood goes chasing after a long ball down the left. It’s a footrace with McKenna. The pair shoulder barge each other. Both fall to the ground. Wood’s going to get up first and tear clear on goal ... so McKenna makes sure he falls into his road, dragging the striker down. That could easily have been a free kick and a red card ... but it’s a free kick to Aberdeen!

8.31pm BST

44 min: Burnley haven’t done too much in attack of late. Mee chips forward for Vokes, who chests down on the edge of the box, hoping to set up Wood. But Vokes has wandered miles offside.

8.30pm BST

42 min: Hoban should be booked for a late lunge on Lennon, but for the second time tonight, the referee strangely opts to keep his cards in his pocket. That’s one each, look at it that way.

8.29pm BST

40 min: There’s palpable tension around Turf Moor now, as Aberdeen make a proper game of this. Cosgrove tries to beat Lindegaard from 40 yards. The whistle had already gone for offside, and the home fans yell in irritation. One assumes they’re really venting spleen at their own side’s sudden drift.

8.26pm BST

38 min: The increasingly influential Mackay-Steven, once of Liverpool and Celtic, floats a teasing cross into the Burnley box from the right. Considine, making his presence felt at the far post, rises above Mee and sends a header across the face of goal and wide right.

8.25pm BST

37 min: Aberdeen press Burnley back. Mackay-Steven slips McGinn into space down the left. McGinn’s cross is too deep, but Logan tries again from the other flank. Burnley half clear yet again. McGinn has a whack from 20 yards; it’s blocked.

8.23pm BST

36 min: Now it’s Aberdeen’s turn to stroke the ball around. They’re not going anywhere fast, but then that’s not really the point. They’ve done extremely well to work their way back into this tie.

8.21pm BST

34 min: Turf Moor has gone a little quiet since the equaliser. Burnley fans are a little nervous, as Aberdeen see a little more of the ball. The away support is in full party mode, mind.

8.19pm BST

32 min: A brief scrappy scuffle in the Aberdeen box nearly allows Vokes a shot from 12 yards. But eventually the ball’s hacked clear. There’s surely more goals in this game. It’s open and very entertaining.

8.18pm BST

31 min: Lennon wins a corner down the right. Gudmundsson curls the set piece towards the near post, where Tarkowski flashes just wide of the top right. A decent response by the home side to the shock of conceding, having been in a totally dominant position.

8.17pm BST

29 min: As things stand, we’re going to extra time. On the touchline, Sean Dyche goes into nuclear meltdown. They failed to clear a set piece, and it’s cost them. Most uncharacteristic.

8.16pm BST

What a goal! Burnley half-clear the corner. So Mackay-Steven comes down the left and loops into the area. Burnley fail to clear with any conviction. A header by Wood drops to 18-year-old Lewis Ferguson, playing only his second game for the club. He’s got his back to goal, 12 yards out, level with the left-hand post. And he sends a bicycle kick into the top corner! Wow!

8.14pm BST

26 min: Aberdeen are beginning to grow into this match. Considine passes down the left flank to release McGinn. Tarkowski slides in to block for a corner. From which ...

8.13pm BST

25 min: A half-arsed appeal for a penalty by Burnley, as Lennon scampers into the box from the right and tries to dink the ball past Hoban. There’s too much on it, and it’s going out of play. The defender stands his ground, the pair come together, and Lennon goes over. He’s not getting that. Goal kick.

8.11pm BST

23 min: The corner is a total waste of time, hoicked straight out of play by McGinn.

8.10pm BST

22 min: The first passage of Aberdonian play that means something: Considine works some space down the left, and hooks into the box. Shinnie, on the penalty spot, eyebrows on to Mackay-Steven, who is in a bit of space. He chests down and shoots, but takes too much time about it, and Ward deflects the ball out for a corner.

8.08pm BST

21 min: Ward comes through the back of the slippery Mackay-Steven. It should be a yellow card, but it’s not.

8.07pm BST

20 min: Burnley stroke it around the back like an even-more-patient Barcelona. They have total control of this match right now.

8.05pm BST

18 min: Ferguson glides in from the Aberdeen left and has a crack from a very ambitious distance. Nope.

8.04pm BST

16 min: Space for Gudmundsson down the left. He curls low towards the near post, where Wood lurks. Hoban does well to nip in front of the striker and clear. Then another phase of Burnley attack, as Ward launches long from the left-back position. Wood and Vokes combine on the edge of the area, but the former was offside and might have handled as he set about teeing his partner up for a shot.

8.02pm BST

14 min: Burnley look extremely comfortable. Aberdeen try to disrupt their flow by instigating a game of head tennis in the centre circle. It gets momentarily scrappy but the visitors can’t benefit from the chaos.

7.59pm BST

12 min: Aberdeen show in attack for the first time. Mackay-Steven cuts in from the right and looks to thread a shot into the bottom right from 20 yards. It’s blocked on the edge of the area and easily cleared, but it’s something to build a little confidence. Goodness knows Aberdeen need it after a shaky start.

7.58pm BST

10 min: A goal for Aberdeen, and we’d be set for extra time. But 1-1 is the only result that’ll give us an extra 30 minutes. “As a man who grew up following the Schmeichel-era Reds, I’ll always have a soft spot for (pretty much) any of our keepers,” writes Massimo Taibi and Andy Goram fan Barry Bryan. “I’d lost track of old Anders, glad he’s back in the big time. Maybe not good enough to be number one when de Gea was developing, but a solid keeper.”

7.56pm BST

8 min: More scrappy play in the midfield nearly allows Wood to scamper free down the right this time. McKenna is on hand to put a stop to the striker’s gallop. Aberdeen are rocking.

7.55pm BST

This is so simple. Aberdeen lose the ball in the middle of the park. Westwood immediately chips it forward, sending Wood clear of McKenna. Lewis comes out to close Wood down, but the striker spins off him, takes a touch to the left, and slams a finish high into the net. A fine finish, but Aberdeen’s defence was all over the show there.

7.52pm BST

4 min: Cork drops into the pocket, probing, and is this close to sending Vokes clear down the middle. McKenna senses the danger very well, coming across to intercept at the very last minute.

7.50pm BST

3 min: Burnley are dominating the ball in these early exchanges. They’re concentrating a lot on their left wing; Wood is very nearly sent scampering down the flank, but he thinks he’s offside so checks his run. Lewis blooters clear.

7.48pm BST

1 min: It’s not long before Vokes wins a header down the left, and nearly sends Wood free into the box. That took 15 seconds or so. Logan is on hand to clear for a throw. From that, Ward seriously overcooks a cross and Lewis plucks from the sky. There’s a statement of intent, though.

7.47pm BST

Here we go, then! The hosts get the ball rolling. A huge roar crashes around this storied old stadium. Glorious bedlam. The travelling Dons support are giving it plenty.

7.43pm BST

The teams are out! Burnley sport their famous claret and blue. Aberdeen - who kept their hosts waiting awhile in the tunnel - wear shiny second-choice white shirts. There’s a pleasingly boisterous old-school atmosphere; Turf Moor has waited a long time for this. We’ll be off in a minute!

7.36pm BST

Derek McInnes is happy to talk, however. “When the draw was made it’s the type of tie you’d expect when you get to the group stage, such is the level of our opponent. But once the ball rolls, as we saw last week, it was a very even match. We got off to a good start, we fed off the crowd, and our team were very good, very aggressive. Burnley dominated the ball in the second half, without causing us too many problems, but they did deserve their equaliser. Now the game’s finely balanced. It’s a cup tie. Through our experiences in Europe, we know that against the better teams you need two decent performances. One isn’t enough. So we’re halfway there. We’re pleased about last week, but we know what we have to do. We’ve won at difficult places before. Even domestically we’ve won at Ibrox and Celtic Park recently. We back ourselves to come here and score. Europe is important for Aberdeen, we have a strong tradition. If we can beat the team who finished seventh in the Premier League, that would be as good as anything we’ve done recently.”

7.27pm BST

Sean Dyche won’t be giving a pre-match interview to BT Sport. He’s got work to do. In place of platitudinous patter, here’s our season preview for Burnley.

Related: Premier League 2018-19 preview No 4: Burnley

7.07pm BST

Anders Lindegaard takes over in the Burnley goal, having come on in the first leg when Nick Pope injured his shoulder. There’s one other change from their first-leg starting XI: goalscoring hero Sam Vokes takes the place of midfielder Jeff Hendrick, who drops to the bench. Also note: the club have been given dispensation from Uefa to name fourth-choice netminder Adam Legzdins as a sub. He hadn’t been named in their European squad, but all the keepers started dropping like flies, so here we are.

Just the one change made by Aberdeen from the first leg. Andrew Considine slots into the defence, replacing Dominic Ball, who is one of tonight’s subs.

6.58pm BST

Burnley: Lindegaard, Lowton, Mee, Tarkowski, Ward, Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, Lennon, Wood, Vokes.
Subs: Legzdins, Taylor, Barnes, Hendrick, Bardsley, Long, McNeil.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Devlin, McKenna, Considine, Hoban, Ferguson, Shinnie, Mackay-Steven, Cosgrove, McGinn.
Subs: Cerny, Forrester, Gleeson, Wright, May, Ball, Campbell.

6.55pm BST

And now a nod to Aberdeen’s greatest moment on the European stage. No prizes.

Related: The Joy of Six: Great European upsets | Paul Doyle and John Ashdown

6.52pm BST

This is the first European tie at Turf Moor for 51 years. Back in 1966-67, young winger Ralph Coates was the star turn in a side that made it to the quarter-finals of the old Fairs Cup, knocking out Stuttgart and Napoli along the way. Eintracht Frankfurt were their eventual conquerors. Previous to that, Burnley contested in the 1960-61 European Cup as English champions. The highlight of that run saw manager Harry Potts instigate a donnybrook against Reims, running on to the pitch and moving a hotly contested free-kick ten yards back. He was marched to the stands by a gendarme, as rocks and stones whizzed past his ears. He spent the rest of the match absentmindedly kicking the poor bugger sat next to him, as he nervously played along. Burnley eventually saw off Reims, then went out in the quarters against Hamburg. Sean Dyche has a lot to live up to.

6.02pm BST

Aberdeen are up against it tonight. The 1983 Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup winners need a result at Turf Moor, home of the 1960-61 European Cup quarter-finalists and 1978-79 Anglo-Scottish Cup champions Burnley. A score draw at least. Problem for them is, the Clarets have won all four of their previous matches at home against Scottish opposition. By an aggregate score of 16-1. How relevant is that statistic to tonight’s showdown, seeing the last of those games was a win over Celtic in that aforementioned Anglo-Scottish Cup of 40 years ago? Logically, not very. But you know football’s habit of repeating itself.

The first leg at Pittodrie was closely contested. The second-best team in Scotland were on top in the first half, Gary Mackay-Steven putting the Dons ahead from the penalty spot after 19 minutes. The seventh-best team in England came back strongly in the second period, and deservedly equalised through Sam Vokes with ten minutes remaining. So here we are. It’s the second leg of the second qualifying round for the Europa League. It’s perfectly poised, with İstanbul Başakşehir awaiting the winner. It’s on!

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Making thinly disguised threats to flounce off in the righteous style | The Fiver

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Newcastle United are past masters at getting themselves into easily avoidable relegation trouble. And already it looks like history is in danger of repeating itself for the north-east giants. The team hasn’t been playing well in pre-season, while the club’s activity in the transfer market has been the usual flabby and flatulent fiasco. Rafa Benítez has again been promised a table, but this time he’s not even getting a lamp. So the hopes and dreams of the ever-beleaguered but always passionate Toon faithful are once more extinguished, like a roaring fire suddenly doused with a 12-pint blanket of the richest vodka-flavoured vomit.

Related: ‘I’m really worried’: Rafael Benítez concerned over Newcastle’s outlook

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Internationally recognised mimes for spittle-flecked dissatisfaction | The Fiver

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The Fiver isn’t exactly breaking exclusive news by pointing out that José Mourinho is a bit miffed right now. You could understand, just about, the reason for him walking around with a face on after his Manchester United side lost a training kickabout against Liverpool. But now his players have beaten Real Madrid, which according to playground rules makes them either the champions of Europe or the third best team in La Liga, not quite as good as Atlético and a whole 17 points worse than Barcelona but a fair bit better than Getafe, Girona and Eibar.

Related: Football League managers to be shown yellow and red cards in new regulations

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The first Battle of Britain not to be televised since the actual Battle of Britain | The Fiver

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It’s the Battle of Britain tonight! Sadly, if you want to watch the big Euro Vase clash between Aberdeen and Burnley and you don’t happen to live near sunny Pittodrie – hey, we’re grabbing the chance to say it while we can – then tough luck. Because it’s not on the television, which is a bit odd and very annoying. Sources close to the Fiver claim that Big Website was going to MBM the match but nobody, not BT Sport, nor Sky, nor STV, nor BBC Scotland, nor BBC Alba, nor that channel showing episodes of Indoor League right now (seriously, get on it) put in a bid. It’s only available via Aberdeen’s own subscription video service. Sources close to the Fiver hear that The Fiver is off to play a round of twilight golf instead.

Related: Financial gulf will not faze Aberdeen in Europa League clash with Burnley

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The Open 2018: second round – live!

Live updates from the second day at CarnoustieOfficial live leaderboardFeel free to email scott.murray@theguardian.com

9.50am BST

Justin Thomas has just missed a tiddler on 4. So golf being golf, he makes one of the putts of the week, a huge 40-feet breaker that right-turns at the top of a ridge and slowly trundles down the hill, straight into the cup. His grin is as wide as the Tay. He’s back to -2. Russell Henley’s vicious downward spiral continues with double bogey at 7, a putt from kick-in distance yipped: he’s +2. And trouble for Tommy Fleetwood at the par-three 8th. He sends his tee shot into a deep bunker front right of the green. He’s not got much room for his backswing, the sand is wet, and he’s shortsided. His splash out is heavy, 25 feet past the hole. But he guides in the right-to-left slider, and salvages his momentum! A magical escape! He remains at -1.

9.40am BST

A fortunate break for Rory, whose second from the deep rough toys with the ditch down the right of the hole. It stays dry, and he’s got a wedge into the green. He arrows it straight at the flag, but there’s a whole load of spin on his ball, and it ends up 30 feet from the flag. He nearly drains the birdie putt, but a sixth par from six holes is fair, given how things panned out. And par golf is fine, because the rain continues to fall heavily, to the extent that scoring may now come at a premium. The later starters - Spieth, Fowler, Rahm, Finau, Reed - will probably get the better of the weather when the rain departs in the afternoon.

9.30am BST

Another tee-box homage to the great Severiano Ballesteros by the performance artist Rory McIlroy. He flays a drive into deep filth down the right of the par-five 6th. That was wild. Shades of Jordan Spieth on the 13th at Birkdale last year. There’s no Titleist truck to get Rory out of bother, though. Up on the green, Russell Henley, who shot a fine 69 yesterday, can’t get up and down from a tight lie over the back: it’s his second bogey of the day, after 2, and he slips back to level par. Back on 4, Justin Thomas pulls a tiddler to hand a shot back to the field: he’s -1 now.

9.22am BST

It’s all going wrong for Jimmy Walker. The 2016 PGA champion started well this morning, with a birde at 2, but he’s followed up bogeys at 3 and 4 with a double-bogey at the par-five 6th, the result of topping a shot into a bunker. Hey, we’ve all done it. Zach Johnson could do some serious business this week, though: it’s back-to-back birdies for the 2015 Open champ, the latest at 4. He’s -3 and just a couple off the lead.

9.18am BST

Molinari is one dimple away from making a second birdie in a row, but his 15-footer on 3 stops tantalisingly on the edge. The Quicken Loans and BMW PGA champ is making chances, though. He’s only got one top-ten finish at the Open to his name - at Muirfield in 2013 - but he’s in great form right now. Those wins on both tours, plus recent second places either side of the Atlantic, and this could be his time. A tie for second at last year’s PGA, too, it’s easy to forget. “I emigrated from Scotland to Lancashire several years back and discovered that a local delicacy was the Pie Floater,” reports Allan Knox. “The pie with variable contents would be put in a soup dish and float in gravy, gravy and mushy peas, or even tomato soup! Hopefully, readers that attend the Women’s Open in a few weeks time at Royal Lytham will get a chance to try this delicacy out.” Well that’s breakfast sorted. Back in a minute.

9.10am BST

Zach Johnson repairs the damage of the opening hole with birdie at 3. The king of St Andrews in 2015 is back to -2. Jason Day, who just missed out on the play-off that year, recorded a quiet level-par 71 yesterday, and has birdied 2 this morning to move to -1. And Charley Hoffman, who operates on the fringes of just about every major title challenge these days, prepares to launch another bid: an early birdie for the late-blooming Californian at 2, and he’s -1.

9.04am BST

Birdie for the hotly-tipped Francesco Molinari at 2: he moves to -2. There should be one for Brendan Steele on 3, as well, but he pushes a tiddler wide right, and remains at -3. The scoring seems a bit better this morning, a combination of friendlier pin placements and softer greens, the players able to attack the flags and retain greater control of their ball.

8.56am BST

Another birdie for Tommy Fleetwood, who is beginning to motor! Royal Birkdale’s favourite son makes it at 5, and he’s risen to -1. Unfortunately his partner, the 2016 champion Henrik Stenson, is heading the wrong way at some pace, dropping his third stroke of the day. He started off in a very healthy position after yesterday’s one-under 70, but things aren’t looking so rosy now at +2. Meanwhile the umbrellas are going up as the rain comes down a little bit harder.

8.52am BST

Dustin Johnson needs to do a bit of work if he’s to make the cut, having shot 76 yesterday, melting down with a out-of-bounds triple on 18. He’s started the repair job well, with birdie at 3: he’s +4. Birdie for Marc Leishman at 4; he’s level par. And it’s a par for his playing partner Rory, who has started out in the street-fighting fashion. What he’d give for a nice calm birdie, though. “Walker ‘makes a bit of a hash of escaping’ from ‘a pot bunker’ (8.30am)? Bet he felt like a dope,” quips

Cheech Marin
Justin Horton.

8.46am BST

Rory’s short game is reminiscent of Seve at the moment. Unfortunately so is his driving. He’s just flayed his tee shot at 4 into the rough down the right. Fortunately he’s able to lash a wedge through the tall stuff and send his ball trundling onto the green. He’ll have a 25-footer for an unlikely birdie.

Related: Rory McIlroy relives teenage kicks with freewheeling first round at Open | Andy Bull

8.40am BST

McIlroy takes out the Texas Wedge, putting through a swale. He’s up onto the green, and his ball nestles a couple of feet away from the flag. He saves his par. That’s another sensational up and down. He’s joined at -2 by Olesen, who converts his birdie chance. Zach Johnson drops a shot at the 1st to slip back to -1. Cameron Davis hands back the shot he picked up on 7 immediately, with bogey at 8: he’s -1. Henrik Stenson drops his second shot of the day at 4: he’s +2. But going in the correct direction: US Open hero Tommy Fleetwood, who birdies 4 to bring himself up to level par for the championship.

8.36am BST

From the centre of the 3rd fairway, McIlroy wedges over the green. That’s a poor mistake from such a good spot. His partners Olesen and Leishman show up his error by peppering the flagstick, albeit lightly. Speaking of food, here’s Simon McMahon, native of Dundee, half an hour up the road, with the lowdown on the local cuisine: “BBQ pork shoulder or pimento cheese doesn’t normally form part of the Scottish diet, and unfortunately nor does Hamburger Helper, so can I recommend a Dundee pie, or as the locals say, peh, to keep you sustained during another long day of hole-by-holing. You can put pretty much anything you like in said pie, a thin pastry shell filled with various fillings depending on time of day. A breakfast pie might include, say, sausage, egg and beans whereas your lunch pie could involve macaroni cheese or smoked fish from up the road in Arbroath, and your teatime pie steak and gravy, or chicken curry. If you’re really hungry you can put the pie on a roll. Alternatively, a can of beer and a fag are popular at all times.” Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch ain’t got nuttin’ on this.

8.30am BST

Up on 3, Jimmy Walker gets an unlucky bounce that takes him into a greenside pot bunker, then makes a bit of a hash of escaping. He gets his ball up onto the green, but only just, having given up on his downswing, and can’t hole his long par putt. He’s +1. Henrik Stenson sends his second to six feet, but can’t make the birdie putt: he’s level. And Tommy Fleetwood hideously misreads his birdie effort, but makes the six-footer he’d left himself for par; he’s +1. Another birdie for Cameron Davis, at 7, and he’s -2.

8.24am BST

McIlroy’s got an awful lie, standing in the rough above the green. But he plays an exquisite bump down the bank, landing on the fringe and rolling it to a couple of feet. That’s a lovely touch, and he’s saved his par. He’s -2. His playing partner and fellow Manchester United fan Thorbjorn Olesen makes par to stay at -1. Completing the group: par for Marc Leishman, football allegiance unknown, who remains at +1.

8.15am BST

Rory’s struggling his way down 2. He hooks his drive into deep rough along the left, halfway up a bank, and then sends his second into equally thick stuff to the right of the green. He’s not too far from the flag, but up another wee bank and there’s not a whole load of green to play with on that side. That’ll test his short game.

8.06am BST

Henrik Stenson drops a shot on 2, the result of finding sand with his drive and being forced to wedge out sideways. His third into the green was just fine, setting up a chance to escape with a par, but he pushed his putt from ten feet, it was never going in. He’s back to level par. As is his playing partner Jimmy Walker, coming the other way: he birdies. Back on 1, Rory McIlroy is out. After a booming drive, he’s on the green in two, 12 feet from the flag. He can’t make his birdie putt though, a bit tentative, and stays there at -2.

8.00am BST

Ryan Moore reads a left-to-right curler from 30 feet on 3 perfectly. Birdie, and he’s the first player to shake up the overnight leaderboard. An opening-hole birdie for Russell Henley, too, and he’s instantly up to -2.

-5: Kisner
-4: Moore (3), van Rooyen, Finau, Lombard
-3: Steele, Stone

7.55am BST

Matthew Fitzpatrick is out and about. Not much to report yet, other than to note that both his caddy and that of amateur Jovan Rebula were tugging away heartily on cigarettes as they made off down the hole, a refreshingly old-school look. Memories of Ian Woosnam’s legendary bagman Miles Byrne. More innocent times.

Related: The Joy of Six: Open nightmares | Scott Murray

7.46am BST

Fleetwood gets up and down from the back of 1 for his par. He remains at +1. Pars for Stenson and Walker, too: they’re -1 and +1 respectively. Steady. Elsewhere, it’s been a fast start today by Cameron Davis. The 23-year-old Australian is playing in his first Open Championship, a benefit of winning his home title last year. Davis posted a level-par 71 yesterday: he’s made birdie at 2 to move to -1 for the tournament. And another par for Ryan Moore, at 2; he remains at -3.

7.40am BST

Tommy Fleetwood takes to the first tee, and unsheathes the big stick. He batters it down the track, but it’s clear there’s not going to be the bonus yardage of yesterday: the rain has slowed down the fairways. His wedge in only just holds the fringe at the back of the green. His playing partners Henrik Stenson and Jimmy Walker, major champions both, set up decent birdie opportunities.

7.30am BST

While we’re waiting for the course to become fully populated with the world’s best players ... there’s time to catch up on yesterday’s action. Here’s Ewan Murray’s first-round report.

Related: Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth fail to shine as lesser Open lights sparkle

7.25am BST

Ryan Moore shot a fine 68 yesterday afternoon. He’s out very early this morning, and isn’t enjoying the opening hole. He’s pushed his tee shot into the rough down the right, then sent a flyer through the green into an awkward tuft of grass at the back. He’ll have his work cut out to get up and down from there. But he bumps out beautifully to ten feet, and scrambles his par. That’s a great save after a very shaky start. He remains at -3. But an early sign already that a freshly watered Carnousite will set some additional posers: less distance, more troublesome rough.

7.15am BST

Good morning Carnoustie! Well, summer’s gone. For a day or two, anyway. The sunshine of yesterday has given way to dreich drizzle: the umbrellas are up, and the weatherproof jackets are on. It’s forecast to be cloudy for most of the day, with some heavy bursts of rain possible in the morning. The wind should pick up to 15mph at times. While we’re not expecting to see much of the sun, the conditions are likely to ease off a little in the afternoon. So there’s more to think about, in the true links style, with Carnoustie’s honour defended by the weather. The course hasn’t taken a proper soaking, though, so should still be running pretty fast ... just not as fast as yesterday. The Open in Scotland: just the way it should be!

8.32pm BST

Preambles are so Thursday. We’ve got another long day ahead of us, so let’s get straight down to business.

The top of the leaderboard after the first round ...

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The Open 2018: first round – live!

Live updates from the opening day at CarnoustieGet the latest updates from the official leaderboardDavid Leadbetter’s course guide | The key role of Met OfficeAnd feel free to email scott.murray@theguardian.com

9.43am BST

Tyrrell Hatton was highly fancied going into this week, off the back of a top-ten finish at the US Open and a good showing at last week’s Scottish Open. But he’s started out disastrously today: bogeys at 3, 5, 6 and now 7. He’s propping up the entire leaderboard at +4. Better news for Brandon Stone, who missed an eight-footer to become the first man to shoot 59 on the European Tour last week at Gullane - but won the Scottish Open anyway. He birdies 4 to join a big group at -1.

9.33am BST

And it’s another birdie for Danny Willett at 10! He sends his second straight at the flag, then rolls in the eight-footer with confidence. This is great to watch.

-4: van Rooyen (11)
-3: Southgate (11), Willett (10)
-2: Cantlay (6)

9.30am BST

Rafa Cabrera Bello, going well after an opening-hole birdie, yips from a couple of feet at 5. The ball nearly missed the hole altogether! He’s back to level par. Some positive moves at the top, though: another birdie for Patrick Cantlay at 6, and then Matt Southgate follows birdie at 10 with a monster rake at 11, and suddenly he’s -3. But he’s not top of the tree, because just as Southgate makes it, his playing partner Erik van Rooyen makes his fourth birdie of the day! He was very lucky that his approach didn’t topple into a greenside bunker ... but he took advantage of his break by rolling in a 15-footer. Flat-stick hotness reminiscent of Jean van de Velde in 1999; the denouement to that tournament obscures how many great putts the Frenchman made that week.

9.24am BST

Mickelson is wearing one of those travelling-salesman-style white shirts again. Buttons all the way down the front, collars and cuffs. It doesn’t look comfortable. And you thought the time he deliberately hit the moving ball at Shinnecock Hills was his biggest misjudgement of 2018. He sends his tee shot at 5 into a bunker, and while he does extremely well to smash his second towards the edge of the green, he leaves his chip well short, the ball rolling back down a ridge across the middle. It’s a bogey that drops him back to level par.

9.14am BST

“The players have had a relatively easy whack at the course so far.” So begins Chris Hainey. “Can’t wait for the wind to start picking up to make things more tricky for the players. Looking forward to seeing some random bounces and the course becoming more challenging over the next few days.” Yes, Carnoustie’s defences have been down in these benign conditions, and yet there are only nine players out there under par. It’ll be interesting to see how the later starters fare when the breeze picks up a bit. The latest to join the group at -1: Ross Fisher, with birdie at 6.

9.07am BST

Erik van Rooyen pars 9 and reaches the turn in 33. The South African debutant is certainly hot at the moment. We’ve already spoken of his tie for fourth spot at the Irish Open a fortnight ago, having led after 54 holes. What I neglected to mention was his second round at the Scottish Open last week: though he ended up missing the cut, he carded a 64 on the Friday, following up a 73, a victim of the absurdly low scoring at Gullane as much as anything else. He’s in good nick.

-3: van Rooyen (9)
-2: Willett (8)
-1: Southgate (9), Norris (7), Chappell (6), Cantlay (5), Mickelson (4), Cabrera Bello (4)

9.01am BST

The 2013 champ Phil Mickelson makes his first move. He sends his second at 4 straight at the flag, leaving himself a straight uphill putt from six feet for birdie. In it goes, and he joins a group at -1 now also joined by the up-and-coming Patrick Cantlay, who rolls in a delightful left-to-right putt up and over a hump from 25 feet on 5.

8.55am BST

The first email of the week, and it’s appallingly timed. “Yes Sandy! Yes Scott!! This is an absolute delight for long term Lyle-lovers!!!” writes Euan Hendrie, giddy with excitement at the great man’s confident start, and high on his morning coffee too, I’ll be bound. “The big man should walk this from here. I look forward to today and the rest of the week being a tartan procession. Yes!” And with that, it’s a three-putt bogey for Sandy on 10; he slips back to level par. Oh Euan! How could you!

8.50am BST

The reigning Japan Open champion doesn’t have much of a record in the British equivalent. Yuta Ikeda has competed on six occasions previously, missing the cut four times and never finishing higher than the tie for 38th he managed at St George’s in 2011. But he’s started well today, sending his second at 2 to a couple of feet and tidying up for his birdie. He’s -1, as is South Africa’s Shaun Norris, who finished tied for 62nd on debut at last year’s Open and has just birdied 6.

8.40am BST

Make that a one-shot lead! Because the in-form Danny Willett has just made it three birdies on the bounce, finding the par-five 6th in two big crashes and taking two careful putts. It would be a lovely story if Willett does well here this week; he’s been through the mill since his shock Masters win. Meanwhile a dropped shot for Martin Kaymer at 9, the result of finding the bunker down the right of the fairway with his tee shot. He turns in 36, level par.

-3: van Rooyen (7)
-2: Willett (6)
-1: Lyle (9), Southgate (7), Chappell (4), Cook (4), Cabrera Bello (2)

8.35am BST

Jhonattan Vegas is facing a race against time to make his 10.31am tee time. His entry to the country was held up due to visa issues, his flight has been delayed, and his clubs have been lost in transit. He’ll have to borrow a set if he makes it: he’s coming in from Glasgow by copter. Meanwhile van Rooyen sees a birdie putt stop on the lip at 7, but he wanders off the green smiling anyway. As you would when you’re two shots clear at the Open.

8.26am BST

Erik van Rooyen doesn’t really hit his eagle putt on 6, leaving it four feet short, the ball dying off to the left. But it would be a crime not to pick up at least a stroke after such a good second shot, and he knocks in the par putt to establish a two-shot cushion at the top of the early leaderboard. His former co-leader, Andy Sullivan, makes it back-to-back bogeys at the par-three 8th. He sent his tee shot to the left of the green, then overhit his chip across the putting surface and into a bunker. He gets up and down from the sand to limit the damage. Meanwhile news of some erstwhile Masters champions: par for Mickelson on 1, and another birdie for Willett at 5!

-3: van Rooyen (6)
-1: Lyle (8), Kaymer (8), Southgate (6), Willett (5), Chappell (4), Cook (3), Pieters (2), Cabrera Bello (1)

8.21am BST

It’s been a good year for Satoshi Kodaira so far. The 28-year-old from Tokyo won his first PGA Tour event, the RBC Heritage, pipping Kim Si-Woo in a play-off. But he’s never done well at the Open, missing the cut at Muirfield in 2013 and Troon three years later. On the 1st hole, he’s in a greenside bunker and staring at a high face. So he elects to chip out sideways ... then fluffs the shot and leaves his ball in the sand. He takes the harder route second time round, and ends up with an opening bogey. The first sandy meltdown of the week; it won’t be the last. Meanwhile at 6, the first eagle of the week is carded by Matt Southgate, who curls in a big right-to-left breaker at 6. He’s -1.

8.15am BST

Andy Sullivan pays the price for a poor tee shot at 7. He sends it into the thick stuff down the right, then gets a flyer through the green with his second. A long way off the back, he can’t get up and down and slips back to -1. Meanwhile on 5, Erik van Rooyen appears to be in the zone. He whip-cracks a long iron into the heart of the green, and will have a look at eagle from 25 feet or so. All of a sudden, the South African debutant could have a little cushion at the top of the leaderboard.

8.09am BST

Thomas Pieters has unleashed the driver at the opening hole. Belt! He crashes it 393 yards, into the heart of the green, and very nearly holes the 40-footer for eagle. He taps in for an easy-as-you-like opening birdie. So continues a good week for Belgian sport. Back on the tee, Phil Mickelson plays it more conservatively by cracking an iron down the middle. And some good news for the only Englishman to win the Masters in the last two decades! Danny Willett birdies 4 to move back to level par. Willett finished in a tie for sixth at St Andrews three years ago; what he’d give for a finish like that this week, to further facilitate his comeback.

8.00am BST

The first look at one of Carnoustie’s two par fives. This one, the 6th, is named after the 1953 champion Ben Hogan, and accordingly brooks no nonsense. Andy Sullivan finds sand with his tee shot and is forced to take his medicine and chip out. He’s a whisker away from making a 27-foot birdie putt, but par was always the likeliest result. Martin Kaymer hoicks his approach into deep rough to the right of the green but bumps a lovely effort to four feet. That’s a spectacular birdie given where he’d found himself. And Sandy Lyle thrashes his second to the back left of the big green, and lags his long eagle putt to kick-in distance. The great man’s in red figures again!

-2: Sullivan (6), van Rooyen (4)
-1: Lyle (6), Kaymer (6), Chappell (2)

7.48am BST

Lyle is currently using a putter called the Ugly Duckling. He gives it a hard slap around the beak after leaving an uphill 20-footer a good five feet short. Then he pulls the short par putt, and the 1988 Masters champion slips back to level par. Sullivan meanwhile races his lengthy birdie putt ten feet past, but knocks in the return to escape with a par. He remains at -2. And what a gorgeous up-and-down for Kaymer, whose approach took a big kick right into a thick tuft: he fashions a bump through a dip and up onto the green, using a right-to-left slope to gather his ball towards the hole. He gets to 12 feet or so, which is a result from where he was. And in goes the saver. He stays at level par.

7.40am BST

So how do you tame the Beast? David Leadbetter, legendary coach of Nick Faldo, has the answers.

Related: David Leadbetter’s guide to how players can tame Carnoustie

7.32am BST

Emiliano Grillo enjoyed his Open debut a couple of years ago at Troon. The young Argentinian finished in a tie for 12th. He’s started well this time round, clipping his second at 2 to a couple of feet, and knocking in the short birdie putt. He’s -1. Moving the other way: Martin Kaymer, who pulls a miserable short par putt left at 4 to drop back to level par. Good news for the German’s playing partners, though: Andy Sullivan’s second lands right by the flag, while Sandy Lyle spins his approach pin high to eight feet. Both of the birdie putts go in, and the 1985 champ walks off the green with a huge smile playing across his face! He’s one of five players under par right now: the 32-year-old Californian Kevin Chappell, who has a couple of high finishes at the US Open to his name, opens with a long birdie rake across 1.

-2: Sullivan (4), van Rooyen (3)
-1: Lyle (4), Grillo (2), Chappell (1)

7.20am BST

Erik van Rooyen has taken to this major-championship malarkey like a duck to water. Birdie at 2 to go with his opening-hole bird, after neatly tucking away the 12-footer he’d left himself, and he’s at the top of the early leaderboard. The 28-year-old South African qualified after tying for second at the Joburg Open late last year, and obviously enjoys links golf: he tied for fourth spot in the Irish Open at Ballyliffin a fortnight ago, having led the tournament after three rounds. And now look!

-2: van Rooyen (2)
-1: Kaymer (3), Sullivan (3)

7.14am BST

The first bogey of this year’s tournament has been made by Danny Willett. The 2016 Masters champion was on the 1st green in regulation, but raced a long birdie effort six feet past, and pushed his par putt to the right. He trudges off in the annoyed fashion. Willett has been slowly feeling his way back to a little form, with top-ten finishes in Italy and Ireland, plus a solid showing last week in the Scottish Open at Gullane. But that’s a poor start on a course that’s defenceless right now; there’s not a breath of wind.

7.10am BST

While the rough may not be at 1999 levels of hell, it doesn’t necessarily mean you want to go in it. Matthew Southgate, who finished in a tie for sixth last year at Birkdale, sent his tee shot at 1 into thick nonsense down the left, then got his club turned by the wispy grass as he wedged for the green. That sent his ball into trouble back left of the dancefloor, but he did very well to get up and down in two for his par.

7.05am BST

There’s going to be some wind coming up around midday. So these early starters will want to fill their boots. Sullivan shaves the hole at 2 with another birdie putt; his partner Kaymer joins him in the very early lead at -1 after knocking his second to six feet. Another par for Sandy, who remains at level. Sullivan and Kaymer are joined at the top of an admittedly not large pile by debutant Erik van Rooyen: the South African eased his approach at 1 to a couple of feet, and finished the job as expected. That’s not a bad way to start your major-championship career.

-1: Kaymer (2), Sullivan (2), van Rooyen (1)
E: Lyle (2), Schnell (1), Southgate (1)

6.56am BST

Lyle bumps a gorgeous chip from the rough to a couple of feet, and tidies up for an opening-hole par. His playing partners are the former US Open and PGA champion Martin Kaymer, somewhat out of form, and Andy Sullivan of England. Kaymer leaves himself a long birdie putt, and gets down in two. Sullivan - who finished high in Ireland recently, but missed the cut last week at Gullane - knocks his second pin high to 15 feet, and then gets a feel for the greens immediately. In goes the birdie putt, and for what it’s worth, let the record state that he’s the first leader of the 147th Open Championship!

-1: Sullivan (1)
E: Lyle (1), Kaymer (1)

6.51am BST

Sandy’s second into 1 isn’t too far from the pin. Unfortunately the pin’s on the right-hand edge of the green, and his ball’s in a tuft of thick stuff, just off. A word on the rough: you wouldn’t necessarily wish to be in it, but it’s not the thick, lush, nightmarish jungle of 1999. The good weather’s seen to that: it’s been burnt to a crisp and is much thinner as a result. No shaft-turning nightmares this week. OK, not so many shaft-turning nightmares this week. But that’ll inform some gung-ho tactics, no doubt, as the place isn’t so penal ... though others will be more than happy to clip irons off the tee and let the fairways, some faster than the greens, do the work, Tiger-at-Hoylake style.

6.40am BST

Good morning, Carnoustie! It’s going to be a beautiful day. It would be a beautiful day if it were forecast to lash with rain and blow up a gale ... it is the first day of the Open after all. But the conditions are special: it’ll be dry with plenty of sunshine. The honour of hitting the first shot at this year’s Championship goes to the 1985 winner Sandy Lyle, who is possibly playing in his last-ever Open: having turned 60 this year, he’ll no longer be eligible next time round. He whip-cracks an iron down the bone-dry, firm, super-fast fairways, and this year’s Open is go!

4.07pm BST

It’s probably not a popular viewpoint, but here goes anyway ... Jean van de Velde did NOT bottle the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. The 33-year-old French journeyman certainly made a grand balls of it, standing in the Barry Burn with his troosers rolled up, his mental mechanism having departed in the same direction as his swing ... oh he made a balls of it all right. But he did NOT bottle it. In fact, that was the whole problem. Standing on the 18th tee with a three-stroke lead, he could have nudged it up the hole carefully and conservatively, and a bogey, or even a double, would have made him only the second French major champion in history, after 1907 Open winner Arnaud Massy. But instead, he wanted to seal the deal “like d’Artagnan”. See, that takes guts. And a commitment to doing things with style. The fact he wasn’t able to see it through is neither here nor there, because sport’s not just about winning: who’ll be talking about the likes of Todd Hamilton or Ben Curtis in a hundred years’ time? Exactly. Jean van de Velde: one of golf’s swashbuckling heroes.

But we are where we are, and it’s a shame that Carnoustie is nowadays synonymous with mental collapse. Sergio threw an Open away here as well, in 2007, though Padraig Harrington tried his level best to hand it him back, finding the Barry Burn twice going up the 72nd. But the thing is, some of the game’s most resilient characters have made great statements here on the Angus coast. It was at Carnoustie where Tom Watson gave lie to the accusation that he was a big-time bottler by landing the 1975 Open. It was on the 14th where Gary Player creamed a 4-wood over the Spectacle bunkers to a couple of feet in 1968, seeing off one Jack Nicklaus. And it was here where Ben Hogan, the Wee Ice Mon, arguably the greatest of all time, won the only Open he ever contested.

Continue reading...

Latest news, final buildup and more: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

All the news and comment on the World Cup’s penultimate dayMarcel Desailly: my friend Deschamps has always been a step aheadJonathan Wilson: four areas where the final can be won and lost

2.03pm BST

Of course we’re not going home now. Because the teamsheets for the third-place final are in! And it promises to be a thoroughly entertaining battle for the Golden Boot: Harry Kane (six goals) is in the England XI, while Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard have been tasked with teeing up a few chances for Romelu Lukaku (four). It’s on ... and Paul Doyle will be following the match in the MBM! So get on over to that ... and thanks for reading this blog on the penultimate day of the 2018 World Cup. Best of luck to England and Belgium this afternoon ... may the best team win!

Related: World Cup 2018 third place play-off: Belgium v England – live!

1.55pm BST

The legacy of Paul the Octopus pt. XXXVIII. You know how these animal prediction things work by now. So this is Buyan, a male Siberian bear at the Royev Ruchey Zoo in Krasnoyarsk. This fluffy little cutie, who would rip off your face without thinking twice about it, has plumped for the Croatian watermelon. So well done, Buyan! Congratulations to the new world champions Croatia, and commiserations to France. Can we all go home now?

1.45pm BST

Song/sock transgressions. Fifa has given the FA a ticking off, after determining that a small minority of fans at the Croatia semi-final sang “political chants”. The FA has also been fined 70,000 Swiss francs (roughly £50,000) after Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling were found guilty of wearing “unauthorised socks”. It’s worth reading that last sentence back, then contemplating the direction the human race is travelling.

1.35pm BST

Just in case you somehow missed it ... the latest David Squires cartoon landed yesterday. As always, it’s a work of art, offsetting the return of Old England with some reasons to be cheerful. And Sam the puppy fetches a present for Donald Trump. Who’s a good boy? Yes you are, yes you are.

Related: David Squires on … the stages of World Cup woe and reasons to be cheerful

1.25pm BST

More on tomorrow’s World Cup final whistler Nestor Pitana. “Is it just me or is he the spit of Captain Hadley, the sadistic prison guard in Shawshank Redemption, played by Clancy Brown?” asks Michael O’Connor. “Perhaps one of the players could curry favour with him by offering to do his taxes, since the modern footballer is an expert in tax efficiency.”

Andy Gordon adds: “The tag line to the movie Nestor Pitana was in is ‘Love is the greatest weapon against injustice’. This will make for an interesting alternative to VAR tomorrow.”

1.15pm BST

More hot Russia 2018 CEO Alexei Sorokin chat! And yes I am just killing time until Belgium-England!

This World Cup has changed the perception of Russia abroad. It showed who we are. We showed ourselves as an open, hospitable, welcoming nation.
We can only think and speculate why didn’t European nations come in huge numbers to support their teams. But the truth of the matter is that on the way they really got a taste of the World Cup.
You see that we did our best to welcome any fans from any country, from any corner of the world.
It changed not only the perception of Russia abroad, it changed us. We now believe that we can. We can play football well, we can organise events of global importance well.

1.04pm BST

Killing The Golden Goose dept. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has already ensured the 2026 World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams. He’s now thinking about getting Qatar to bring that change forward to 2022. But Russia 2018 boss Alexey Sorokin has sounded a note of warning.

It’s important to remember what the country has bid for and planned for.
To change that is not a minor decision that can be made in five minutes. There is a domino effect of going from 32 teams to 48.
It’s more base camps, more flights, it has multiple secondary effects. It will take a lot of specific planning, involving thousands of people. So for now no decision has been taken. It’s been discussed but not agreed.
It’s important to listen to Qatar to find out if their infrastructure is up to it, because they applied for and prepared for 32 teams.
So it’s not about them discussing this with their neighbours, it’s an important decision and it should be between them and Fifa.

12.55pm BST

It’s only a couple of hours until England play the final match of their 2018 adventure. Can they get the better of brilliant Belgium, and post their second-best finish at a World Cup in 68 years of trying? Can Harry Kane seal the deal for the Golden Boot? Or will Belgium’s golden generation record their best World Cup finish ever, besting their famous 1986 fourth-place finishers, Ceulemans, Scifo, Pfaff, Claesen, all that? Dominic Fifield previews the big game (yes it is, don’t listen to the grumblers, there’s no love in their hearts).

Related: England prepared for one last push to claim third place against Belgium | Dominic Fifield

12.45pm BST

Here’s Marcel Desailly on his good friend and fellow 1998 champion Didier Deschamps. The France boss is attempting to join Mario Zagallo (Brazil: 1958 and 1962; 1970) and Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany: 1974; 1990) in winning the World Cup as both player and manager.

I am confident that, 20 years after Didier won the World Cup as France captain, he will lift the trophy again as our manager.

Related: My friend Didier Deschamps has always been a step ahead | Marcel Desailly

12.35pm BST

The World Cup final referee. Nestor Pitana, a 43-year-old Argentinian PE teacher and former actor who appeared in a 1997 action flick called The Fury, takes charge of the big match tomorrow. It brings the tournament full circle, rather neatly, for he was the whistler in the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia. He’s dealt with both of the finalists already, taking charge of the second-round Croatia-Denmark game, and France’s quarter-final win over Uruguay, during which he managed to calm down a brouhaha sparked by Kylian Mbappe’s play-acting and Diego Godin’s straight-talking reaction to it. If he can stop the magnificently belligerent Uruguayans from kicking off in a comic-book cloud of boots and fists, he can pretty much cope with anything, you have to think.

12.25pm BST

More BREAKING NEWS from the REAL WORLD ... if the Premier League counts as the real world, of course. It’s all about context I guess. Anyway, it’s a busy day at Stamford Bridge, because Chelsea have just announced the signing of Italian international Jorginho from Napoli. It looked like the 26-year-old midfielder was on his way to Manchester City, but he’s been enticed to west London instead. He speaks via the medium of the press release:

I am absolutely ecstatic to be here at Chelsea. It is not easy to become part of such a big team so I am very, very happy. I am excited to play in such an intense league, for a team that gives everything to play and win.

12.20pm BST

Kane and the very able Subasic. Richie Patterson explains: “Just seen this ...

They say is was a mistake from @HKane but the true is that save from @SubasicDanijel was the best save of all @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/QDcD7tMi1M

12.10pm BST

Tactics guru Jonathan Wilson was scribbling furiously on his chalkboard ahead of tomorrow’s big game ... and then he drifted off into an extremely pleasant reverie, as he considered how the midfields of France and Croatia could produce a very dreamy encounter indeed. Here’s his take on how the big game could pan out.

Related: France v Croatia: four areas where the World Cup final can be won and lost | Jonathan Wilson

12.00pm BST

Croatia become the 13th country to play in a World Cup final tomorrow. (Germany and West Germany being the same thing in the eyes of Fifa.) They’ll be the fourth to feature in just one, after Sweden, England and Spain. And they’ll be the second smallest nation to contest football’s biggest match: Uruguay’s population was only a smidgen over two million in 1930 and 1950. Anyway, who doesn’t love a list? So here we go. World Cup final appearances (and yes, yes, it was a final pool in 1950, but you know how that effectively panned out):

8: Germany (1954, 1966, 1974, 1982, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2014)
7: Brazil (1950, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 1998, 2002)
6: Italy (1934, 1938, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006)
5: Argentina (1930, 1978, 1986, 1990, 2014)
3: France (1998, 2006, 2018)
3: Netherlands (1974, 1978, 2010)
2: Uruguay (1930, 1950)
2: Hungary (1938, 1954)
2: Czechoslovakia (1934, 1962)
1: England (1966)
1: Spain (2010)
1: Sweden (1958)
1: Croatia (2018)

11.45am BST

The bronze curse. “Is Gareth Southgate aware of the third-placed-team curse when it comes to qualifying for the next European Championship?” wonders Admir Pajic. “Italy 1990, Sweden 1994, Croatia 1998, Turkey 2002 and Holland 2014 have all missed the next Euro after winning the bronze medal at the World Cup. Of course, Germany have been immune on that one - they qualified for Euro 2008 and 2012 respectively despite finishing third at the World Cup. So, if you see Kyle Walker acting like he is not a natural central defender when he faces Romelu Lukaku today, remember it might be a part of the tactics!”

That’s interesting ... very interesting, as the great Barry Davies might say. And a quick look back further only serves to reinforce your point, Admir. France came third in 1986, and didn’t make Euro 88, while Poland finished third in 1982, but failed to reach Euro 84. Before that? Brazil were the third-placed team in 1978, and it would be pretty harsh to criticise them for not competing at Euro 80. Before that, the Euro finals were a four-team affair, so it’s probably not quite as relevant. Memo to Gareth and Bobby M: beware that bronze medal!

11.35am BST

Harry Kane could be coming home with the Golden Boot. But a couple of other England players already have a personal triumph chalked up. Congratulations to Eric Dier and Fabian Delph, head tennis champions of the world!

11.20am BST

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic has been on the talk. And he’s been specifically discussing the fitness of his players, who have been through the mill against Denmark, Russia and England.

Tomorrow is the World Cup final. Simply the players know what that is. One thing that brings me happiness is that all my players tell whether they are not 100 per cent fit.
We have a such a good relationship that they will concede and say that I am not fit, I’m going to miss the final. They know what is at stake in the final, how great it is to play in the final. But if they will be unable to give their all they will tell us.
I expect them to do so, they need to have such an attitude.
We do not insist on practice sessions. We have nothing to practice. We need relaxation, rest to regain freshness for tomorrow. We have some minor injuries, minor problems.
I hope we will overcome those today and that all my players will be ready to play in the final. If they’re not we have great players on the bench who are raring to go.
I’m not worried. I do not have any problems in that respect.

11.10am BST

While we’re back on the subject of club football, which we were, sort of, here’s more from the REAL WORLD! And Paul Wilson’s had his say on Chelsea’s appointment of Maurizio Sarri, as it could lead to an uncharacteristic period of managerial stability for the club. To illustrate ...

The last Chelsea manager to last five years was Dave Sexton, who took over from the equally durable Tommy Docherty.

Related: Maurizio Sarri looks like a subtle change of direction for Chelsea

11.00am BST

So Germany’s reign as world champions will end in approximately 31 hours’ time, when either France or Croatia take their crown. But what of Jogi Löw’s men? The heroes of Brazil ‘14 became villains in Russia ‘18, none more so than Mesut Özil in the eyes of many. He’s been cast in the role of scapegoat for Germany’s failure, so much so that his new club boss Unai Emery has pledged to give him all the support that’s necessary at this difficult time.

Related: Arsenal’s Unai Emery offers Mesut Özil support after demoralising World Cup

10.50am BST

The Croatian diaspora. Joe Gorman reports on how Croats the world over will celebrate their country’s appearance in tomorrow’s final.

For those who can’t get to Croatia, there will be a crowd of thousands at the Melbourne Croatia soccer club, the Croatian Catholic church in Sunshine, and other Croatian community centres around Australia. Patriotic songs such as Lijepa Li Si, Moja Domovina, and Malo Nas Je Al’ Nas Ima will be sung just as loudly in Sydney or Melbourne as they are in Zagreb, Split, or Moscow.

Related: 'We can share in the joy': World Cup unites Croatia and Australian diaspora

10.40am BST

The young ones. Ed Aarons has run the rule over this World Cup’s freshest talent, and selected an XI accordingly.

Related: Golden boys: the World Cup’s best XI of players aged 23 or under | Ed Aarons

10.30am BST

In lieu of England making another World Cup final ... you might want to relive their one and only appearance in the big one. Here’s how the 1966 final unfolded, in real time, sort of.

Related: World Cup final 1966: England v West Germany – as it happened

10.20am BST

More REAL WORLD news. A good feature, this, seeing nothing much is happening because nearly everyone’s gone home. “Actually, the Scottish League Cup actually started in earnest last night, with the mighty Killie playing out a thrilling 0-0 draw with St Mirren,” reports Stephen Black. “No boring extra-time, instead straight to penalties which probably weren’t necessary, seeing as Killie have a penalty shootout record which even England would mock. Inevitably, St Mirren took the bonus point, and even this early on in the season you’ll be hard pressed to see a worse effort from the spot than Gary Dicker’s.” Waddlesque!

10.10am BST

The romantics can’t lose tomorrow. Either the teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe becomes the Pele de nos jours, or a country of 4.5 million people win the biggest prize in football. Who do you pick? It’s not an easy choice, is it. The great Brazil striker Marta makes her call ...

Related: World Cup final: my head says France but my heart says Croatia | Marta

10.00am BST

On the subject of actually enjoying football, and to hell with how the cynics insist you should go about your business ... you’ll love this fine column from Paul MacInnes, reflecting on the way Gareth Southgate’s side reintroduced innocent concepts such as fun, excitement and glee to the nation.

Related: This England team understood power of enjoyment – and it came home | Paul MacInnes

9.50am BST

Whatever happens in the third-place game this afternoon, it’s fair to say England have enjoyed a wonderful World Cup. The future is bright! OK, so this is exactly what everyone thought in 1990, and look what happened in the World Cup after that. But England have plenty of hot talent coming through, and in any case there’s nothing wrong with harbouring a little hope, getting carried away is the whole point of sport. This upbeat piece from Dominic Fifield will hopefully get you dreaming once more.

Related: Even brighter England future? Players who could break through and shine

9.40am BST

BREAKING NEWS from the REAL WORLD ... BREAKING NEWS from the REAL WORLD ... Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri as their new manager. That’s a nice new shirt Chelsea will be wearing this season. A subtle nod to the Dixon-Speedie-Nevin years.

Related: Maurizio Sarri appointed as Chelsea head coach on three-year contract

9.35am BST

Moray-based excessive concern with minor details. “At the risk of being a complete pedant,” begins complete pedant Matt Taylor, “Elgin are one of the few teams who wouldn’t be travelling north to play Ross County. It’s pretty much due west from Elgin to Dingwall.” Yes, fair point, well made. My mum’s from Portknockie, a few miles down the road from Elgin. She’d give me a clip round the ear for that mistake. Fortunately for me, she’s not on the internet. Anyway, Matt thankfully gets us back to the subject in hand, that being the small matter of the World Cup. “In terms of the anti-final, I am wildly oscillating between not remotely caring about the match and getting quite excited for what is usually an entertaining game with a few goals. So cue a stodgy 0-0.”

9.25am BST

For the record ... here’s the World Cup leading scorer club Harry Kane (England) hopes to join.

1930: Guillermo Stabile (Argentina)
1934: Oldnch Nejedly (Czechoslovakia)
1938: Leonidas (Brazil)
1950: Ademir (Brazil)
1954: Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)
1958: Just Fontaine (France)
1962: Garrincha (Brazil), Vava (Brazil), Leonel Sanchez (Chile), Florian Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia)
1966: Eusebio (Portugal)
1970: Gerd Muller (West Germany)
1974: Grzegorz Lato (Poland)
1978: Mario Kempes (Argentina)
1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1986: Gary Lineker (England)
1990: Toto Schillaci (Italy)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Oleg Salenko (Russia)
1998: Davor Suker (Croatia)
2002: Ronaldo (Brazil)
2006: Miroslav Klose (Germany)
2010: Thomas Muller (Germany), David Villa (Spain), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
2014: James Rodriguez (Colombia)

9.15am BST

Toto Schillaci’s late penalty in that match meant he pipped Tomas Skuhravy of Czechoslovakia to the Golden Boot. Harry Kane - who has declared himself fit to play this afternoon but has looked utterly spent of late - will be hoping for a goal or two to secure this year’s prize. A hat-trick for Romelu Lukaku would put the cat among the pigeons, though. As would Antoine Griezmann or Kylian Mbappe doing a Geoff Hurst tomorrow. Or perhaps Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic or Luka Modric will draw level with Kane on six after becoming the first man to score four in a final. OK, this is getting silly. But nothing’s over until it’s over. A goal today for Harry should put it safely out of reach. Probably.

Related: Golden Boot standings: top scorers for Russia World Cup 2018

9.00am BST

And now some footage of England’s one and only appearance in the third-place showdown. That came in 1990, and is chiefly remembered for Roberto Baggio making a right eejit of poor Peter Shilton, in the great goalkeeper’s final international. One of the few plus points of England losing the semi, this: imagine if he’d done that in the World Cup final.

8.55am BST

Here’s a clip of Belgium’s previous appearance in the third-place final. Their 4-2 defeat to France in 1986 is the only bronze-medal play-off to have gone to extra time. David Bowie earworm Bernard Genghini scored the decisive goal on 104 minutes. If today’s game is even half as good as this one, we’re in for a cracker.

8.45am BST

A healthy morning repast.

8.35am BST

But never mind that yet! Because today England have the chance to register their second-best result at a World Cup! If they see off Belgium today, they’ll better their fourth-place finish at Italia 90. That may not be the prize Gareth Southgate and his squad were after, but it’s something. Only problem is, Belgium’s golden generation are after exactly the same thing: if they win today, they’ll have gone one better than the 1986 squad pipped by France in that year’s play-off. Either way, a little bit of history will be made, so it could be some game, especially as Roberto Martinez wants his team to rediscover “that winning feeling”, while Southgate has his heart set on “going home with a medal”. It’s on!

8.25am BST

I mean, if you want proof that the real world is about to come crashing in through the window ... the Scottish League Cup starts again today. Dundee United host Arbroath, Inverness Caley Thistle welcome Cove Rangers, Elgin head north to Ross County. And there are a tranche of friendlies. Celtic play Standard Liege, Bury take on Liverpool, Aston Villa are off to Telford. Meanwhile at the Krestovsky Stadium, the lone World Cup fixture: the third and fourth place play-off between Belgium and England. From St Petersburg to Salop. It’s nearly over. We’re coming home.

8.12am BST

Good morning. Welcome to the business end of the World Cup. The biggest game in football is just one day away! It’s what we’ve all waited for; it’s what we all live for! And yet ... it’s nearly over. Another four-year cycle is pretty much complete. Back to normality soon. Bah! When the TV channels run their final montages tomorrow afternoon, it’ll suddenly hit home and the tears may flow. There she goes, my beautiful world.

8.05am BST

And that’s it from me, Richard Parkin, like 28 of the teams from Russia 2018 my involvement is officially over - and what a good old giggle it’s been these past few weeks. Thanks for all your correspondence, especially some of the beautiful memories from World Cups before my time.

Scott Murray will be your man in the chair as the build-up to Russia 2018’s penultimate match continues. I’m off to watch Gary Neville v Peter Schmeichel on loop. Go well.

7.59am BST

Shoutout to Ed Calvert who’s made my day by tracking down this masterclass of pre-match mindgames.

@rrjparkin https://t.co/1tEygoMJSH

@rrjparkin a shout out to Turkey finishing third at the 2002 World Cup! They still talk about it in Turkey and it had the fastest World Cup goal ever!

7.50am BST

Another good yarn from a while back is this from Paul Wilson looking at why the management styles of Gareth Southgate or Roberto Martínez have been so highly praised at this World Cup, despite their records of relative failure in the Premier League:

Related: Martínez and Southgate: too naive for Premier League but men of the world | Paul Wilson

7.39am BST

And averting our gaze a little further ahead to the World Cup final, where a lot of the attention has been on the Croatian fairytale and their talismanic captain Luka Modrić - so now, a nice story of redemption for the French team, who you will remember already carry the scars of losing a major football tournament final, just two years ago:

Related: Paul Pogba and France seek to erase demons and claim second World Cup | David Hytner

7.31am BST

In the meanwhile, if you missed this from yesterday, what a beautiful piece and a lovely trip down memory lane. If not yours, then at least somebody else’s.

I floated the question a week or so back on this blog, whether this was the best World Cup ever, and got some terrific responses, especially pertaining to tournaments before my time.

Related: Which is the best World Cup ever? Rating contenders from 1954 to 2014

7.23am BST

And as Belgium and England awake, we’ll throw it over once more to you, the people. How do you see today’s match unfolding; and who could emerge as the decisive figures?

Two of the Belgian contingent have continued to talk a pretty strong game ahead of this one, with Thibaud Courtois and captain Eden Hazard not mincing their words after their semi-final lose to France.

7.10am BST

Gary Lineker has given a little nod to Shania Twain with the confession “man, I feel like a German”, but it’s a good point that he makes - approaching penalties in the semi-final for the first time in seemingly forever, there was a confidence about a positive outcome from eleven metres, if only England had got there.

Martha Kelner has more such insights, and explains how sweating the small stuff has been a defining feature of this England side’s success:

Related: Gary Lineker: ‘The adulation at home will make them feel a bit better’

7.03am BST

And so we return to England, and their preparations for today.

Dominic Fifield is on the ground on Russia with the update on what the coach and players have been through since their heartbreaking loss to Croatia:

Related: England prepared for one last push to claim third place against Belgium | Dominic Fifield

6.50am BST

And speaking of formations, Peter Oh reckons he’s gleaned a decent insight from Ivan Rakitić’s media interviews (see earlier):

Hi Richard, based on Rakitic’s tactics hint, I predict Croatia to line up in a 4-4.5m-3 formation, with the obvious intent of crowding the midfield.

6.46am BST

And of course, we mentioned the great Just Fontaine earlier - who could forget that four of his record 13 goals during a World Cup game in the 3rd/4th playoff game against West Germany at the 1958 World Cup.

A nine goal thriller as France finished 6-3 winners; only for the final to pick up the motif as Brazil ran out 5-2 winners over Sweden. Ahh, the football of yore.

6.34am BST

As mentioned in the preamble the other “race within a race” is that the 3rd/4th place game still counts in the Golden Boot race.

1990 - an 88th minute penalty hands that particular accolate to Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci.

6.30am BST

And with that comments oversight corrected, an issue close to my own heart has been raised by “dahsab”:

Do members of the English media all receive a gratuity each time one of them blithely pronounces that “no one cares about and no one wants to play the 3rd place game?” Ask the Sweden ‘94 team, or Croatia ‘98, how they felt about finishing third. Every four years this one issue, in the last week of the tournament, drives me mad. I should seek therapy.

6.13am BST

And avid readers of this blog might have seen this from yesterday, but it’s new to me so please indulge the repetition. Love me a mental stat:

1982: ✅
1986: ✅
1990: ✅
1994: ✅
1998: ✅
2002: ✅
2006: ✅
2010: ✅
2014: ✅
2018: ✅ Tolisso & Perisic

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have had a player in the #WorldCupFinal in every #WorldCup since 1982! pic.twitter.com/SgAvbTXT5v

6.02am BST

And profuse apologies - I’ve just noticed that comments had accidentally been disabled for today’s liveblog! That’s been rectified, so please jump on in. Enlighten us all with your sage insights.

5.58am BST

And to think, this entire Croatian fairytale may not have happened if it wasn’t for one Finn of Namibian extraction (Finnmibian?) called Pyry Soiri.

Related: Croatia’s sliding-door moment – the day Finland scored late against them | Aleksandar Holiga

5.54am BST

“We will carry one another, we will get the energy, we know that this is the biggest game of our lives, and we want to leave the pitch with our heads held high and to be able to say we’ve done everything. We just need a little bit of luck to get the desired result,” Rakitić said.

How’s this for a stat - the World Cup final will be Ivan Rakitić’s 71st game of the season. 71 games!! No wonder half the world’s media presumed Croatia’s stars would be too tired to get past England.

Related: Ivan Rakitic: Croatia will have 4.5m players on pitch in World Cup final

This is a basic breach of playing regulations https://t.co/7ORgOIjfMV

5.43am BST

And writing from Modrić’s hometown, here’s a nice wee yarn from Joe Gorman on the Croatian diaspora that’s come from around the world to galvanise behind the tiny nation’s historic World Cup tilt.

As somebody growing up playing against Australian-Croatian football clubs (shoutout to Hurstville Zagreb) the cultural influence this football-mad nation has had even at the farthermost corners of the planet can’t be understated.

Related: 'We can share in the joy': World Cup unites Croatia and Australian diaspora

5.33am BST

And look at the sheer delight in Luka Modrić’s eyes.

[You missed it? Go read, look at, drink in that photo essay, dammit.]

Related: Luka Modric: miracle worker who reminds us space and time do exist | Jorge Valdano

5.21am BST

Sheesh, I haven’t even got my feet under the desk, and I’m almost welling up. If a picture tells a thousand words than this photo essay is worth a few Tolstoys in itself.

So do yourself a big favour and if you only click on one Guardian piece today (after this blog naturally) make it this one:

Related: The roads to Moscow – a World Cup photo essay

5.00am BST

As Buzz Aldrin famously said* “second comes right after first” and despite the heartbreak of missing a World Cup final, for two proud nations the distinction of finishing Russia 2018 in third and leaving the tournament on a relative high still remains.

Once again England and Belgium lock horns. It’s the Group G rematch many hungered for - to see how the “A” teams might have fared in their earlier dead-rubber game. Just watch out if Adnan Januzaj gets another look-in.

Continue reading...

World Cup 2018: Final buildup as England battle Belgium for bronze – live

Latest news, reaction and comment on the World Cup’s penultimate dayMarta: my head says France, my heart says CroatiaPaul MacInnes: England harnessed power of enjoyment
Any comments? You can email Scott here

9.40am BST

BREAKING NEWS from the REAL WORLD ... BREAKING NEWS from the REAL WORLD ... Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri as their new manager. That’s a nice new shirt Chelsea will be wearing this season. A subtle nod to the Dixon-Speedie-Nevin years.

Related: Maurizio Sarri appointed as Chelsea head coach on three-year contract

9.35am BST

Moray-based excessive concern with minor details. “At the risk of being a complete pedant,” begins complete pedant Matt Taylor, “Elgin are one of the few teams who wouldn’t be travelling north to play Ross County. It’s pretty much due west from Elgin to Dingwall.” Yes, fair point, well made. My mum’s from Portknockie, a few miles down the road from Elgin. She’d give me a clip round the ear for that mistake. Fortunately for me, she’s not on the internet. Anyway, Matt thankfully gets us back to the subject in hand, that being the small matter of the World Cup. “In terms of the anti-final, I am wildly oscillating between not remotely caring about the match and getting quite excited for what is usually an entertaining game with a few goals. So cue a stodgy 0-0.”

9.25am BST

For the record ... here’s the World Cup leading scorer club Harry Kane (England) hopes to join.

1930: Guillermo Stabile (Argentina)
1934: Oldnch Nejedly (Czechoslovakia)
1938: Leonidas (Brazil)
1950: Ademir (Brazil)
1954: Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)
1958: Just Fontaine (France)
1962: Garrincha (Brazil), Vava (Brazil), Leonel Sanchez (Chile), Florian Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (USSR), Drazan Jerkovic (Yugoslavia)
1966: Eusebio (Portugal)
1970: Gerd Muller (West Germany)
1974: Grzegorz Lato (Poland)
1978: Mario Kempes (Argentina)
1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1986: Gary Lineker (England)
1990: Toto Schillaci (Italy)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Oleg Salenko (Russia)
1998: Davor Suker (Croatia)
2002: Ronaldo (Brazil)
2006: Miroslav Klose (Germany)
2010: Thomas Muller (Germany), David Villa (Spain), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
2014: James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Related: Golden Boot standings: top scorers for Russia World Cup 2018

9.15am BST

Toto Schillaci’s late penalty in that match meant he pipped Tomas Skuhravy of Czechoslovakia to the Golden Boot. Harry Kane - who has declared himself fit to play this afternoon but has looked utterly spent of late - will be hoping for a goal or two to secure this year’s prize. A hat-trick for Romelu Lukaku would put the cat among the pigeons, though. As would Antoine Griezmann or Kylian Mbappe doing a Geoff Hurst tomorrow. Or perhaps Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic or Luka Modric will draw level with Kane on six after becoming the first man to score four in a final. OK, this is getting silly. But nothing’s over until it’s over. A goal today for Harry should put it safely out of reach. Probably.

Related: Golden Boot standings: top scorers for Russia World Cup 2018

9.00am BST

And now some footage of England’s one and only appearance in the third-place showdown. That came in 1990, and is chiefly remembered for Roberto Baggio making a right eejit of poor Peter Shilton, in the great goalkeeper’s final international. One of the few plus points of England losing the semi, this: imagine if he’d done that in the World Cup final.

8.55am BST

Here’s a clip of Belgium’s previous appearance in the third-place final. Their 4-2 defeat to France in 1986 is the only bronze-medal play-off to have gone to extra time. David Bowie earworm Bernard Genghini scored the decisive goal on 104 minutes. If today’s game is even half as good as this one, we’re in for a cracker.

8.45am BST

A healthy morning repast.

8.35am BST

But never mind that yet! Because today England have the chance to register their second-best result at a World Cup! If they see off Belgium today, they’ll better their fourth-place finish at Italia 90. That may not be the prize Gareth Southgate and his squad were after, but it’s something. Only problem is, Belgium’s golden generation are after exactly the same thing: if they win today, they’ll have gone one better than the 1986 squad pipped by France in that year’s play-off. Either way, a little bit of history will be made, so it could be some game, especially as Roberto Martinez wants his team to rediscover “that winning feeling”, while Southgate has his heart set on “going home with a medal”. It’s on!

8.25am BST

I mean, if you want proof that the real world is about to come crashing in through the window ... the Scottish League Cup starts again today. Dundee United host Arbroath, Inverness Caley Thistle welcome Cove Rangers, Elgin head north to Ross County. And there are a tranche of friendlies. Celtic play Standard Liege, Bury take on Liverpool, Aston Villa are off to Telford. Meanwhile at the Krestovsky Stadium, the lone World Cup fixture: the third and fourth place play-off between Belgium and England. From St Petersburg to Salop. It’s nearly over. We’re coming home.

8.12am BST

Good morning. Welcome to the business end of the World Cup. The biggest game in football is just one day away! It’s what we’ve all waited for; it’s what we all live for! And yet ... it’s nearly over. Another four-year cycle is pretty much complete. Back to normality soon. Bah! When the TV channels run their final montages tomorrow afternoon, it’ll suddenly hit home and the tears may flow. There she goes, my beautiful world.

8.05am BST

And that’s it from me, Richard Parkin, like 28 of the teams from Russia 2018 my involvement is officially over - and what a good old giggle it’s been these past few weeks. Thanks for all your correspondence, especially some of the beautiful memories from World Cups before my time.

Scott Murray will be your man in the chair as the build-up to Russia 2018’s penultimate match continues. I’m off to watch Gary Neville v Peter Schmeichel on loop. Go well.

7.59am BST

Shoutout to Ed Calvert who’s made my day by tracking down this masterclass of pre-match mindgames.

@rrjparkin https://t.co/1tEygoMJSH

@rrjparkin a shout out to Turkey finishing third at the 2002 World Cup! They still talk about it in Turkey and it had the fastest World Cup goal ever!

7.50am BST

Another good yarn from a while back is this from Paul Wilson looking at why the management styles of Gareth Southgate or Roberto Martínez have been so highly praised at this World Cup, despite their records of relative failure in the Premier League:

Related: Martínez and Southgate: too naive for Premier League but men of the world | Paul Wilson

7.39am BST

And averting our gaze a little further ahead to the World Cup final, where a lot of the attention has been on the Croatian fairytale and their talismanic captain Luka Modrić - so now, a nice story of redemption for the French team, who you will remember already carry the scars of losing a major football tournament final, just two years ago:

Related: Paul Pogba and France seek to erase demons and claim second World Cup | David Hytner

7.31am BST

In the meanwhile, if you missed this from yesterday, what a beautiful piece and a lovely trip down memory lane. If not yours, then at least somebody else’s.

I floated the question a week or so back on this blog, whether this was the best World Cup ever, and got some terrific responses, especially pertaining to tournaments before my time.

Related: Which is the best World Cup ever? Rating contenders from 1954 to 2014

7.23am BST

And as Belgium and England awake, we’ll throw it over once more to you, the people. How do you see today’s match unfolding; and who could emerge as the decisive figures?

Two of the Belgian contingent have continued to talk a pretty strong game ahead of this one, with Thibaud Courtois and captain Eden Hazard not mincing their words after their semi-final lose to France.

7.10am BST

Gary Lineker has given a little nod to Shania Twain with the confession “man, I feel like a German”, but it’s a good point that he makes - approaching penalties in the semi-final for the first time in seemingly forever, there was a confidence about a positive outcome from eleven metres, if only England had got there.

Martha Kelner has more such insights, and explains how sweating the small stuff has been a defining feature of this England side’s success:

Related: Gary Lineker: ‘The adulation at home will make them feel a bit better’

7.03am BST

And so we return to England, and their preparations for today.

Dominic Fifield is on the ground on Russia with the update on what the coach and players have been through since their heartbreaking loss to Croatia:

Related: England prepared for one last push to claim third place against Belgium | Dominic Fifield

6.50am BST

And speaking of formations, Peter Oh reckons he’s gleaned a decent insight from Ivan Rakitić’s media interviews (see earlier):

Hi Richard, based on Rakitic’s tactics hint, I predict Croatia to line up in a 4-4.5m-3 formation, with the obvious intent of crowding the midfield.

6.46am BST

And of course, we mentioned the great Just Fontaine earlier - who could forget that four of his record 13 goals during a World Cup game in the 3rd/4th playoff game against West Germany at the 1958 World Cup.

A nine goal thriller as France finished 6-3 winners; only for the final to pick up the motif as Brazil ran out 5-2 winners over Sweden. Ahh, the football of yore.

6.34am BST

As mentioned in the preamble the other “race within a race” is that the 3rd/4th place game still counts in the Golden Boot race.

1990 - an 88th minute penalty hands that particular accolate to Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci.

6.30am BST

And with that comments oversight corrected, an issue close to my own heart has been raised by “dahsab”:

Do members of the English media all receive a gratuity each time one of them blithely pronounces that “no one cares about and no one wants to play the 3rd place game?” Ask the Sweden ‘94 team, or Croatia ‘98, how they felt about finishing third. Every four years this one issue, in the last week of the tournament, drives me mad. I should seek therapy.

6.13am BST

And avid readers of this blog might have seen this from yesterday, but it’s new to me so please indulge the repetition. Love me a mental stat:

1982: ✅
1986: ✅
1990: ✅
1994: ✅
1998: ✅
2002: ✅
2006: ✅
2010: ✅
2014: ✅
2018: ✅ Tolisso & Perisic

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have had a player in the #WorldCupFinal in every #WorldCup since 1982! pic.twitter.com/SgAvbTXT5v

6.02am BST

And profuse apologies - I’ve just noticed that comments had accidentally been disabled for today’s liveblog! That’s been rectified, so please jump on in. Enlighten us all with your sage insights.

5.58am BST

And to think, this entire Croatian fairytale may not have happened if it wasn’t for one Finn of Namibian extraction (Finnmibian?) called Pyry Soiri.

Related: Croatia’s sliding-door moment – the day Finland scored late against them | Aleksandar Holiga

5.54am BST

“We will carry one another, we will get the energy, we know that this is the biggest game of our lives, and we want to leave the pitch with our heads held high and to be able to say we’ve done everything. We just need a little bit of luck to get the desired result,” Rakitić said.

How’s this for a stat - the World Cup final will be Ivan Rakitić’s 71st game of the season. 71 games!! No wonder half the world’s media presumed Croatia’s stars would be too tired to get past England.

Related: Ivan Rakitic: Croatia will have 4.5m players on pitch in World Cup final

This is a basic breach of playing regulations https://t.co/7ORgOIjfMV

5.43am BST

And writing from Modrić’s hometown, here’s a nice wee yarn from Joe Gorman on the Croatian diaspora that’s come from around the world to galvanise behind the tiny nation’s historic World Cup tilt.

As somebody growing up playing against Australian-Croatian football clubs (shoutout to Hurstville Zagreb) the cultural influence this football-mad nation has had even at the farthermost corners of the planet can’t be understated.

Related: 'We can share in the joy': World Cup unites Croatia and Australian diaspora

5.33am BST

And look at the sheer delight in Luka Modrić’s eyes.

[You missed it? Go read, look at, drink in that photo essay, dammit.]

Related: Luka Modric: miracle worker who reminds us space and time do exist | Jorge Valdano

5.21am BST

Sheesh, I haven’t even got my feet under the desk, and I’m almost welling up. If a picture tells a thousand words than this photo essay is worth a few Tolstoys in itself.

So do yourself a big favour and if you only click on one Guardian piece today (after this blog naturally) make it this one:

Related: The roads to Moscow – a World Cup photo essay

5.00am BST

As Buzz Aldrin famously said* “second comes right after first” and despite the heartbreak of missing a World Cup final, for two proud nations the distinction of finishing Russia 2018 in third and leaving the tournament on a relative high still remains.

Once again England and Belgium lock horns. It’s the Group G rematch many hungered for - to see how the “A” teams might have fared in their earlier dead-rubber game. Just watch out if Adnan Januzaj gets another look-in.

Continue reading...