Scott Murray's Blog, page 134

World Cup 2018: England 0-1 Belgium – as it happened

Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of a dull game, setting up a Belgium-Japan second-round clash, and sending England to a tie with Colombia

12.25am BST

12.24am BST

10.46pm BST

10.40pm BST

9.30pm BST

9.18pm BST

And that’s your lot on an evening of mixed emotion for England. Their year-long unbeaten run has come to an end. On the flip side, they will be looking at a draw that has opened up a world of possibilities: if they can get past Colombia and either Switzerland or Sweden, they’ll be in the semi-finals. One step at a time, and it could all go wrong quickly, of course, of course ... but what’s the point of sport if you’re not allowed your dreams? Enjoy them. Nighty night!

9.14pm BST

The impressive Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks. “I’m very disappointed. We wanted to win the game, and we didn’t. But at the end of the day we’re still in the Round of 16 and that’s something to look forward to. We had our chances and never took them; they had one big chance and took it. It was a good goal. We can only regret the chances we didn’t take. Getting out of the groups was the first objective of the team. We’re England and we want to win every game possible, we’re disappointed. You don’t want to go into a changing room and see smiles because you’ve got a potentially easier route; you want to win every game. And at a World Cup you’re going to come up against the best teams in the world. There are no easy games we can see ahead of us. Colombia will be very tough, it’s not going to be easy at all.”

9.05pm BST

Elsewhere in Group G ... Tunisia came from behind to see off Panama. In doing so, they won their first game at a World Cup finals since 1978. Paul Doyle was watching that one.

9.01pm BST

And here’s a word with Gareth Southgate! “I think it was a pretty even game. I thought they had the better controlled possession, and the better chances in the first half. But we had a couple of good ones in the second. So it was a good test of us. We had half an eye on the knockout. Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy kept running. It didn’t happen for them tonight, but we don’t suffer for it. We want to win football matches, so we’re not happy to come away from here having been beaten. But what that means for the next round, we don’t really know. The knockout game is the biggest game for a decade, so we had to make sure our key players were preserved. We created openings to get something from the game, but we have to keep improving. I think the supporters know what the most important thing is.”

8.57pm BST

Who wouldn’t want to relive that match again!? Here’s the big event in pretty pictures.

8.55pm BST

Here’s our snap match report. Daniel Taylor’s take from Kaliningrad will follow shortly.

8.54pm BST

Looking On The Bright Side with Guardian readers. First from the Belgian perspective: “Brazil kicked us out in 2002, with that goal of Wilmots disallowed,” recalls Wouter Deceuninck. “And it took us 12 years to get back on the big stage. Time for payback! Yes, we (read I) want the difficult side!”

And now Nick Smith with England’s point of view: “On the plus side, if this is our B team, then at least we know we’re picking the right A team.”

8.51pm BST

And that’s that! Adnan Januzaj’s excellent goal has decided Group G! Belgium top it, and will face Japan on Monday in the second round, with either Brazil or Mexico waiting in the quarters if they make it. England - who have lost for the first time in a year - are runners-up, and will play Colombia on Tuesday in the last 16. Switzerland or Sweden to follow if they clear that hurdle, but one thing at a time, eh.

8.49pm BST

90 min +2: Thorgan Hazard slips one down the left for Fellaini, who ripples the side netting with a powerful but inaccurate strike.

8.48pm BST

90 min +1: A preposterous scramble in the England six-yard box, after Batshuayi dribbles into it from the right. The ball breaks to Fellaini, who should poke home. He can’t sort his feet out, though. Neither can Mertens. Finally the referee blows for a foul on the prone Pickford.

8.47pm BST

90 min: There will be three added minutes. “I’m concerned that England is leaving it too late,” frets Marie Meyer. “They should get their own goal in now, before Belgium beat them to it.”

8.46pm BST

89 min: Mertens, on the right-hand corner of the England D, sends a pearler towards the left-hand side of the goal. Pickford does well to punch clear, though the ball nearly falls to Fellaini, eight yards out. England survive that one.

8.45pm BST

87 min: Rose has been busy and productive tonight. He earns a free kick off Dendoncker down the left, near the corner flag, and slips a quickly taken one along the byline to Welbeck, who from the corner of the six-yard box flicks a shot wide left. Belgium were sleeping there. Meanwhile here’s cynicism’s Brian Draper: “The perfect scenario would surely be for England to score a late and morale boosting equaliser and then to accrue ten yellow cards with the entire outfield team taking their shirts off in a gratuitously jubilant celebration.” You’d pay good money to witness a grift like that, wouldn’t you.

8.42pm BST

86 min: Mertens comes on for the goalscorer Januzaj.

8.42pm BST

85 min: Loftus-Cheek embarks on a power dribble down the right. It’s a fine run, but one spoilt when he reaches the edge of the box and sends a cross-cum-shot sailing harmlessly over the bar.

8.40pm BST

83 min: Maguire lifts a pass down the left for Rose, who earns a corner. The ball drops to Welbeck on the edge of the box. Welbeck arrows a low shot towards the bottom right. It’s going in, but Fellaini sticks a leg out and diverts it wide left of goal. Nothing comes of the second corner.

8.38pm BST

81 min: A free kick for England, 30 yards from goal, just to the right. Rashford stands over it. He looks for the top-right corner, but it’s always going over the bar. Time running out for England if they want to go down that Japan-Brazil route.

8.37pm BST

79 min: Alexander-Arnold, who has had a decent game and leads the “key passes” stat, whatever that means, is replaced by Welbeck.

8.36pm BST

78 min: Rashford goes racing down the left in the hope of busting free of Chadli, but he ends up fouling his man. He’s looked lively all evening.

8.33pm BST

76 min: Alexander-Arnold sends the free kick to the far post. Maguire rises highest, but his looping header is easily plucked from the sky by Courtois.

8.32pm BST

75 min: Kompany comes on for Vermaelen. Then Rose is barged off the ball by Fellaini as he romps down the left. A chance to curl one into the mixer.

8.30pm BST

73 min: Delph and Vardy attempt an elaborate, high-speed one-two down the inside-right channel. A neat idea, but not quite.

8.29pm BST

71 min: Loftus-Cheek has another crack from distance, but there’s nothing doing, and no great urgency. Both teams seem happy enough with the situation right now.

8.27pm BST

69 min: Nothing is happening. England pass it around for a bit, but they can’t be bothered to launch an attack right now. So here’s Peter Oh. “Batshuayi hit in the coupon by his own ricocheting celebratory shot off the post? Wild stuff! Yesterday, Korea’s Yong Lee took an attempted German cross full in the family jewels. This World Cup is bowling us over with its nutty comedy.” Yes, it was marvellous, though in terms of golden-era-Hollywood-style slapstick, nothing will ever beat Laurent Di Lorto in 1938. Enjoy.

8.24pm BST

67 min: From the set piece, Loftus-Cheek has a dig from distance. Nope.

8.24pm BST

66 min: So having said that, England launch their best attack of the evening, Vardy spinning into space in the middle of the Belgian half and releasing Rashford down the inside-left channel with a perfect pass. Rashford, one on one with Courtois, should score, but his attempted curler into the bottom right is fingertipped round the post by the keeper. It might have been going wide anyway.

8.22pm BST

65 min: Meanwhile on the pitch, we’ve slipped back into Friendly Mode. A bit of whistling from the stands, who have paid Fifa top dollar to watch this nonsense.

8.20pm BST

63 min: The Belgian fans are in Party Mode right now. They don’t appear particularly bothered about a potential quarter-final with Brazil. It’s almost as though they’ve realised it’s far better living for the moment, because you never know what’s coming down the line.

8.18pm BST

61 min: Loftus-Cheek goes on a dribble down the right, but can’t find anyone with his dinked cross. Then Alexander-Arnold sends Jones, of all people, zipping down the same flank. He hoicks the ball over the bar from the touchline. He can’t have been shooting, surely? He might have been shooting, you know.

8.17pm BST

59 min: Vermaelen will be OK to continue, after being dabbed with the magic sponge.

8.15pm BST

57 min: Vardy and Vermaelen go up for a high ball, and crack heads accidentally. The Belgian defender comes off worst. Lucky he’s wearing a red shirt, because there’s a lot of claret jetting out of his neep right now.

8.13pm BST

56 min: Belgium take possession of the ball and keep it awhile.

8.12pm BST

54 min: Alexander-Arnold, who has taken just about every set piece tonight on his competitive England debut, smashes the free kick straight into the wall. Here’s Matthew Turner: “Awww, just when I was looking forward to England livening this up a bit by intentionally getting four yellow cards over the remainder.”

8.11pm BST

53 min: Well that’s changed the picture. Belgium are now top of the group, and heading for the supposedly harder half of the knockout draw. England look to bounce back, Loftus-Cheek powering down the middle. He’s upended by Dembele.

8.09pm BST

Out of nothing, a gorgeous goal! Januzaj cuts in from the right, drops a shoulder to waltz past Rose, and curls an unstoppable shot across Pickford and into the top left! Batshuayi celebrates by catching the ball as it springs from the net and battering against the post. It rebounds into his startled coupon. Entertainment worth waiting for!

8.07pm BST

50 min: Delph is robbed by Tielemans, 30 yards from his own goal. The Belgian has an easy pass to release Januzaj on the right, but allows Maguire to intercept.

8.05pm BST

48 min: Good hustling by Vardy down the left. He feeds Rashford, who enters the area, opens his body, and looks to sidefoot a curler into the top left. Not quite, but a decent enough effort flies wide.

8.04pm BST

47 min: Belgium stroke it around the back awhile. No urgency whatsoever. No surprise, seeing they’re currently destined for the supposedly easier side of the draw. Blaise Baquiche has some better ways of separating teams with the same goal difference in the group stages: “In this order:
1) How high the players can do a standing jump immediately after the conclusion of the national anthems
2) Quality of haircuts to be judged by Garth Crooks
3) Lower GDP (making it more impressive for the underdog)
4) Lots.”

There’s not much to argue with there, is there.

8.02pm BST

And we’re off again! Maguire is on for Stones. Belgium get the party restarted. “That was the most disgraceful 45 minutes of football since France v Denmark,” writes Caetano Machado. “Switching to Panama v Tunisia now.”

7.50pm BST

Half-time reading: For England fans starved of entertainment tonight ...

7.48pm BST

The referee lets four seconds of added time elapse, thinks “bugger this”, and blows for half time. The crowd whistle their displeasure. As things stand, England will top Group G, Belgium having picked up three more yellow cards over the piece. Another 45 minutes of this excitement coming up! You can’t leave me here alone, you have to stay.

7.45pm BST

45 min: Something happens! Delph curls one in from the right, earning a corner off Boyata. But Alexander-Arnold’s delivery is, for once, extremely poor.

7.45pm BST

44 min: Well this hasn’t been very good, on the whole. The crowd, having given it their all for the majority of the half, begin to whistle as the square root of eff all unfolds on the pitch.

7.43pm BST

42 min: The ball drops to Loftus-Cheek on the edge of the Belgian box. He has the chance to shoot, but hesitates, takes a heavy touch, and the chance is gone.

7.41pm BST

41 min: England are struggling to keep hold of the ball right now. They punt long towards Rashford, who flicks on and nearly finds Vardy. But Courtois is off his line quickly to deal with the situation.

7.40pm BST

39 min: Hazard attempts another spectacular one, a scissor kick from a position out on the left. No sir.

7.38pm BST

37 min: Thorgan Hazard looks for the top right with a curler from 25 yards. No, no, no. “Are Belgium playing for bookings?” wonders Julian Farino. “By picking Fellaini they still have that one in hand.”

7.37pm BST

36 min: Januzaj has a shot from distance. It’s deflected wide right for a corner. Boyata gets his head to the set piece, but not to any great effect. “Please please let someone who doesn’t really want to win score a goal and then appeal to VAR that ‘but guv, I was offside’ or ‘no sir, I used my hand’,” writes Robin Hazlehurst. “Then football would have jumped the sh(V)ark.”

7.35pm BST

34 min: Alexander-Arnold wins a corner with the free kick, then takes that as well. He finds Loftus-Cheek by the near post; he whacks a header wide left of goal.

7.34pm BST

33 min: Denconcker is booked for a late clatter into Rose, who was making his way down the left. Belgium are now three yellow cards worse off than England in this World Cup, should it come to that. As things stand, England are winning this group because of their superior disciplinary record.

7.32pm BST

31 min: Alexander-Arnold strides down the right, then very nearly sends an Accidental Ronaldinho into the top left from an absurd position. For a second, Courtois was backpedalling in a frantic manner there, but the ball ended up clearing the bar easily enough.

7.30pm BST

29 min: That’s two very tatty incidents in the England box now. Some uncertain defending by the second string, though Cahill and Alexander-Arnold will be pleased enough with their goal-line heroics, so in that sense it’s swings and roundabouts.

7.29pm BST

27 min: Suddenly a purposeful run, as Batshuayi goes for Stones down the inside right. He wins a corner, from which there’s an almighty scramble in front of Pickford. Fellaini hoicks goalwards. Alexander-Arnold clears off the line. Januzaj latches onto the rebound, but can’t get a shot away. England survive.

7.26pm BST

26 min: Belgium are hogging the ball now. And going absolutely nowhere. Not that they’re looking to advance particularly urgently.

7.24pm BST

24 min: Januzaj and Tielemans tease England down the right, but can’t piece together the move that’d unlock the defence. A bit more possession for Belgium, though, who are passing their way into this match.

7.22pm BST

22 min: We’re back in Friendly Mode. Events rocking at a gentle, summer-evening pace. To be fair, both sets of fans are giving it plenty nonetheless. A fine atmosphere in the stadium. It’s been a loud World Cup, pleasingly soundtracked by some glorious bedlam.

7.20pm BST

20 min: Alexander-Arnold takes. Belgium deal with it easily enough, thanks to a fine clearing header by Chadli.

7.20pm BST

19 min: After a bright start, this match is in danger of slipping into Friendly Mode. Ah hold on! Scrub that! Rose picks up the pace on the left and is unceremoniously hacked down by Tielemans, who is booked and doesn’t bother complaining about it, which shows self-awareness if nothing else. A free kick, and a chance for England to load the Belgian box.

7.18pm BST

17 min: Belgium aren’t doing all that much in attack. Januzaj dinks one down the inside-right channel, in the hope of Batshuayi and Fellaini combining on the edge of the England box. But it’s not happening.

7.16pm BST

15 min: Vardy, deep on the right, rolls a pass down the wing and isn’t far away from finding Rashford on the edge of the area. Courtois comes out to deal with the situation.

7.15pm BST

14 min: Alexander-Arnold looks very bright down the right wing. He tears after a long pass and hooks a bouncing ball into the area. Vardy’s header flashes wide left of goal. England are enjoying the three-lions’ share of possession so far: 61 percent of it.

7.12pm BST

12 min: Alexander-Arnold works hard down the right to win a corner. That set piece leads to another on the opposite side of the pitch, a Rashford shot having been deflected out of play. Alexander-Arnold takes this one, and loops it deep. Cahill wins a header at the far post, but nuts it wide, and he was pushing and shoving anyway.

7.11pm BST

10 min: England nearly concede a farcical goal! Januzaj dinks a cross into the mixer from the right. Fellaini, by the left-hand post, heads down for Batshuayi, who tries to flick a fancy one into the goal from close range. His effort is smothered by Pickford ... who then lets the ball squirt through his arms. It’s heading over the line, but Cahill hooks off the line to save his keeper’s blushes.

7.09pm BST

9 min: Delph hoicks long down the left wing and nearly releases both Rashford and Vardy. The England strikers are in full Scamper Mode.

7.08pm BST

8 min: A bit of space for Rose down the left, but he can’t find anyone with his cross. The early signs suggest both sides are going for this, which is nice to see.

7.07pm BST

6 min: Belgium press and probe for the first time. Suddenly Tielemans, just right of centre, 25 yards out, snaps a shot goalwards. It’s creeping under the bar, but straight at Pickford, who stops with a strong arm. The rebound doesn’t fall to a red shirt. A fine shot, and a save to match.

7.05pm BST

4 min: Rose rakes a long pass down the left for Rashford, who briefly worries Boyata. Rashford looks up for this. It’s been a brisk start by England, which fits in with the following theory, as reported by David Flynn: “Eamon Dunphy on RTE just speculated that Southgate knows England won’t win the World Cup and so wants to beat Belgium knowing that there’s not much between the two possible second round teams, and it would either look great if they beat Brazil or look not that bad if they lost to Brazil.”

7.02pm BST

2 min: A very uncertain start by Thorgan Hazard, who plays a blind pass back down the Belgian left and sends Vardy skittering down the wing. Vardy looks for Rashford in the middle, but his low, hard cross is kicked away by Courtois. Meanwhile a word of warning from Philip Ritson: “Didn’t Roy make wholesale changes in the last group game at Euro 2016? Look what happened next!”

7.01pm BST

1 min: England stroke it around the back awhile. Then Vardy looks for Rashford down the inside-right channel, but the pass is way too heavy. Goal kick, and a chance for Belgium to get a feel of the ball.

7.00pm BST

And we’re off! England get the party started. “Aptly enough, the shin pad font seems to be Nashville, or close to it,” spots Grant Tennille. “Pretty fitting for Fellaini, considering how he fancies working himself into your ear, albeit via his elbow.”

6.55pm BST

The teams are out! We’ll be off soon, but first it’s time for the national anthems. La Brabançonne bumps along with a quiet dignity. ♭♮♯ Noble Belgium, O mother dear / To you we stretch our hearts and arms / With blood to spill for you, O fatherland! / We swear with one cry – You shall live! ♭♮♯

6.50pm BST

Roberto Martinez talks! “Every player who has been fully fit to start a game will start in the outfield positions. We feel the goalkeeper should have some continuity in a tournament like the World Cup. I don’t think Vincent Kompany is fully fit to play 90 minutes so that is why he is not starting.”

6.49pm BST

Gareth Southgate speaks! “We’re a team and we have got to this point because of the performances on the pitch, but also the collective behind that. We’ve got some very good players who deserve the chance to play in a World Cup. And we’ve given ourselves the opportunity to do that. The other part is, we’ve some players who if they played again tonight and then a knockout game in maybe three days time, you’re building up a risk of injury. So for us it was a no-brainer to make some changes. I don’t think we can look at [possibly facing Japan in the next round]. We just want a good performance.”

6.43pm BST

So England will be playing in their very fetching first-choice white shirts. Belgium are to be decked out in their equally pretty red tops with fancy early-80s-style flash. “Can’t we just skip the game, assume England pick up another yellow, and draw lots?” wonders Robbie Schwieder. “Would probably be the fairest outcome at this point, given the travesty of non-competition they seem set to put on. And who wouldn’t like to see a little lot-drawing? Give the people what they want!”

Siddharth Singh adds: “Swearing at the ref or each other (we need Dele Alli for that) might be an option but surely the tactic is for the players to go shirtless last minute of the game?”

6.35pm BST

A peek inside the England dressing room. It’s very futuristic, isn’t it. I prefer a nice relaxing wood panelling myself, but each to their own.

6.25pm BST

Pre-match excitement (in descending order of rabidity): “As sure as the objective stance is that England should play to lose, and therefore win the weaker side of the draw, I completely reject that theory,” begins Hubert O’Hearn. “You know as well as I do that if England lose all we’ll hear about is ‘England are horrible; they only defeated two absolute minnows.’ Worse than our hearing it, the players will hear it too. In creeps self-doubt, in creeps conservative play, out thuds England. Win the damn game because ... IT’S COMING HOME!”

Steven Hughes adds: “Football teams have pre-match plans on who’ll take the penalties, who’ll take the free-kicks, corners, perhaps long throws so maybe Southgate will also have detailed two or three players to use the F-word and C-word at the referee, in order to get themselves booked and England to an arguably easier half of the draw? Maybe Roberto Martinez will have anticipated this with some players of his own to unleash some profanities and counter-swear? It might be like a David Mamet play out there if it’s a draw after 80 minutes.”

6.15pm BST

It might also be worth noting that England have only lost to Belgium once. If you discount a defeat on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the 1998 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament, that is, which all right-thinking people surely must. That loss occurred in 1936, Hendrik Isemborghs of Royal Beerschot the two-goal hero of Belgium’s 3-2 triumph. (George Camsell of Middlesbrough and Harold Hobbis of Charlton netted for England, for the record.) Meanwhile here’s some more TV riffin’: “So Thursday night, squad players getting a chance to impress, and the nagging feeling that it might be better to lose than to win. Is it on Channel Five?” Gary Naylor, ladies and gentlemen, the Europa League’s official satirist.

6.10pm BST

England have played the representative team of the Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association at the World Cup on two previous occasions. In 1954, Ivor Broadis of Newcastle United and Nat Lofthouse of Bolton Wanderers scored two apiece in a 4-4 group-stage draw. England were in the habit of eight-goal thrillers back then: that game was the one which followed their record 7-1 defeat against Hungary in Budapest.

The match - which had gone to extra-time after a 3-3 draw under Fifa’s strange contemporary system - was transmitted live on BBC Television and had a 100 percent audience share, on account of there being no other channels yet in existence. There will be no such boast from ITV tonight, because at least somebody will be watching Tunisia-Panama on ITV4. Paul Doyle, for starters.

6.00pm BST

Pretty much as expected, Gareth Southgate rings the changes. Eight bells. Only Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain from the XI sent out to thrash Panama on Sunday. Step forward Trent Alexander-Arbold, Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Eric Dier, Danny Rose, Fabian Delph, Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy. Harry Kane must cool his Golden Boots.

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez goes one better, with nine changes to the team named against Tunisia on Saturday. Only Thibaut Courtois and Dedryck Boyata survive the cull. In come Leander Dendoncker, Thomas Vermaelen, Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele, Marouane Fellaini, Youri Tielemans, Thorgan Hazard, Adnan Januzaj and Michy Batshuayi. Romelu Lukaku must cool his Golden Boots.

5.52pm BST

England: Pickford, Jones, Stones, Cahill, Alexander-Arnold, Loftus-Cheek, Dier, Delph, Rose, Rashford, Vardy.
Subs: Butland, Walker, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Welbeck, Young, Alli, Pope.

Belgium: Courtois, Dendoncker, Boyata, Vermaelen, Chadli, Fellaini, Dembele, Thorgan Hazard, Januzaj, Batshuayi, Tielemans.
Subs: Mignolet, Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Carrasco, Mertens, Meunier, Casteels.

5.50pm BST

The race for top/second spot: what if this match ends in a draw? Good question, because England and Belgium have identical records in Group G ... nearly. They’ve both got the same number of points. And the same goal difference. And they’ve scored the same number of goals. So it’ll be down to the fair-play record. As things stand, England have picked up two yellow cards to Belgium’s three, so they’d top the group. But that may change if anyone gets the funk on this evening. And if they can’t be separated by yellows and reds, it’ll be the drawing of lots. That would be quite something. Hey, speaking of disciplinary measures, Uruguay have been well behaved so far, haven’t they?

5.40pm BST

Group H has just been completed. So we now know the top team in Group G will face Japan in the second round, then if they get through, the winners of Brazil and Mexico. The runners-up get Colombia, and a theoretically easier run to the semis, because they’d then meet Sweden or Switzerland if they made the quarters. But, well, you know how these things have a habit of panning out, so best not to count any chickens.

12.39pm BST

Well, this is the sort of thing you don’t see every day: a World Cup match in which neither side is too fussed about losing. The thought process being, second place in Group G will avoid the side of the knockout draw containing Brazil, France, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez. Yay! A no-brainer! Come on, Belgium, do your worst! The lads can take it!

Though things are never quite as simple as that, are they? For a start, the other side of the draw features Spain, the hosts Russia, Croatia (who have the best midfield in the tournament) and a Swedish side that has already barged its way past four-time winners Italy and the now-deposed champions Germany. Ulp!

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Published on June 28, 2018 13:18

Blissed-out Gary Lineker an equal match for Rio Ferdinand’s reality check | Scott Murray

England’s glorious day in the sun lifted the BBC pundits but there was still caution amid the commotion

Complain about the licence fee if you must but the bottom line is the BBC’s comprehensive World Cup coverage offers something for everyone. Toddlers across the land, for example, have been cavorting joyously to the simple pleasure of the Kicky Kicky Kick Kick song from the Hey Duggee cartoon. Meanwhile on Radio 5 Live there is the Robbie Savage breakfast show, for those who have not yet graduated to CBeebies.

It is a broad church. But the actual match coverage must please everyone at once, no mean feat. England’s support can be roughly split into two categories – the blindly optimistic and the morbidly fatalistic – and before the game Gary Lineker did his best to cater for both sets in one breath. “You can never guarantee anything, certainly with England. I remember two years ago! But Panama are one of the weakest teams in the tournament, so surely ...” As he trailed off, the panel of Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand filled dead air with nervous laughter.

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Published on June 24, 2018 11:00

Sterling to start for England and reaction to Germany's win: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Raheem Sterling confirmed as a starter for England against Panama and reaction from Germany’s late-arriving victory over Sweden

12.03pm BST

Those confirmed teams, and the launch of Rob Smyth’s England v Panama live coverage, with the match kicking off at 1pm BST concludes this blog for the day. Thanks for joining us. We’ll be back tomorrow.

12.00pm BST

England team confirmed: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Lingard, Henderson, Trippier, Young, Loftus-Cheek, Sterling, Kane.

Panama meanwhile: Penedo, Murillo, Roman Torres, Escobar, Davis, Barcenas, Cooper, Gomez, Godoy, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Perez.

11.57am BST

Tom H emails in on that tiebreaker scenario. God forbid this happens, there will be panic, but Tom might just have cleaned up.

“From our understanding: if two or more teams are level on points and have identical records, they are separated using fair play points and beyond that, the drawing of lots. If you look at the tie-breaker rules carefully, before the fair play comes into effect, there are the following three tests:

1. Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
2. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
3. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned

11.51am BST

Niall Mullen emails in. “Has anyone thought of playing Rashford and Sterling? They are both more dangerous players than Lingard. Alternatively play all 3 with Sterling in the number 10 position. He was pretty good there the times he did it for Liverpool.”

My recollection is of Sterling not being much cop in that position four years ago, which is not to say he can’t do it now but Southgate appears to favour twinned attacking midfielders rather than attackers. And isn’t Sterling’s role off the striker - Harry Kane - anyway?

11.46am BST

Our man Barney Ronay has made his predictions and he’s sticking to them.

Prediction: England 2-0 Panama (Kane, Sterling)
Loftus-Cheek plays well.
Sterling goal sparks feel-good team celebration.
Gareth afterwards "cautiously optimistic"

11.44am BST

A question from Argha: “What happens in Group F if Germany beats S.Korea 1-0 and Sweden beat Mexico 1-0? Germany, Sweden and Mexico would then have identical points, goal difference,goals scored and goals conceded.”

From our understanding: if two or more teams are level on points and have identical records, they are separated using fair play points and beyond that, the drawing of lots. The first scenario could be bad for Germany after Jerome Boateng’s mystery red card against Sweden while lots drawing bring back memories of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

11.35am BST

TS Ahmad has emailed in: “Any news on the Argentinian coach’s status? I so want to hear he be sacked before the final game with Nigeria, though that won’t solve the quality midfield that Argentina lacks.”

There is much talk of a rebellion in the ranks, with Lionel Messi leading the insurrection against Jorge Sampaoli, and wanting him sacked. However, this appears to have failed. Sacking the coach with a game still to play, and possibly the rest of the tournament would have franked any of the shenanigans that Spain served up on the eve of Russia 2018. And would have been great fun. But TS makes a great point; who can make Enzo Perez a better player? And overnight?

Argentina have the chance to be the France 2010 of this tournament and there may be time yet.

11.29am BST

Familiar problems being blamed for South Korea’s woes. After losing to Mexico on Saturday, and pointless, they must beat Germany to have a chance to make the last 16. Shin Tae-yong might as well be Gareth Southgate or a Scotland manager when saying this.

We have systemic problems. We must think how we can improve our domestic league and work with young players. We lack experience and that doesn’t come overnight.

11.24am BST

Michael Cosgrove emails in. “No player gets to pull on an England shirt without having spent years working hard for it and, for some, being regularly forced to confront and overcome adversity in the form of injuries and a lack of games, and that’s why I’m extremely pleased to see Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s name on today’s team list. As Dominic Fifield’s piece reveals, the lad has had more than his fair share of challenges to overcome, including Mourhino’s lack of faith in him, so I hope he has a great game and goes on to become a regular fixture because if anyone deserves a break for once it’s him.”

Michael makes a fair point, and one well made. Loftus-Cheek, like many from Chelsea’s farm of talent, has had a tough ride beyond winning the FA Youth Cup. When being asked about Loftus-Cheek in the build-up to Chelsea’s 2016-17 season (and how did that go?), Mourinho said this: “You need ten minutes. In ten minutes you can show me if you are ready or if you are not ready.”

A tough school, and Loftus-Cheek’s ten minutes didn’t work out. He needed a couple of years and some rather more pastoral care.

11.18am BST

Let’s not forget today’s other games. At 4pm BST, we have Japan v Senegal, a match in which our minute-by-minute coverage comes in both English and Japanese, with, unless there’s been a huge mistake on the rota, Paul Doyle doing the former and Ben Mabley doing the latter. Ben’s MBM on Japan’s first game, their defeat of Colombia has been capturing some local attention in the Asahi Shimbun.

11.11am BST

Away from plucky England, to France, who are safely into the last 16 with performances that would probably have had UK TV’s Team GB-inspired tub-thumping, chest-beating punditry posse in raptures. The real truth, of course, is that France have been no good so far, and Paul Pogba is getting a bit doomy.

It might be my last World Cup. I’m realistic, we don’t know if I’ll be called up, maybe other players will be better than me. I hope I’ll play more. I’ve already had the chance to play two, some can only dream to play one.

11.05am BST

Good morning, world. And thanks to Scott and Jonathan. Ok, then. This is the time, this is the hour, this is this. Or, actually, what should be an easy win for England or else the chumminess of Camp Repino will descend into rancour far worse than the contents of Steve Holland’s notebook caused.

10.55am BST

Anyway, that’s your lot from me. I’m passing you into the loving arms of John Brewin. He’s all yours, dear reader.

10.50am BST

From Cold Blow Lane to Central America. Sid Lowe meets Gary Stempel, the man from Millwall who helped guide the minnows of Panama to World Cup glory.

10.40am BST

Four years is a long time in football. Just ask

Joachim Löw
José Pekerman. The Colombia manager was a hero after Brazil 2014 ... now, after a shock opening defeat to Japan, not so much. Carl Worswick tells the sorry tale.

10.30am BST

New-fangled radio dept. Max Rushden and Barry Glendenning discuss Germany’s Houdini act, John Guidetti’s presence of mind, and Belgium’s five-star performance on the latest edition of World Cup Football Daily.

10.20am BST

Dejan Lovren is fond of telling it the way he sees it. And the big Croatia defender reckons his teammate Luka Modric should be in the running for the world’s best player of the year award - but he’s likely to miss out because he doesn’t play for one of the traditional international superpowers. “Modric would probably be getting more attention than he is right now if he was a German or Spanish player he would maybe even be a Ballon D’Or winner,” Lovren says. “Because we are a smaller country, he does get less attention than he deserves.”

10.10am BST

The Serbian FA are on a rolling boil. They’re not happy with referee Felix Brych’s officiating during their dramatic 2-1 loss to Switzerland, and have accordingly whined to Fifa in the official style.

We have submitted seven video recordings clearly showing Brych’s tendency to make decisions against our national team. The footage reveals Brych’s double standards in brandishing yellow cards, as he was quick to book our key players while he didn’t do the same in similar situations at the other end. The most glaring poor decision was not awarding Serbia a penalty for a foul on Aleksandar Mitrovic with the score 1-1, and awarding the spot kick could have turned the match our way. The whole world saw the penalty except Brych and it should have gone to VAR analysis. We are wondering why Serbia is the only team in the World Cup where the match official chose to ignore controversial situations at it raises the legitimate question whether the VAR is being used selectively.

10.00am BST

News at Ten: In case you missed the earlier dispatch from our man in Russia, Dominic Fifield, here’s the big team news ahead of England’s match against Panama this lunchtime.

Raheem Sterling is to retain his place in the England lineup for this afternoon’s Group G game against Panama, with Gareth Southgate set to make a solitary change - Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the injured Dele Alli - for the matchin Nizhny Novgorod.

While Steve Holland’s training notes, photographed at an open session on Thursday, had appeared to indicate Marcus Rashford might get the nod up front alongside Harry Kane, Sterling will partner the captain against the side ranked 55 in the world. The Manchester City forward is aiming to score his first goal for his country since October 2015, 21 caps ago, as England seek to secure qualification from the section.

9.54am BST

Paul MacInnes processed Germany’s jaw-dropping feat of escapology last night with a mixture of awe and wonder. Here’s his take on the current state of the still-reigning world champions.

There are many questions about this team that remain unanswered. In short, here are a few: the form of Jérôme Boateng, the positions occupied by their full-backs, the wild variations in tempo, the apparent lack of an effective number nine. But all of them seem less significant than the fact that Germany remain Germany and they’re still in the World Cup.

9.46am BST

Peru striker Jefferson Farfan has been hospitalised after a clash of heads with one of the squad’s goalkeepers in training. The Peruvian FA reports that initial results have been “favourable for the player” but he’ll remain in the hospital for monitoring. Peru are already out after losses to Denmark and France. They still have a match against Australia to come in Sochi.

9.36am BST

Wilson’s got his chalkboard out. A typically wonderful column, in which tactics guru Jonathan gets to the heart of the goalscoring problem blighting this World Cup.

The pattern has been clear for at least three decades and is predictable and natural. The lack of time available to coaches mean that they, naturally, make a priority of defensive structures over attacking ones: while an under-drilled attack can always conjure a goal from nothing, an under-drilled defence will always concede. Besides, defensive principles are relatively universal; much less adaptation is required than for attacks that can vary wildly.

9.29am BST

Just because. Enjoy.

9.23am BST

Football fans witnessed the spectacular Scarlet Sails festivities in St Petersburg last night. The tradition celebrates the end of the school year, as a ship with scarlet sails serenely glides towards the Winter Palace. Fans of Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina and Nigeria lined the banks to enjoy the spectacle, which also included a firework display.

9.11am BST

That’s All Right Then dept. And it’s more on world champions Germany cavorting with glee at the end of their dramatic win over Sweden. The Swedes weren’t too happy with the reaction on the German bench at the time, but in typically easy-going Scandinavian style, all is now forgiven. Yay! Sweden substitute Pontus Jansson lost his temper with the Germans, but has now calmed down: “Some of them celebrated in a disrespectful way. There was a lot of feelings, we had just let in a goal and lost the game, so it was pretty sour. Maybe there was unnecessary anger from me, but they apologised afterwards so it’s just a case of accepting it. There were a lot of feelings in the heat of the moment.”

9.02am BST

Just in case you missed the earlier breaking news ... in scenes that would put John le Carré to shame, our man in Russia, Dominic Fifield, has been peering through binoculars at scraps of paper in order to decode England’s line-up against Panama. And here’s what he’s found out!

Raheem Sterling is to retain his place in the England lineup for this afternoon’s Group G game against Panama, with Gareth Southgate set to make a solitary change - Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the injured Dele Alli - for the matchin Nizhny Novgorod.

While Steve Holland’s training notes, photographed at an open session on Thursday, had appeared to indicate Marcus Rashford might get the nod up front alongside Harry Kane, Sterling will partner the captain against the side ranked 55 in the world. The Manchester City forward is aiming to score his first goal for his country since October 2015, 21 caps ago, as England seek to secure qualification from the section.

8.56am BST

Apropos of nothing ...

8.55am BST

The latest World Cup dispatch from the Observer’s award-winning diarist David Hills. And it’s been a great week for Sepp Blatter, Mo Salah, and ITV’s Sam Matterface.

8.46am BST

Paul Doyle has cast his expert eye over the World Cup so far, and rustled up an XI to take on all comers. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Moussa Wagué, Nordin Amrabat, Alireza Beiranvand ... this is your moment.

8.35am BST

While we’re on the subject of Raheem Sterling ... the Manchester City winger, having taken an unreasonable amount of flak from clowns, responded eloquently in the Players’ Tribune recently. Here’s more on the US site, which is better known for its baseball coverage.

8.27am BST

So Gareth Southgate opts to keep faith with the brilliant Raheem Sterling, instead of replacing him with the brilliant Marcus Rashford. It wasn’t a bad dilemma to have, was it? Here’s Daniel Taylor on the cautious optimism in the England camp.

8.17am BST

BREAKING NEWS. Here’s how England will be lining up this afternoon against Panama, courtesy of our man Dominic Fifield.

Raheem Sterling is to retain his place in the England lineup for this afternoon’s Group G game against Panama, with Gareth Southgate set to make a solitary change - Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the injured Dele Alli - for the matchin Nizhny Novgorod.

While Steve Holland’s training notes, photographed at an open session on Thursday, had appeared to indicate Marcus Rashford might get the nod up front alongside Harry Kane, Sterling will partner the captain against the side ranked 55 in the world. The Manchester City forward is aiming to score his first goal for his country since October 2015, 21 caps ago, as England seek to secure qualification from the section.

8.10am BST

So, good old Germany, eh. But they’re not resting on their laurels. Despite that victory over the Swedes, they’re planning to make some more changes for their final must-win group game over South Korea. “My players were tired at the end of the game and Marco Reus had cramps as early as 10 minutes before the end,” says Joachim Loew. “Jerome Boateng is suspended and Sebastian Rudy broke his nose. We will need a couple of days to recover. Rudy could potentially play on Wednesday but we will need to wait and see. Mats Hummels is likely to play and if he does then we have another option in defence.”

8.00am BST

Thanks to Jonathan. Swedish fatalism, anyone?

7.57am BST

Speaking of that cuppa, I can hear the kettle boiling, which must mean Scott Murray is due any second now.

As always, thank you for your company and engagement. I’ll see you again here soon.

7.55am BST

“Morning Jonathan!” Morning David Penney (not the David Penney we established yesterday, but still a David Penney). “Stir-fry this in your mind-wok! Brazil’s success in every World Cup over the past 25 years has been directly proportional to the quality and form of their No. 9 at the time. Discuss.”

Over to you dear reader. I’m off for a cup of tea soon, so I’ll leave you lot to figure out if Mr Penney is onto something or not.

7.52am BST

@JPHowcroft sorry, know you said you might park VAR, but surely the rationale here is to respect the refs authority? “Clear and obvious” means “we think you missed that”, but the ref is free to overrule if he disagrees, as the alternative has players losing all respect for ref

7.50am BST

Allegations of doping continue to bubble beneath the surface of the World Cup. The Mail on Sunday has today published a story suggesting a Fifa cover-up.

Nobody wants this to be the case, and plenty will not want to hear it, but @sportingintel with some inconvenient facts that deserve an explanation https://t.co/sLFxSCmwO5

7.43am BST

Have you selected your all-time England XI yet?

7.38am BST

While the circulation of what may prove to be England’s XI has caused conniptions in some quarters, Panama coach Hernán Darío Gómez doesn’t know what all the fuss is about.

It doesn’t give me or afford me any advantage. Each and every coach needs to make sure they’re 100% prepared and ready regardless of the opposition. It doesn’t matter who plays, because if one doesn’t play the other is just as good.”

7.32am BST

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill believes England will overcome Panama but warns they must be aware of the passion the Central Americans will bring to the contest.

They are well organised, they get men behind the ball, but beyond that, they play with a great pride; this is a massive thing for them. When we played, the ground was virtually sold out, there were fireworks before the game, kids on the pitch and all sorts going on. You quickly realised what a big moment this is for them, to be in the World Cup. So they’ll play with a great passion. You saw that in the first half against Belgium. It was obvious from the start that these guys would defend for their lives and it took a bit of brilliance to open that game up. Belgium had huffed and puffed a little bit.”

7.27am BST

If long-lens cameras are to be believed Ruben Loftus-Cheek is due a World Cup start. Dominic Fifield has filed this lovely profile of a young man who once made an admiring Michael Ballack ask “Who the hell is that kid?”

7.23am BST

There are concerns England’s cool-climate training base could leave them unprepared for the heatwave facing them in Nizhny Novgorod.

7.22am BST

As dawn breaks over Blighty, time to turn some attention to England’s clash with Panama later today.

7.18am BST

Seth Levine wants a right to reply on the VAR debate. “With respect to @cricketingview’s, err, view, the clue to the suitability of the “probable cause” test in American criminal law is in the title. The “clear and obvious error” test makes perfect sense if used for overturning a decision. It makes no sense as a referral test. I’d be quite happy with a “probable cause” type referral system, as the on-field referee would not then run to the screen with the knowledge that the VAR has already deemed there to be a clear and obvious error.”

There’s further explanation over @cricketingview’s Twitter page, expanding on their post below.

7.09am BST

On the subject of wine, the pod described the shorts on Meixco’s away kit as burgundy. There was then a comment that not many kits contain burgundy (Northampton Town highlighted as exception). Which got me thinking about the high-profile clubs with claret in their colours and how claret and burgundy are near-enough the same product (come at me sommeliers!).

It struck me as a curio that the minor differences between a pinot noir grape and a cabernet sauvignon grape could have repercussions in the world of football.

7.00am BST

@JPHowcroft Footy be damned, how do I earn my referee's licence for this?https://t.co/DJyvvAEvOq

6.58am BST

.@JPHowcroft Err, no. Seth Levine is wrong. The process of VAR is not paradoxical in the same way that a search warrant for probable cause is not paradoxical. You decide to ask the question when there's good enough reason to ask the question. But then you have to answer it.

6.57am BST

Mark Pulham has a suggestion that Fifa has so-far avoided engaging with, presumably to ensure the on-field referee remains the sole arbiter of the contest.. “Treat it like cricket appeals - one per side per game. No more histrionics / false claiming (for fear of triggering a lost appeal). No more diving / lying (the other side will appeal). No more howlers. No more suspicion of ref or FIFA bias.”

6.53am BST

“If the trigger for a VAR referral is a ‘clear and obvious error’,” asks Seth Levine, “why do they bother reverting to the on-field referee at all? That’s not a paradox - it’s just a really poorly defined test. It makes sense for the on-field referee to check if he’s not sure, but every “check” called for by the VAR is, by definition, the result of a clear and obvious error (in the view of the VAR).”

Indeed. It remains very much a work in progress. As someone who lived through the A-League trial it was clear the system was still some way off where it needed to be. That said, it has operated far more efficiently in Russia than it has in Australia.

6.46am BST

@JPHowcroft Not quite a brain-freeze on par with Durmaz and Guidetti last night, but the Sweden-Germany game did remind of the incredible last minute of Croatia v Turkey in Euro 2008: https://t.co/UqNZZniRmz

6.33am BST

Some background to the Xhaka and Shaqiri situation:

6.26am BST

Meanwhile, the animosity between Switzerland and Serbia rumbles on, with Fifa now getting involved.

6.22am BST

How’s the round of 16 shaping up after yesterday’s games? Likes this:

Here's how the #WorldCup round of 16 is shaping up after today's matches.

There's a decent chance we'll get to see #BRA v #GER after the latter's late winner, while #MEX are on course to face #SUI ... with the winner potentially taking on #ENG pic.twitter.com/nwZg4pTCWb

6.18am BST

6.17am BST

Belgium’s win may have come at a cost with key players collecting knocks. Although the battle to top Group G is far from the most fierce at Russia 2018 thanks to the wildcard that is Group H. Roberto Martinez was pragmatic about the situation in his post-match press conference.

The answer is very clear. If we could have seven days to prepare the game and then have seven days for the next game I would say carry on with the same starting XI. The reality now is that we are qualified, and in a tournament like the World Cup you’re only as good as the 23 players in your squad. There’ll be opportunities to give minutes to other players who deserve them. We need to assess the three injury concerns.”

6.10am BST

Back to the task in hand, and Belgium’s muscular dismissal of Tunisia, featuring braces from Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.

6.05am BST

Andrew Benton (see earlier) may have given me a bum steer.

. @JPHowcroft Quietschende Pennerzeit is not a thing in German... where did you get that from? "Penner" in this context means "bum" as in "homeless", so unnecessarily offensive. Arsch-auf-Grundeis-Zeit (arse on black ice time) would be way more appropriate and funny...

6.00am BST

The combination of results in Group F leaves us with the tantalising prospect of three sides on equal points at the end of the phase. With the final group matches kicking off simultaneously I’m looking forward to a scenario where groups of players are huddled over pieces of paper like cricket captains studying Duckworth-Lewis permutations.

5.53am BST

Raul Vilchis celebrates Mexico’s tactical versatility after El Tri shifted from a counterattacking to a possession-based strategy between their clashes with Germany and South Korea.

As jubilant Mexican fans broke out into renditions of “Cielito Lindo” in the stands, the Mexican players were able to thwart South Korea’s well-ordered defensive line with tactical discipline that drove the action to the sides of the field. The Mexicans knew how to create depth in their plays towards the goal by widening out their placement on the pitch.”

5.50am BST

In other Group F action Mexico impressed once again as they defeated perhaps the most disappointing side in Russia so far, South Korea. Javier Hernandez bagged his 50th international goal in the process while Hirving Lozano increased the rate of inflation to his transfer fee.

5.46am BST

Peter Rist has a VAR question. “Something I don’t understand about how VAR is bering used is: when the head VAR guy contacts the on-field ref suggesting he look at something, should the ref automatically check or not? I don’t understand why the German ref in the Swiss/Serbia game did nothing when Mitrovic was Tag-teamed in the penalty area, or when Sweden had a clear penalty shout yesterday, the ref did nothing.”

My understanding is once the VAR instructs the on-field ref to review an incident then that is what occurs. In incidents like the ones described above my presumption is the VAR decided there was no clear and obvious error worth the on-field referee’s time reconsidering. Frustrating, I know.

5.42am BST

Somebody just reminded me of this glorious piece of Toni-related creativity as a counterweight to the Kroos supremacy. Although I’m not sure it qualifies as Tony Wilson was Tony with a y, and I’m not even sure Toni Kroos is an Anthony Kroos (can anyone confirm?). Regardless, I’ll take any excuse to share this marvellous clip.

5.38am BST

“’Squeaky-bum time’ is apparently ‘krånglig bumtid’ in Swedish. Seems the squeaking continues for these two.” Lovely stuff from Andrew Benton who opens the email floodgates in superb fashion.

5.28am BST

The pod point out that with just 75 seconds of injury time remaining John Guidetti shoots tamely at Manuel Neuer from a low percentage angle when he could easily have bled more time from the clock by running the ball into the corner. It brought to mind similar fateful incidents.

What other brain freezes deserve a place in this hall of shame?

5.24am BST

Unsurprisingly, Germany’s comeback (only the second of Russia 2018 so far) dominates the latest World Cup Daily.

This is worth listening to all the way to the end in order to savour Barry and Max’s haunting duet of the Home & Away theme tune.

5.13am BST

Do last night’s heroics (not to mention the 2014 World Cup winner’s medal, four Champions League titles, four Club World Cups etc etc) make Toni Kroos the world’s preeminent Toni? Surely he’s knocked Braxton, Basil, and & Guy into a cocked hat.

5.11am BST

There were handbags after the final whistle at the Fisht Stadium with Sweden’s coaching staff unhappy with their German counterparts.

“Some of the group leaders of their team celebrated by running in our direction, rubbing it into our faces by making gestures,” Janne Anderson said. “That really got me annoyed and angry. We had fought it out for 90 minutes and at the end you should shake hands. So I was very angry with that.

4.48am BST

Heiliger Strohsack! How close we came to the most ignominious German exit from Russia since Eurovision 2009. Die Mannschaft, seconds from a fateful draw only for Toni Kroos to welly in one of the all-time World Cup winners.

After the heart-stopping action of day ten, the passage of time compels us to contemplate day eleven. By close of business we will have digested 32 of the 64 matches scheduled for Russia 2018. The halfway point, if you like, of a tournament that has yet to reveal a decisive hand.

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Published on June 24, 2018 04:04

World Cup 2018: Sterling to start for England and reaction to Germany's win – live!

Live updates from Russia on an important day in Groups G and HRonaldo, Rostov and @Lord_Sugar: World Cup 2018 diary, week two World Cup Daily: Germany leave it late, Mexico wait
Email Scott your thoughts

9.46am BST

Peru striker Jefferson Farfan has been hospitalised after a clash of heads with one of the squad’s goalkeepers in training. The Peruvian FA reports that initial results have been “favourable for the player” but he’ll remain in the hospital for monitoring. Peru are already out after losses to Denmark and France. They still have a match against Australia to come in Sochi.

9.36am BST

Wilson’s got his chalkboard out. A typically wonderful column, in which tactics guru Jonathan gets to the heart of the goalscoring problem blighting this World Cup.

The pattern has been clear for at least three decades and is predictable and natural. The lack of time available to coaches mean that they, naturally, make a priority of defensive structures over attacking ones: while an under-drilled attack can always conjure a goal from nothing, an under-drilled defence will always concede. Besides, defensive principles are relatively universal; much less adaptation is required than for attacks that can vary wildly.

9.29am BST

Just because. Enjoy.

9.23am BST

Football fans witnessed the spectacular Scarlet Sails festivities in St Petersburg last night. The tradition celebrates the end of the school year, as a ship with scarlet sails serenely glides towards the Winter Palace. Fans of Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina and Nigeria lined the banks to enjoy the spectacle, which also included a firework display.

9.11am BST

That’s All Right Then dept. And it’s more on world champions Germany cavorting with glee at the end of their dramatic win over Sweden. The Swedes weren’t too happy with the reaction on the German bench at the time, but in typically easy-going Scandinavian style, all is now forgiven. Yay! Sweden substitute Pontus Jansson lost his temper with the Germans, but has now calmed down: “Some of them celebrated in a disrespectful way. There was a lot of feelings, we had just let in a goal and lost the game, so it was pretty sour. Maybe there was unnecessary anger from me, but they apologised afterwards so it’s just a case of accepting it. There were a lot of feelings in the heat of the moment.”

9.02am BST

Just in case you missed the earlier breaking news ... in scenes that would put John le Carré to shame, our man in Russia, Dominic Fifield, has been peering through binoculars at scraps of paper in order to decode England’s line-up against Panama. And here’s what he’s found out!

Raheem Sterling is to retain his place in the England lineup for this afternoon’s Group G game against Panama, with Gareth Southgate set to make a solitary change - Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the injured Dele Alli - for the matchin Nizhny Novgorod.

While Steve Holland’s training notes, photographed at an open session on Thursday, had appeared to indicate Marcus Rashford might get the nod up front alongside Harry Kane, Sterling will partner the captain against the side ranked 55 in the world. The Manchester City forward is aiming to score his first goal for his country since October 2015, 21 caps ago, as England seek to secure qualification from the section.

8.56am BST

Apropos of nothing ...

8.55am BST

The latest World Cup dispatch from the Observer’s award-winning diarist David Hills. And it’s been a great week for Sepp Blatter, Mo Salah, and ITV’s Sam Matterface.

8.46am BST

Paul Doyle has cast his expert eye over the World Cup so far, and rustled up an XI to take on all comers. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Moussa Wagué, Nordin Amrabat, Alireza Beiranvand ... this is your moment.

8.35am BST

While we’re on the subject of Raheem Sterling ... the Manchester City winger, having taken an unreasonable amount of flak from clowns, responded eloquently in the Players’ Tribune recently. Here’s more on the US site, which is better known for its baseball coverage.

8.27am BST

So Gareth Southgate opts to keep faith with the brilliant Raheem Sterling, instead of replacing him with the brilliant Marcus Rashford. It wasn’t a bad dilemma to have, was it? Here’s Daniel Taylor on the cautious optimism in the England camp.

8.17am BST

BREAKING NEWS. Here’s how England will be lining up this afternoon against Panama, courtesy of our man Dominic Fifield.

Raheem Sterling is to retain his place in the England lineup for this afternoon’s Group G game against Panama, with Gareth Southgate set to make a solitary change - Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the injured Dele Alli - for the matchin Nizhny Novgorod.

While Steve Holland’s training notes, photographed at an open session on Thursday, had appeared to indicate Marcus Rashford might get the nod up front alongside Harry Kane, Sterling will partner the captain against the side ranked 55 in the world. The Manchester City forward is aiming to score his first goal for his country since October 2015, 21 caps ago, as England seek to secure qualification from the section.

8.10am BST

So, good old Germany, eh. But they’re not resting on their laurels. Despite that victory over the Swedes, they’re planning to make some more changes for their final must-win group game over South Korea. “My players were tired at the end of the game and Marco Reus had cramps as early as 10 minutes before the end,” says Joachim Loew. “Jerome Boateng is suspended and Sebastian Rudy broke his nose. We will need a couple of days to recover. Rudy could potentially play on Wednesday but we will need to wait and see. Mats Hummels is likely to play and if he does then we have another option in defence.”

8.00am BST

Thanks to Jonathan. Swedish fatalism, anyone?

7.57am BST

Speaking of that cuppa, I can hear the kettle boiling, which must mean Scott Murray is due any second now.

As always, thank you for your company and engagement. I’ll see you again here soon.

7.55am BST

“Morning Jonathan!” Morning David Penney (not the David Penney we established yesterday, but still a David Penney). “Stir-fry this in your mind-wok! Brazil’s success in every World Cup over the past 25 years has been directly proportional to the quality and form of their No. 9 at the time. Discuss.”

Over to you dear reader. I’m off for a cup of tea soon, so I’ll leave you lot to figure out if Mr Penney is onto something or not.

7.52am BST

@JPHowcroft sorry, know you said you might park VAR, but surely the rationale here is to respect the refs authority? “Clear and obvious” means “we think you missed that”, but the ref is free to overrule if he disagrees, as the alternative has players losing all respect for ref

7.50am BST

Allegations of doping continue to bubble beneath the surface of the World Cup. The Mail on Sunday has today published a story suggesting a Fifa cover-up.

Nobody wants this to be the case, and plenty will not want to hear it, but @sportingintel with some inconvenient facts that deserve an explanation https://t.co/sLFxSCmwO5

7.43am BST

Have you selected your all-time England XI yet?

7.38am BST

While the circulation of what may prove to be England’s XI has caused conniptions in some quarters, Panama coach Hernán Darío Gómez doesn’t know what all the fuss is about.

It doesn’t give me or afford me any advantage. Each and every coach needs to make sure they’re 100% prepared and ready regardless of the opposition. It doesn’t matter who plays, because if one doesn’t play the other is just as good.”

7.32am BST

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill believes England will overcome Panama but warns they must be aware of the passion the Central Americans will bring to the contest.

They are well organised, they get men behind the ball, but beyond that, they play with a great pride; this is a massive thing for them. When we played, the ground was virtually sold out, there were fireworks before the game, kids on the pitch and all sorts going on. You quickly realised what a big moment this is for them, to be in the World Cup. So they’ll play with a great passion. You saw that in the first half against Belgium. It was obvious from the start that these guys would defend for their lives and it took a bit of brilliance to open that game up. Belgium had huffed and puffed a little bit.”

7.27am BST

If long-lens cameras are to be believed Ruben Loftus-Cheek is due a World Cup start. Dominic Fifield has filed this lovely profile of a young man who once made an admiring Michael Ballack ask “Who the hell is that kid?”

7.23am BST

There are concerns England’s cool-climate training base could leave them unprepared for the heatwave facing them in Nizhny Novgorod.

7.22am BST

As dawn breaks over Blighty, time to turn some attention to England’s clash with Panama later today.

7.18am BST

Seth Levine wants a right to reply on the VAR debate. “With respect to @cricketingview’s, err, view, the clue to the suitability of the “probable cause” test in American criminal law is in the title. The “clear and obvious error” test makes perfect sense if used for overturning a decision. It makes no sense as a referral test. I’d be quite happy with a “probable cause” type referral system, as the on-field referee would not then run to the screen with the knowledge that the VAR has already deemed there to be a clear and obvious error.”

There’s further explanation over @cricketingview’s Twitter page, expanding on their post below.

7.09am BST

On the subject of wine, the pod described the shorts on Meixco’s away kit as burgundy. There was then a comment that not many kits contain burgundy (Northampton Town highlighted as exception). Which got me thinking about the high-profile clubs with claret in their colours and how claret and burgundy are near-enough the same product (come at me sommeliers!).

It struck me as a curio that the minor differences between a pinot noir grape and a cabernet sauvignon grape could have repercussions in the world of football.

7.00am BST

@JPHowcroft Footy be damned, how do I earn my referee's licence for this?https://t.co/DJyvvAEvOq

6.58am BST

.@JPHowcroft Err, no. Seth Levine is wrong. The process of VAR is not paradoxical in the same way that a search warrant for probable cause is not paradoxical. You decide to ask the question when there's good enough reason to ask the question. But then you have to answer it.

6.57am BST

Mark Pulham has a suggestion that Fifa has so-far avoided engaging with, presumably to ensure the on-field referee remains the sole arbiter of the contest.. “Treat it like cricket appeals - one per side per game. No more histrionics / false claiming (for fear of triggering a lost appeal). No more diving / lying (the other side will appeal). No more howlers. No more suspicion of ref or FIFA bias.”

6.53am BST

“If the trigger for a VAR referral is a ‘clear and obvious error’,” asks Seth Levine, “why do they bother reverting to the on-field referee at all? That’s not a paradox - it’s just a really poorly defined test. It makes sense for the on-field referee to check if he’s not sure, but every “check” called for by the VAR is, by definition, the result of a clear and obvious error (in the view of the VAR).”

Indeed. It remains very much a work in progress. As someone who lived through the A-League trial it was clear the system was still some way off where it needed to be. That said, it has operated far more efficiently in Russia than it has in Australia.

6.46am BST

@JPHowcroft Not quite a brain-freeze on par with Durmaz and Guidetti last night, but the Sweden-Germany game did remind of the incredible last minute of Croatia v Turkey in Euro 2008: https://t.co/UqNZZniRmz

6.33am BST

Some background to the Xhaka and Shaqiri situation:

6.26am BST

Meanwhile, the animosity between Switzerland and Serbia rumbles on, with Fifa now getting involved.

6.22am BST

How’s the round of 16 shaping up after yesterday’s games? Likes this:

Here's how the #WorldCup round of 16 is shaping up after today's matches.

There's a decent chance we'll get to see #BRA v #GER after the latter's late winner, while #MEX are on course to face #SUI ... with the winner potentially taking on #ENG pic.twitter.com/nwZg4pTCWb

6.18am BST

6.17am BST

Belgium’s win may have come at a cost with key players collecting knocks. Although the battle to top Group G is far from the most fierce at Russia 2018 thanks to the wildcard that is Group H. Roberto Martinez was pragmatic about the situation in his post-match press conference.

The answer is very clear. If we could have seven days to prepare the game and then have seven days for the next game I would say carry on with the same starting XI. The reality now is that we are qualified, and in a tournament like the World Cup you’re only as good as the 23 players in your squad. There’ll be opportunities to give minutes to other players who deserve them. We need to assess the three injury concerns.”

6.10am BST

Back to the task in hand, and Belgium’s muscular dismissal of Tunisia, featuring braces from Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.

6.05am BST

Andrew Benton (see earlier) may have given me a bum steer.

. @JPHowcroft Quietschende Pennerzeit is not a thing in German... where did you get that from? "Penner" in this context means "bum" as in "homeless", so unnecessarily offensive. Arsch-auf-Grundeis-Zeit (arse on black ice time) would be way more appropriate and funny...

6.00am BST

The combination of results in Group F leaves us with the tantalising prospect of three sides on equal points at the end of the phase. With the final group matches kicking off simultaneously I’m looking forward to a scenario where groups of players are huddled over pieces of paper like cricket captains studying Duckworth-Lewis permutations.

5.53am BST

Raul Vilchis celebrates Mexico’s tactical versatility after El Tri shifted from a counterattacking to a possession-based strategy between their clashes with Germany and South Korea.

As jubilant Mexican fans broke out into renditions of “Cielito Lindo” in the stands, the Mexican players were able to thwart South Korea’s well-ordered defensive line with tactical discipline that drove the action to the sides of the field. The Mexicans knew how to create depth in their plays towards the goal by widening out their placement on the pitch.”

5.50am BST

In other Group F action Mexico impressed once again as they defeated perhaps the most disappointing side in Russia so far, South Korea. Javier Hernandez bagged his 50th international goal in the process while Hirving Lozano increased the rate of inflation to his transfer fee.

5.46am BST

Peter Rist has a VAR question. “Something I don’t understand about how VAR is bering used is: when the head VAR guy contacts the on-field ref suggesting he look at something, should the ref automatically check or not? I don’t understand why the German ref in the Swiss/Serbia game did nothing when Mitrovic was Tag-teamed in the penalty area, or when Sweden had a clear penalty shout yesterday, the ref did nothing.”

My understanding is once the VAR instructs the on-field ref to review an incident then that is what occurs. In incidents like the ones described above my presumption is the VAR decided there was no clear and obvious error worth the on-field referee’s time reconsidering. Frustrating, I know.

5.42am BST

Somebody just reminded me of this glorious piece of Toni-related creativity as a counterweight to the Kroos supremacy. Although I’m not sure it qualifies as Tony Wilson was Tony with a y, and I’m not even sure Toni Kroos is an Anthony Kroos (can anyone confirm?). Regardless, I’ll take any excuse to share this marvellous clip.

5.38am BST

“’Squeaky-bum time’ is apparently ‘krånglig bumtid’ in Swedish. Seems the squeaking continues for these two.” Lovely stuff from Andrew Benton who opens the email floodgates in superb fashion.

5.28am BST

The pod point out that with just 75 seconds of injury time remaining John Guidetti shoots tamely at Manuel Neuer from a low percentage angle when he could easily have bled more time from the clock by running the ball into the corner. It brought to mind similar fateful incidents.

What other brain freezes deserve a place in this hall of shame?

5.24am BST

Unsurprisingly, Germany’s comeback (only the second of Russia 2018 so far) dominates the latest World Cup Daily.

This is worth listening to all the way to the end in order to savour Barry and Max’s haunting duet of the Home & Away theme tune.

5.13am BST

Do last night’s heroics (not to mention the 2014 World Cup winner’s medal, four Champions League titles, four Club World Cups etc etc) make Toni Kroos the world’s preeminent Toni? Surely he’s knocked Braxton, Basil, and & Guy into a cocked hat.

5.11am BST

There were handbags after the final whistle at the Fisht Stadium with Sweden’s coaching staff unhappy with their German counterparts.

“Some of the group leaders of their team celebrated by running in our direction, rubbing it into our faces by making gestures,” Janne Anderson said. “That really got me annoyed and angry. We had fought it out for 90 minutes and at the end you should shake hands. So I was very angry with that.

4.48am BST

Heiliger Strohsack! How close we came to the most ignominious German exit from Russia since Eurovision 2009. Die Mannschaft, seconds from a fateful draw only for Toni Kroos to welly in one of the all-time World Cup winners.

After the heart-stopping action of day ten, the passage of time compels us to contemplate day eleven. By close of business we will have digested 32 of the 64 matches scheduled for Russia 2018. The halfway point, if you like, of a tournament that has yet to reveal a decisive hand.

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Published on June 24, 2018 01:46

Belgium 5-2 Tunisia: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard both scored twice as Belgium showcased their attacking verve in Moscow

3.13pm BST

Anyway, that’s your lot here. Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy the rest of the day’s football ... which continues with South Korea’s game against Mexico over here with Mr Baz. Bye!

3.12pm BST

Romelu Lukaku now tops the Golden Boot standings. He joins Cristiano Ronaldo at the head of the race with four, though he’s got a far better shots-to-goal ratio, plus he’s not been on the pitch so long. Some big names already in the running for the prize first awarded to the legendary Italian striker Paolo Rossi in 1982.

3.08pm BST

Here’s the match report ... with Stuart James’s match report from the Spartak Stadium in Moscow to follow.

3.05pm BST

That was a fine performance by Belgium. A few question marks at the back, perhaps, but then who defends well these days? Going forward they look very formidable, and will pose England quite a few questions on Thursday night. Their status as one of the favourites for this World Cup has been revived after a slightly stodgy display against Panama. Over to England, then. But whatever happens tomorrow, Thursday’s showdown at the Kaliningrad Stadium promises to be a cracker.

3.01pm BST

Roberto’s rated his players. Now it’s your turn. Get clicking!

3.00pm BST

Roberto Martinez speaks! “It is not easy to score the amount of goals we have scored in the first two games. It is really good to see a team coming together, to fight so much for each other. And on top of it we have the talent and the quality. Tunisia made it an open game, and it made a game that had a lot of action in both boxes. We had to suffer in spells, but when we were in full flow we were sharp. Qualification in two games: you cannot ask for more from these players.”

2.56pm BST

Well, that was fun. Belgium are as good as in the last 16 and Tunisia are out ... unless Panama record a result for the ages tomorrow lunchtime.

2.55pm BST

Naguez dribbles towards the byline on the right. He pulls back for Khazri, who spins and squirts a consolation into the bottom left!

2.54pm BST

90 min +2: It’s the second of three added minutes. Batshuayi romps towards the Tunisian box. He’s got Tielemans to his right, but doesn’t return the favour, opting to loft a chip over Ben Mustapha instead. It’s not a good connection, and floats wide right.

2.53pm BST

Hats off to Batshuayi, who has missed some sitters. But he’s kept on coming, and he’s got his reward here. Tielemans curls one in from the right. Batshuayi slides in, and guides it back across Ben Mustapha and into the bottom right! A reward for persistence ... and a very tidy finish.

2.51pm BST

89 min: The corner is a non-event. As I say, a sense that everyone just wants back to the hotel.

2.50pm BST

88 min: Meunier races down the right and wins a corner off Benalouane.

2.47pm BST

86 min: Mertens is replaced by Tielemans.

2.47pm BST

84 min: Belgium knock it about again, just because this is where we are now. “Vertonghen did, indeed, look groggy,” begins Mac Millings. “Is there a proper concussion protocol in place at this tournament? There have been a few nasty clashes of heads, and Fifa really needs to take concussion as seriously as US sports are (finally) doing. If they do, I think you might see a significant increase in concussion-based substitutions, and they might have to look at changing the sub rules - maybe four total, with a maximum of two being for tactical purposes.” A serious email from Millings?! Regular MBM readers will hope he hasn’t taken a knock to the head.

2.44pm BST

82 min: Batshuayi could easily have had a six-minute hat-trick. He’s got nowt.

2.43pm BST

81 min: What does Batshuayi have to do to score?! De Bruyne dribbles to the byline on the left, then pulls back. Batshuayi is six yards out - and pelts the ball straight at the keeper, who parries! Batshuayi gets to the rebound first, but his shot from a tight angle on the right balloons over via a deflection. The corner leads to naught.

2.42pm BST

79 min: An outrageous miss by Batshuayi! Carrasco cuts in from the left. His low shot is spilled by Ben Mustapha, and falls at the feet of Batshuayi ... who blasts a shot off the underside of the bar, down, out and away! That was a physics-defying nonsense! But also a preposterous miss.

2.40pm BST

78 min: And now a lull, with a slight sense that both teams would pick up the ball now and call it a day, if they could.

2.39pm BST

76 min: Another chance for Batshuayi. He’s released by Carrasco and rounds Ben Mustapha on the left. He scoops a shot towards the empty net, but there’s no oomph to the effort, allowing Meriah to hoick off the line.

2.37pm BST

75 min: De Bruyne slips a pass down the inside-left channel to release Batshuayi. Ben Mustapha comes racing out of his area and intercepts the ball with his chest. On the touchline, Roberto Martinez is claiming a hand ball, but the VAR folks aren’t seeing it.

2.35pm BST

73 min: Vertonghen’s back on, OK to continue.

2.34pm BST

72 min: Vertonghen and Sliti clash heads. Vertonghen looks a bit groggy. Play’s stopped as a result.

2.32pm BST

70 min: Boyata bowls over the up-for-it Sliti, just to the left of the Belgium box. The free kick eventually drops to the feet of Khaoui, 25 yards out: he balloons the ball miles over the bar.

2.30pm BST

68 min: No hat-trick for Hazard either: he’s replaced by Batshuayi.

2.29pm BST

67 min: The rain’s started again. It’s very pretty. Badri turns on a sixpence and sends a bobbler towards Courtois, who claims.

2.28pm BST

66 min: Sliti curls one into the Belgium box from the left. Boyata is forced to head behind for a corner. From the set piece, Sliti has a whack from the edge of the box. He doesn’t connect properly. The ball clanks off Alderweireld. Tunisia make a half-hearted shout for penalty but they don’t really believe in it.

2.26pm BST

64 min: It’s still a beautiful sunny day in Moscow ... but there’s a sudden shower of summer rain. Hazard glides in from the left and looks for the top right. Nope. And then the rain stops.

2.24pm BST

62 min: Carrasco, to the left of the D, tries a vicious curler into the top right. It’s not far away from taking the paint off the goalframe, but over and wide nonetheless.

2.23pm BST

61 min: Ben Youssef races down the right and hooks a low ball into the Belgium box. Badri and Khazri leave it for each other, and the chance to seriously trouble Courtois is gone. The scoring, you sense, hasn’t finished.

2.22pm BST

59 min: No hat-trick for Lukaku today. Two goals will have to do. Belgium’s main striker will get a rest ahead of the England game, not least because he’s got a sore foot. Mertens will move into his line-leading position; Fellaini is the man coming on. Tunisia meanwhile make their final change: Sassi is replaced by Sliti.

2.19pm BST

57 min: Carrasco is sent scampering into space down the left, courtesy of a Hazard dummy. Entering the area, he should shoot, but opts to cross instead. A waste. But it’s a corner! Which is also a waste. But Belgium can afford a minor mistake or two.

2.18pm BST

56 min: Sassi, 30 yards out down the inside-right channel, spots Courtois on walkabout, and sends a looping shot over the keeper and towards the top left. It’s not too far away. Had it been on target, Courtois was toast.

2.16pm BST

54 min: Maaloul crosses into the Belgian area for the remaining Ben Youssef, Fakhreddine, who heads harmlessly out of play for a goal kick.

2.15pm BST

53 min: Belgium stroke it around the back awhile, just because they can. Two of their players are on hat-tricks now.

2.14pm BST

But this is surely it now. De Bruyne, from deep inside his own half, rakes down the middle and releases Hazard, who outstrips Benalouane. He takes a touch round Ben Mustapha and slots into the empty net. Another simple goal, but so crisply taken.

2.12pm BST

50 min: Tunisia are going for it all right. Badri has a whack from the left of the D and warms Courtois’ hands.

2.12pm BST

49 min: Khazri gently whips a pass down the left and nearly releases Badri. Not quite. Then Tunisia come again, Badri threading a pass through the middle for Khaoui. But Boyata hooks away just as the Tunisian midfielder prepares to pull the trigger.

2.09pm BST

47 min: But then Lukaku wins a corner down the right, chasing after a long pass, and Belgium take it short. De Bruyne fires low towards the near post, and Alderweireld nearly Total Footballs a flick into the net from close range. Just wide. No sense whatsoever that this match is going to end 3-1.

2.08pm BST

The teams are back ... and we’re off again! Tunisia - who were kept waiting by Belgium - get the ball rolling once more. The half-time interval was 18 minutes long! Ah, they’ve all deserved the rest. Maaloul and Ben Youssef combine well down the right, but can’t quite open Belgium up. The Tunisians need two goals at least if they’re to have any chance of survival. They’ve restarted on the front foot.

1.54pm BST

Half-time snack bar:

1.51pm BST

That was a lot of fun. After a slow start to their World Cup, the Belgian golden generation look a serious proposition again.

1.50pm BST

The free-scoring Lukaku gets another! The excellent Meunier glides in from the right, draws a couple of defenders, then dinks a pass through for Lukaku, down the inside-right. Lukaku draws Ben Mustapha and clips the ball over the keeper. Simple but beautiful.

1.49pm BST

45 min +3: Suddenly Belgium counter! Meunier skitters across the face of his own area, before dinking the ball away from trouble and to Hazard, in acres of space in the midfield. He races upfield, then slips wide to De Bruyne, who is clear down the inside right! Unselfishly, he crosses low for Lukaku, but the pass is an inch too far forward for his toe. No matter, though, because ...

1.47pm BST

45 min +2: It’s four minutes of added time in this stoppage-strewn firsts half. Tunisia push Belgium back, but not too far, and they’re not really threatening to penetrate.

1.45pm BST

45 min: Mertens lifts a pass down the left in the hope of releasing Hazard. But Naguez ushers the ball out of play for a goal kick. Hazard looks slightly frustrated, the result of Belgium’s fast start being checked, no doubt.

1.43pm BST

43 min: Maaloul dinks one in from the left. Khaoui takes it down and spins gracefully, before winning a corner off Boyata. The set piece goes straight down the throat of Courtois. But Tunisia have done extremely well to come back into this game. They’re asking Belgium plenty of questions.

1.41pm BST

41 min: Tunisia are forced into another substitution. Syam Ben Youssef has picked up a knock, and he’s carted off on the stretcher too. Benalouane replaces him. That’s half of Tunisia’s back line carried off, and we haven’t even reached the break.

1.39pm BST

39 min: De Bruyne has been relatively quiet. He tries to spring Lukaku free down the inside-left channel, but his pass forward is always going through to Ben Mustapha. Up the other end, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef chests down and attempts to Le Tissier a volley into the top right. It’s an admirable effort, but always going high and wide.

1.37pm BST

37 min: The first lull of the afternoon as players stop for a glug of water. These showmen deserve it.

1.35pm BST

35 min: Lukaku was down getting a bit of treatment back there. A bit of spray on the foot, and a slight worry for Belgium.

1.35pm BST

33 min: Meunier crosses low from the right. Ben Mustapha should claim easily, but nearly spills it at the feet of Mertens. This game of football is absurdly open, and what could possibly be wrong with that? I’m beginning to have a rough idea what the 1954 World Cup felt like.

1.33pm BST

32 min: Khazri steps in from the left and sends a powerful looper towards the top right. For a second, it looks like it might be foxing Courtois and heading into the corner, but the keeper does very well to gather.

1.31pm BST

31 min: Now Sassi drags a shot wide left from 20 yards. This is really fine entertainment! Here’s Hubert O’Hearn: “I guess Roberto Martinez heard that this is the lowest scoring World Cup since 2002 and said, hold Belgium’s greatest export. 9-8 anyone?”

1.30pm BST

30 min: Khazri tries for goal while wide on the right. It’s that sort of game.

1.29pm BST

29 min: Belgium look dangerous pretty much every time they go forward. Hazard slips a ball into the area from the left. Lukaku backheels it to Witsel, who can’t get a shot on target from just outside the area.

1.28pm BST

27 min: De Bruyne sends Lukaku free down the inside right. The striker should enter the box and get a shot away, but he takes a heavy touch. Instead he’s put off by the advancing Ben Mustapha, who ushers him wide right and out of play for a goal kick. Lukaku goes over after a slight brush from the keeper, but he’s barely fallen to the turf before he sportingly sticks a palm up to signal he’s not claiming for a penalty. That’s lovely to see.

1.26pm BST

25 min: Khazri bombs down the left and from the byline dinks a high-velocity rabona over the sliding Alderweireld. Courtois does very well to catch it without fuss or drama.

1.24pm BST

24 min: Bronn is replaced by Naguez. Here’s Colin Livingstone: “Good going forward, no idea how to defend. You can spot a Bobby Martinez team a mile off.”

1.23pm BST

23 min: This has been gloriously entertaining so far. But the momentum comes crashing to a sickening halt as the Tunisian goalscorer Bronn turns his knee in the turf. He’s in severe pain, and is carted off on a stretcher, minutes after the joy of scoring a goal in the World Cup finals. Sport can be so cruel.

1.22pm BST

21 min: Alderweireld races forward in the Total Football style, making ground down the inside-right channel. He’s given all the time he wants to size up a shot, and looks to thread one into the bottom left. He drags it wide of the left-hand post.

1.20pm BST

19 min: It’s so nearly 3-1. The ball comes into the Tunisian box from the Belgian right. Meunier’s deep cross is met by Carrasco, coming in from the other flank. He pearls a half-volley towards the right. Ben Mustapha parries. Mertens can’t convert the rebound. And breathe! Is there time to breathe?

1.19pm BST

Tunisia hit back immediately! A free kick for Tunisia on the left. Khazri curls in. Bronn rises highest and glances one into the bottom right! That was pretty simple too. What a start to this game!

1.17pm BST

The in-form Lukaku makes it two! He’s sent racing down the inside-left channel by Mertens. He takes a touch to his left, then slams a low shot into the bottom right through the legs of Syam Ben Youssef. Easy, easy.

1.15pm BST

14 min: Khazri and Vertonghen battle for a ball down the Tunisian right. Khazri wants a free kick, or maybe even a penalty, for a light brush on the face. He’s not getting it. Then Sassi puts in a late tackle in the midfield. He’d have gotten away with it, but, frustrated about the earlier non-decision, engages in trenchant debate with the ref, and is booked.

1.13pm BST

12 min: Hazard does extremely well to keep the ball in play, tight on the byline on the left. He pulls back for Witsel, who can’t quite get a shot away. Then another phase, and Lukaku is blazing down the right. He centres low for Hazard, who flicks tamely towards goal: he probably should have scored.

1.10pm BST

10 min: Skhiri, quarterbacking from deep, floats a pass down the inside-left channel in the hope of releasing Badri. It’s not a bad idea, and Badri’s not a million miles away from meeting the ball, but Courtois is out quickly to claim, no sweat. Tunisia have come back at Belgium, though.

1.09pm BST

8 min: That will settle Belgium, who were very nervous and sluggish in the first half against Panama earlier in the week. Khazri tries to get something going for Tunisia by way of response, but his pass down the right isn’t anticipated by Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.

1.06pm BST

The VAR has a quick look at the penalty - the challenge was right on the line - but the decision stands. Hazard strokes the spot kick into the bottom left corner. Ben Mustapha didn’t even move. Easy.

1.05pm BST

5 min: Belgium triangulate in the pretty style. Suddenly Hazard bursts towards the Tunisian box down the inside-right channel. Syam Ben Youssef comes across, sticks a leg out, and upends his man. The ref points at the spot.

1.03pm BST

3 min: Meunier cuts in from the right and looks to thread a low shot into the bottom right. Ben Mustapha smothers well. It’s fair to say this has been an open start.

1.03pm BST

2 min: Badri goes on a very determined run down the left. He cuts inside and nearly makes space for a shot. It’s an excellent dribble, but he’s stopped by Vertonghen. Belgium punt it long, and Lukaku is first to a long ball down the inside-right channel. He tries to lift it over Ben Mustapha, but the keeper gets the better of him.

1.01pm BST

And we’re off! Belgium get the ball rolling. A huge roar meets the kick-off. And Belgium are on the front foot quickly. Vertonghen tears down the right, flips the ball inside, and Hazard is fouled, 40 yards from goal. A chance for Belgium to line up on the edge of the box, and for De Bruyne to curl one onto someone’s noggin. But he gets the free kick hideously, uncharacteristically wrong, and punts the ball straight to Ben Mustapha, who gathers calmly.

12.57pm BST

The teams are out! It’s a beautiful sunny day in Moscow. And there’s a Seven Nation Army fuelled atmosphere at the Otkritie Arena. Here, Belgium’s yellow kit is very natty. Though it’s not quite up there with their 1982 shirt ... but then what is? Anyway, we’ll be off in a minute.

12.40pm BST

The national anthems: La Brabançonne exudes a gentle pageantry, and would sound good pouring quietly from a tinny speaker outside a cafe, as one perched on vintage cast-iron furniture sipping artisan wheat beer while drawing hard on a cigarette with no filter. ♭♮♯ Noble Belgium, O mother dear / To you we stretch our hearts and arms / With blood to spill for you, O fatherland! / We swear with one cry – You shall live! ♭♮♯

12.31pm BST

A sneak peek in the dressing rooms. This is the pennant Belgium will present to Tunisia before the game. Some nice wood panelling there, too, and sturdy lockers, the sort you’d find in a high-end spa and health club. I’ll be straight with you, I’m killing time. Here, if you squint hard enough, you’ll spot Belgium are playing in their second-choice yellow kit today.

12.20pm BST

Pre-match reading: If you haven’t read this magnificent piece by Simon Burnton yet, what are you waiting for? Be about your business! It’s a nostalgic breeze through England’s preparations at World Cups past, including the following wonderful snippet from 1958:

The Tottenham manager, Bill Nicholson, had scouted England’s next opponents, Brazil, and under his instruction the second string imitated the Brazilians in a practice match, with Peter Broadbent taking his impersonation of Didi so far he spoke in broken English and cried “caramba!” in particularly heated moments.

12.10pm BST

Belgium have named an unchanged, and Premier League heavy, side. Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard will all be in action from the get-go, as they were against Panama.

Tunisia make two changes to the team named against England. Ben Mustapha replaces the injured Mouez Hassen in goal, while striker Naim Sliti of Lille makes way for midfielder Saif-Eddine Kahoui.

12.03pm BST

Belgium: Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Carrasco, Mertens, Lukaku, Eden Hazard.
Subs: Mignolet, Vermaelen, Kompany, Fellaini, Thorgan Hazard, Tielemans, Januzaj, Dembele, Batshuayi, Chadli, Dendoncker, Casteels.

Tunisia: Ben Mustapha, Bronn, Syam Ben Youssef, Meriah, Maaloul, Khaoui, Skhiri, Sassi, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Khazri, Badri.
Subs: Mathlouthi, Benalouane, Haddadi, Bedoui, Ben Amor, Khalil, Srarfi, Khalifa, Chaalali, Nagguez, Sliti.

11.50am BST

Welcome to our coverage of the Other Game in Group G. England take on Panama tomorrow, but first much-fancied Belgium face Tunisia in Moscow this afternoon. Belgium were disappointing in their opening match against Los Canaleros, a testament to how highly they’re regarded seeing they won 3-0 and scored one of the goals of the tournament so far.

Having started that one in a rather sluggish manner, they’ll hope to be a little sharper today as they face a Tunisian team that gave England a proper game earlier in the week. Belgium will make it through to the last 16 if they win this one; Tunisia will be going home if they lose and Panama fail to pull of the mother of shocks tomorrow by beating England. Both teams need this; it promises to be a cracker. It’s on!

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Published on June 23, 2018 07:13

Day 10 buildup with Belgium and Germany in action: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Dele Alli trained with the England squad ahead of their match with Panama and the Germany team received plenty of criticism

Join Scott Murray for Belgium v Tunisia - live!

12.12pm BST

Right...that’s all from today’s blog but now the real fun is about to begin with some actual football rather than Saturday Kitchen and all that jazz.

Start your Saturday feast of football with Scott Murray who is on for Belgium v Tunisia...

12.05pm BST

England trained today, as they do most days currently. But the session did see Dele Alli take part for a little bit with the rest of the squad before wandering off to work alone. Will he play tomorrow? Nope.

11.57am BST

Team bonding in the Egypt camp

11.51am BST

The Tunisia team is in: Ben, Bronn, Ben Youssef S, Meriah, Maaloul, Skhiri, Sassi, Khaoui, Badri, Ben Youssef F, Khazri

11.43am BST

The Belgium team is in: Courtois, Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen, Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Carrasco, Mertens, Lukaku, Hazard

11.35am BST

The Russia PR machine is in overdrive, even the England band are saying how nice it is over there.

Band member Steve Holmes, 47, from Stannington, said: “It’s brilliant - it’s so different to what we thought.

11.25am BST

Don’t injure yourself, lads.

11.24am BST

The lads at ITV have spoken to Roy Keane about himself rather than just letting him snipe at others.

During a discussion on their 21st century podcast, which on this occasion has not been hosted by Alan Davies and two blokes from Yorkshire, Keano told Mark Pougatch about the 2002 World Cup, claiming he let Big Mick off lightly.

I think if there was an apology possibly, yeah. Possibly. Listen, as I said it’s alright me sitting here, listen if you spoke to Mick or somebody or the staff, they might have a different side to it. I know it takes two to tango, but that’s what happened.

And once I’d left the hotel, the team left early the next morning, the damage was done. And listen, if there was an apology [that] came my way, there was a mishap or whatever, yeah I think things could have been different.

But once I landed back in Ireland, the damage was done. I couldn’t go back in to work with a manager who probably felt that about me. So as I said the damage was done yet strangely enough no-one ever made these accusations against me when I was playing and we were winning matches and we were qualifying, so I found the timing really strange, particularly in front of the staff and the group of players.

So as I mentioned earlier, the bibs and the balls and the cones that weren’t there, that was all taken care of, that had settled down and by the end of the week we were kind of laughing and joking about that anyway, as you do, you have to move on, I get that.

But to be accused of missing a game because of an injury that I was accused of having, believe it or not I actually let people off lightly, there could have been a lot more trouble, shall we say.

11.17am BST

Some people have inexplicably questioned why Russia are so good at the World Cup. Their doc has quashed rumours that they might be doping.

11.15am BST

Andrew Benton has a different scoreline in mind, which is controversial...

His repost: “Belgium 2:2 Tunisia more like! “

11.14am BST

As we all watch Saturday Kitchen, it is only right that a bit of food preparation is discussed. Here’s what the Mexicans are and, more important, are not eating to avoid doping.

11.13am BST

I am here! I really am. Scott is off for his much-needed rest ahead of the excitement of Belgium 4-0 Tunisia.

10.55am BST

And with that, I’m going to pass this blog - and indeed your good self, dear reader - into the loving arms of Will Unwin. Hopefully we’ll see each other again in a couple of hours on the MBM of the big Belgium-Tunisia clash, as another exciting day of hot World Cup action begins. Remember, it only happens once every four years, so savour every last drop!

10.50am BST

When the fun stops, etc. But if you do fancy lumping on, here’s how the bookies see the World Cup right now. How about that Croatian midfield, huh.

9-2: Brazil, Spain
7-1: France
8-1: Germany, Belgium
10-1: England
12-1: Croatia
16-1: Portugal
20-1: Argentina
25-1: Uruguay
40-1: Russia
50-1: Bar

10.40am BST

Three Lions Pride: Against Panama tomorrow, an England LGBT supporters association will unfurl a banner that has already made a positive impact in Russia. Shaun Walker in Moscow tells the story.

10.32am BST

Australia winger Robbie Kruse has been taking flak for his performances from clowns on social media, to the extent that his team-mates are now appealing for the abuse to stop. Kruse and his family have also received threats of violence, which have led to his parents shutting down their Facebook account. “For his own people, for Australians, to be slagging off - it’s not okay,” says Mathew Leckie. “He is, I guess, shocked. It’s just disappointing - not just for him, but for all players. We’re representing Australia. And the people back home that are saying bad things, it’s understandable that they might like some players more than other players. But it doesn’t give anyone the right to abuse a player.”

Defender Aziz Behich added: “It’s people that just sit behind a computer that probably have never kicked a ball before. The people that criticise, I don’t think they actually watch the game and how hard he works. What he has been through in his career with injuries and setbacks, a lot of players would have crumbled a long time ago. So it shows just the character he has got. He is a champion and we will be behind him.”

10.22am BST

Mo Salah has been named as an honorary citizen of Chechnya. Egypt have been based in the republic, and leader Ramzan Kadyrov presented the winger with a badge and a decree at a farewell banquet last night, saying: “Mohamed Salah is an honorary citizen of the Chechen Republic. Yes, that’s right! Tonight I signed a decree conferring this high award on the great footballer and member of the Egypt and Liverpool teams.”

10.11am BST

More Guardian excellence! Sid Lowe has been talking to Hernán Darío Gómez, the Panama coach. Make another cup of tea, and sit down again, because this is quite a story. Gómez is a man who’s been through the mill all right. “Gómez was Colombia’s assistant when Andrés Escobar was shot dead after his own goal at the 1994 World Cup. During qualification for this tournament the Panama midfielder Amílcar Henríquez was gunned down outside his home. And when he was Ecuador coach, Gómez himself was shot after he did not name a politician’s son in the under‑20s.”

9.59am BST

Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary could become the oldest player to compete at a World Cup finals if he plays against Saudi Arabia on Monday. El-Hadary didn’t feature in Egypt’s first two games, but there’s a chance of a sentimental recall, given both teams have already been knocked out and the game in Volgograd will be a dead rubber. El-Hadary will be 45 years, five months and 12 days old on Monday. If he plays, he’ll beat the record of Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon, who came on as a substitute for the last five minutes of a group game against Japan in 2014, aged 43 years and three days.

Whether coach Hector Cuper takes that opportunity is another matter, and there have been reports of a row, but it’s all been denied by the Egyptian FA: “El-Hadary supported and praised his teammates. He may be angry for not participating but nothing out of line happened.” (For the record, Roger Milla - you were thinking about Roger Milla, weren’t you - was a sprightly 42 years and 39 days old when he scored for Cameroon in the Oleg Salenko match against Russia at USA 94.)

9.45am BST

This is also marvellous: Barney Ronay has been watching RT’s coverage of the World Cup, so you don’t have to. The jewel in their coverage being “the great José, trying hard to seem welcoming and nice but still looking like he would beat you into submission with an ivory shoehorn if he could only be bothered – now please leave his penthouse shark aquarium.”

9.32am BST

Anyone remember

Spangles
Roy Hodgson? The former England boss has been talking to the Daily Mail, and singing the praises of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who he reckons has “more strings to his bow” than - a touch random, this - 2002 and 2006 World Cup nearly man Michael Ballack. “I’d say he goes by people more than Ballack did. I think he’s got Ballack’s power and his pace and his strength. But he’s maybe got more strings to his bow than even Ballack had. That’s a bold thing to say, I know, but he’s so good at going past people. He’s got that deceptive turn of pace. In that way he’s a bit like Jack Wilshere really.”

9.21am BST

A magnificent piece here from our man Simon Burnton. It’s look back at how England prepared for World Cups in the past. Make a cup of tea, sit down, and enjoy every word. This tale, from 1958, particularly caught the eye:

The Tottenham manager, Bill Nicholson, had scouted England’s next opponents, Brazil, and under his instruction the second string imitated the Brazilians in a practice match, with Peter Broadbent taking his impersonation of Didi so far he spoke in broken English and cried “caramba!” in particularly heated moments.

9.09am BST

Spain scraped their way past Iran last Wednesday. It would have been interesting to hear 2010 winner Carles Puyol’s take on La Furia Roja’s performance. But sadly his punditry gig degenerated into farce, according to the BBC. Booked to appear on Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, he wasn’t allowed into their Tehran studio on account of his long hair, which was deemed inappropriate. The spring-curled Puyol played 100 times for Spain, winning two international tournaments, while turning out for one of the biggest clubs in the world for the best part of 15 years; should his look have surprised IRIB this much? The talent booker has questions to answer here.

8.56am BST

As World Cup controversies go, England’s scrapofpapergate isn’t exactly Bobby Moore and the bracelet in Bogota, is it. Jamie Vardy is also of the opinion that it’s a transient confection, like confetti on the wind. “All that is saying is telling our next opponents we’ve got 23 players in the squad and letting them know their names again,” he reasons. “We find out the team on the morning of the game or the night before and until the gaffer names the team that’s the way it is.”

8.46am BST

Good news for England ahead of their big game against Panama in Nizhny Novgorod tomorrow lunchtime. Dele Alli is back in training. He’d suffered a minor thigh strain against Tunisia. Whether the 22-year-old Spurs midfielder will be risked this weekend is another matter, not least because Ruben Loftus-Cheek impressed during his brief cameo upon replacing Alli on Monday night, so he might have been benched anyway. But it’s always nice to have options, isn’t it.

8.37am BST

Some of you might not fancy whistling showtunes all day. If you need to kill an earworm, Max Rushden and Barry Glendenning should be able to help you out, for the latest World Cup Football Daily is pure audio bliss. Contains Brazil, Nigeria and Switzerland, double-headed eagle celebrations, a fine for Mexico, Swedish iPhone notifications and the best club name in the world.

8.26am BST

Still over seven hours until South Korea take on Mexico. “You quoted the greatest musical (I say with no apologies) ever and now I’ve an earworm and El Tri plays today and where are my tap shoes,” begins Sam ‘Gene Kelly is my #10’ Lopez, before breaking into song. “Neymar supposes his toeses are roses/ but Neymar supposes erroneously! / For Neymar he knowses Coutinho’s are roses like Neymar supposes his toeses to be!” Sports satire, if it had been produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This is what the kids want.

8.18am BST

Last night’s stramash between Switzerland and Serbia had a fairly entertaining climax. A fine breakaway goal by Xherdan Shaqiri settled it in the last knockings. Shaqiri was more than happy to cop a booking for his celebration, whipping his shirt off in glee. He’s not exactly fat, as folk keep insisting, is he? He also did this:

8.04am BST

♬♫ Good morning, good morning / Jonathan’s blogged the whole night through / Good morning, good morning to you! / Good morning, good morning / It’s great to get up early and report on flag-carrying ants and Balkan politics / Good morning, good morning to you! When the band began to play the stars were shining bright! Now the milkman’s on his way and it’s too late to say good night! SO!!! Good morning, good morning / Sun beams will soon smile through / Good morning, good morning to you! ♪

7.58am BST

Thank you for your company today. It’s now time for me to pass this blog over to Scott Murray, make a brew, and enjoy Dave Penney (not that one) handle a TV interview in a nuclear fallout shelter. See you tomorrow.

7.53am BST

BREAKING NEWS: the David Penney who reckons Mexico are gonna do Brazil (see earlier) is not the David Penney. Oxford United and Swansea City fans, stand down.

7.50am BST

Barney Ronay has watched the World Cup on RT, so you don’t have to. The verdict? “Mourinho’s punditry on RT in Russia is brilliant. And it’s not that it’s ‘good TV’ (Whatever that is) but it’s interesting, not so different, and tells you a bit about being in Russia. Plus it has both The Schmeichel Show and The Collymore Show.”

7.44am BST

“Morning Jonathan,” hi Ning-Ning Li, “I’m an Englander in China at the moment (not that Alastair Chivers’ girlfriend) and to my luck fell upon these live feeds which I’ve read alongside watching the games. They’ve been really entertaining (as well as a narration I understand). Your mini World-Cup website has turned into my morning check-in, catching up with the results and drama from the games that are aired at 2am over here, like a mini-world-cup-Christmas. And loving the player-by-player guide, as someone who loves football but is no expert it’s very interesting to learn more about the teams, and so easily! As I’m not well versed in all football technicalities, I feel like ‘STOP BEING EFFING DRAMATIC’ to some players is all I can contribute confidently. This tournament has been filled with surprises, here’s to many more. Thanks to you and your team.”

Kind words, Ning-Ning, thank you. And if you don’t know about the player guide referenced above, here it is. I’m responsible for the Australian entries, so hopefully nobody picks up any errors.

7.40am BST

Pjotr van Rooijen is bypassing the professional punditry he earlier decried for his say on the shemozzle that is Argentina. “Against Iceland, Messi had 11 shots on goal, whereas against Croatia he barely touched the ball,” he emails. “I’m fairly certain it was Sampaoli’s idea to relieve Messi of pressure and to let the others play, and his pre-match statements seem to back that up. It failed miserably of course, and led to a complete humiliation against Croatia.

What’s disconcerting is that a manager would do a complete 180 like that during a crucial World Cup game, and that’s why I have a feeling there’s more to it. Messi didn’t look right, even during the anthems, and he seemed almost paralysed throughout the game, like Ronaldo in the ‘98 final. Whether it’s the pressure or something else, something is very wrong in the Argentina camp.”

7.32am BST

Gonna miss Peru.

7.32am BST

“Mexico are great because it’s a team of little guys which forces technicality over physicality,” emails David Penney. “I think they could embarrass Brazil in the next round, who just look really awful. I thought the Fred-era was bad but this is pretty rubbish.”

That’s not former Oxford United and Swansea City’s David Penney is it?

7.24am BST

Have you ever wanted to put together your all-time German XI? I know I have. And my life was made immeasurably easier by this nifty little extension:

7.19am BST

After their incredible victory Mexico are daring to dream. El Tri will be expected to confirm passage to the round of 16 against South Korea in Rostov.

7.08am BST

Looking ahead to today’s fixtures then, with plenty of focus on Germany’s salvage job against Sweden. Die Mannschaft underwhelmed against Mexico and cannot afford another slip-up. But all is not well in the camp of the defending champions.

7.02am BST

Oh, and any England fanst getting antsy (geddit!?) about the Panama match needn’t worry. The result has already been foretold by a colony of clairvoyant formicidae in Barnsley.

6.58am BST

Alongside Stones in the centre of defence is the colossal Harry Maguire (AKA Slabhead), the kind of man any side would want in their line-up against the power and aggression of Panama.

6.55am BST

John Stones may not be a mainstay for Manchester City but he is becoming integral to Southgate’s plans for England.

6.50am BST

How about some England analysis? Although they don’t play their second match until tomorrow there’s plenty of talking points coming out of Gareth Southgate’s camp. Not least the starting XI for the clash with Panama.

“We obviously have competition for places, strength in depth, players that came off the bench and had an impact on the game the other day,” Southgate said. “I have to balance all those things out when I make a decision on the team. But to play with the freedom, the energy and the pace that we did [against Tunisia] was as good as anything I have seen in the tournament up to this point. The team performed as well as I can remember us playing with the ball in the first hour of the game. I don’t see us making too many changes to what we did.”

6.44am BST

The Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg is hosting an art project by the Italian artist Fabrizio Birimbelli entitled Like the Gods. The project presents a series of more than 40 portraits of world football stars and coaches in historical uniforms.

This is fun. My personal highlight is George Best in the background of Paul Pogba’s portrait.

6.38am BST

Earlier on, when I said we’d hear more about the Swiss double-eagle celebration, well, here’s some more. It remains to be seen if the gestures crop up on Fifa’s disciplinary radar.

6.30am BST

“Paulo Dybala hit upon the truth in an interview earlier in the year: Messi is simply too good. Dybala said he found him almost impossible to play with because the temptation is always simply to give him the ball. At club levels players adapt; at national level, where there is less time and a greater range of talent in the squad, it is far more difficult. Everything goes through him and that makes Argentina predictable and susceptible to being frustrated by sides that pack the centre.”

6.29am BST

“There is no sign the that Argentinian Football Association can steer the path to a brighter future. For the past four years it has talked of rebuilding, restructuring and reforming but all it has managed to do is repeat, relive and reinforce the worst traits and attitudes. Perhaps most damagingly, it opened bids for a youth training project and chose one that was not even part of the bidding contest. Until 15 years ago the country had boasted, for the better part of a century, some of the best and most progressive child and adolescent development traditions in world football. That has been obliterated.”

6.27am BST

“Maradona cried. If the spirit of Argentinian machismo weeps, it’s fair game for everyone else, and so Argentinian journalists let it pour through their news and analysis immediately after match.”

6.25am BST

There is a surfeit of Argentinian pain on which to riff.

6.23am BST

Nigeria’s win sets up a showdown with Argentina. The two meet in the final round of Group D matches and the two-time World Cup winners requiring a win to be in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage. Even then, an Iceland upset over Croatia could still put a spanner in the works.

6.15am BST

The other match from yesterday that we haven’t touched on saw Nigeria take a giant step towards the knockout phase with a 2-0 win over Iceland. It was a major improvement on Super Eagles’ first display and one worthy of the much-hyped kit.

6.12am BST

“Oil rig in Texas here,” emails Steven Winder, “so the matches start right after I finish a 12 hour tour. In any case, I can appreciate Pjotr van Rooijen’s complaint about punditry this year, but he should really appreciate that he doesn’t have Alexi Lalas giving his “in depth analysis”, such as, “Mexico needs to punch Germany on the nose!” In fairness, you could describe what they did in that fashion, but I doubt he knew what he meant going in. I don’t speak Spanish, but I’ve switched entirely over to the Telemundo broadcast for respite.”

In the Venn diagram of today’s themes, this is a bullseye.

6.03am BST

Naturally, much of the focus has been on Neymar (and not just for his pot noodle perm). Coach Tite is unperturbed though, confident his star man will find form the more minutes he gets under his belt.

5.59am BST

Elsewhere in Switzerland’s Group E, Brazil made very heavy weather of Costa Rica. Two late goals earned the three points but after two matches doubts remain over the Selecao’s form and they could well be on course for a round of 16 meeting with (insert dramatic ‘duh duh duhhhhhh’ music) Germany. The odds on that combination before the start of the tournament must have been at least 7-1.

5.54am BST

Like many of you it seems, Pjotr van Rooijen is unimpressed with the state of World Cup punditry on UK TV. “Phil Neville has appropriated the term ‘in and around the box’ and now just uses ‘in and around’ for everything,” he laments. “During the Germany – Mexico game he was saying ‘in and around the ball’ and ‘in and around Kroos,’ and that just doesn’t really work does it? You can be in the box, but can you be ‘in’ the ball? Can you be ‘in’ Kroos? I suppose you can, but not during a football match. In terms of punditry and co commentators, this might be the worst World Cup ever.”

5.51am BST

Before we forget VAR entirely, if VAR analysis is your thing, keep up to date with its progress here:

5.44am BST

Like Yury Gazinsky, Alastair Chivers is in early with the first email of the day. “Bloody hell mate,” he begins, “how are you up so early for the build up? My girlfriend has just left for China :( so that’s why I’m watching all the highlights at the moment. The Guardian better be getting you the best breakfast donuts or something!”

First of all, sorry about the absence of your girlfriend, although - on the bright side - it’s not the worst couple of weeks to be home alone. As for the donuts, it’s mid-afternoon here in Australia where The Guardian also has a presence. So, as much as I’d like to claim hardship, I deserve no pity. I may well do later this week though with the crucial Australia vs. Peru clash kicking off at midnight Down Under.

5.37am BST

Serbia were also denied a penalty despite the Swiss executing a two-man tackle that would not have been out of place in a rugby league international. Presumably the VAR operators were binge watching Peaky Blinders or something.

Apparently that isn't a foul pic.twitter.com/iVROH9CQb6

5.35am BST

Switzerland’s win arrived dripping in intrigue thanks to the Kosovar heritage of goalscorers Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, controversy foreseen by Nick Ames.

5.28am BST

Ok, back to the football, yesterday’s action was surprisingly eventful. In particular Switzerland’s victory over Serbia that sees them take a big step towards qualifying out of Group E and puts Brazil at risk of finishing second in the group or even failing to reach the knockout stages at all.

5.23am BST

Sticking with fashion, because I know that’s why you tuned in, I’m sure it escaped the attention of nobody that Neymar sported his second striking haircut of Russia 2018 in yesterday’s late show against Costa Rica. I can only hope the Selecao superstar intends to manipulate his mane on a match-by-match basis throughout the tournament - and that Brazil make it all the way to the final. Imagine the possibilities...

5.17am BST

Speaking of Sampaoli, remember when the debate used to be suit or tracksuit? At this world cup it seems to have become suit with shirt or suit with t-shirt. Anyone who thinks the latter is a good look is dead to me.

5.09am BST

Hello everybody and welcome to the start of day 10 of Russia 2018, a day of reckoning for pre-tournament favourites Germany. Incredibly, by the close of business the reigning champions’ World Cup defence could be kaput.

As well as Germany vs. Sweden we have South Korea vs. Mexico, and Belgium vs. Tunisia to look forward to. There’s also the wins for Brazil, Switzerland and Nigeria to look back on from yesterday.

5.03am BST

Jonathan will be here shortly. In the meantime you can enjoy David Squires’ latest take on the World Cup shenanigans …

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Published on June 23, 2018 04:12

World Cup 2018: day 10 buildup with Belgium and Germany in action – live!

Live updates from Russia on a pivotal day in Groups F and GDrop Scott an email | Mexico starting to think big but need to refocus for South Korea

9.45am BST

This is also marvellous: Barney Ronay has been watching RT’s coverage of the World Cup, so you don’t have to. The jewel in their coverage being “the great José, trying hard to seem welcoming and nice but still looking like he would beat you into submission with an ivory shoehorn if he could only be bothered – now please leave his penthouse shark aquarium.”

9.32am BST

Anyone remember

Spangles
Roy Hodgson? The former England boss has been talking to the Daily Mail, and singing the praises of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who he reckons has “more strings to his bow” than - a touch random, this - 2002 and 2006 World Cup nearly man Michael Ballack. “I’d say he goes by people more than Ballack did. I think he’s got Ballack’s power and his pace and his strength. But he’s maybe got more strings to his bow than even Ballack had. That’s a bold thing to say, I know, but he’s so good at going past people. He’s got that deceptive turn of pace. In that way he’s a bit like Jack Wilshere really.”

9.21am BST

A magnificent piece here from our man Simon Burnton. It’s look back at how England prepared for World Cups in the past. Make a cup of tea, sit down, and enjoy every word. This tale, from 1958, particularly caught the eye:

The Tottenham manager, Bill Nicholson, had scouted England’s next opponents, Brazil, and under his instruction the second string imitated the Brazilians in a practice match, with Peter Broadbent taking his impersonation of Didi so far he spoke in broken English and cried “caramba!” in particularly heated moments.

9.09am BST

Spain scraped their way past Iran last Wednesday. It would have been interesting to hear 2010 winner Carles Puyol’s take on La Furia Roja’s performance. But sadly his punditry gig degenerated into farce, according to the BBC. Booked to appear on Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, he wasn’t allowed into their Tehran studio on account of his long hair, which was deemed inappropriate. The spring-curled Puyol played 100 times for Spain, winning two international tournaments, while turning out for one of the biggest clubs in the world for the best part of 15 years; should his look have surprised IRIB this much? The talent booker has questions to answer here.

8.56am BST

As World Cup controversies go, England’s scrapofpapergate isn’t exactly Bobby Moore and the bracelet in Bogota, is it. Jamie Vardy is also of the opinion that it’s a transient confection, like confetti on the wind. “All that is saying is telling our next opponents we’ve got 23 players in the squad and letting them know their names again,” he reasons. “We find out the team on the morning of the game or the night before and until the gaffer names the team that’s the way it is.”

8.46am BST

Good news for England ahead of their big game against Panama in Nizhny Novgorod tomorrow lunchtime. Dele Alli is back in training. He’d suffered a minor thigh strain against Tunisia. Whether the 22-year-old Spurs midfielder will be risked this weekend is another matter, not least because Ruben Loftus-Cheek impressed during his brief cameo upon replacing Alli on Monday night, so he might have been benched anyway. But it’s always nice to have options, isn’t it.

8.37am BST

Some of you might not fancy whistling showtunes all day. If you need to kill an earworm, Max Rushden and Barry Glendenning should be able to help you out, for the latest World Cup Football Daily is pure audio bliss. Contains Brazil, Nigeria and Switzerland, double-headed eagle celebrations, a fine for Mexico, Swedish iPhone notifications and the best club name in the world.

8.26am BST

Still over seven hours until South Korea take on Mexico. “You quoted the greatest musical (I say with no apologies) ever and now I’ve an earworm and El Tri plays today and where are my tap shoes,” begins Sam ‘Gene Kelly is my #10’ Lopez, before breaking into song. “Neymar supposes his toeses are roses/ but Neymar supposes erroneously! / For Neymar he knowses Coutinho’s are roses like Neymar supposes his toeses to be!” Sports satire, if it had been produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This is what the kids want.

8.18am BST

Last night’s stramash between Switzerland and Serbia had a fairly entertaining climax. A fine breakaway goal by Xherdan Shaqiri settled it in the last knockings. Shaqiri was more than happy to cop a booking for his celebration, whipping his shirt off in glee. He’s not exactly fat, as folk keep insisting, is he? He also did this:

8.04am BST

♬♫ Good morning, good morning / Jonathan’s blogged the whole night through / Good morning, good morning to you! / Good morning, good morning / It’s great to get up early and report on flag-carrying ants and Balkan politics / Good morning, good morning to you! When the band began to play the stars were shining bright! Now the milkman’s on his way and it’s too late to say good night! SO!!! Good morning, good morning / Sun beams will soon smile through / Good morning, good morning to you! ♪

7.58am BST

Thank you for your company today. It’s now time for me to pass this blog over to Scott Murray, make a brew, and enjoy Dave Penney (not that one) handle a TV interview in a nuclear fallout shelter. See you tomorrow.

7.53am BST

BREAKING NEWS: the David Penney who reckons Mexico are gonna do Brazil (see earlier) is not the David Penney. Oxford United and Swansea City fans, stand down.

7.50am BST

Barney Ronay has watched the World Cup on RT, so you don’t have to. The verdict? “Mourinho’s punditry on RT in Russia is brilliant. And it’s not that it’s ‘good TV’ (Whatever that is) but it’s interesting, not so different, and tells you a bit about being in Russia. Plus it has both The Schmeichel Show and The Collymore Show.”

7.44am BST

“Morning Jonathan,” hi Ning-Ning Li, “I’m an Englander in China at the moment (not that Alastair Chivers’ girlfriend) and to my luck fell upon these live feeds which I’ve read alongside watching the games. They’ve been really entertaining (as well as a narration I understand). Your mini World-Cup website has turned into my morning check-in, catching up with the results and drama from the games that are aired at 2am over here, like a mini-world-cup-Christmas. And loving the player-by-player guide, as someone who loves football but is no expert it’s very interesting to learn more about the teams, and so easily! As I’m not well versed in all football technicalities, I feel like ‘STOP BEING EFFING DRAMATIC’ to some players is all I can contribute confidently. This tournament has been filled with surprises, here’s to many more. Thanks to you and your team.”

Kind words, Ning-Ning, thank you. And if you don’t know about the player guide referenced above, here it is. I’m responsible for the Australian entries, so hopefully nobody picks up any errors.

7.40am BST

Pjotr van Rooijen is bypassing the professional punditry he earlier decried for his say on the shemozzle that is Argentina. “Against Iceland, Messi had 11 shots on goal, whereas against Croatia he barely touched the ball,” he emails. “I’m fairly certain it was Sampaoli’s idea to relieve Messi of pressure and to let the others play, and his pre-match statements seem to back that up. It failed miserably of course, and led to a complete humiliation against Croatia.

What’s disconcerting is that a manager would do a complete 180 like that during a crucial World Cup game, and that’s why I have a feeling there’s more to it. Messi didn’t look right, even during the anthems, and he seemed almost paralysed throughout the game, like Ronaldo in the ‘98 final. Whether it’s the pressure or something else, something is very wrong in the Argentina camp.”

7.32am BST

Gonna miss Peru.

7.32am BST

“Mexico are great because it’s a team of little guys which forces technicality over physicality,” emails David Penney. “I think they could embarrass Brazil in the next round, who just look really awful. I thought the Fred-era was bad but this is pretty rubbish.”

That’s not former Oxford United and Swansea City’s David Penney is it?

7.24am BST

Have you ever wanted to put together your all-time German XI? I know I have. And my life was made immeasurably easier by this nifty little extension:

7.19am BST

After their incredible victory Mexico are daring to dream. El Tri will be expected to confirm passage to the round of 16 against South Korea in Rostov.

7.08am BST

Looking ahead to today’s fixtures then, with plenty of focus on Germany’s salvage job against Sweden. Die Mannschaft underwhelmed against Mexico and cannot afford another slip-up. But all is not well in the camp of the defending champions.

7.02am BST

Oh, and any England fanst getting antsy (geddit!?) about the Panama match needn’t worry. The result has already been foretold by a colony of clairvoyant formicidae in Barnsley.

6.58am BST

Alongside Stones in the centre of defence is the colossal Harry Maguire (AKA Slabhead), the kind of man any side would want in their line-up against the power and aggression of Panama.

6.55am BST

John Stones may not be a mainstay for Manchester City but he is becoming integral to Southgate’s plans for England.

6.50am BST

How about some England analysis? Although they don’t play their second match until tomorrow there’s plenty of talking points coming out of Gareth Southgate’s camp. Not least the starting XI for the clash with Panama.

“We obviously have competition for places, strength in depth, players that came off the bench and had an impact on the game the other day,” Southgate said. “I have to balance all those things out when I make a decision on the team. But to play with the freedom, the energy and the pace that we did [against Tunisia] was as good as anything I have seen in the tournament up to this point. The team performed as well as I can remember us playing with the ball in the first hour of the game. I don’t see us making too many changes to what we did.”

6.44am BST

The Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg is hosting an art project by the Italian artist Fabrizio Birimbelli entitled Like the Gods. The project presents a series of more than 40 portraits of world football stars and coaches in historical uniforms.

This is fun. My personal highlight is George Best in the background of Paul Pogba’s portrait.

6.38am BST

Earlier on, when I said we’d hear more about the Swiss double-eagle celebration, well, here’s some more. It remains to be seen if the gestures crop up on Fifa’s disciplinary radar.

6.30am BST

“Paulo Dybala hit upon the truth in an interview earlier in the year: Messi is simply too good. Dybala said he found him almost impossible to play with because the temptation is always simply to give him the ball. At club levels players adapt; at national level, where there is less time and a greater range of talent in the squad, it is far more difficult. Everything goes through him and that makes Argentina predictable and susceptible to being frustrated by sides that pack the centre.”

6.29am BST

“There is no sign the that Argentinian Football Association can steer the path to a brighter future. For the past four years it has talked of rebuilding, restructuring and reforming but all it has managed to do is repeat, relive and reinforce the worst traits and attitudes. Perhaps most damagingly, it opened bids for a youth training project and chose one that was not even part of the bidding contest. Until 15 years ago the country had boasted, for the better part of a century, some of the best and most progressive child and adolescent development traditions in world football. That has been obliterated.”

6.27am BST

“Maradona cried. If the spirit of Argentinian machismo weeps, it’s fair game for everyone else, and so Argentinian journalists let it pour through their news and analysis immediately after match.”

6.25am BST

There is a surfeit of Argentinian pain on which to riff.

6.23am BST

Nigeria’s win sets up a showdown with Argentina. The two meet in the final round of Group D matches and the two-time World Cup winners requiring a win to be in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage. Even then, an Iceland upset over Croatia could still put a spanner in the works.

6.15am BST

The other match from yesterday that we haven’t touched on saw Nigeria take a giant step towards the knockout phase with a 2-0 win over Iceland. It was a major improvement on Super Eagles’ first display and one worthy of the much-hyped kit.

6.12am BST

“Oil rig in Texas here,” emails Steven Winder, “so the matches start right after I finish a 12 hour tour. In any case, I can appreciate Pjotr van Rooijen’s complaint about punditry this year, but he should really appreciate that he doesn’t have Alexi Lalas giving his “in depth analysis”, such as, “Mexico needs to punch Germany on the nose!” In fairness, you could describe what they did in that fashion, but I doubt he knew what he meant going in. I don’t speak Spanish, but I’ve switched entirely over to the Telemundo broadcast for respite.”

In the Venn diagram of today’s themes, this is a bullseye.

6.03am BST

Naturally, much of the focus has been on Neymar (and not just for his pot noodle perm). Coach Tite is unperturbed though, confident his star man will find form the more minutes he gets under his belt.

5.59am BST

Elsewhere in Switzerland’s Group E, Brazil made very heavy weather of Costa Rica. Two late goals earned the three points but after two matches doubts remain over the Selecao’s form and they could well be on course for a round of 16 meeting with (insert dramatic ‘duh duh duhhhhhh’ music) Germany. The odds on that combination before the start of the tournament must have been at least 7-1.

5.54am BST

Like many of you it seems, Pjotr van Rooijen is unimpressed with the state of World Cup punditry on UK TV. “Phil Neville has appropriated the term ‘in and around the box’ and now just uses ‘in and around’ for everything,” he laments. “During the Germany – Mexico game he was saying ‘in and around the ball’ and ‘in and around Kroos,’ and that just doesn’t really work does it? You can be in the box, but can you be ‘in’ the ball? Can you be ‘in’ Kroos? I suppose you can, but not during a football match. In terms of punditry and co commentators, this might be the worst World Cup ever.”

5.51am BST

Before we forget VAR entirely, if VAR analysis is your thing, keep up to date with its progress here:

5.44am BST

Like Yury Gazinsky, Alastair Chivers is in early with the first email of the day. “Bloody hell mate,” he begins, “how are you up so early for the build up? My girlfriend has just left for China :( so that’s why I’m watching all the highlights at the moment. The Guardian better be getting you the best breakfast donuts or something!”

First of all, sorry about the absence of your girlfriend, although - on the bright side - it’s not the worst couple of weeks to be home alone. As for the donuts, it’s mid-afternoon here in Australia where The Guardian also has a presence. So, as much as I’d like to claim hardship, I deserve no pity. I may well do later this week though with the crucial Australia vs. Peru clash kicking off at midnight Down Under.

5.37am BST

Serbia were also denied a penalty despite the Swiss executing a two-man tackle that would not have been out of place in a rugby league international. Presumably the VAR operators were binge watching Peaky Blinders or something.

Apparently that isn't a foul pic.twitter.com/iVROH9CQb6

5.35am BST

Switzerland’s win arrived dripping in intrigue thanks to the Kosovar heritage of goalscorers Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, controversy foreseen by Nick Ames.

5.28am BST

Ok, back to the football, yesterday’s action was surprisingly eventful. In particular Switzerland’s victory over Serbia that sees them take a big step towards qualifying out of Group E and puts Brazil at risk of finishing second in the group or even failing to reach the knockout stages at all.

5.23am BST

Sticking with fashion, because I know that’s why you tuned in, I’m sure it escaped the attention of nobody that Neymar sported his second striking haircut of Russia 2018 in yesterday’s late show against Costa Rica. I can only hope the Selecao superstar intends to manipulate his mane on a match-by-match basis throughout the tournament - and that Brazil make it all the way to the final. Imagine the possibilities...

5.17am BST

Speaking of Sampaoli, remember when the debate used to be suit or tracksuit? At this world cup it seems to have become suit with shirt or suit with t-shirt. Anyone who thinks the latter is a good look is dead to me.

5.09am BST

Hello everybody and welcome to the start of day 10 of Russia 2018, a day of reckoning for pre-tournament favourites Germany. Incredibly, by the close of business the reigning champions’ World Cup defence could be kaput.

As well as Germany vs. Sweden we have South Korea vs. Mexico, and Belgium vs. Tunisia to look forward to. There’s also the wins for Brazil, Switzerland and Nigeria to look back on from yesterday.

5.03am BST

Jonathan will be here shortly. In the meantime you can enjoy David Squires’ latest take on the World Cup shenanigans …

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Published on June 23, 2018 01:45

Avoiding the ignominy of defeat against a style of hat | World Cup Fiver

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On Sunday afternoon, England will complete stage two of their seven-step ascension to the pinnacle of international football. The Fiver’s assuming they’re going to win the Ethics World Cup, you see, having listened intently to some of the mood music that’s playing right now in the wake of their ambling around for 89 minutes like pensioners who accidentally took today’s tablets twice before bundling home a late corner against 1963 Arab Nations Cup champions Tunisia. It’s theirs, it’s in the bag, it’s coming home, they’ve done it. And not a tat in sight on the captain’s bronzed bod, either! Well done, Harry. Well done, everyone. What a man. What a glorious nation.

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Published on June 22, 2018 04:20

World Cup 2018: Argentina 0-3 Croatia – as it happened

Argentina and Lionel Messi are on the brink of elimination after being swept aside by rampant Croatia

11.23pm BST

9.55pm BST

9.15pm BST

And that’s your lot. Croatia have made it to the knockout phase with a game to spare, and have sent out a signal that they’re a team to take very seriously indeed. Argentina by contrast are in all sorts of trouble. Their game against Nigeria promises to be huge. Lionel Messi’s last chance to join the World Cup pantheon is looking a long shot right now. Congratulations to Croatia, commiserations to Argentina. Night night!

9.10pm BST

Argentina Are Not Alone dept.

9.07pm BST

And here’s our man Paul MacInnes, rating the first week’s winners and losers. A good one for Denis Cheryshev and Mr CR7, not so great for Mo Salah and Neymar.

9.00pm BST

Here’s the hot take on tonight’s action. Stuart James’s match report from Nizhny Novgorod will follow soon. Expect the comments section to tick over nicely this evening.

8.58pm BST

Croatia are ecstatic. They go to their fans in celebration. They deserve the right to cavort. That’s the team performance of the World Cup so far. With Modric and Rakitic in such good form, and assisted by the likes of Perisic, Mandzukic, Kramaric and Rebic, they could go very deep in this competition. Argentina by comparison ... oh dear. They were dreadful from front to back. Caballero suffered a nightmare of Karius proportions, while Messi was a total non-event. They now need to beat Nigeria in their last game to have any chance of progressing to the next round, and even then their fate won’t be in their own hands. Their fans are accordingly miserable.

8.53pm BST

Croatia are deservedly through to the last 16 of the World Cup! They were as magnificent tonight as Argentina were abject. Messi stomps off with a face on; his dream of winning this World Cup is now hanging by a thread.

8.52pm BST

90 min +3: Corluka comes on for Mandzukic, and is almost immediately booked for a late tackle.

8.51pm BST

90 min +2: A look around the stadium, and the blood has drained from a lot of the Argentinian faces. The players look utterly stunned.

8.50pm BST

Croatia deal with the set piece, and romp up the other end. Rakitic blazes down the middle. His shot is parried brilliantly by Caballero, but the ball breaks to Kovacic on the left. Kovacic simply rolls the ball back to Rakitic, who slams the ball into the bottom left. This is now a humiliation for the two-time winners and 2014 finalists.

8.48pm BST

90 min: Messi makes a little bit of space to the right of the Croatia box, and slips the ball inside for Meza, who drops a shoulder, then again, and again, as he embarks on a George Best-style dribble across the face of the area. His eventual shot is blocked for a corner. From which ...

8.46pm BST

89 min: Modric has another look from distance. Not this time. “If you watched this game knowing nothing about the players and were told one of the world’s best players was on the pitch, you’d never say it was Messi,” writes Brad Wilson. “You’d say it was Luka Modric.”

8.45pm BST

87 min: Acuna is booked for treading on Vrsaljko’s toes. It’s fair to say this match has had something of an edge. It’s been brilliant to watch, unless you support Argentina of course.

8.44pm BST

86 min: Rakitic is inches away from taking perfect revenge on Otamendi and Argentina. He whips the resulting free kick, 25 yards out, over the wall and towards the top left. It’s a stunner, but it slams off the crossbar and away. Caballero was stranded.

8.43pm BST

85 min: Wahey! It all kicks off! Rakitic is bundled over by Mascherano. It’s a foul, no question. Otamendi comes in and kicks the ball at the prone midfielder’s head. That’s a dismal act. He’s booked, and is fortunate to stay on the pitch. For a second it looks as though the match is about to degenerate into a bench-emptying brawl, but it cools down very quickly.

8.42pm BST

84 min: Higuain has a crack from a position just to the left of the D. Subasic gathers easily.

8.41pm BST

83 min: Meza hooks the ball into the mixer. It’s headed clear with ease. Argentina have been little short of appalling. Croatia have been extremely impressive, mind you. Another run to the semis? Even further than 1998? With the midfield talent they boast, anything is possible.

8.40pm BST

82 min: Perisic is replaced by Kovacic, whose first act is to concede a free kick out on the right.

8.39pm BST

This is as sensational as the first goal was farcical! Modric picks up possession 25 yards out. He drops a shoulder to confuse Otamendi, shifts the ball a little to the right, and curls an unstoppable shot into the top right! Upfield, Messi drops his head slowly and sadly.

8.37pm BST

80 min: Rakitic and Kramaric combine nicely down the left. Rakitic eventually has a dig from the edge of the box. Tagliafico does well to block. Then there’s another phase of attack. And then ...

8.36pm BST

78 min: Pavon busts down the left and nearly breaks clear, but Lovren tackles him well. Corner. Pavon takes it himself, but it’s cleared at the near post by Kramaric. “I feel for Messi. The GOAT tag weighs heavily on his shoulders. I also feel for Caballero. Unless his teammates can put the ball in the net soon, he’ll be the goat.” Peter Oh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the borscht.

8.34pm BST

76 min: Rakitic goes down in the centre circle, winded. The referee stops the play with Argentina on the attack. Argentina are rightly annoyed, and surround the ref, but it’s done now.

8.33pm BST

74 min: Messi has a moan at the referee, waving his arms about in frustration over very little. He’s on a rolling boil right now.

8.32pm BST

73 min: Mandzukic brushes past Mascherano down the right and romps goalwards. He crosses into the centre. Otamendi and Mercado confuse each other, and the ball deflects to Kramaric, who is closed down by Cabellero to the left of goal. He’s got options in the middle, but opts to beat Cabellero himself. And doesn’t. A waste.

8.29pm BST

71 min: Dybala cuts in from the right and looks to curl one into the top left. It’s a wild effort, but at least it’s something.

8.28pm BST

70 min: Modric stumbles through a few challenges in the middle, keeps his balance in astonishing fashion, and flicks Kramaric free down the left. That was sensational play. Kramaric reaches the byline and comes very close to finding Mandzukic in the centre with a pullback. Not quite. Modric is such a wonderful player to watch. A glorious mix of steely determination and pretty skill.

8.25pm BST

68 min: The last roll of the dice for Argentina: Dybala comes on in place of Perez.

8.25pm BST

67 min: Vrsaljko is booked for a late slide on Acuna.

8.24pm BST

66 min: Croatia nearly extend their lead. Rakitic scoops a pass wide right for Vrsaljko, who slips a ball inside for Mandzukic, on the corner of the six-yard area. It’s a lovely slick move. Caballero isn’t an imposing figure here, and there’s space at the near post. Mandzukic tries to flick home, but only flaps the ball into the side netting.

8.23pm BST

64 min: From the set piece, Otamendi sends a header over the bar. Argentina have stepped it up since going behind.

8.22pm BST

63 min: Higuain is sent bombing towards the byline on the left by Perez. He pulls it back for Meza, who surely must score from six yards! He sidefoots towards the bottom left. Subasic palms the ball out, though he tried his best to palm it into the net. Rakitic slides in to poke the ball out for a corner.

8.19pm BST

61 min: Messi picks up the pace with a speed dribble, his first serious contribution of the evening. He nearly sets Higuain free down the right, but the move peters out. Much better, though, from both Messi and Argentina. “Give Zafar Sobhan a cigar,” writes Sam Hankins. “He called it exactly!” Yep. You’ve gotta love our readership.

8.17pm BST

59 min: Mandzukic is booked for a late lunge on Meza. In the stand, Diego Maradona chomps on his nails.

8.16pm BST

57 min: The entire stadium seems shocked at the nature of that howler. Shades of the atmosphere at the Champions League final after Loris Karius’s error. They replace Salvio with Pavon. Croatia meanwhile swap the injured goalscorer Rebic with Kramaric.

8.15pm BST

55 min: Argentina respond by taking off Aguero and sending Higuain on. Perisic goes at Argentina down the right, winning a corner, but the set piece comes to nothing.

8.13pm BST

What an absurd error by Willy Caballero! Dealing with a simple backpass, he tries to chip a pass wide right to Mercado. But he doesn’t get enough on it, simply teeing it up in mid-air for Rebic, who meets it first time with a screaming volley into the top right! Oh Willy!

8.11pm BST

53 min: Messi drifts in from the right and feeds Tagliafico, who slips a pass down the inside left for Aguero. A shot from a tight angle, but it’s easily gathered by Subasic. Then Croatia go straight up the other end and ...

8.10pm BST

51 min: Modric sweeps a pass out left for Rebic, who tears down the wing in great style, sashaying past a couple of challenges. Then he’s taken out by Mercado, who sticks a leg across his knees. Hilariously old-school. He’s booked, and doesn’t bother complaining.

8.08pm BST

50 min: Vrsaljko and Acuna squabble on the touchline over a throw. Perisic romps down the right but his cross is easily dealt with. This is scrappy right now.

8.06pm BST

49 min: Hesitation from Lovren, followed by confusion between Brozovic and Vida. Croatia do not convince at the back. Aguero nearly takes advantage, but the ball clanks out of play. Another phase, and Acuna has a whack from distance, but Lovren blocks well this time. “Messi to me is blameless as he is forced by vice and not virtue of this humdrum Argentine XI to not just be himself, he has to be Iniesta as well,” opines Hubert O’Hearn. “His career cannot be judged on a World Cup. Football is a team sport. One that frames its greatest players, but a frame made of shirt cardboard is not gilt gold.”

8.04pm BST

47 min: Both teams take turns to have a little feel of the ball, re-familiarising themselves with it. A slow start to the second half, in other words. Here’s Zafar Sobhan: “This game will be decided by a grotesque defensive error. Only thing that remains to be seen is by whom. Not the boldest of predictions I know, sorry.”

8.02pm BST

And we’re off again! No half-time changes by either team. Argentina get the party restarted. They’ll be hoping to bring it up a notch or two. Messi only touched the ball 20 times in that first half; Aguero just seven. “It seems telling that Croatia’s key player, Modric, is a passing play maker, whereas Argentina’s key player, Messi, is more of a dribbler,” begins David Wall. “So when Modric plays well it means Croatia play well. But when Messi plays well it means that Messi plays well. That may in itself decide a game, but it doesn’t really make the team as a whole convince. Perhaps the manager should just tell him to get over the idea of trying to win it himself, and instead base their play on the abilities of all eleven, with Messi as an exceptional component of that.”

7.51pm BST

Half-time reading: The action from earlier, in case you’re just in from work, or whatever it is they say on the telly ...

7.49pm BST

It’s goalless, but very intriguing. Both teams should have scored; both teams could easily have had a man sent off. Messi has done nothing. The second half promises to be quite the event.

7.47pm BST

45 min +2: Modric sends Rebic clear down the left with a glorious diagonal pass. But Rebic lets the ball get stuck under his feet. He’s forced to check back, then attempt a curler into the top right, which he gets all wrong.

7.45pm BST

45 min: There will be two added minutes. This half has flown by.

7.45pm BST

44 min: Tackles continue to fly in. Meza stands on Vrsaljko’s ankle. That’s a really bad one as well. Again, VAR checks it and decides there’s no need to escalate things.

7.44pm BST

42 min: Brozovic, out on the right, crosses long for Rebic, who can’t quite get the ball under control immediately. He tangles again with Salvio, who stumbles. Suddenly Rebic has space on the left flank, but the referee blows for a generous free kick. Argentina got away with that one.

7.41pm BST

40 min: Rebic is booked for planting his studs on Salvio’s shin. It was a nasty one, it should have been a red card. Though it’s been checked by the VAR, and it’s not considered a clear and obvious error.

7.39pm BST

38 min: Tagliafico makes good down the left, but sends a harmless looping cross into the arms of Subasic. To be fair, he hardly had a man to aim for in the Croatian box. Argentina strangely non-committal.

7.37pm BST

36 min: Mercado is down getting some treatment, after being winded in an aerial 50-50 duel with Rebic. He took a knee in the chest, though it looked accidental, both players going for the ball in the no-nonsense style.

7.35pm BST

34 min: Salvio nips past Strinic and gets an arm in the mush for his trouble. The Croatian defender is slightly lucky to get away without a booking, but this referee is good-humoured and lenient. And to be fair, we’ve hardly noticed him. Speaking of which ... “There’s nothing wrong with Messi’s involvement in this game that the immediate Argentinian recruitment of the other 10 Barcelona first team wouldn’t fix,” writes Charles Antaki, who may or may not be trying to start an argument just for the sheer hell of it.

7.33pm BST

32 min: Vida sees his clearance charged down by Messi, but the ball makes it back to Subasic. Croatia go up the other end and nearly score: Vrsaljko curls a glorious cross into the box from the right. On the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, Mandzukic is free! But he stoops and sends his point-blank header wide left! What a miss! That’s one apiece now. How/why is this still 0-0?!

7.31pm BST

30 min: So having said that, there goes that shape! Lovren hesitates and falls over, allowing Salvio to nick the ball off him. He’s free in the box, but facing a tight angle on the left. He pulls back for Perez, who faces an empty net, Subasic having gone walkabout. He must score, but sends his first-time slapshot wide left of goal!

7.29pm BST

29 min: Argentina are beginning to push Croatia back, their first period of genuine dominance in the match. No way through yet, though, as the men in black keep their shape.

7.28pm BST

27 min: Meza whips the corner straight into the side netting. What a waste. What a run by Aguero, mind: the most dangerous Argentina have looked so far.

7.27pm BST

26 min: Aguero runs at Croatia down the left. His power dribble sends Vida into a backtracking panic. He reaches the byline and chips inside, but Strinic steps in to head behind for a corner.

7.25pm BST

24 min: Rebic spins on a sixpence to make himself some space on the right, then feeds the overlapping Vrsaljko. The full back clumps the ball too far ahead of himself, and the danger’s over, but for a split second there Argentina looked very exposed.

7.23pm BST

22 min: Space for Acuna out on the left. He crosses, overhits it, and the ball twangs the top of the Croatian crossbar! A mishit outswinger, it was never threatening to actually creep into the net.

7.21pm BST

20 min: More Argentinian nerves on display, as Tagliafico nearly gives up possession on the edge of his own area. The referee generously blows for a free kick, there having been contact with Mandzukic. It’s just as well for Argentina, because Modric was onto the loose ball, and would have been one on one with Caballero.

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19 min: This is hotting up quite nicely. Perez is shoved over by Brozovic, but doesn’t get the free kick; Mascherano bowls Modric to the floor and he’s penalised. Argentina surround the referee in the indignant style. The ref performs the international mime for dive, and grins.

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18 min: Another period of sterile Argentinian possession ends when Otamendi needlessly passes the ball out of play in the middle in a show of nerves.

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16 min: Rakitic and Perez slide in for a 50-50 in the midfield. Rakitic comes off worse. It’s a foul, but not a terrible challenge. After frowning quite a lot, Rakitic eventually gets up. Happily, both players are good to continue.

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15 min: Argentina pass it around quite a lot in the middle, but don’t really go anywhere. Croatia are still buzzing around at speed, closing down all the space.

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13 min: Meza races down the right and pulls the ball back for Salvio, whose shot from the penalty spot is deflected over the bar by Lovren. The resulting corner is wasted. But this is lovely and open, and surely won’t end goalless.

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12 min: But Argentina aren’t too shabby going forward either. Perez chips a cute pass down the inside-left channel, and Messi nearly meets the ball dropping over his shoulder, Jamie Vardy style. But not quite.

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10 min: Modric really looks in the mood tonight. He’s beginning to dictate the play. He tees the ball up for Rakitic on the edge of the Argentina area. Rakitic loops diagonally for Vrsaljko, who has sprung the trap on the right! But his sidefooted volley, meant as a pass for Manzukic in the middle, is weak and intercepted. A pretty move, though, and Croatia are looking very tidy indeed up front.

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9 min: Tagliafico is slightly fortunate not to go in the book after standing on the foot of Mandzukic in the centre circle. Just a ticking off from the referee.

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8 min: A throw to Argentina deep in Croatian territory down the right. But they’re pressed all the way back to the halfway line. This is a busy, brisk, open game, and Croatia look very sharp.

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6 min: Modric’s corner is dealt with easily enough by Argentina. But the ball’s quickly coming back at Argentina, and another long pass is launched down the left in the hope of releasing Perisic again. The winger’s in a ludicrous amount of space once more, but this time he’s gone too early and the flag goes up for offside.

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5 min: Argentina go to sleep at the back, and Perisic is allowed to race into acres down the inside-left channel. He enters the box and looks for the bottom right. His shot is on target, but Caballero fingertips spectacularly out for a corner. That’s a fine save, and nearly a dream start for Croatia!

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4 min: Both sets of fans are giving it plenty. They know there’s a lot on this match. Not least because the runner up in this group is likely to play France in the next round.

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2 min: There’s a cracking atmosphere in the stadium. And nearly an early chance for Argentina, as Otamendi rakes a pass down the right in the hope of releasing Salvio. He’s not far from making it, but the ball flies out for a goal kick with Croatia very light at the back.

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And we’re off! Croatia get the party started. “As an Icelander I’ve seen a lot of teams play Iceland in the last few years,” begins Kári Tulinius. “I thought Argentina played very well, better than Croatia did last time, certainly. The Icelandic team is very difficult to play against and had Messi converted that penalty they would’ve won. I’m expecting Argentina to win tonight.”

6.58pm BST

The teams are out! Argentina are in their famous blue-and-white-striped shirts, while Croatia sport their second-choice black check. As the anthems play, Messi rubs his forehead while wearing an extremely pained expression, almost as though the pressure of carrying half the world’s hopes and dreams is wearing him down. We’ll be off in a minute! “If you’re going to post a Croatia-themed Seinfeld clip it’s only sporting to provide one for their South American rivals as well (and impugn an entire continent in the process),” adds Jerry Parks.

6.50pm BST

These two countries have only met once at the World Cup. That was back in 1998, the year Croatia were 43 minutes away from the final. It wasn’t much of a match, because both teams had already qualified from Group H: Ariel Ortega set up Mauricio Pineda for the only goal. Outside of the finals, it’s one win each and a draw. Good luck calling this, then.

6.45pm BST

The national anthems: The Himno Nacional Argentino is a stately affair, which threatens once or twice to turn into the theme tune to Van der Valk, but doesn’t. ♭♮♯ May the laurels be eternal / that we were able to achieve / Let us live crowned in glory / O let us swear to die with glory ♭♮♯

6.37pm BST

While we’re on the subject of Menotti ... here’s a short story about the man, courtesy of everyone’s favourite football periodical, The Blizzard.

6.32pm BST

Pre-match playtime. Before this World Cup started, we asked Juan Sebastián Verón to pick an all-time World Cup XI to represent Argentina. Here’s what he came up with. And now you can do the same, channelling your inner César Luis Menotti to your heart’s content! Oh yes!

6.20pm BST

Croatia make one change to the starting XI sent out against Nigeria. In comes Marcelo Brozovic of Internazionale; out goes Andrej Kramaric of Hoffenheim.

Argentina make three changes to their team, though, after the disappointing draw with Iceland. Sporting Lisbon’s Marcos Acuna, River Plate’s Enzo Perez and Sevilla’s Gabriel Mercado replace PSG’s Angel Di Maria, Milan’s Lucas Biglia and Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo.

6.12pm BST

Argentina: Caballero, Mercado, Otamendi, Tagliafico, Salvio, Mascherano, Perez, Acuna, Messi, Aguero, Meza.
Subs: Guzman, Ansaldi, Biglia, Fazio, Banega, Higuain, Di Maria, Rojo, Lo Celso, Dybala, Pavon, Armani.

Croatia: Subasic, Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic, Rakitic, Brozovic, Rebic, Modric, Perisic, Mandzukic.
Subs: Livakovic, Corluka, Kovacic, Kramaric, Jedvaj, Bradaric, Caleta-Car, Badelj, Pjaca, Pivaric, Nikola Kalinic, Lovre Kalinic.

1.11pm BST

Argentina went into this tournament as one of the favourites to win the whole shebang. Hey, if you’ve got Lionel Messi in your side, it’s not the wildest notion. But if, for a while, it became easy to forget how they scraped through qualifying, their turgid performance against Iceland served as a sharp reminder that this isn’t the greatest vintage of the Albiceleste. Suddenly you wonder: the two-time winners and five-time finalists couldn’t crash out in the groups, could they?

There’d be a fair chance of that happening if they don’t do the business against Croatia tonight. The Croats eased past the much-heralded Nigerians in their opening game, and any team with Luka Modrić pulling the strings is going to pose problems. Especially if you’ve got a rickety defence. So, this is potentially highly interesting, the first case of big-team jeopardy at the 2018 World Cup.

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Published on June 21, 2018 13:15

Colombia 1-2 Japan: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Japan shocked ten-man Colombia in Saransk ライブ速報！W杯グループH、日本対コロンビア

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Stuart James’s match report:

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And that just about wraps up this MBM. Another fine match at this enjoyable World Cup. Colombia, quarter-finalists in 2014, now have a battle on their hands to get out of the groups this time, while Japan will hope to repeat their feats of 2002 and 2010 by making it to the last 16. Thanks for reading!

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Meanwhile Sid Lowe has been talking to the president of Panama, ahead of some game or other on Sunday.

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And if for some reason that doesn’t slake your thirst for all things Baz ... there’s the latest edition of our award-winning podcast!

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The other match in Group H, between Poland and Senegal, kicks off at 4pm. And then we’ll have seen every team at this World Cup. Barry Glendenning is your warm, cuddly, avuncular host for that one.

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Rate the players. Deliver your verdict on Group H’s opening game. It’s unlikely that Carlos Sanchez or Davinson Sanchez will come out top, but you never know.

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Here’s the match report. An instant take, with Stuart James’s dispatch from Saransk to follow.

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That’s Japan’s first World Cup win in Europe, and their first against South American opposition. Colombia fought brilliantly in the first half; if you didn’t know they were down to ten men, you might not have guessed. But Japan turned the tide marvellously in the second period, and were deserved winners in the end. This result really throws Group H open, with Poland and Senegal to come next.

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The red card cost Colombia in the end. Unfancied Japan are off to a flier!

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90 min +4: Bacca is sent romping down the left. Japan are light at the back ... but Bacca shanks his cross straight into the stand. That was appalling.

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90 min +3: Colombia are on the attack. But then Arias needlessly shoves Inui in the back, and the pressure is off.

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90 min +2: Colombia push Japan back, but only to the edge of their final third. They can’t find the pass that would turn Japan around.

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90 min +1: There will be five added minutes ... and one of them has already passed without incident.

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90 min: Japanese hearts are in mouths as Colombia play a little head tennis in their area. Falcao and Rodriguez knock it back and forth, but eventually the former is caught offside.

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89 min: Mojica embarks on a gloriously persistent run down the left and nearly breaks free. But he can’t find a team-mate when he decides to offload. For a second that looked promising. Colombia really haven’t created much.

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87 min: Japan continue to hog possession. Sakai is doing a lot of work up and down the right. Japan have worked the flanks well in this second half.

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86 min: James Rodriguez is booked for a late lunge on Haraguchi. A frustrated clip on the ankles. He doesn’t bother arguing about it.

2.42pm BST

85 min: More keepball from Japan. After that brief burst from Colombia, Japan are running down the clock in a very fuss-free style. Osako is replaced by Okazaki of Leicester City.

2.40pm BST

83 min: Osako chases after a long ball down the middle. Davinson Sanchez does extremely well to barge him out of the way and snuff out the danger.

2.39pm BST

82 min: Japan play a bit of keepball. Sakai curls into the Colombia box from the right, but Osako can’t get a meaningful header on target this time.

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80 min: Yamaguchi comes on for Shibasaki.

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79 min: Colombia continue to press. They’ve taken it up a notch now they’re behind and desperate. The ball’s thrown into the mixer, but nobody in yellow can get a head on it and Kawashima comes off his line to claim.

2.36pm BST

77 min: Bacca slips a pass down the right flank for Falcao, who hesitates on the edge of the box. But Haraguchi comes back to poke the ball out for a corner. That leads, after a fashion, to Lerma backheeling brilliantly to Rodriguez from a tight spot on the right. Rodriguez bursts into the area and shoots hard, but Osako sticks out a toe to block. What an intervention!

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75 min: That had been coming. Japan have been in control for nearly all of this second half. Do Colombia have any sort of answer?

2.31pm BST

Honda takes from the left. Osako rises highest, getting the better of Arias, and flicks a header into the top right! Ospina, having got back on his line after a brief walkabout, was rooted to the spot. So simple!

2.30pm BST

72 min: Japan are a whisker away from regaining the lead. Osako, on the edge of the six-yard box but with his back to goal, tees it up for Sakai, who sends a low screamer inches wide of the left-hand post. But there’s a deflection, and it’s a corner. From which ...

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71 min: Honda is immediately in the action, cutting in from the right and sending a pea-roller towards the bottom right. No Quintero he. Ospina smothers.

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70 min: A change for Japan, as Kagawa is replaced by Honda. Then Colombia make a switch, hooking Izquierdo and sending on Bacca.

2.27pm BST

68 min: It’s all Japan right now. But it’s sterile possession. Inui tries to step it up, and causes momentary bedlam in the Colombian box after dribbling down the left. But he can’t get a shot away.

2.24pm BST

67 min: Corner for Japan down the right. It’s a waste of everyone’s time.

2.23pm BST

66 min: A brilliant dribble by Inui down the left. He glides past a couple of lame Colombian challenges and makes it into the box. He tries another curler towards the bottom right, but Davinson Sanchez stoops to head clear.

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64 min: Barrios is booked for managing to stand on Kagawa’s toe from behind.

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63 min: This has gone properly scrappy, for the first time in the match. Colombia are really struggling to piece together anything coherent in attack. For the first time, they look like a team playing with ten men.

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61 min: The busy Shibasaki finds Sakai in acres of space on the right. Sakai strides into the box and unleashes a low hard shot across the face of goal. It’s harmless. He apologises to Osako in the middle.

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60 min: Shibasaki loops the free kick into the box. Yoshida rises highest, but can only send his header, meant for the top left, harmlessly over the bar.

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59 min: A free kick for Japan out on the right. They load the box. But before it can be taken, Colombia make another surprising substitution: Quintero is replaced by ... James Rodriguez, who was supposed to be unfit. Could this be a risk?

2.15pm BST

57 min: Shibasaki romps down the middle, then slips inside for Osako, who shuttles the ball further wide for Inui. That’s a lovely passing move. Inui drops a shoulder to step back in from the left, then sends a curler towards the bottom right. Ospina parries at full stretch. Great shot, and a save to match.

2.13pm BST

56 min: Japan have taken the sting out of this game. It’s still an enjoyable watch, but it’s not a wild, out-of-control ride like the first half. Not yet, anyway.

2.12pm BST

54 min: Kagawa slips a pass down the inside-left channel for Osako. He spins Davinson Sanchez and is one on one with Ospina, albeit from a tight angle. He shoots low and hard. Ospina parries. Corner, which the keeper plucks from the sky with confidence. A decent chance, that.

2.09pm BST

52 min: Colombia haven’t put a single move together since the restart. Japan will be very happy with their new, reinvigorated approach.

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50 min: Osako dribbles his way down the left and earns a corner off Lerma. Shibasaki takes. Yoshida stuns a low ball with a perfect touch on the penalty spot, but isn’t able to swivel and get a shot away. Japan look much better since the restart: they’ve been given the hairdryer treatment by their veteran coach Akira Nishino, I’ll be bound.

2.06pm BST

48 min: Nagatomo looks up for it. He tears down the left again, reaching the byline at speed and whipping a cross into the centre. Murillo heads clear under pressure from Osako.

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46 min: Nagatomo tries to get Japan on the front foot early in the second half, with a burst down the left. He lays off for Inui, who was asleep. There goes that move. But it already looks as though Japan have been told to look a bit more lively. They were very passive for much of that first half against ten men.

2.02pm BST

We’re off again! No half-time changes. Colombia get the party restarted. Meanwhile Kári Tulinius responds to Charles Antaki’s pre-match assertion that Japan’s nickname isn’t likely to inspire anyone to musical heights. “There’s at least one Samurai Blue song, by the band ZZ, who might or might not be named after Zinedine Zidane. I suppose it’s alright if you like that sort of thing, but I don’t.” No, it doesn’t quite have the slinky sass of cumbia, does it. But each to their own.

1.51pm BST

Top-notch half-time entertainment ... courtesy of the ever-magnificent David Squires.

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And that’s that for the first half. It’s been superb fun. Colombia responded brilliantly to going a man and a goal down so early; they’ve been the better team so far. It promises to be a cracking second half. No flipping!

1.46pm BST

45 min: Some more midfield faff. It’s been a brilliant half of football, the players are allowed to take their foot of the gas a little.

1.45pm BST

43 min: Japan appear perplexed at events. They ping the ball around the middle of the park, but have no idea how to advance. Eventually their move fizzles out. “Absolutely bonkers game and the mood in Bogotá is weird,” writes our man in Colombia, Joe Parkin Daniels. “My neighbours were making a right racket until the second minute (kick off was at 7am here) but were understandably silent for the last 30 minutes. Now the revelry is back in full flow.”

1.42pm BST

41 min: Japan are livid about that, though no idea why. It was clearly over the line. Unless they’re protesting the award of the free kick itself: that was a bit more questionable, the wily Falcao buying a cheap one by clanking into Hasebe. But here we are. And on the balance of play, ten-man Colombia are deservedly level.

1.41pm BST

This is a wonderful piece of improvisation! Quintero takes the free kick. He waits for the wall to jump, and rolls the ball underneath it, trundling the ball towards the bottom right. Kawashima thinks he’s saved it on the line, but it’s clearly gone over. What a wonder goal!

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37 min: Falcao goes down in the extravagant style as Yoshida slides in on him. The referee isn’t conned into booking the Japanese player, but it is a free kick. From which Falcao is brushed to the floor by Hasebe. He want a penalty now, but he’s not getting that either. What he does get, third time lucky, is a free kick just outside the area as the same two players contest a ball that’s been shanked high in the air by a Japanese boot.

1.35pm BST

34 min: Quintero and Falcao attempt the Gerrard-Cisse 2006 FA Cup final thing again. And once more, Falcao does well to connect to the ball dropping over his shoulder, but can only poke it straight at Kawashima.

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33 min: Osako busies himself down the left. First he forces a mistake and shanks a shot across the face of the box, then he earns a corner that’s easily cleared by Colombia. After a quiet period, Japan suddenly look a bit more dangerous in attack.

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31 min: A tactical switch by Colombia: Barrios comes on to bolster the midfield ... and surprisingly, it’s Cuadrado who makes way.

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30 min: In fact, Colombia have seen more of the ball since the early drama. Though they’ve yet to create a serious chance. It’s nicely balanced.

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28 min: For the first time since the kick-off, there’s something of a lull. This has been a highly entertaining, open match. The ten men of Colombia have done extremely well to get properly involved.

1.27pm BST

26 min: Now Colombia win a corner on the left. The ball eventually finds its way to Cuadrado on the right. He’s got time and space to shoot, yet allows himself to be closed down. His effort is blocked by the heel of Osako on the edge of the area.

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24 min: Haraguchi wins a corner for Japan out on the right. It’s worked back to Inui, who hooks the ball into the mixer. Yoshida, who has come up looking to cause bother, is penalised for shoving.

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22 min: Japan decide to take the sting out of the game, passing it slowly and calmly around the midfield, utilising their extra man. “It’s funny because the thumbnail for your Colombian national anthem YouTube video displays the line ‘el brazo que combate’, which means ‘the arm that fights’,” writes Nelson Calvinho. “Then Sanchez goes out after using his arm to fight the ball.”

1.21pm BST

20 min: Izquierdo battles well in the midfield and sets Cuadrado off towards goal. He’s just about to pull the trigger on the edge of the box, when Shibasaki tracks back to make a stunning saving tackle. This is a really nice open game. Colombia have clearly decided to just go for it.

1.19pm BST

18 min: Colombia seem less panicked than they were in the immediate aftermath of the penalty and sending off. They’re giving as good as they’re getting right now. Cuadrado skedaddles down the right and very nearly gets past Nagatomo, but the Japanese left-back holds firm and eventually the ball’s run out of play for a goal kick.

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15 min: Japan nearly take a two-goal lead. Kagawa jumps on some slack Colombian play in the midfield, and powers towards the box. He’s got Inui free, in acres, coming in from the left. Inui opens his body and tries to steer a low shot across a static Ospina and into the bottom right. But the ball bobbles wide of the post.

1.14pm BST

12 min: Hasebe bundles Cuadrado to the floor. Colombia want a yellow card issued; they’ll be hoping to level up the teams if at all possible. The resulting free kick, just in front of the centre circle, nearly leads to a goal: Quintero lifts the ball forward for Falcao, who sticks out a leg and tries to guide the ball into the bottom right. It would have been a picture-book goal - not totally dissimilar to Djibril Cisse’s strike in the 2006 FA Cup final - but it’s straight at Kawashima.

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10 min: A slightly stunned atmosphere in the Mordovia Arena, as everyone processes that early drama. The match hasn’t really got much shape as a result. Colombia are trying to get things going, though, Arias zipping down the right. But his cross is nowhere near Falcao.

1.10pm BST

8 min: What a start to Colombia’s World Cup campaign! The entire move was the fault of Davinson Sanchez, who didn’t deal with a simple bouncing ball and let Osako burst clear. He’ll have a little apologising to do to his namesake Carlos, who was nevertheless correctly given his marching orders for deliberately sticking out an arm to stop Kagawa’s shot.

1.07pm BST

Kagawa waits for Ospina to dive to his right. Then he strokes his penalty down the middle. Cool and calm amid the mayhem. But what a start this is!

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5 min: It takes quite a while to shift Sanchez from the pitch. That’s about one fifth of a Rattin. But eventually he takes his leave. Kagawa prepares to take the penalty kick.

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3 min: Osako wriggles free of Davinson Sanchez. He’s clear down the middle! Ospina smothers his shot, but the ball rebounds to Kagawa, who smacks the ball goalwards. Carlos Sanchez sticks an arm out to save. It’s a penalty, and he’s off!

1.03pm BST

2 min: Colombia hog the ball in the early exchanges. Japan are doing quite a lot of the gegenpressing. But suddenly there’s a little space for Osako down the right. He reaches the byline and whips into the centre. Ospina - who made a few mistakes during qualifying - gets an early touch and handles confidently.

1.01pm BST

And we’re off! Japan get the party started on a sunny day in Saransk. But only after a false start, because the referee didn’t realise Falcao, having won the toss, wanted the teams to switch ends. The switcheroo is made, and it’s all happening!

12.56pm BST

The teams are out! Colombia are in their bright yellow, Japan sport their samurai blue. We’ll be off in a minute! “The Samurai Blue strikes me as a pretty artificial and unconvincing nickname,” opines Charles Antaki. “Does a Japan fan ever say: ‘Are you going down to see the Samurai Blue play tonight?’, let alone make a tune out of it. Whereas Los Cafeteros makes perfect sense for Colombia, and they have a catchy song in the cumbia style.”

12.51pm BST

The national anthems. Colombia’s effort is transmitted, by law, at 6pm every night on TV. Push through that sort of legislation in the UK, and half the country would top themselves by the time The One Show comes round. But the Himno Nacional de la República de Colombia is much jauntier than God Save..., so they can get away with that sort of edict. ♭♮♯ In agony, the Virgin tears out her hair / And bereft of her love leaves it to hang on a cypress / Regretting her hope is covered by a cold headstone / But glorious pride hallows her fair skin ♭♮♯

12.40pm BST

More pre-match play. This is a five-star quiz. Do you know your woodland retreats from your city spas?

12.32pm BST

Have you subscribed to the World Cup Fiver yet? Well, what are you waiting for?! Actually, don’t answer that. For what it’s worth, here’s today’s scrawl. We mean well.

12.24pm BST

Pre-match playtime. It’s the pub argument we’re all having: who would you select in your all-time Japan team? Our snazzy tool can help you decide, once and for all! I’m afraid there isn’t a similar gizmo for Colombia, but I don’t make the rules, and in any case we all dream of a team of 11 René Higuitas, so we’d be wasting our time anyway.

12.18pm BST

Colombia: Ospina, Arias, Davinson Sanchez, Murillo, Mojica, Cuadrado, Carlos Sanchez, Lerma, Izquierdo, Quintero, Falcao.
Subs: Vargas, Cuadrado, Zapata, Barrios, Bacca, Aguilar, Rodriguez, Mina, Muriel, Uribe, Diaz, Borja.

Japan: Kawashima, Hiroki Sakai, Yoshida, Shoji, Nagatomo, Haraguchi, Hasebe, Shibasaki, Inui, Kagawa, Osako.
Subs: Higashiguchi, Nakamura, Ueda, Honda, Endo, Okazaki, Usami, Muto, Yamaguchi, Oshima, Makino, Gotoku Sakai.

12.16pm BST

Early team news: There’s to be no James Rodriguez in Colombia’s starting XI. He’s suffering from muscle fatigue, so it’s up to all-time leading scorer Radamel Falcao to lead the Cafeteros charge. Japan go with experience, too: former Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa and erstwhile Inter defender Yuto Nagatomo are in their starting line-up.

12.11pm BST

Some welcome news for long-suffering readers: You don’t have to put up with my nonsense for the next couple of hours. That’s because Ben Mabley is MBMing this game too! So you can chip off there if you prefer. One minor caveat: he’s doing it in Japanese. That may limit your options, to be fair. You’re stuck with me, then. Sorry.

Related: ライブ速報！W杯グループH、日本対コロンビア

12.05pm BST

Some pre-match reading:

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We’ve waited a long time for Group H to come around. Nearly a week! But we’ve waited even longer to see Radamel Falcao at a World Cup. The Monaco man was injured when Colombia made it to the quarter-finals last time round, forced to sit and watch James Rodriguez steal the show in Brazil. But now he’s back! Can he dovetail with Rodriguez and set his country off on another World Cup adventure? We’re about to find out ... if Rodriguez passes a late fitness test, that is.

The Colombians are favourites for this one. Their form hasn’t been particularly special - a win in France, but then two goalless draws against Australia and Egypt - though it’s been better than Japan’s. The Samurai Blue recently beat Paraguay, it’s true, but that result merely put an end to a run of three defeats on the spin, against Ukraine, Ghana and Switzerland. Colombia also have the sign over their opponents: they’re unbeaten in their previous three matches against Japan, the most recent being a 4-1 whipping at the last World Cup.

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Published on June 19, 2018 07:22