Scott Murray's Blog, page 150

Jordan Spieth rambling his way towards golf’s elite clubhouse in record time | Scott Murray

The Texan is only 24 and may feel like he has run out of worlds to conquer if he completes the career slam on Sunday by winning the US PGA Championship

One of the most gloriously overblown lines in the history of sports broadcasting was delivered in 1984 by the peerless darts commentator Sid Waddell. Contemplating Eric Bristow’s effortless dominion over his peers, Waddell mused: “When Alexander of Macedon was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer. Bristow is only 27.”

You have to wonder what ancient historical allusion the much-missed Waddell would have extemporised upon exposure to Jordan Spieth. Come Sunday, there is a fair chance that Jordan the Great will have become only the seventh man in history to complete golf’s career slam. Should he win the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, three weeks after making Birkdale’s notoriously tough closing trek look like an easy coastal ramble for all walking abilities, and two years after landing both the Masters and US Open, he will have completed the holy-grail set at the golden age of 24 years and 17 days.

Related: Jordan Spieth must get past Rory McIlroy to make history at US PGA | Ewan Murray

Related: Jordan Spieth’s Open victory has given him an early shot at greatness | Ewan Murray

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Wolves 1-0 Middlesbrough, Fulham 1-1 Norwich: football clockwatch – as it happened

A relatively quiet opening Saturday, if we disregard Luton’s 8-2 win over Yeovil.

5.10pm BST

Oh, and here’s a match report from Molineux. Lovely stuff:

Related: Leo Bonatini pounces as Wolves beat Middlesbrough in battle of big spenders

5.04pm BST

And that’s your lot from the opening Saturday of the Football League and Scottish Premiership. Bristol City are the very early pacesetters in the Championship, but, well, y’know. However the action’s not yet over, because if you click below, former

Nottingham Forest
Chelsea legend John Terry makes his debut for Aston Villa against Hull. Barry Glendenning is anticipating your arrival. Don’t keep him waiting now!

Related: Aston Villa v Hull City: Championship – live!

4.59pm BST

Championship: Bristol City 3-1 Barnsley; Burton 0-1 Cardiff; Fulham 1-1 Norwich; Ipswich 1-0 Birmingham; Preston 1-0 Sheff W; QPR 2-0 Reading; Sheff U 1-0 Brentford; Wolves 1-0 Middlesbrough.

Scottish Premiership: Celtic 4-1 Hearts; Dundee 1-2 Ross County; Hibs 3-1 Partick; Killie 1-2 St Johnstone.

4.57pm BST

And in the Championship ... Sheffield United have held on against Brentford; Preston have beaten Wednesday; Fulham and Norwich have drawn; Ipswich have seen Birmingham off; and they’re still playing at QPR, the hosts 2-0 up against ten-men reading. And up in the Scottish version, Dundee United have won 1-0 at Caley Thistle. Full classified check to come.

4.53pm BST

More of them! Hibs have seen off Partick Thistle, 3-1. St Johnstone have seen it out at Killie; they’re 2-1 winners.

4.52pm BST

A few results are coming in now. Cardiff have won 1-0 at Burton. Ross County have won 2-1 at Dundee. Wolves have beaten Middlesbrough 1-0. Bristol City are 3-1 winners over Barnsley.

4.51pm BST

The dictionary definition of consolation, right here.

4.50pm BST

Wes Hoolahan sends Nelson Oliveira away, and Norwich get their reward for pressing and probing for the majority of the second half. Meanwhile a winner for St Johnstone at Kilmarnock, by the looks of it: Michael O’Halloran with that in the 89th minute of his debut.

4.43pm BST

A late goal for the Bluebirds, though it’s not exactly a smash-and-grab job, given they’ve been on top for the majority of the second half. Meanwhile Jack Hendry has pulled a goal back for Dundee against Ross County. Four minutes to level it: it’s still 2-1 to the Highlanders.

4.40pm BST

Not any more! Lees slides in on Hugill. He might have got the ball, he might not. A lot of controversy, certainly a lot of argument. But the ref points to the spot. Johnson slams it home.

4.36pm BST

Tommy Spurr of Preston has just clattered the woodwork against Sheffield Wednesday with a power header from a corner kick. But it remains goalless at Deepdale.

4.34pm BST

It’s still Luton 7-2 Yeovil. This is where we are. Opening day of the season!

4.30pm BST

Forest Green’s Football League debut is threatening to turn sour. They were 2-0 up at half-time after those quick-fire Doidge goals, but Barnet have dragged themselves back level, Akpro and Campbell-Ryce notching in a quick-fire five-minute burst. Meanwhile the Luton-Yeovil game is now 7-2! James Collins has scored a hat-trick on debut for the Hatters.

4.27pm BST

The biggest opening-day party is being thrown at Kenilworth Road. Luton Town are currently 6-1 up against Yeovil Town.

4.22pm BST

Ross County are now in total control at Dundee, Christopher Routis putting the Dingwall side 2-0 up on 61 minutes. Meanwhile Kris Boyd has equalised for Kilmarnock at home to St Johnstone: it’s 1-1 at Rugby Park.

4.20pm BST

Reading are struggling uphill now. Ilori is sent packing for bundling Wszolek over, six yards from goal. Washington gets up and slams the penalty kick home.

4.16pm BST

Charlie Mulgrew has pulled a goal back for Blackburn Rovers with a 53rd-minute free kick at Southend. It’s 2-1 at Roots Hall.

4.14pm BST

A free kick for Birmingham comes to naught. The Tractor Boys trundle at speed up the other end through Knudsen. He crosses for Garner, who bundles home at the far post.

4.12pm BST

Portsmouth, on their return to the third tier, are a goal up against Rochdale. Brett Pitman has opened the scoring at Fratton. Hibs meanwhile are 3-1 up now against Partick Thistle, Simon Murray increasing their lead from the penalty spot.

4.09pm BST

First day of the season. New season, right here!

4.06pm BST

A slow start to this second half. But then that’s how the first 45 began, and it warmed up soon enough.

4.00pm BST

Half-time reading: A must-read this. Barry Glendenning on a righteous David-versus-Goliath skirmish between the FSF and the Premier League.

Related: Pity the put-upon fans who rank far below global brands and partners | Barry Glendenning

3.56pm BST

Some worrying news at Portman Road, where Ipswich Town’s talented young midfielder Andre Dozzell was carried off with what may be a serious knee injury. Off on a stretcher, an oxygen mask covering his face. God speed young man.

3.53pm BST

The half-times in the big matches, then.

Championship: Bristol City 3-0 Barnsley; Burton 0-0 Cardiff; Fulham 1-0 Norwich; Ipswich 0-0 Birmingham; Preston 0-0 Sheff Wed; QPR 1-0 Reading; Sheff Utd 1-0 Brentford; Wolves 1-0 Middlesbrough.

3.47pm BST

You wait 128 years for your first Football League goal, then two come along in two minutes. Christian Doidge has capitalised on a Barnet defensive mix-up, and Forest Green are two up.

3.44pm BST

Forest Green Rovers have scored their first-ever goal in the Football League! Christian Doidge converts a corner on 41 minutes against Barnet, and there he is in the latest edition of The History Book.

3.43pm BST

Coventry City haven’t finished in the top six of any division for 47 years. They have won the FA Cup and the Football League Trophy during that period, mind you. However, they’ve been relegated three times as well, and now they’re in the fourth tier for the first time since 1959. But this campaign has started well, Jodi Jones with their opener on 29 minutes against Notts County. Meanwhile three-time English champions Blackburn are now 2-0 down at Southend, Michael Kightly with the second for the Shrimpers.

3.40pm BST

The Blades were looking blunt in the early exchanges, but Billy Sharp has just crashed home a header. Bramall Lane erupts on United’s return to the second tier after that long period of slumming it in League One.

3.38pm BST

Some news from Scotland. Hibs have gone 2-1 up against Partick Thistle, Steven Whittaker on 33 minutes. Meanwhile Ross County, the only Highlanders left in the Premiership, are leading at Dundee, Jamie Lindsay with the opener at Dens Park on 35 minutes.

3.36pm BST

The debutant Bonatini puts promotion hopefuls Wolves in front at Molineux, latching onto a piss-poor Ayala defensive pass and smacking it home.

3.34pm BST

Barnsley have fallen apart. By all accounts, Bobby Reid was one of three Bristol City players waiting to score. It’s his second of the afternoon, and this is how to start a new season. City haven’t played in the top tier since 1980. Could they? Well, what’s the point in football if you’re not allowed to dream? They’re top of the table and going up as things stand. Just 45-and-a-half games to see out.

3.30pm BST

Blackburn Rovers, champions of England as recently as 1995, are playing in the third tier this season. And they’re a goal down at Southend, Ryan Leonard opening the scoring there on 27 minutes.

3.29pm BST

Good work from Ayite causes a kerfuffle in the Norwich defence, and the City defender Martin is panicked into turning the ball into his own net.

3.27pm BST

Bobby Reid returns the favour to Famara Diédhiou, setting up the City debutant and record signing for City’s second.

3.25pm BST

Reading came so close to the Premier League last season, but Huddersfield won the day at Wembley, and so it’s another season in the second tier for Jaap Stam’s side. Sometimes it’s difficult to go again, and they’ve started slowly this time round. QPR have been on top from the get-go, and now the home side have got something to show for it. Freeman crosses from the right, and Conor Washington smacks a header into the net from close range.

3.22pm BST

The Coventry game’s underway, incidentally. No goals yet. Way of things.

3.20pm BST

The first Championship goal of the day! New signing Diédhiou is sent through. He’s denied by Davies in the Barnsley goal, but Bobby Reid is on hand to bang home the rebound.

3.17pm BST

An equaliser for Hibs! Martin Boyle takes advantage of some penalty-box pinball to haul Neil Lennon’s side level against Partick Thistle.

3.15pm BST

Harry Kewell’s reign as Crawley manager has started in the manner of his 2005 Champions League final. Michael Tonge has put Port Vale a goal up at Broadfield after nine minutes. Meanwhile David Wotherspoon has put St Johnstone one up at Kilmarnock. The Scottish Premiership pulling its weight today: seven goals so far. The Championship needs to get its gameface on. And while we’re north of the border, the big game in the Scottish Championship has started well for fallen giants Dundee United. Paul McMullan has put them ahead at newly relegated Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a 13th-minute penalty doing the trick.

3.10pm BST

The first goal in the Scottish Premiership, and it’s bad news for newly promoted Hibs. Partick Thistle have gone a goal up at Easter Road, Chris Erskine slotting home neatly with his left peg after seven minutes. Meanwhile here’s the first red card of the Football League campaign: Lee Novak of Charlton Athletic going in over the top on Stuart Sinclair of Bristol Rovers. Six minutes he’s lasted. New season!

3.07pm BST

Coventry City are playing in the fourth tier for the first time since 1958-59, the very first year of the old Fourth Division. Or rather they’re waiting to play. The kick-off of their game with Notts County has been delayed due to torrential rain and lightning. Other than that, there’s little to report in the early exchanges of the big games. New season!

3.01pm BST

Here we go, then! The big kick-off! All those hopes and dreams! It’s all downhill for most of us from here. Hey, part of the charm.

2.28pm BST

Dundee: Bain, Kerr, Waddell, O’Dea, Holt, Kamara, Allan, Deacon, Wolters, O’Hara, Moussa.
Subs: Vincent, Williams, Parish, McGowan, El Bakhtaoui, Hendry, Spence.
Ross County: Fox, Fraser, Kelly, Davies, Naismith, Gardyne, Routis, Lindsay, Chow, Dow, Schalk.
Subs: Malcolm, Mikkelsen, Tumility, McCarey, van der Weg, Kellior-Dunn, Russell Dingwall.

Hibernian: Marciano, Whittaker, Ambrose, Hanlon, Stevenson, McGeouch, Bartley, McGinn, Swanson, Boyle, Simon Murray.
Subs: Stokes, Matulevicius, Slivka, Porteous, Fontaine, Laidlaw, Fraser Murray.
Partick Thistle: Cerny, Elliot, Keown, Devine, Booth, Barton, Osman, Bannigan, Lawless, Doolan, Erskine.
Subs: Nitriansky, Turnbull, McLaughlin, Scully, Nisbet, Penrice, McCarthy.

2.21pm BST

The first result of the day is in. And it’s a comfortable win for the Scottish champions Celtic, who have gubbed Hearts 4-1 at Parkhead. Barry Glendenning was watching every kick, and here’s how the bhrilliant Bhoys began their second unbeaten season in a row.

Related: Celtic 4-1 Hearts: Griffiths grabs double in Scottish Premiership opener – live!

2.14pm BST

Bristol City: Fielding, Pisano, Wright, Hegeler, Bryan, Brownhill, Pack, Smith, Paterson, Diedhiou, Reid.
Subs: Engvall, Magnusson, Vyner, O’Neil, Lucic, Flint, O’Dowda.
Barnsley: Davies, McCarthy, Jackson, MacDonald, Yiadom, Potts, Joe Williams, Moncur, Mowatt, Ugbo, Bradshaw.
Subs: Hammill, Townsend, Pinnock, Payne, Brown, Bird, Hedges.

Burton Albion: Bywater, Lund, Buxton, McFadzean, Warnock, Murphy, Mousinho, Irvine, Akins, Sordell, Dyer.
Subs: Naylor, Varney, Palmer, Akpan, Campbell, Barker, Sbarra.
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Bamba, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Peltier, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Bennett, Tomlin, Hoilett, Zohore.
Subs: Richards, Ward, Pilkington, Halford, Mendez-Laing, Damour, Murphy.

11.15am BST

Sixty-eight days ago, Huddersfield Town beat Reading on penalties to seal promotion to the Premier League. And with that the 2016-17 Football League season came to a close. Since then, England have won the Women’s Cricket World Cup, Chris Froome triumphed yet again in Le Tour, 17-year-old amateur Choi Hye-jin nearly won the women’s US Open golf, Jordan Spieth took Birkdale by storm, the breezy dominance of Roger Federer and Garbine Muguruza rendered both Wimbledon finals rather boring, and England have beaten South Africa in a couple of Tests. It’s all happened in the blink of an eye, and now football’s back, baby!

In fact, it’s already started! Nottingham Forest’s Barrie McKay, their new signing from Rangers, belted home a winner against Millwall last night, while Sunderland and Derby shared the spoils in an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light. But now the rest of the League gets going. Here are the big 3pm kick-offs in the Championship:

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The Fiver | Standing around frowning and patting the top of their heads a lot

Today: the 893rd and final qualifying round for Big Cup, the challenge of Ligue 1 and the 12th team Robbie Keane always dreamed of playing for as a boy

The benefits of winning away at Burnley, or at home against Crystal Palace, or not letting in three goals against Swansea City were writ large today, as Liverpool were handed a tricky draw in the 893rd and final qualifying round for Big Cup. Jürgen Klopp’s side, who would have gained automatic qualification to the group stage had they won at Hull last season, or managed to hold on to a 3-1 lead with 14 minutes to play against a club which nearly got relegated from the Football League only seven years earlier, will face Hoffenheim. Actually, putting in a shift at struggling Leicester, or scoring a couple against Southampton here and there could have avoided all this nonsense as well.

Related: Premier League 2017-18 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter

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Holland 3-0 England: Euro 2017 semi-final – as it happened

Heartbreak for England’s Lionesses, who fought hard but were second best to their impressive hosts.

9.35pm BST

And that’s that. Semi-final heartbreak for the Lionesses. But they didn’t lose this game. The Netherlands won it. And so the brilliant Dutch make it through to Sunday’s final against Denmark. It’s their first Euro final, and they’ll be looking to become only the third host nation to win the European Championship, after Norway and Germany. As for England? No third Euro final for them, but they’re making a habit of going deep into the major events now, and can be very proud of their performances in this tournament, performances which thrilled a nation. Difficult to bear now, but once the pain subsides they’ll look back on a wonderful campaign, all of which augurs well for the 2019 World Cup.

9.35pm BST

With the whistle about to blow, Holland are suddenly racing goalwards, three on two. The ball breaks to Martens on the left. She shoots from a tight angle, and the ball deflects into the top left off a tired leg hung out by Bright. England were second best tonight, but they didn’t deserve to lose by three.

9.32pm BST

90 min +1: Kirby sends a speculative effort over the crossbar. van de Donk, scorer of the match-sealing goal, is afforded an ovation as she’s replaced by Roord.

9.32pm BST

90 min: There will be two minutes of added time. More semaphore shapes by a livid Sampson, who can’t believe there aren’t four minutes to come. Hope he’s packed a few extra shirts.

9.30pm BST

89 min: van de Sanden is replaced by Jansen. England win another corner down the right, but this one only results in a quick Dutch break, Chamberlain forced to race miles from her area to batter the ball into the stand.

9.29pm BST

88 min: White chases down a lost cause along the right flank. She outpaces and outmuscles van Es, but her powerful rising shot, heading towards the top right, is turned round the post. And from Carney’s corner, Duggan sweeps a first-time shot towards the bottom right from 12 yards, only to see Spitse clear off the line for the second time tonight!

9.26pm BST

86 min: England are struggling to get hold of the ball right now. When it does come loose, the Netherlands are onto it like flashes.

9.25pm BST

84 min: The hosts win a corner down the right, but the amount of players they commit to the set piece speaks volumes. They’ve been exceptional in this second half, calm, clever and considered at every turn.

9.24pm BST

82 min: Taylor carves out an opportunity for herself with a brilliant on-a-sixpence turn down the inside right. She beats Zeeman all ends up, and is clear in the area! But van Veenendaal parries strongly, and then Zeeman returns to block Taylor’s second shot from a tighter angle. The resulting corner is dealt with easily enough. Was that England’s last chance to get back into this game?

9.22pm BST

81 min: Duggan, on the left-hand corner of the Holland area, swivels and looks to lash a stunner into the top right. She can’t quite connect properly.

9.20pm BST

79 min: England are seeing most of the ball here, but doing very little with it. The hosts happy to hold their shape, and hold it firmly.

9.18pm BST

77 min: A free kick for England, 25 yards out, just to the right of goal. Houghton goes for the spectacular, but it’s well off target. Relief for the Netherlands, whose area was densely populated.

9.17pm BST

76 min: England send on Carney for Moore.

9.16pm BST

75 min: Groenen is bundled over down the right, with the hosts playing keep-ball. The free kick is looped into the box and half-cleared. Miedema twists and attempts a screaming volley from the left of the D. Nope.

9.15pm BST

73 min: Bronze dribbles in from the right, then goes over as she enters the area. The referee isn’t having any of it, and replays show the England full-back went over very easily before she met up with Spitse.

9.13pm BST

72 min: Nobbs has been relentless and impressive. She quarterbacks a ball into the Dutch area from deep on the right. It very nearly drops to Taylor, but van Veenendaal races through a crowd to punch positively away from danger. Holland counter through Miedema down the inside-left channel. She twists and turns before belting a shot goalwards from the left-hand edge of the D. Chamberlain gets behind it and claims.

9.10pm BST

70 min: The hosts make their first swap, Zeeman coming on for van der Gragt.

9.09pm BST

68 min: England so nearly get themselves back in this semi-final! Kirby, dropping deep, pitching wedges a lovely ball down the inside-right channel which releases White, who had been loitering on the shoulder of Dekker. White is free, and van Veenendaal, rushing from her goal, isn’t going to reach the ball first. But though White scoops over the keeper, she can only send her effort wide right of the unguarded goal.

9.08pm BST

67 min: England make their first change, the unfortunate Williams sacrificed for Duggan.

9.07pm BST

66 min: Nobbs’s delivery is clapped clear by Dekker. England try to set another move in motion, but Moore’s long ball forward is easily gathered by van Veenendaal.

9.06pm BST

65 min: Corner. Game of head tennis. Another corner coming up.

9.05pm BST

64 min: Once again, England respond well to conceding. Stokes bursts with great speed and purpose down the left, reaching the byline and hooking a dangerous cross into the area. van der Gragt is forced to head over the crossbar. England corner.

9.04pm BST

Calamity for Fara Williams! Under no pressure whatsoever, 30 yards from her own goal, Williams heads back towards her own area, hoping Chamberlain will collect. But she’s not the last woman, with team-mates behind her. And van de Donk is lurking. The Dutch midfielder nips in ahead of Houghton down the inside-left channel and into the area, and dinks a finish over Chamberlain. It settles softly in the empty net, and England are really up against it now. Holland have only conceded once in this tournament so far!

9.02pm BST

61 min: Groenen skedaddles down the right and fires a low cross into the middle towards Miedema. But Bright steps in calmly to guide the ball back towards Chamberlain. The Dutch aren’t committing too many players forward, and who can blame them?

9.00pm BST

59 min: van de Donk is booked for a hilariously cynical check on Bronze, who was trying to make good down the right. England pack the box but nothing comes of the free kick.

9.00pm BST

58 min: Eh, scrub that! The busy Kirby makes good down the inside-left channel and breaks into the box. She pings the ball inside for White, but it doesn’t reach. van der Gragt looks to hoick clear, but the ball clatters straight into White, and the rebound nearly flies into the bottom left! van Veenendaal does very well indeed to gather with some quick reactions.

8.58pm BST

57 min: Something of a lull, which will suit Holland. England’s early second-half spurt has fizzled out suddenly.

8.57pm BST

55 min: Nobbs comes down on van der Gragt’s foot. It didn’t look deliberate, but that was a full and firm plant on the top of the boot, and will have hurt some. Ooyah, oof.

8.56pm BST

53 min: Taylor probes down the right, hoping to release Nobbs. The pass is dangerous enough to force van der Gragt into conceding a corner. From the set piece, Groenen tries to instigate a quick break, Nobbs having sent in an uncharacteristically poor set piece. But England are back in numbers soon enough, and the danger is snuffed out.

8.52pm BST

51 min: Now it’s England’s turn to make a meal of clearing the ball. It’s lost to van de Sanden, who lashes a shot towards the bottom left from the right-hand corner of the D. Chamberlain is behind it all the way, and parries with a strong arm. You know that old cliche about the next goal being so important? Well, that.

8.51pm BST

50 min: van Veenendaal only half clears under pressure from Taylor. White tries to loop it back with interest from distance, but doesn’t get enough purchase on the ball.

8.50pm BST

48 min: From the resulting free kick, van Lunteren has a dig from 25 yards. It’s wild and high. England go straight up the other end, Taylor turning just outside the area and unleashing a daisycutter which is gathered by van Veenendaal and was probably going wide anyway.

8.48pm BST

47 min: There have been a couple of soft bookings in this game, but Moore can have no complaints about this one, pointlessly coming through the back of van de Donk with extreme prejudice. That was in the middle of the park, with Holland going nowhere.

8.47pm BST

And we’re off again! No changes yet, though Christiansen was hovering on the touchline desperate to come on for England, having warmed up vigorously during the break. England kick off, kick long, and cause a bit of bother in the Dutch box, Williams hoicking high into the area from the right. van Veenendaal punches clear from a crowded area with purpose.

8.40pm BST

And some more half-time reading: Here’s an excerpt from Carrie Dunn’s wonderfully entertaining and highly informative The Roar of the Lionesses, her state-of-the-nation address in the wake of England’s memorable showing at the 2015 World Cup.

8.36pm BST

Half-time viewing: Here’s Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton explaining why the Dutch wear orange kits when there is no orange in their flag, part of Football School, a series of books written to encourage children’s literacy and to help them learn though the prism of football.

8.33pm BST

Half-time reading: Here’s how the great Danes got to the final less than an hour ago.

Related: Denmark reach Euro 2017 final after penalty shootout win over Austria

8.32pm BST

And that’s that for the first half. Both teams spent a little time in the ascendancy, but it was only the hosts who managed to take full advantage. England came close, though, and hope is far from lost. It promises to be a captivating second half.

8.31pm BST

45 min: Holland haven’t exactly been relentless in attack, but then they’re leading, so they don’t need to be. Martens makes a little room down the left and hoicks a cross towards the goalscorer Miedema, but Houghton steps in calmly to power a header clear.

8.30pm BST

43 min: Nobbs has a dig from the best part of 30 yards. It’s swerving all over the place, finally deciding to fly towards the top right. But van Veenendaal is all over it.

8.29pm BST

41 min: In fact, Sampson was so livid that he ripped the back of his tight white shirt while throwing his arms about in the semaphore style. To be fair, he immediately recognises the humour in the situation, and smiles sheepishly as he pulls on his blazer.

8.26pm BST

39 min: England loudly claim a penalty as Bronze crosses from the right. White is under the ball, contemplating a header, and is gently nudged in the back by van Lunteren. It would have been terribly soft, but you’ve seen them given. To be fair, the claims quieten down rather quickly, though on the touchline Mark Sampson hops around in disbelief, like Jordan Spieth on the 13th tee at Birkdale the other week.

8.24pm BST

38 min: Nobbs, in from the right and looking to playmake, clips a clever first-time ball down the inside-left channel and very nearly releases Kirby into the area. van Veenendaal slides out to smother.

8.23pm BST

37 min: Kirby dances her way down the right and scoops a cross into the area, looking for Taylor in the centre. Dekker again deals with the situation in hand.

8.22pm BST

35 min: A single oranje balloon floats across the pitch. One of the loudest cheers of the evening so far as Dekker stamps on it. The home fans in party mood right now.

8.20pm BST

33 min: Bronze sashays in from the right and goes for the big blooter. It’s wild, high and to the right of the target. But that’s another determined run from the brilliant right-back. She’s causing panic in the Dutch back line whenever she turns the jets on.

8.19pm BST

32 min: Groenen is doing what she does so well, dropping deep and quarterbacking attacks. She works herself a lot of space in the heart of the England half, and has Martens in an awful lot of room to her left. For once, though her pass isn’t so perfect and precious momentum is lost. England breathe again; going two down against a team who have only conceded one in this tournament would be quite the test.

8.16pm BST

30 min: That period of England bounce-back has quietened the crowd a tad. A dangerous enough passage of play to plant a few seeds of doubt. You’d not know the hosts were leading right now. “I can’t fault the goal, but it may help,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “We’d been a bit conservative in the Robby Di Matteo/Champions League style, but opening things up a tad I think lends itself to the England team’s natural urge to attack. Besides, I’d called this 3-2 so who’s to say which comes first, the 3 or the 2?”

8.14pm BST

28 min: England have responded well to going behind. A free kick out on the right, and a chance for them to load the box. Which they do, but Houghton tries to surprise van Veenendaal in the Netherlands goal by looking to whip one over the wall and into the top right. It’s wide and high, but not by much.

8.12pm BST

26 min: Good work by Kirby and White earns England a corner down the left. Nobbs takes, and finds the head of Moore on the penalty spot. Moore sends a superb header towards the bottom left. It’s flying in, surely. But Spitse is on the line, guarding the post, and deflects the ball onto the woodwork by hanging out a leg. That’s a stunning reflex stop. Not sure how the ball clanked outwards off the post and away from danger, but this is where we are.

8.10pm BST

24 min: England have been a little tentative going forward so far, so Bronze takes matters into her own hands, powering down the middle and breaking through a couple of tackles before reaching the Dutch box. She thinks about shooting, but the angle’s a little prohibitive, so instead she rolls it right towards Taylor. The striker can’t get it out from under her feet, and lays it off to Kirby, who lifts a shot over the bar from the edge of the area. For a second it looked like Bronze was about to single-handedly haul England level. But that’s much better from England.

8.08pm BST

This had been coming. And it’s so simple. More space for Groenen down the right. She loops a gorgeous cross towards the far post. Miedema rises on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, and plants a glorious header across Chamberlain and into the bottom right. That was an unstoppable header!

8.05pm BST

19 min: And they continue to look threatening. The Groenen-van de Sanden combination opens England up down the right again. A cross is looped into the mixer and half cleared, but van de Donk takes it down on the edge of the D and attempts a looper into the top left corner. It clears the bar by some distance. But that’s got the home crowd going.

8.04pm BST

18 min: After a lull, Holland suddenly spring down the right. Groenen rakes a pass along the touchline. Stokes slams her clearance into van de Sanden, who is first to the rebound and zips towards the byline. Her cross isn’t all that, and cleared by England, but suddenly the hosts looked threatening.

8.02pm BST

15 min: Oh this is ludicrous. England’s free kick is pumped into the box, and leads to a corner on the right. Nobbs sends it in, and it’s easily plucked from the sky by van Veenendaal. As the keeper goes to throw the ball upfield, Bright, racing back to her position, clumsily knocks into her. Again, nothing sinister, but out comes the yellow card. Each team now has a defender treading on eggshells for next to nothing. Have the many travails of Howard Webb taught us nothing?

7.59pm BST

13 min: The first booking of the game, and it’s a harsh one, van Lunteren penalised for a late clip on White, who had turned her neatly down the England left. It was a foul, for sure, but clumsy rather than sinister.

7.58pm BST

12 min: Miedema, on the edge of the England box, tries to play a ball round the corner to release Martens. Not quite. England are struggling to keep hold of the ball right now.

7.56pm BST

10 min: van Lunteren strikes a glorious Hollywood pass down the right wing from a very deep position, and very nearly releases van de Sanden into a lot of space. But Stokes is wise to the grift, comes across, takes charge of the ball and holds her line. van de Sanden’s never getting in ahead of her, and eventually resorts to a shove in the back. Danger snuffed out with minimum fuss. Wonderful defending by Stokes.

7.54pm BST

8 min: Holland are seeing more of the ball in these early exchanges, though it’s all a bit scrappy. Miedema tries to tame the ball on the left-hand edge of the England D, in the hope of getting this match’s first shot away. But this is full-throttle stuff and Houghton isn’t having any of that notion.

7.52pm BST

6 min: Moore, conducting from deep, nearly releases White down the inside-left channel with a fine pass, but Dekker reads the play and is quickly over to snuff out the danger.

7.50pm BST

4 min: Good work by van de Sanden down the right, as she cuts inside, then swivels and turns back towards the flank before rolling a pass down the wing for Groenen. Stokes is there to intercept. Then there’s a slightly nervous hack upfield by Chamberlain, Martens briefly threatening to return it with troublesome intent. But neither team are truly settled yet, and passes aren’t sticking. Early semi-final nerves in full effect.

7.48pm BST

2 min: Taylor very nearly gets on the end of a speculative ball down the inside-right channel, but no. Holland make sure this end-to-end start continues when van Lunteren sprays a pass down the right in the hope of finding van de Sanden. Not quite.

7.46pm BST

Denmark have beaten Austria 3-0 in the other semi, by the way. Danish (Ms) Dynamite. Who will they meet in the final? Well, we’ll soon find out, because the hosts have just kicked off! The ball’s launched long towards the right-hand corner flag. And out into touch it flies. England fly straight upfield through Nobbs out on the right. She’s got Taylor in the middle but the cross is wild and out for a goal kick. A lively start by England.

7.43pm BST

Here come the teams! It’s an aesthetic delight, Holland in their famous oranje, England in their equally storied white. Sherida Spitse and Steph Houghton lead their team-mates out. And if there was a roof on this stadium, it’d be coptering somewhere over Finland right now. A pause for a respectful warble of God Save the Queen, then a rowdy roar through the Wilhelmus. And finally we’re back to the collective status of bedlam. We’ll be off in a minute! Euro 2017 semi-final action coming up right here!

7.30pm BST

There is a storming atmosphere at the FC Twente Stadion in Enschede ahead of this semi. A packed-to-capacity 30,000 crowd, the vast majority bedecked in oranje. The lionesses will certainly be up against it in terms of support, but it’s important to stress just how upbeat Mark Sampson was in that interview. He repeatedly stressed how ready his players are for the upcoming test, and how confident they feel in their ability to quieten the crowd. Still, a few shivers down the spine are only natural on occasions like this. There’s nothing quite like a major international tournament, is there?

7.06pm BST

England coach Mark Sampson speaks! And he’s a study in positivity. “The players are excited, it’s obviously a big game for us. These are the games you want to be involved in. We’ve prepared incredibly well over the last couple of days, the players know exactly what they need to do, and they’re going to do it. These are the occasions where this team excel, they’ve been at their best when the pressure’s been at its most. We expect the same today, we’re excited, we can’t wait. The players are raring to go!”

7.00pm BST

The Netherlands, Holland and the Dutch name the same starting XI sent out against Sweden in the quarters. But England are forced into a couple of changes to the team named against France last time round. Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley suffered a broken leg in that game, while all-action midfielder Jill Scott picked up a second yellow card of the tournament and is suspended. Siobhan Chamberlain takes over goal, while England’s most capped player, Fara Williams, takes Scott’s berth in the middle of the park.

6.55pm BST

Holland: van Veenendaal, van Lunteren, Dekker, van der Gragt, van Es, Groenen, van de Donk, Spitse, van de Sanden, Miedema, Martens.
Subs: van den Berg, Roord, Jansen, Folkertsma, Christ, Zeeman, Lewerissa, van den Bulk, Janssen, Beerensteyn, van der Most, Geurts.

England: Chamberlain, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Williams, Moore, Nobbs, Kirby, White, Taylor.
Subs: Potter, Christiansen, Stoney, Carney, Bassett, Parris, Duggan, Greenwood, Telford, Scott.

6.50pm BST

GEORGE: What is Holland?

4.09pm BST

We’ve been here before, of course. In 1984, England reached the semi-finals of Uefa’s brand new European competition for women, the European Competition for Women’s Football. Neither the snappiest nor most imaginatively named tournament, granted, but football fans moan when the marketing goons get too heavily involved, so let’s cut the administrators a little slack for once.

Anyway, England emerged triumphant from that tie, goals from Linda Curl, Elisabeth Deighan and Debbie Bampton enough to see off Denmark in a two-legged affair. Martin Reagan’s team would go on to lose the final on penalties to Sweden at Kenilworth Road after a 1-1 aggregate draw, Curl scoring England’s goal but going on to miss a spot kick. A very English tradition, some very English heartbreak.

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Football transfer rumours: Barcelona eye Ousmane Dembélé or Paulo Dybala?

Today’s fluff senses the Mill’s turnin’

Manchester United are willing to spend £27m on Paris Saint-Germain right back Serge Aurier. There’s a slight problem, in so much as the 24-year-old Ivory Coast international is currently banned from entering the country after being found guilty of working over a peeler outside a Paris nightclub last year. But all sorts of legal representations are being made, with an appeal due to be heard in a few days. United will meanwhile discuss the matter with government officials, in the hope of smoothing a path to Old Trafford either way. This is sports news in 2017.

Manchester United are also interested in 22-year-old Anderlecht midfielder Leander Dendoncker, but they’ll not be making a bid in this window. So expect to hear about that for the next six to 18 months.

Related: PSG make plans for unveiling ahead of £197m deal for Barcelona’s Neymar

Related: Tottenham must spend to be in the title shake-up, says Mauricio Pochettino

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The Fiver | The newspaper-story equivalent of that nice flute bit from Grieg’s Peer Gynt

Today: Liverpool, Daley Blind, classic shirts and the evolution of football

The latest random bloke that Fenway Sports Group have dragged in off the street to head up Liverpool’s much-admired transfer negotiation department will have gone to bed reasonably content last night. That’s because Sky Sports News, the television channel now squirrelled away in a not particularly intuitive section of the planner, almost as though the powers that be have become thoroughly ashamed of it, reported that Virgil van Dijk “expects” to move to Anfield by the end of this goddamn interminable transfer window. This was dressed up as great news for the Merseyside club, though the Fiver, having given it 15 seconds’ worth of thought before switching over to the more intellectually substantial Say Yes To The Dress, isn’t quite so sure.

Related: More than a shirt: how classic football kits became works of art

Related: Premier League at 25: best goal – Matt Le Tissier v Manchester United, 1996

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Football transfer rumours: Manchester City bid £143m for Kylian Mbappé?

Today’s fluff has got the skills to pay the bills

Welcome to the Rumour Mill on a day when Real Madrid could complete a £161m deal for Kylian Mbappé – a player who has, to date, scored 16 league goals. They once got Ferenc Puskás for free.

Anyway, this is where we are, although Real’s hopes of doing irreparable damage to the space-time continuum might be scuppered by Manchester City, who are preparing a £143m bid for Mbappé themselves. It wasn’t too long ago when their big summer spend was £3.8m on Lee Bradbury. The Mill feels very old today.

Related: Transfer window 2017 – every deal in Europe's top five leagues

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Premier League at 25: the best match – Liverpool 4 - 3 Newcastle, April 1996

Roy Evans described Liverpool’s win as ‘kamikaze football’ but Kevin Keegan, during his time as Newcastle’s manager, helped to light up the Premier League

History is not always written by the winners. Manchester United were unquestionably the best team in the land in 1996; they proved it by landing the league and Cup Double. The triumphant return of Eric Cantona, the flowering of the Class of ’92, you can’t win anything with kids, all that … there is plenty to go on. And yet this particular story is not theirs to tell.

Occasionally the narrative is dominated by those who fell short – and that year there was clearly something in the air. Germany emerged triumphant at the European Championship, a tournament principally remembered for England’s dreaming, their 30th year of hurt. In golf the green jacket was draped around Nick Faldo’s shoulders at the Masters, the great man’s third win, an achievement back then bettered only by Jack and Arnie, though all everyone has talked about ever since is Greg Norman’s view-through-fingers collapse. And as for the Premiership …

Related: Premier League at 25: the best player – Eric Cantona | Paul Doyle

As long as football matches end up like this, people will come and watch ... We carry on playing this way – or I go.

Related: How fans were betrayed as Premier League club owners made fortunes | David Conn

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Premier League at 25: the best match – Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle, April 1996

Roy Evans described Liverpool’s win as ‘kamikaze football’ but Kevin Keegan, during his time as Newcastle’s manager, helped to light up the Premier League

History is not always written by the winners. Manchester United were unquestionably the best team in the land in 1996; they proved it by landing the league and Cup Double. The triumphant return of Eric Cantona, the flowering of the Class of ’92, you can’t win anything with kids, all that … there is plenty to go on. And yet this particular story is not theirs to tell.

Occasionally the narrative is dominated by those who fell short. And that year there was clearly something in the air. Germany emerged triumphant at the European Championship, a tournament principally remembered for England’s dreaming, their 31st year of hurt. In golf the Green Jacket was draped around Nick Faldo’s shoulders at the Masters, the great man’s third win, an achievement back then bettered only by Jack and Arnie, though all everyone has talked about ever since is Greg Norman’s view-through-fingers collapse. And as for the Premiership …

Related: Premier League at 25: the best player – Eric Cantona | Paul Doyle

As long as football matches end up like this, people will come and watch ... We carry on playing this way – or I go.

Related: How fans were betrayed as Premier League club owners made fortunes | David Conn

Continue reading...

The Open 2017: second round – live!

Official live leaderboard from Royal Birkdale
Small Talk: the legendary Gary PlayerPlaying Royal Birkdale is pain and pleasure wrapped into oneAnd feel free to email scott.murray@theguardian.com

9.49am BST

Sergio has parred 6, and called for the physio. Seems he’s hurt his right shoulder, not his wrist, in thrashing the shrub he only just extricated himself from at 4, a kind of reverse Basil Fawlty. Maybe he should have driven a car into it. A totally self-inflicted injury, the height of idiocy. For goodness sake, man! But look at it this way: at least it shows he still cares, and hasn’t put the feet up and cigar on after winning at Augusta. You’ve got to love Sergi... oh, he’s just sent his tee shot at the par-three 7th into a deep pot bunker to the right of the green. God speed, Sergio!

9.42am BST

No such bother for Matt Kuchar! He started slowly, but he’s clicked into gear now. An easy iron caressed into the heart of the par-three 4th, followed by a 30-foot birdie rake, and he’s the first man to reach the -6 mark this week, and the new leader of the Open! Good news for Joost Luiten, too. The 31-year-old Dutchman has missed the last three cuts at the Open, and has never finished higher than a tie for 45th. But he’s looking to improve on that ordinary record this week. Birdie at 4, to add to his blemish-free card of 68 yesterday, has lifted him steadily and surely to -3.

-6: Kuchar (4)
-5: Spieth, Koepka
-4: Schwartzel
-3: Connelly (10), Luiten (5), Hoffman (3), Cabrera-Bello, Poulter, Thomas, Bland

9.37am BST

The wind’s up, and scores are hard to come by. It’s been a grim morning for Martin Laird, who shot a two-under 68 yesterday but has come out misfiring: bogeys at 3, 6 and now 7, and he’s down to +1. Wise old Ernie Els, the 2002 and 2012 champion, bogeyed 2 to slip to -1, though he’s since steadied the ship with a string of pars through 7. Bernd Wiesberger shot 69 yesterday, but bogeys at 1 and 7 have dropped him to +1. Toby Tree, making his Open debut at 23, was going very nicely after a 70 yesterday and a birdie this morning at 4, but five bogeys in six holes have plunged him down the leader board to +4. And Adam Hadwin - who you may remember tying the US Open record for six consecutive birdies last month at Erin Hills - has just triple-bogeyed the deceptively pretty par-three 12th to crash down to +5.

9.26am BST

And it’s an eagle for Sergio, rolling one in from the fringe at the back of 5! He chanced his arm - quite literally, having jarred his right wrist on the previous hole - by taking driver, cutting the corner and going for the green. And he’s been rewarded big-time! He bounces back up the leader board to +2, and suddenly looks at ease with the world. The Masters champion not out of this yet. Another bogey for his partner Jason Day, though, a short par putt missed. He’s down to +1. And he’s alongside his compatriot Aaron Baddeley, who cards his second double-bogey of the day, this time at 6.

9.23am BST

Matt Kuchar returns to the top of the leader board! It looked unlikely when he flayed his drive dangerously close to a thicket down the left of 3, but a lucky bounce saw him on the cart path. An unfortunate bounce checked his second shot and stopped it reaching the green, but no matter: he lands his chip ten feet from the hole, whereupon it releases and glides into the cup along a beautiful right-to-left arc. He’s -5 again!

9.19am BST

A gorgeous long bumped wedge from the back of 2 by Charley Hoffman, perfectly judged from the best part of 100 feet. It curls right to left and stops an inch from the hole. He stays at -3. A less pleasant chip from Sergio on 4. He’s hit his tee shot near the bushes at the back of the par-three, and looks to have hurt his right wrist upon punching it back out of trouble. His ball doesn’t even get onto the green, and that’s a bogey that drops the Masters champion back to +4. But he then drives his ball through the green on the short par-four 5th, and picks up his tee with that supposedly wounded paw, so hopefully that was just a stinger and there’s no lasting damage.

9.15am BST

A proper old-school yip by Adam Scott on 3, a par putt missed from two feet. That was genuinely abysmal, and it drops him back to level par. Paul Casey then pushes an even shorter one right of the cup, and that’s back-to-back bogeys. A very unhappy birthday so far, and he trudges off the green in those shoes with “40” written on the heels; it’s almost as though he’s putting too much pressure on himself. He falls to -2. Solid par for Rickie Fowler, who stays at +1. And a birdie for Aaron Baddley, who has had an eventful morning so far, at 5. He moves back to -1.

9.08am BST

One of the co-leaders, Matt Kuchar, is out. He pars the opening hole with ease, though he’s in a bit of bother down 2, having driven into deep, deep rough down the right, the long grass grabbing the hosel of his club when he tries to hack out of it. He’s well short of the green, and left with a difficult chip over a bunker, the green behind it warped like an LP left out in the sun. He does very well to bump his ball up to 15 feet. But the par putt slides by on the right. No escape. He falls off the top of the leader board, back to -4. A pair of opening pars meanwhile for his partner Richie Ramsay, who stays at -2.

-5: Spieth, Koepka
-4: Kuchar (2), Schwartzel
-3: Connelly (8), Casey (2), Hoffman (1), Cabrera-Bello, Poulter, Thomas, Bland

8.58am BST

BREAKING NEWS: The lower section of one of the Open’s iconic yellow scoreboards has been closed “due to nesting bird”. Ah the unique bucolic delights of the Open Championship. Compare and contrast to Croc v Snake at the 2012 PGA. Hey, golf’s a world game, and a broad church.

8.53am BST

Another fine par for Austin Connelly, whose tee shot at 7 unluckily bounded straight right off the green and into sand. A delicate splash to a couple of feet, and that’s a wonderful up and down. He remains at -3, and it looks as though golf has another hot young talent on its hands. They just keep on coming. As for poor Paul Casey, twice Connelly’s age, a shot goes at 2, the result of a poor drive down the left, a second sent into sand, and a short splash out. He’s back to -3. Pars for Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler, the former a good scramble after playing the hole poorly, Fowler a miserable birdie miss after a glorious drive and easy wedge to eight feet.

8.46am BST

A solid start this morning by Austin Connelly, the 20-year-old Open debutant. Six pars in a row for Jordan Spieth’s good friend, born in Dallas, Texas but representing Canada. A lovely up and down from the side of 6, chipping delicately from a tight lie to a couple of feet. But the wind is otherwise causing a bit of bother so far. There are only two players under par for their round so far today: Zach Johnson, who has birdied 2 to move to +4, and Tyrrell Hatton, who bogeyed 1, but holed out from a bunker at 2 and has followed that up with another birdie at 3. He’s +4 as well. Aaron Baddeley was under par for his round after an opening-hole birdie, but the 3rd became a world of pain as he hacked his way down the left. He couldn’t get up and down from the wrong side of a cart path, and a double crashes him down to level par.

8.40am BST

♫ Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Paul Casey, happy birthday to yo-o-o-oooou ♪ The English nearly man, 40 today, clatters his opening drive on top of the grassy mound to the left of the 1st. His second is arrowed straight at the flag, but there’s no spin on the ball from the rough, and he’s got a 25mph wind coming behind him. So that one’s through and over the green. His partners Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler just about hold the putting surface with their approaches. All three will be coming at the hole from the back of the green. And all are a wee bit short with their birdie efforts. Casey, Scott and Fowler are -4, -1 and +1 respectively.

8.24am BST

A miserable 75 for the 2015 champ Zach Johnson yesterday. He nearly starts his second round in depressing fashion, too, fluffing a pitch from the back of the 1st green. But he trundles in a 20-foot par saver, and stays at +5. A big smile as he departs the scene of the smash-and-grab. Pars too for his partners Jason Day, wearing more conventional shoes by the looks of it, as opposed to the ones he bought off Jimmy from Seinfeld, and Sergio Garcia, neither quite hitting long birdie putts. They’re -1 and +3 respectively.

8.16am BST

Andrew Johnston hit the first shot of the second day’s play. It was a marked improvement on the 1998 champion Mark O’Meara’s effort yesterday, staying within the bounds of Royal Birkdale. A par, and then another four, before a short second into the difficult 6th was followed up by a weak putt. Bogey, and then a second timid three-putt bogey at the par-three 7th. He’s suddenly dropped to +1 for the tournament. Beef’s out and about with 2004 winner Todd Hamilton, who is now propping up the entire field. He shot 79 yesterday, and has already carded four bogeys today, at 1, 2, 5 and now 7. He’s +13. O’Meara, who ended up with an 81 yesterday, is out just before midday, and will be hoping to get round before the worst of the weather comes in. The battle to avoid last place will be grimly fascinating.

8.12am BST

Something to clear up from last night, regarding Jon Rahm, who’ll be out this morning with a view to bothering the upper reaches of the leader board. He hit an astonishing shot last night from the rough down the left of 17. Powering out, it looked like he’d sent his ball towards the bunker front right, but instead of going in, the cheeky little dappled orb traversed the rim of the trap, right to left, and was thrown on the green and towards the hole by the shoulder. It set up what looked like a birdie. But then confusion reigned, as initially he was put down for a double-bogey seven, then a six. Turns out he’d moved a thorny plant, assuming it was loose, only to find it was attached some three feet away. The rules official gave him a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie - but after some discussion moving forward, also involving his playing partner Lee Westwood, Rahm’s innocence was decided upon, and the penalty lifted. Rahm of course was involved in a ball-marking brouhaha at the Irish Open, where he again got the benefit of the doubt. And Westwood was a bystander during the Dustin Johnson ball-oscillating brouhaha at the US Open last year. Small world, golf. Anyway, Rahm ended up carding a birdie, he’s -1 going into the second round, and we all move on.

8.05am BST

The weather is likely to be a huge factor today, to the probable advantage of the earlier starters. So that’s good news for, say, Rory McIlroy if he wants to haul himself back into this championship. But not so good for Jordan Spieth, who shot a faultless 65 yesterday, but is likely to cop for some high wind and heavy rain. That doesn’t mean the morning starters have it all their own way: south-easterlies of 10mph could rise as much as 35mph at times. But the lads out later will be dealing with 20mph to 40mph, with increasing chances of heavy rain, especially after 4pm. That’s not going to be particularly fair on Spieth or Brooks Koepka; Matt Kuchar on the other hand will be thanking his lucky stars. You’d take your chances with an early start all right.

2.46pm BST

Good morning! No need for preambles, let’s just get down to business, with the wind and rain expected to play a big part in today’s narrative, possibly to the cost of the later starters. More of that anon. Meanwhile, here’s how we stood after the first day’s play:

-5: Spieth, Koepka, Kuchar
-4: Casey, Schwartzel
-3: Poulter, Thomas, Bland, Connelly, Hoffman , Cabrera-Bello

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