Scott Murray's Blog, page 197
July 19, 2014
The Open 2014: third round live | Scott Murray
The official Open leader board
A lovely story set up the road in Formby
Email scott.murray@theguardian.com
8.57am BST
A little bit of pre-third-round admin, and a selection of names to have missed the cut. Lee Westwood. The 1997 champion Justin Leonard. Ian Poulter. KJ Choi. Miguel Angel Jimenez. Boo Weekley, who followed up a 69 with a 79. The Masters champion Bubba Watson. The 1995 champ John Daly. The US Open runner up Erik Compton. Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton, the Nadir Twins of the Open. Ernie Els, who took three putts from eight inches on Thursday. The 2001 winner David Duval. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, who really should have stopped tinkering with that swing. Paul Lawrie, the last Scottish player to win the Open. Webb Simpson. The legendary Nick Faldo, in his penultimate Open. The legendary Sandy Lyle. Bryden Macpherson, who shot 90 on Thursday, the worst round since Ian Baker Finch's career-ending 92 at Troon in 1997, yet came out to tackle Hoylake again. And poor old Ashley Chesters, this year's low amateur, who won't be getting a Silver Medal for his troubles after missing the cut by a single stroke, despite carding two birdies in the last four holes. His was still a superlative performance. Such a shame.
8.48am BST
The weather hasn't exactly been biblical at Hoylake yet. A still morning, a little bit of drizzle coming in from the briny. Still. Maybe too still? They're certainly expecting many a thunderclap overhead later. Let's hope the golf gets finished one way or another today, because there's plenty to look forward to.
All eyes on Rory, of course. His pair of 66s were majestic, though he got the best of the conditions. There is a worry that he might not take kindly to being buffeted about today, with memories of St Andrews 2010 at the forefront: he shot an Open record 63 in the first round on the Old Course that year, only to capitulate to an 80 in a rain-lashed second. He had a real old struggle in a storm at Sandwich in 2011, too, if memory serves. He's not a huge fan. But he is making a concerted effort to get on with links golf this year - his appearance in Aberdeen last week is testament to that - so if he's got his gameface on, and enjoys a little luck with the conditions, he could be very hard to beat.
8.00am BST
Good morning, good morning, it's rained the whole night through, good morning, good morning to you! Nothing could be finer than to be out on the Wirral in the morning, in the morning ...
So we don't usually start these reports with the tee times. I usually waffle on for a bit first about golfers from the 1940s, ostensibly to set the scene and give the day's play some historical context, but mainly so I can put up a few photos of champagne-soaked dandies with pencil moustaches strolling down a fairway with a fag on.
Bad weather will be arriving very early in the morning, possibly as early as 2am. It is forecast potentially to last through much of the morning with a four-hour window of much improved conditions in early afternoon, with the possibility of further thunderstorm activity coming in late tomorrow evening.
Continue reading...
July 17, 2014
The Open 2014 first round live | Scott Murray
Round one updates from the Open Championship at Hoylake
Tiger Woods returns to venue of his 2006 triumph
Official Open leader board
A story that happened up the road at Formby
And feel free to email scott.murray@theguardian.com
8.25am BST
Australian golf is pretty damn strong at present. World number one Adam Scott and regular major contender Jason Day are two of the favourites here this week. Might be an idea to keep track of what Marc Leishman gets up to, as well. Not least because the in-form Aussie, who has been plodding along nicely on the PGA Tour, has opened here with birdies at 3 and 5, and is the early joint leader at -2. He's alongside the South African Dawie van der Walt, who registered the first eagle of the week at 5, and Edoardo Molinari. No David Howell mentioned there, you'll note. And that's because a double bogey at 7 has done for him; he's back where he started, at level par. A lot of movement on the leader board already, and we've hardly started; a sense that this could be a fairly entertaining day of golf!
8.17am BST
Here's a player who registers a full 11 out of ten on the Jiménez-Dufner-Daly-o-meter. Kiradech Aphibarnrat. The big man lives his life. He's exactly the sort of player the average punter loves to see do well. The sort who looks like he's just jumped the rope to join in. Well, not so much jumped the rope as awkwardly put one leg over it, got in a tangle, then decided to hold it up and squeeze underneath instead. Who needs athleticism? Not me, we've got athletics for that. Anyway, our hero, a go-for-broke gambling type, is already up today: birdie at 3 and he's -1. Might be worth keeping an eye on the big Thai. Last year, on his Open debut at Muirfield, he shot a first-round one-over 72. Then followed it up with an 85. He's not the sort that'll die wondering.
8.02am BST
David Howell's best performance at an Open came at Royal Birkdale in 2008. Padraig Harrington romped clear of the field to win that title - MBM hack slips away to dream awhile about that fairway wood creamed into 17 for eagle - but Howell must always wonder what could have been. His final round 67 was the best of the day, but it had followed a third-round 78, and an opening-day 76. A bit more consistency and ... well, that's the point of tournament golf, I suppose. He's started brilliantly here, though. A third birdie on the bounce, this time at 5, and he's -2, now through 6. He's joined on that mark by Edoardo Molinari, who has opened birdie-birdie. Hey, it doesn't count for much at this stage, but it's always nice to get an early leader board in. Here's the first of what we hope is a rollercoaster four days. Note the two former champions just out on the course with a pair of pars:
-2: Howell (6), E Molinari (2)
-1: van der Walt (5), Leishman (4), Jacobson (1), Chesters (1)
E: Wood (4), Lahiri (3), Aphibarnrat (2), Grace (1), Leonard (1), Lawrie (1)
7.51am BST
Before the action begins in earnest, time to pause, light a candle and remember one of the greats. Seve Ballesteros. We'll always miss him, and never quite get over it. It's still hard to process that he's gone. Anyway, now is not the time to get maudlin. The three-time Open champion played his last ever Open here at Hoylake, his last rounds of 74 and 77 not enough to escape the cut, but he'd contributed more than enough to the story of this great tournament by then. He features today in our fashion desk's gallery of golf through the ages. You don't need me to tell you that he's the sharpest dressed and most handsome man in it. But I wonder how he'd have reacted upon being told that his clobber was "a little next season Louis Vuitton"? The response would have been delicious, wouldn't it.
7.39am BST
Matt Jones of Australia was one of the early season form horses, after his win at the Shell Houston Open. But he's not been able to keep it going, a top-20 spot at the Players apart, missing the cut at the Masters and the US Open. He's not started well in the third major of the year, either: double bogeys at 2 and 3, and he's currently bottom of an 18-man pile at +4. Up the other end of the nascent leader board: Howell is joined at -1 by Brooks Koepka and Edoardo Molinari, who have both birdied that tricky opening hole.
7.28am BST
A famous son of Liverpool writes. "How manicured is Hoylake?" wonders Guardian MBM regular and voice of Granadaland, Gary Naylor, who I'm assuming never washed behind his ears and was therefore never allowed to roam free on the famous old links with mashie niblick in hand. "Five Live is playing a trailer that makes it sound like the course is set up like Augusta - ie a country house garden that looks good on telly - but isn't the whole point of a links, this one more than most, that it's simply carved out of wild coastal terrain?" Well, some links are more rugged than others, as Morrissey might have once sung had he grown up listening to the dulcet tones of Henry Longhurst rather than the more angular New York Dolls. Hoylake used to be a racecourse back in the day, so with some fairly flat fairways it doesn't punish players with random bounces like some other glorious nightmares. It undulates a wee bit more as it weaves its way through the sand dunes. Mind you, having said all that, it's not exactly offering much so far. Of the dozen players out on the course early doors, only three are level par, and only one other is under par. That's no longer Chris Wood, who handed back his opening-hole birdie with bogey on the 2nd. David Howell is your man: he's bounced back from that opening-hole bogey with back-to-back birdies at 3 and 4. He's -1, the only man in red figures.
7.09am BST
The first birdie of the 143rd Open Championship has been recorded by Chris Wood. The big man's got a fine Open pedigree already at the age of 26: he won the Silver Medal as top amateur in 2008 at Royal Birkdale, coming fifth overall, and bettered that a year later at Turnberry having turned pro, ending the championship tied for third and a shot away from making a play-off alongside Stewart Cink and Tom Wats... I'm sorry, I still can't talk about that Open, it's too raw. Oh Tom! Oh Tom. Stewart bloody Cink. I ask you. Anyway, I digress. Wood's got off to a flyer with birdie at 1; he's -1 and therefore top of a very young and not very substantial leader board. Down the other end of it, seeing we're going along this route, is Wood's playing partner Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, who has opened with an unfortunate double-bogey six and is already propping up an (admittedly light) field at +2. At least there's plenty of time to regroup.
6.58am BST
David Howell had the honour of taking the first shot at the 2014 Open. Much good it's done him; he's opened with the first bogey of the week on the long par four. One of his playing partners, the 2001 champion David Duval, had this tournament's first chance of birdie, on the green in regulation facing a 20-footer, but he couldn't make it and had to settle for par. Settle for par! There won't be a player in the field who'd not snatch the R&A's hand off if they allowed them to start at the 2nd tee with a "4" already filled in on their card. It's a proper test, this opening hole, and here's Royal Liverpool's head pro John Heggarty explaining why, in our guide to the crucial Hoylake holes.
6.50am BST
It's going to be a beautiful day. We'd be in for a beautiful day if the wind had its dander up and the rain was spearing in from the River Dee and the Irish Sea, for the 143rd Open Championship is under way! The heavens could throw anything at us, you'd not get us down from this high. But as it happens it looks like being a belter on the Wirral today. Sun from dawn to dusk, chance of rain forecast as slim. Maybe a little wind picking up late afternoon, but nothing too hectic. A links course can show its teeth even under benign conditions, of course, but Hoylake probably does need a little wind to defend it. So there could be some low scores today. We'll see. It's on!
6.00am BST
Roberto De Vicenzo is principally remembered these days for the administrative mistake that cost him a play-off place at the 1968 Masters, and the resulting self-deprecating shrug of "What a stupid I am!" But there are much nicer quotes, and this is a much happier story.
For years I came over trying so hard to win. This year, I simply came back to see my friends.
I had many peoples with me.
Continue reading...July 13, 2014
World Cup Football Daily: Germany crowned champions of the world
World Cup final 2014: Germany v Argentina as it happened | Scott Murray
Mario Götze scored a stunning extra-time winner as Germany secured their fourth World Cup at the Maracanã
11.11pm BST
Next stop Russia 2018! See you then for that!
11.09pm BST
Congratulations to Germany, the champions of the world! A richly deserved prize. And commiserations to Argentina, who never quite got going in this World Cup, but were certainly the second-best team in it, and should look back on their month's work with some satisfaction once the pain subsides.
11.06pm BST
And eventually, after a wait of 78 hours, it's time to let Germany, the 2014 World Cup winners, take to the podium. Handshakes and hugs all round, from that clown Blatter and the German chancellor Angela Merkel. Medals are handed out. Some incredibly bad music booms from the PA. Thankfully it's turned down, just before Phillipp Lahm is handed the trophy. He snatches it off Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, who had in turn been given it by some other Fifa waste of space, and goes back to meet the rest of his team before rising the World Cup into the Rio air! At which point the music is turned on again, and fireworks go off, but no amount of Fifa mishandling is going to ruin the German party!
11.01pm BST
Argentina finally, after all that ludicrous nonsense, go up to receive their runners-up medals. Messi makes his most determined run of the knockout stages, zipping through a German guard of honour to lead his team to the prizes they never wanted. Messi looks in a murderous mood. Fifa really did riff on Argentina's pain there, but particularly Messi's. He's just lost a World Cup final! Did they have to put him through all that? Did they expect him to smile for the photos?
10.58pm BST
Sepp Blatter takes an age to turn up. This is OK for Germany, but pity poor Argentina, who just want to scuttle off, and are forced to wait on the pitch for an absurd length of time. Blatter is met with a stadium full of boos. Good, the corpulent oaf. And then, well, this is effing ridiculous! Individual awards are presented, for best goalkeeper and best player, to Manuel Neuer and an understandably pissed-off Lionel Messi. This is a farce. Fifa are a shower of clowns. Do they not realise there's a World Cup to lift here?
10.48pm BST
Helmut Rahn. Gerd Muller. Andy Brehme. And now Mario Götze. What an exclusive club he's joined: players who have scored a World Cup winning goal for Germany! The young man looks utterly stunned at what he's just done. He's a picture of mellow satisfaction. It's not a smug look. He's staring into the middle distance, clearly trying to process what's just happened to him. He looks to the skies, then back to the stands again. His team-mates are cavorting as you'd expect, but he's a man alone, drinking in every sensation, enjoying every moment, keeping it for the memory banks. His life will never be the same again. It's a lovely picture, a lovely moment.
10.41pm BST
Bedlam on the pitch! Löw is grinning from ear to ear! The hero of the hour, Goetze, appears to be stunned as much as delighted. What a goal he scored! A goal worthy of winning a World Cup final! The sort of thing, in fact, folk were expecting from Lionel Messi. But it was not to be for Argentina. Sabella looks crushed, the poor man. Mascherano is in tears, as is Aguero. Messi runs his fingers through his hair in despair. It would have been a different story, perhaps, had Gonzalo Higuain been wearing his shooting boots. But Germany deserved the victory, both on their display tonight, and in the tournament overall.
10.36pm BST
... blooters a spectacularly awful effort miles over the bar. Oh dear. And that is that! GERMANY ARE THE WINNERS OF THE 2014 WORLD CUP! THEY'RE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD FOR THE FOURTH TIME!!!
10.35pm BST
ET 30 min +3: Messi stands over the free kick, rubs a hand over his anxious face, and ...
10.34pm BST
ET 30 min +2: Schweinsteiger is down with cramp. What tension!
10.34pm BST
ET 30 min +1: Messi doesn't fancy dying wondering, though. He picks up the ball and races with purpose down the inside-right channel. Schweinsteiger clatters into him, 30 yards from goal. That'll be a free kick, and a last chance for Argentina to save their World Cup dream!
10.33pm BST
ET 30 min: Messi looks distraught. As well he might; he's done nothing tonight. There will be two added minutes for Argentina to redeem themselves.
10.32pm BST
ET 29 min: Muller races down the left, and has a shot from a tight angle. It whistles straight through the area. Ozil is sacrificed for Mertesacker.
10.31pm BST
ET 28 min: A ball whipped into the German area from the left. Messi, on the edge of the area, attempts to Luis Suarez a header into the net from distance. It's over, and Neuer had it covered anyway.
10.30pm BST
ET 27 min: Rojo chases a long, bouncing hoof down the left. He nearly latches onto it, but Neuer is quickly off his line to tip the ball over the rampaging full back, then catch it after circumventing a player who already has his head in his hands in despair.
10.29pm BST
ET 26 min: Rojo whips a cross into the box from the left. Palacio tries to get a head on it, but in attempting to guide an effort into the top right, sends the ball up, up and away. A further attempt to get the move going again sees Messi fail to keep a heavy pass in down the right.
10.27pm BST
ET 25 min: Bedlam in the Maracana. Argentina can't get hold of the ball. Where's Messi?
10.26pm BST
Suddenly a fourth World Cup is on for Germany! And what a goal! Schurlle goes on a romp down the left. He powers downfield, and hoicks a perfect looping pass into the centre, where Goetze chests down and pokes a brilliant finish past Romero into the right-hand side of the net! A fantastic finish!
10.25pm BST
ET 22 min: Schweinsteiger, patched up, is back on. Palacio tugs at Lahm's shirt. Free kick. The German bench springs up as though Palacio's cut off both of his legs. Calm down, says Löw, in the middle of the rumpus.
10.23pm BST
ET 19 min: Schweinsteiger is in the wars again, and this time it's Aguero who needs to be careful. He slaps an arm into the German midfieder's face, drawing blood from under his right eye. He'll need to go off for treatment. Aguero should be off for good, if not for a straight red, then at least a yellow. On the touchline, an incandescent Khedira is jumping from foot to foot in a hot funk, throwing semaphore shapes that spell out EFF and CEE. Lucky Argentina.
10.20pm BST
ET 17 min: Mascherano wants to watch himself here. He slides in late on Schweinsteiger, upending the German. Free kick, which Kroos witlessly lumps into the box. Argentina don't have David Luiz in the centre of their defence, and aren't falling for that particular grift.
10.18pm BST
And we're off again! Argentina get the ball rolling. Then Germany start tapping it around. A lot of players thinking about penalties already, I'll be bound.
10.17pm BST
Extra-time, half-time entertainment: Here's resident court jester Mac Millings, hopping around, demanding attention, the bells on his hat clanking away. "Phil Sawyer here accused me of being one who makes 'laboured puns'. Laboured, eh? Just for that, here's my All-Time World Cup Workers' XI, also known as Workers of the World United. Only one of them (I think) never actually appeared in a World Cup squad, but he'd have done mighty well, I'll wager. A warm sense of misplaced pride to the reader who can spot which member of the XI it is.
10.14pm BST
Another 15 minutes, please!
10.14pm BST
ET 15 min: A really dismal crossfield pass by Kroos is intercepted by Palacio. There's a break on, but he hesitates with Aguero hovering to scoot clear on the left, and Lahm puts a stop to his little scheme. Poor all round.
10.12pm BST
ET 13 min: Argentina are offering very little up front. Aguero embarks on an absurdly intricate dribble down the left, but after cutting inside ties himself up in knots and can't get enough on the dink forward he prods in the general direction of Messi.
10.11pm BST
ET 12 min: Mascherano slides in on Schweinsteiger, catching the German's instep and causing a wee bit of pain. Not worthy of a booking, which is just as well given that Mascherano has already been yellow carded. A strong suspicion that Schweinsteiger is simply after a wee rest. Fair enough.
10.09pm BST
ET 10 min: Lahm drops a shoulder down the right. The box is loaded with German players, but Mascherano is there to intercept. The tension is getting the better of everyone right now, though Germany will at least take succour that most of the play is in the Argentinian half.
10.07pm BST
ET 7 min: WHAT A MISS pt. III!!! Rojo loops a stunning ball into the German area from the left. It's perfect, taking out Hummels, and leaving Palacio alone on the penalty spot! He can't quite get the ball under control, though, and with Neuer racing from his line, tries to scoop a Phil Mickelson pitching wedge over the keeper and into the empty net. He gets the ball up and down, albeit with his shin, and the effort flies harmlessly left of the target.
10.04pm BST
ET 5 min: I spoke too soon. We're back to the probing.
10.02pm BST
ET 3 min: A strong start to extra time all right! Aguero powers down the left. He's got nobody in the middle, so despite having nearly reached the byline, goes for goal. The shot fizzes straight through the six-yard area and out of play on the other side. This is better from both sides. Almost as if everyone's been reminded where they are, and what they're trying to achieve.
10.01pm BST
And we're off again! And within the first 60 seconds, there's openings at both ends! Schurrle is afforded too much time down the left, and hammers a shot from a tight-ish angle towards the top right. Romero parries brilliantly. Then Messi and Aguero look to break upfield, but Boateng gets in the way of a loose pass with a two-on-two developing.
9.59pm BST
Huddles, etc. Sabella is very animated. Messi doesn't seem to be listening very much, and walks off halfway through the team talk. What a captain! Meanwhile Löw pops off to the loo, to fix his hair, or perchance a jobby. "I've never been so happy to see a game go to extra time because it means this World Cup isn't over," writes Kári Tulinius. "I'm not ready for the World Cup to be over. Can't they just start all over again tomorrow?" Don't be giving the Fifa moneymen ideas, for goodness sake. They'll do anything for a bag of beans.
9.53pm BST
And that's that! Argentina haven't had a shot on target yet, while Germany have only three, and none of them much good. 30 more minutes, please!
9.52pm BST
90 min +2: Ozil goes on a long ramble down the right. He cuts back, sashays across the edge of the area, then semi-releases Muller into the area down the left. Muller's rushed low cross is sent into the middle under pressure, and dealt with easily by Garay.
9.51pm BST
90 min +1: Messi dances down the right, avoiding a couple of agricultural challenges, then very nearly frees Aguero down the inside-right channel. Neuer comes out to hack clear. Germany go up the other end through Goetze, whose daisyroller from 30 yards nestles slowly in the arms of Romero.
9.49pm BST
90 min: There will be three added minutes. Any late drama, then?
9.49pm BST
88 min: And this is the end of Miroslav Klose's astonishing World Cup career. Unless he rocks up in Russia in 2018 aged 40. He's replaced by Goetze, having scored a record 16 goals at assorted finals. The furthest out was a penalty kick. And by some distance, as well! What a poacher.
9.48pm BST
87 min: Messi has the ball at his feet, just on the edge of the German D. Preparing to shoot, he hesitates and is denied by a fantastic Boateng challenge. Then Biglia looks to batter the loose ball goalwards from 25 yards, but Schweinsteiger slides in to deny him. Wonderful tackle.
9.47pm BST
9.45pm BST
86 min: A final change by Sabella, who swaps Perez for Gago.
9.45pm BST
84 min: Messi flicks a clever pass down the inside-left channel. He's looking to free Aguero, but the striker loses his footing and skitters around on his face awhile. "This is the tournament in microcosm, as Niall Mullen said earlier," argues Ann Sharpe. "Exciting first half, if lacking in outstanding performers, followed by niggly, disappointing second half."
9.42pm BST
82 min: Lahm makes a powerful run down the right, then slides the ball foward for Ozil, who pulls pack to Schurrle, on the edge of the area, romping down the inside-right channel. Schurrle meets it first time, but his low shot, meant for the bottom right, is always going wide. Germany on top again. Neither team has managed to keep applying pressure for long. Yet.
9.41pm BST
80 min: A corner for Germany down the right leads to naught, but the second phase sees the ball stick to the feet of Howedes, of all people, on the penalty spot with his back to goal. He's swarmed by Argentinian defenders, and the ball's hacked clear. But then a third phase of German pressure, Lahm lifting a cross in from the right, a minor [pulls item from back of trousers] brouhaha developing at the far post. Germany weakly claim a penalty, but that's nothing more than a goal kick.
9.39pm BST
78 min: Messi appears to be awakening from his slumber. He glides in from the right, draws a couple of challenges, then clips a clever little ball forward into space in the area. Neuer is much quicker to it than Aguero, and the chance is gone. Lovely approach play, though.
9.38pm BST
77 min: Aguero hasn't done much, but he's working hard. He pesters Howedes down the right and wins a throw deep in German territory. Before it can be wasted - because it's wasted - Palacio replaces Higuain, whose night this hasn't been. A disallowed goal, and that missed chance when set clear by Kroos's misplaced defensive header. Such a thin line between success and failure.
9.35pm BST
75 min: Ah, here he is! He picks up the ball to the right of the German box, jigs back along in a big semi-circle towards the right-hand corner of the D, then attempts a curler into the top left. Shades of Iran, though this one's not on target. Much, much better from a world-class talent who's looked desperately out of sorts this week.
9.32pm BST
73 min: Where's Messi?
9.31pm BST
71 min: Germany triangulate beautifully down the inside-right channel, Muller, Ozil and Schurrle all involved. Tiki taka is not dead! Muller then slides a ball into the area for Muller, who breaks clear with only Romero to beat, but lets the ball clank off his shin and towards Romero. Nearly. Not quite.
9.29pm BST
69 min: It's open, this game, though there's not very much clever play going on. Higuain lumps the ball into the German area from the right. Neuer punches clear. Howedes zips down the left, only to hoick a cross of play down the right. Not even a corner. The first half was goalless and brilliant. This is goalless and ... well, not so much.
9.27pm BST
67 min: The Argentinian fans are making an awful lot of noise here. Muller, on the halfway line down the right, looks for Schurrle on the edge of the area with a long ball. Demichelis wins the header and sends the ball into the arms of Romero, who then engages Schurrle in a Hegelian dialectic. All good old-fashioned verbal sparring, but this is one ludicrous tackle away from descending into a full-on, eh, donnybrook.
9.25pm BST
65 min: Now Aguero is booked for arriving very late on Schweinsteiger. Yellow card. Yes, this game has a 1990 aesthetic all right!
9.24pm BST
64 min: Mascherano gives the ball away in midfield and, chasing back to atone, scythes down Klose. He's booked.
9.23pm BST
63 min: A corner for Argentina down the left, well earned by Aguero, who bustles away and panics Hummels. From it, Demichelis wins a header level with the left-hand post. It's heading goalwards but flicks off Klose's head. No corner, though. A lot of shouting as a result, but that's a goal kick, courtesy of the referee.
9.22pm BST
62 min: Schurrle robs Zabaleta down the German left and makes off down the wing. His fast, low cross is meant for Muller, but clanks off Ozil and zips out of play to the left.
9.21pm BST
9.21pm BST
61 min: Lahm, on a rococo ramble from the right wing, plays a clever reverse ball down the inside-right channel. A bit less juice, and he'd have sprung Muller clear. Germany are getting back into this.
9.19pm BST
59 min: Muller in a little space down the right. He loops a cross into the area. Klose meets it, six yards out, but there's no power in his effort, and though it's on target, heading for the top left, Romero claims easily enough.
9.18pm BST
57 min: Higuain chases a bouncing ball down the right. He doesn't get there, because Neuer comes to the left-hand corner of his area, punches clear for a throw, and then plants his knee into Higuain's ear. All accidental, this isn't Schumacher-Battiston! But after all that, it's a free kick to Germany! Argentina are rightly incensed - it should probably be a throw to Argentina, and nothing more - but Higuain had done little wrong.
9.15pm BST
55 min: The Germans wake up. Schurrle, despite being fouled by Zabaleta, plays a lovely reverse dink down the inside-left channel to release Muller, whose low fizzing cross into the centre is hacked out by Garay. Corner on the left, from which Muller is penalised for a light tug on the shirt of Demichelis. Argentina were in the business of clearing, in any case. But that was a little better from Germany, who haven't looked particularly happy since the restart.
9.13pm BST
53 min: A lot of possession for Argentina, who appear happy to wear Germany out a little. The Germans need to wake up, and quick.
9.11pm BST
50 min: Germany do appear rattled. They've yet to start this half. A ball hoicked into the area from the Argentinian left gives Higuain a half-chance to batter a shot from the edge of the area. But he swings and misses. Then Messi is sent into space down the right, but can't find a way to thread a killer pass inside. "Surely there's only room for one use of 'stramash' per report?" wonders Niall Hodson. "What's wrong with a good old-fashioned 'rumpus'?" Sorry for being repetitive. And there's me with a brouhaha in my back pocket too.
9.09pm BST
49 min: Germany's slow start may or may not have something to do with being buggered about by Argentina just before the teams took to the pitch again. Germany were forced to wait for two minutes in the tunnel. Lahm, however, wasn't having any of it, and ignoring referee's instructions, went out to wait on the pitch instead.
9.08pm BST
47 min: It's a fast start all right! Messi romps clear down the inside-left channel, released by a lovely sliderule pass from Biglia. He's in the area with only Neuer to beat! But he drags a poor shot low and wide right of the target. What an opportunity! He walks back upfield looking sheepish, as well he might.
9.06pm BST
46 min: A fast start to the half for Argentina. Higuain is found twice down the right in dangerous positions. The first time, he screws a shot through the six-yard box and wide left. Then he's sprung clear down the channel, but free in the box, the flag goes up before he can batter a shot home. That was marginal, so close in fact that Higuain should have had the benefit of the doubt. But Germany escape.
9.05pm BST
The players are out for the second half. Argentina have made a change, replacing Lavezzi - who had a very decent first half - with Aguero. His first touch is at the restart. Meanwhile, are you fed up with reading words? I wouldn't blame you. Thank the lord for pictures, then, and our superb in-play gallery.
8.58pm BST
Half-time advertisements. Anyone up for purchasing one of Sepp Maier's collection of Heath Robinson contraptions, designed to help him lug industrial quantities of snuff like a madman?
8.48pm BST
No goals. But you have to wonder how.
8.48pm BST
45 min +2: WHAT A MISS pt.II!!! Kroos whips a ball to the near post. Six yards out, Howedes batters a header off the right-hand post. He had to score, surely. But no. The rebound leads to a stramash by the post, Romero eventually claiming, but Muller is offside, and Argentina survive!
8.46pm BST
45 min +1: There will be two added minutes, and Germany win a corner down the right in the first one. Kroos whips a dangerous ball into the mixer. Perez, tracking back, heads over his own bar. There'll be another corner.
8.45pm BST
45 min: Muller is a fantastic player, despite the occasional nonsense. He wins himself a yard down the right, then curls a stunning cross towards the far post. One inch lower, and perhaps half a yard further back, and Klose is heading home from six yards. But the striker can't connect.
8.44pm BST
44 min: Space for Muller down the right, not for the first time. The ball's rolled into the middle for Ozil, who twinkletoes around on the edge of the Argentina D. He slips the ball wide to Kroos, whose sidefoot from 20 yards is effectively a backpass into Romero's arms. Where was this Kroos on Tuesday night, Brazilian fans could be forgiven for wondering.
8.43pm BST
42 min: A bit of nonsense as Schurrle plants his knee in Biglia's trouser arrangement. Foul. Then Muller is hacked to the ground by a therm of air. Hmm. He jumps up and looks for a fight, and it's one that Biglia and Mascherano are only too happy to provide. Just before it spills over, the referee comes across and calms everything down. Bah. No cards, as everyone involved has been playing silly buggers. But this is getting quite testy, as you always knew it would!
8.41pm BST
40 min: It's been pretty lively, this. And here's Messi, scampering down the right in acres of space. Germany appear to be drugged and asleep. Like Brazil '90 all over again? No, of course not. But what are the Germans doing? They let Messi race into the area and narrow his eyes, before his half-shot, half-cross is hacked off the line by Boateng! Germany escape, but they don't look solid at the back at all.
8.38pm BST
37 min: Now it's Romero's turn to shine. Germany romp down the other end, through Muller down the left. The ball's slipped inside for Schurrle, who batters a shot towards the top left. It's a brilliant shot by the Chelsea striker, but Romero dives at full length to tip it round for a corner. But there'll be no set piece, because Ozil was faffing around in an offside position, suddenly a factor on account of chasing after the keeper's parry.
8.36pm BST
36 min: Lavezzi is playing very well here. He meanders down the inside-left channel, sashaying this way and that, before slipping a ball inside for Messi. Germany are scampering back in a panic. Messi shoots from 20 yards, but his effort is blocked out to the left by Schweinsteiger. The corner's claimed by Neuer.
8.35pm BST
33 min: Howedes is booked for an awful studs-up lunge on Zabaleta, as the wing back looks to break down the right wing. That's a terrible challenge, connecting squarely with Zabaleta's shin, and he could have had no complaints if the referee drew a red card from his pocket. But the German left-back gets away with yellow.
8.33pm BST
31 min: Poor Kramer. Clattered by Garay earlier on, he's still red-faced and dazed, and can't continue. Groggy, he's helped off in a very confused state, and replaced by Schurrle.
8.32pm BST
30 min: DISALLOWED GOAL!!! Lavezzi in space down the right. He's in acres! And he curls a delicious ball into the centre, where Higuain steers a clever sidefoot back across the wrong-footed Neuer and into the bottom right! It's a wonderful finish, but he's two yards offside, and the flag rightly goes up. Higuain doesn't see the flag go up for a few seconds, so at least he genuinely knows what it feels like to celebrate a goal in a World Cup final. Even if he also knows the crushing disappointment of it all being taken away.
8.30pm BST
29 min: Lavezzi goes down the inside-right channel and is upended by Schweinsteiger, who is booked. The free kick is a complete waste of time.
8.29pm BST
28 min: Schweinsteiger, on the edge of the centre circle, floats a long chip down the inside-left channel for Klose. The striker nearly reaches the dropping ball, but Romero is out quickly to claim. Germany are soon coming back at Argentina, Lahm curling a cross-cum-shot in from the right. Muller misses it with his outstretched leg. Romero, the ball going in the bottom left, palms away. Klose heads towards the loose ball, but he's offside.
8.26pm BST
25 min: Germany are concentrating on their right flank. Lahm and Muller are seeing an awful lot of the ball. They very nearly prise Argentina open, pushing them back towards the box, but the final ball doesn't quite come off. They've had the majority of the play so far, though Argentina have had the best chance.
8.24pm BST
23 min: Lahm crosses from the right. There's a little bit of a stramash on the penalty spot. Klose, penalty box predator supreme, takes a little touch to the left, moving the ball away from the melee and towards an area where he can have a shot. He's just about to score number 17, when Zabaleta's toe pops into view, and nudges the ball away from danger. This is a very entertaining match so far, especially in the context of World Cup finals.
8.22pm BST
20 min: WHAT A MISS! Kroos, in the middle of the park, stops thinking, and heads back towards his own keeper, without realising Higuain is lurking behind his defenders. Higuain's free! The ball takes two bounces. Then, on the edge of the area, Higuain pulls the trigger - and drags a godawful effort miles wide left of goal! Neuer didn't even have to do anything! In the middle of the park, Mascherano holds his head in his hands. Dearie me. Arjen Robben times ten.
8.19pm BST
18 min: Garay and Kramer contest a high ball down the German right, near the Argentinian box. The former clatters, accidentally, into the latter. Kramer takes a big whack on the jaw. He's down for a couple of minutes, and very red faced. He doesn't look totally with it. But he'll be able to continue, it would seem.
8.16pm BST
15 min: A free kick for Germany out on the right, Demichelis having come through the back of Klose. The striker takes the free kick himself. It's aimed to the far post, and headed clear by Zabaleta. But the ball's soon flung back in from the right wing. Demichelis, blinded by the sun, heads clumsily over his own bar. The corner, from the right, is hit in Muller's direction, but David Luiz doesn't play for Argentina and the striker, hoping to sidefoot home from the edge of the six-yard box, can't get a sniff as the Argentinians close ranks.
8.14pm BST
13 min: More right-flank action, this time with Germany on the attack. Lahm curls a high cross into the Argentinian box. It's not far from the head of Klose, who was winding his neck back from 12 yards. Garay just about eased him out, and the ball flies away from danger on the other flank.
8.12pm BST
11 min: First corner of the match as a Biglia shot from 20 yards is deflected miles to the right of goal by Howedes (ah there one is). The corner's not up to much, though eventually does allow the clearly-up-for-it Zabaleta an opportunity to wang another low cross into the area. Neuer gathers with a yawn.
8.11pm BST
10 min: Zabaleta down the right in space. He tears towards the box and pulls a cross into the middle. It's behind Lavezzi and Higuain. Neither left back appears to have turned up for duty yet.
8.10pm BST
9 min: A brilliant turn of pace down the right by Messi, who leaves Hummels looking unhappy, confused and alone after showing him the ball, then buggering off with extreme prejudice. He zips into the box, reaches the byline, and attempts to find Lavezzi with a pullback. The ball's intercepted by Schweinsteiger and hoicked clear. Not much going on in the middle of the pitch, which is just how everyone likes it.
8.09pm BST
8.08pm BST
7 min: Muller in more space down the right. He's finding a lot of space here. He whips a curling ball into the six-yard box. Romero gathers, with Ozil and Klose sniffing around. The majority in the Maracana, supporting Argentina it would seem, cheer with relief.
8.06pm BST
5 min: Muller makes ground down the right, and he isn't far away from sliding a low cross inside to Ozil. But Garay breaks the play up, and guides the ball back to Romero. A really nice open feel to this match. Here's hoping!
8.05pm BST
4 min: ... clank an idiotic effort straight into the wall. Argentina stream upfield on the break, through Zabaleta down the right. Eventually the ball breaks to Higuain on the right-hand edge of the area. He takes a couple of strides into the area, and shoots from a tight angle. His effort flies across the face of goal, not far wide of the left-hand post. So close to the opener, yes, but not at the end we were expecting there!
8.04pm BST
3 min: The first chance of the final will go to Germany, because Rojo has just needlessly battered Muller in the back while the two compete for a punt downfield. It'll be a free kick in a central position, 25 yards out. Germany hold a huddle, break out NFL style, and then ...
8.02pm BST
2 min: A first touch for Kramer, who at least won't have had time to get nervous. He rolls the ball down the right, where Ozil attempts to flick a fancy backheel down the channel to release Klose. Demichelis isn't having a bar of it. "Are World Cup Finals representative of the preceding tournaments?" wonders Niall Mullen. "In my football watching lifetime I'd say 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 were fair reflections on what had gone before. 1994 was a far better tournament than the final suggests. If my logic holds true what kind of game should we expect tonight?" An over-rated one? Let's hope not!
8.01pm BST
And we're off! Germany, less poor Khedira, get the ball rolling. The ball's launched forward and lost. Zabaleta tries to make good down the Argentinian right, but he's crowded out of it. All a bit shapeless, but there's less than 30 seconds gone, so there's plenty of time.
8.00pm BST
What is it with debutants at World Cup finals at the Maracanã? Kramer isn't winning his first cap, but nonetheless it's his first competitive start for Germany! Back in 1950, in the deciding match, Rubén Morán made his debut for Uruguay!
7.58pm BST
Anyway, the teams are out! And it's time for the national anthems. No frenzied shouting, on account of Brazil not being here. Germany tootle their way through Joseph Haydn's Song of Germany. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Franz II, Erwählter Römischer Kaiser, happy birthday to you. That's what Haydn was getting at, anyway. Magnificent, as is Argentina's, even the bit that sounds like it's about to break into the theme from Van der Valk, but doesn't.
But we've been here before. How about a couple of alternative songs of national significance? For Germany: Metal on Metal by Kraftwerk, which would also make perfect incidental music for the Germans six-minute evisceration of Brazil, on account of it being roughly the correct length, and sounding like someone being run over. For Argentina: the soundtrack to Last Tango in Paris, by Argentinian jazz legend Gato Barbieri. Track four swings like a mother.
7.54pm BST
Dramatic late scenes! It's not quite up there with the Ronaldo business of 1998, but Germany have had to withdraw poor Sami Khedira, who has developed a calf problem. In his place, Christoph Kramer of Borussia Moenchengladbach.
7.53pm BST
First Fred, then Luiz Felipe Scolari ... it seems nobody can avoid the fallout of Brazil's difficult World Cup. "This pic represent our sadness," writes Rio resident Frederico Dalton. "I took this picture this morning at the Copacabana Beach. It shows Fuleco, this World Cup's mascot, which never really caught on, being carried by security guards at the Fifa souvenir store. My friends joke that Fuleco was actually an extra terrestrial and was eventually found by the Men in Black." Sorry scenes indeed, Frederico. But so unfair! The Spanish never Naranjito like this back in 82.
7.39pm BST
The kits. It'll be a repeat of the 1990 final. Germany are playing in their famous and beautiful first-choice white, albeit with an unnecessary flash across the nipples.
7.28pm BST
They've already staged the closing ceremony, by the way. Official Fifa artist Shakira got a captive audience dancing with a rendition of her worldwide smash Sepp's Gonna Sexx Ya Up. OK, I'll be honest with you, I didn't see the ceremony. But there was one. Why don't they stage it after the match? Because everyone will leave, that's why. It does make you wonder why they bother in the first place.
7.13pm BST
Both teams name unchanged XIs. Miroslav Klose, the World Cup's leading goalscorer, leads the German line ahead of the equally in-form Andre Schurrle. Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero are both fit for the bench, but Sabella is taking no risks, you know how he rolls.
Germany: Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Hummels, Howedes, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Kroos, Ozil, Klose.
Subs: Zieler, Grosskreutz, Ginter, Schurrle, Podolski, Draxler, Durm, Mertesacker, Gotze, Kramer, Weidenfeller.
7.00pm BST
Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm, Kroos, Boateng.
Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi, Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi.
6.51pm BST
A last little bit of history to set the scene. If Germany win, they'll become the first European side to win a World Cup in the Americas. It'd also be the first time that teams from the same continent have won three consecutive tournaments. Germany haven't lifted a major trophy since Euro 96, while Argentina have been waiting since the 1993 Copa America. One of them will slake their thirst this evening by winning the biggest prize of all, whereupon there'll be a major realignment of the World Cup roll of honour:
5: Brazil ('58, '62, '70, '94, '02)
4: Italy ('34, '38, '82, '06)
3: Germany ('54, '74, '90)
2: Uruguay ('30, '50), Argentina ('78, '86)
1: England ('66), France ('98), Spain ('10)
6.32pm BST
Ah, the Maracanã. So poor old Brazil never got to play here this time. You could say that at least they'll always have memories of 1950, but, well, y'know.* The famous old stadium - which staged its first match at that World Cup, wet concrete raining down from the roof of the barely completed stands - becomes only the second to stage two World Cup finals. The other? The Azteca in Mexico City, which has also held a final between the Argentinians and the Germans. There's a coincidence.
6.17pm BST
Germany the favourites, then, after that absurd affair in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. Will this latest German golden generation finally lift a trophy after a series of semi-final and final mishaps? Is it time for Lionel Messi to finally step out of the big Maradona-shaped shadow and make a claim to World Cup legend status? And which of this final's well-turned-out coaches, Joachim Löw or Alejandro Sabella, will join the long list of dapper World Cup winning managers, to which both countries have already made a contribution?
6.00pm BST
You'll notice that's only seven finals. Pride of place, you see, goes to the two which were contested by both teams.
1986: This was a fairly one-sided affair for 74 minutes, Jose Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano putting Argentina two goals up. But then a couple of Andy Brehme corners from the left turned the game. First Karl-Heinz Rummenigge tapped home, then Rudi Voller scrambled an equaliser for West Germany on 82 minutes. The game was suddenly in the balance, for three minutes anyway, after which the previously quiet Diego Maradona slipped a delightful through ball to Jorge Burrachaga, who had an awful long time to think about missing, but didn't. Argentina had their second World Cup, a mere eight years after claiming their first!
6.00pm BST
It's finally time. Match 64 of the 2014 World Cup. The 20th World Cup final. Germany versus Argentina. Two proud footballing nations. Between them, they've made nine of the 19 World Cup finals so far contested. Shall we start at the beginning?
1930: The first-ever World Cup final at the Centenario in Montevideo. Argentina led Uruguay 2-1 at half time through winger Carlos Peucelle and pencil-moustached striker Guillermo Stábile. But the hosts came back at them in the second half, Héctor Castro, who lost half an arm to a chainsaw while a teenager, crowning a 4-2 win for Uruguay. Stábile would have to make do with being the tournament's leading scorer. Argentinian midfielder Juan Evaristo played this match in a beret.
Continue reading...July 12, 2014
World Cup final viewing: Hansens BBC adieu or ITVs samba sign-off?
World Cup third-place play-off: an unloved match that can stir the soul | Scott Murray
Brazil v Holland for the World Cup consolation prize may appear a flawed spectacle but history shows it can still deliver
The third-place play-off at the World Cup is notorious as the match no player wants to contest, no manager wants to oversee and few punters want to watch. Its reputation is hardly surprising, as it is an unpalatable proposition for two disillusioned teams: a contest between two squads who have had their chance to play in the greatest game of all snatched away at the last and who just want to go home.
Yet despite its fundamentally flawed premise, this unloved fixture has delivered time and again, cementing a couple of legends, breaking a record or two, setting the scene for one of the greatest goals of all time and even providing a little succour to bruised souls.
Continue reading...July 11, 2014
World Cup third-place play-off: unloved match that can stir the soul | Scott Murray
The third-place play-off at the World Cup is notorious as the match no player wants to contest, no manager wants to oversee and few punters want to watch. Its reputation is hardly surprising, as it is an unpalatable proposition for two disillusioned teams: a contest between two squads who have had their chance to play in the greatest game of all snatched away at the last and who just want to go home.
Yet despite its fundamentally flawed premise, this unloved fixture has delivered time and again, cementing a couple of legends, breaking a record or two, setting the scene for one of the greatest goals of all time and even providing a little succour to bruised souls.
Continue reading...World Cup 2014: countdown to Germany v Argentina as it happened
3.53pm BST
At each of his pressers van Gaal has been asked a question by Dutch children's TV. He answers them brilliantly, really detailed. Very sweet
3.20pm BST
"Having just last weekend flown back from Brazil after three weeks at the World Cup attending 8 games I can tell you that the Associated Press have got it wrong when they say that Latin America will be supporting Argentina in the final," blathers Rory McCafferty. "In Brazil they are the hated enemies and even at games which did not have Brasil or Argentina in it the Brazilians would sing songs against Argentina. The favorite which was sang at every game was about how only Pele scored 1,000 goals and Maradona sniffed cocaine. From my experience Argentina was disliked by other countries fans especially Chile."
2.59pm BST
Here is a preview of the World Cup final based on statistics.
2.53pm BST
"Do you know who's the home team in Sunday's final?" asks Paul Kelly. "In other words, is it 1986 or 1990?" It's 1990, Paul, which only seems right given that Germany looked so at home in Brazil in the semi-final, only removing their slippers to administer the occasional spank.
2.48pm BST
The FAI has announced that the Republic of Ireland will host the USA in a friendly on November 18. Perhaps they are playing for the Joe Lapira Challenge Cup?
2.19pm BST
It is with a heavy heart that I leave Liverpool for a new life and new challenges in Spain. Both me and my family have fallen in love with this club and with the city.
But most of all I have fallen in love with the incredible fans. You have always supported me and we, as a family, will never forget it, we will always be Liverpool supporters.
2.06pm BST
"Good to see Flann OBrien, the morose Irish wit, get a picture credit," emails Charles Antaki. "How he would have hated the World Cup! People enjoying themselves without measure - including two of his least favourite categories of people, women and children - lots of colour, amusement and football, with pints of porter difficult to to procure in the local bars. But he was a professional humorist, so it would have been a pleasure to see what he would have made of the tear-stained Brazil shenanigans; if only theyd have been managed by the Brother" For a minute there I was worried that you were going to ask me if I had an opinion on the matter, in which case I would have been forced to quote the man himself: "Questions are like the knocks of beggarmen, and should not be minded."
1.55pm BST
Apparently Barcelona are brainstorming at the moment to try to come up with a suitable place to unveil Suarez next week, since he is banned from any football-related spots. Any suggestions? Should the striker be persuaded to pop out of a cake on the Ramblas, Marilyn Monroe-style? Or perhaps fans should fans be given a chance to acclaim their new signing as he circles the city in a low-flying helicopter, before jumping from a bungee to within an inch of the Nou Camp's air space?
1.38pm BST
Thanks and praise to Sabbir Azam for bringing to our attention the story of the Bangladeshi farmer who sold all his land to raise funds for ... a 3.5km long Germany flag. You'll be wanting further details, I'm guessing, so best check out the story on BDnews24.com, who, as the snippet below shows, found the man and got to the bottom of his thinking:
Peasant Amzad, a resident of Ghoramara village in Magura Sadar Upazila, made a 3.5-km-long German flag before World Cup football began this year by selling his land to raise money for its manufacture ...
Before the World Cup matches started, Amzad Hossain sold his land and made a 3.5-km-long German flag at a cost of Tk 150,000. Bdnews24.com and other news media carried the story, which drew the German embassys attention.
Amzad Hossain told bdnews24.com, I like German football for a long time. I had caught literally a non-curable disease in 1987. I tried lots of medicine with no avail. But a medicine brought from Germany finally cured the disease. Since then, I became a fan of Germany.
1.31pm BST
Who could have said that and about what? Why, it was Luis Suarez's lawyer, talking about the punishment meted out to his client for that unfortunate teeth-first interaction with Giorgio Chiellini. Here's the latest from PA:
In an interview with Spanish radio station Cope, Suarez's lawyer Alejandro Balbi hit out at football's global organising body and confirmed an appeal would go forward [to the Court of Arbitration for Sport) in an attempt to see the ban reduced.
"We hope they revoke this sanction that is blatantly draconian, totalitarian and fascist," said Balbi.
"The right of a footballer to work is being violated, and football should be worried about that. The nine (international) games may seem excessive, but the fact that he can't watch a game of football, or train or carry out his job, we are talking about unpleasant things."
"Luis recognised his error but we've seen that for Fifa saying sorry is not an important factor," added Balbi.
"Justice will take its time but it will come.
"We knew that FIFA would uphold the ban because they are corporatists. We will not stop, we are going to go to the CAS and we will keep taking the juridical path that is available to us."
If Suarez does to go CAS, he could ask the court to suspend the ban pending a final decision. CAS may refuse to do so but, if it agrees, it could mean Suarez being available at the start of the domestic season.
The downside, however, is that if CAS puts the ban on hold, it means that, instead of Suarez being banned for a month of the close season when no clubs are playing, he would instead face being out for even longer when the campaign starts.
1.20pm BST
"How are you?" asks Michael Gaff. It's a good question, Michael, and I guess the answer depends on how far back you want to go. Before we explore that, is there anything else you need to know? "I was wondering with van Gaals annoyance at having to play Saturday night, what would happen if Holland and Brazil just said that they werent going to play the 3rd/4th play off game? What would Sepp do?" I'm guessing both countries would be threatened with a ban from future tournaments, which, now that you mention it, might be a blessing for Brazil.
12.48pm BST
Anyway, that's it from me. I'm DOING ONE. From here on in, Paul Doyle, like a pint of plain, is your only man!
12.31pm BST
Where's Whelan? It's the new craze sweeping Brazil. Ray Whelan, the senior director of Fifas official hospitality company, pictured here a few days ago talking to PC Gaz from Supergrass as part of a police investigation into a $100m ticket touting investigation ...
12.07pm BST
O Fiverão, the unfunny daily World Cup email written by irritable people at ungodly hours, has landed. Today's edition considers claims that the 2014 World Cup is the greatest of all time. O Fiverão's not on board, kids, O Fiverão's not on board.
11.49am BST
Michael Cox has already given you his tactical take on Sunday's final. It's only fair that Jonathan Wilson gets a chance to Have His Say too. Here he is, having his say.
11.38am BST
Poor Wesley Sneijder, the latest in a long list of Dutchmen to balls it up big time in a major-tournament penalty shootout. He can take succour from the fact that he might be off to Old Trafford, where he'll earn ££££££££££££s. Yes, that's right! Real cash money! That's just one of the hot snippets of transfer gossip in today's Rumour Mill, which is shorter than usual because most of the people who usually spin these stories out of thin air are currently in Brazil rattling up their expense accounts.
11.22am BST
Old-fashioned 1980s-style German confidence dept. Fulham manager Felix Magath may not even bother watching the big game on Sunday. "I don't know if I will watch the final," he announced, as part of a triptych on insouciance which also included yawning and scratching his arse. "For me, the result is obvious. I think it will be 3-0 to Germany." Also taking it easy: Harald Schumacher. "I'm absolutely convinced that we will beat Argentina," says Magath's team-mate from the loveable 1982 and 1986 West German squads. Here, Schumacher and the rest of the 1980s German team may not have necessarily won many neutral hearts, but they had one hell of a kit! Imagine if they ran out in their bottle-green number on Sunday, with Argentina in their blue-and-white-striped shirts and black shorts. Eleven out of ten for aesthetics. I wouldn't even mind if the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, the photographs would be superb.
11.10am BST
Ahead of the final, it might be a good idea to bone up on famous Argentina-Germany matches of yore. Here are some old Guardian match reports, including
a 34,000-word think piece on Oreste Corbatta's third-minute opener for Argentina in the 1958 group stage
the legendary and quite brilliant David Lacey's takes on the 1986 and 1990 finals.
West Germany were two goals down before the hour and seemed destined to pass into footballing history as the most uninspired of losing World Cup finalists. In this sort of situation, however, something always seems to stir in the soul of the most leaden-footed West Germany footballer ...
10.48am BST
Here's Shaun Wilkinson on the Guardian's One-Point Plan To Save Brazilian Football (10.14am). "Brazil ditched their white shirts and went on to World Cup glory?" he begins. "Forget youth development and infrastructure investment - we may have just solved English football's problems." Yes, perhaps that would do it. Though are there any other, less dramatic, decisions we could make?
10.31am BST
A different angle of the aforementioned Ron Vlaar penalty. Thanks to Ryan Johansen for sending it in via electronic mail. Poor old Holland. But we say that every other World Cup. The real talking point here is whether Sergio Romero wants sacking for gross dereliction of duty. See the job through, Sergio, for goodness sake!
10.18am BST
Michael Cox is probably making more sense. How do Germany stop Lionel Messi? Will Argentina be able to cope with Germany's midfield? The answers are here!
10.14am BST
The big question of the week, of course, has been: what is wrong with Brazilian football, and how to save it? The answer is surely staring everyone in the face. The last time they suffered a soul-shattering defeat as World Cup hosts, in 1950, they ditched their white shirts. Bingo! Within five years of pulling the new yellow ones on, they were world champions and preparing to embark on a golden decade of glory. So if it worked once, surely another sartorial reboot could see them fine once again? No need for anything as dramatic as changing colours again, just a little spiritual realignment ...
Here are some happy Brazilians in 1958, having played the World Cup final in duds purchased in Stockholm city centre, badges sewn on at the last minute.
9.42am BST
Good morning. That video of Müller and Neuer is quite something, isn't it. Neuer is surprisingly self-conscious for a man who
plays for Bayern Munich
happily races out of his area during World Cup knockout matches to gad around like Franz Beckenbauer in his pomp. A sober dad at a wedding. The kids are embarrassed. Müller however really is going for it, and should be commended for pulling some top-class shapes. The full Bob Fossil. Someone should ask him if he likes cricket, or whether he can go for that.
9.24am BST
That's it from me. Scott Murray will be here for the next couple of hours to guide you through the Argentinian dance moves and the rest of the World Cup news.
9.22am BST
Just when we thought the Germans were great at everything comes this heaven-sent video of Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer on the dancefloor. Check out the shorts, shoes and white socks combo too.
9.14am BST
Britain's Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce has made the novel suggestion that England should copy Germany in producing youth teams which can develop together and form the core of the senior national side. Many of the Germany team that reached Sunday's World Cup final were also in the side which trounced England 4-0 in the final of the 2009 European under-21 championships. "The Brazil v Germany semi-final was astounding, the performance of the German team was something else," said Boyce. "But I have been chairman of Uefa's youth committee for many years and I have seen how the Germans have built up their policy. From that team many played at under-19 level, then at under-21 level and in fact won the 2009 European under-21 championships. Like the Belgians, the Germans decided they were starting on that policy and saw it through. I think England need to start doing something like that because the Germans are now reaping the benefits."
9.04am BST
David Wall has emailed in to inquire whether Brazilian might unleash any superstars of the future in the third-placed play-off against Holland on Saturday.
The 3rd/ 4th place play-off is often a chance for those who've not yet played in the tournament to get a game at the World Cup. Are there any hidden gems in the Brazilian squad to look out for tomorrow evening, similar to Viola who got a quarter of an hour in the '94 final and looked more exciting than the other players on the field put together? What must Philippe Coutinho be thinking back on Merseyside? Having watched Marcelo's performance against Germany even Fabio might have cause for complaint for being over looked for the squad, let alone the Liverpool forward.
8.50am BST
Is Lionel Messi lazy? The Guardian's German football expert Raphael Honigstein has stumbled across a very interesting fact about the Argentina forward's work-rate at this World Cup:
Interesting stat: only #BRA's Fred (47.2km) has run less than #ARG 's Messi (51.9km) in six WC games (http://t.co/hFm5j60DeF)
8.43am BST
Argentina are not popular among the other South American countries, but the Associated Press think for once their neighbours will be rooting for them against Germany.
With a reputation for arrogance and illusions of European-styled grandeur, Argentines have long been the objects of scorn and the butt of jokes across Latin America But for at least 90 minutes on Sunday, during the World Cup final, most Latin Americans will put aside their disdain for their proud neighbors as they look to Lionel Messi and his teammates to salvage what's left of the region's soccer pride. A defeat for Argentina would be historic: never has a European team been crowned champion on this side of the Atlantic. But in the wake of Germany's 7-1 thrashing of host Brazil even the most-devoted believers in the spontaneous and stylish Latin American brand of soccer are wondering if the region is outmatched. "My heart wants Argentina to win, but my brain says Germany will," confessed Alberto Ramos Salcedo, a Colombian journalist and author who frequently writes about soccer.
8.31am BST
Morning all. Rob Bleaney here to run you through the next couple of hours of World Cup final buildup. First though, for anyone who missed it, the Chile forward Alexis Sánchez has joined Arsenal and Amy Lawrence reckons this is proof that the Gunners are finally ready to compete...
It was around this time last summer that Arsenals players began dropping hints about how hopeful they were that progress could be made with some welcome major additions. The names of Gonzalo Higuaín and then, infamously, Luis Suárez dominated Arsenal thoughts, but neither of them materialised, and a summer of transfer angst was only relieved when Mesut Özil arrived with a late flourish.
This is different. Alexis Sánchez, one of the outstanding performers of this World Cup,has been snapped up before the tournament in Brazil has even finished, and it is a serious statement of intent that in the transfer market Arsenal intend to be more aggressive than they have been since the early days of Arsène Wengers tenure.
7.26am BST
Here's another question that I know not the answer: Did Ron Vlaars penalty in World Cup semi-final cross the line?
What do you think?
7.12am BST
Josh Chapman has an interesting question, the answer to which I haven't the foggiest: "Who is wearing what kits in the final? Seems Germany is the home team? Does that mean no famous stripes for messi? Are they at all superstitious about not playing in their famous shirt? Will they switch for the trophy presentation like Spain in 2010 if they win?
6.58am BST
For those curious about the latest on Ángel 'will-he-play-or-won't-he-play' di María, look no further than ... here.
6.51am BST
Speaking of predictions - and seeing as I was lashed the other day for supplying the thirsty throng with a 'not very good at all' prediction video not featuring an animal - here's a camel.
6.48am BST
Must say, as a betting man, I'm surprised Germany are odds-against to beat Argentina in 90 minutes. I rate them slight odds-on chances, if you're at all interested.
If you have an opinion on who will win the World Cup final, and I'm convinced you do, why don't you share said opinion with your fellow man?
6.37am BST
Neymar has been shedding a considerable amount of tears these past few days, what with him suffering a serious back injury and then being helpless as his teammates suffered that shellacking at ze hands of ze Germans.
6.17am BST
Welcome to Friday's coverage of the World Cup, featuring all the breaking news from Brazil and reaction to the latest results, injury news, squad stories and fan reaction.
World Cup 2014 day-by-day: the road to the Germany v Argentina final
World Cup 2014: countdown to Germany v Argentina live!
3.20pm BST
"Having just last weekend flown back from Brazil after three weeks at the World Cup attending 8 games I can tell you that the Associated Press have got it wrong when they say that Latin America will be supporting Argentina in the final," blathers Rory McCafferty. "In Brazil they are the hated enemies and even at games which did not have Brasil or Argentina in it the Brazilians would sing songs against Argentina. The favorite which was sang at every game was about how only Pele scored 1,000 goals and Maradona sniffed cocaine. From my experience Argentina was disliked by other countries fans especially Chile."
2.59pm BST
Here is a preview of the World Cup final based on statistics.
2.53pm BST
"Do you know who's the home team in Sunday's final?" asks Paul Kelly. "In other words, is it 1986 or 1990?" It's 1990, Paul, which only seems right given that Germany looked so at home in Brazil in the semi-final, only removing their slippers to administer the occasional spank.
2.48pm BST
The FAI has announced that the Republic of Ireland will host the USA in a friendly on November 18. Perhaps they are playing for the Joe Lapira Challenge Cup?
2.19pm BST
It is with a heavy heart that I leave Liverpool for a new life and new challenges in Spain. Both me and my family have fallen in love with this club and with the city.
But most of all I have fallen in love with the incredible fans. You have always supported me and we, as a family, will never forget it, we will always be Liverpool supporters.
2.06pm BST
"Good to see Flann OBrien, the morose Irish wit, get a picture credit," emails Charles Antaki. "How he would have hated the World Cup! People enjoying themselves without measure - including two of his least favourite categories of people, women and children - lots of colour, amusement and football, with pints of porter difficult to to procure in the local bars. But he was a professional humorist, so it would have been a pleasure to see what he would have made of the tear-stained Brazil shenanigans; if only theyd have been managed by the Brother" For a minute there I was worried that you were going to ask me if I had an opinion on the matter, in which case I would have been forced to quote the man himself: "Questions are like the knocks of beggarmen, and should not be minded."
1.55pm BST
Apparently Barcelona are brainstorming at the moment to try to come up with a suitable place to unveil Suarez next week, since he is banned from any football-related spots. Any suggestions? Should the striker be persuaded to pop out of a cake on the Ramblas, Marilyn Monroe-style? Or perhaps fans should fans be given a chance to acclaim their new signing as he circles the city in a low-flying helicopter, before jumping from a bungee to within an inch of the Nou Camp's air space?
1.38pm BST
Thanks and praise to Sabbir Azam for bringing to our attention the story of the Bangladeshi farmer who sold all his land to raise funds for ... a 3.5km long Germany flag. You'll be wanting further details, I'm guessing, so best check out the story on BDnews24.com, who, as the snippet below shows, found the man and got to the bottom of his thinking:
Peasant Amzad, a resident of Ghoramara village in Magura Sadar Upazila, made a 3.5-km-long German flag before World Cup football began this year by selling his land to raise money for its manufacture ...
Before the World Cup matches started, Amzad Hossain sold his land and made a 3.5-km-long German flag at a cost of Tk 150,000. Bdnews24.com and other news media carried the story, which drew the German embassys attention.
Amzad Hossain told bdnews24.com, I like German football for a long time. I had caught literally a non-curable disease in 1987. I tried lots of medicine with no avail. But a medicine brought from Germany finally cured the disease. Since then, I became a fan of Germany.
1.31pm BST
Who could have said that and about what? Why, it was Luis Suarez's lawyer, talking about the punishment meted out to his client for that unfortunate teeth-first interaction with Giorgio Chiellini. Here's the latest from PA:
In an interview with Spanish radio station Cope, Suarez's lawyer Alejandro Balbi hit out at football's global organising body and confirmed an appeal would go forward [to the Court of Arbitration for Sport) in an attempt to see the ban reduced.
"We hope they revoke this sanction that is blatantly draconian, totalitarian and fascist," said Balbi.
"The right of a footballer to work is being violated, and football should be worried about that. The nine (international) games may seem excessive, but the fact that he can't watch a game of football, or train or carry out his job, we are talking about unpleasant things."
"Luis recognised his error but we've seen that for Fifa saying sorry is not an important factor," added Balbi.
"Justice will take its time but it will come.
"We knew that FIFA would uphold the ban because they are corporatists. We will not stop, we are going to go to the CAS and we will keep taking the juridical path that is available to us."
If Suarez does to go CAS, he could ask the court to suspend the ban pending a final decision. CAS may refuse to do so but, if it agrees, it could mean Suarez being available at the start of the domestic season.
The downside, however, is that if CAS puts the ban on hold, it means that, instead of Suarez being banned for a month of the close season when no clubs are playing, he would instead face being out for even longer when the campaign starts.
1.20pm BST
"How are you?" asks Michael Gaff. It's a good question, Michael, and I guess the answer depends on how far back you want to go. Before we explore that, is there anything else you need to know? "I was wondering with van Gaals annoyance at having to play Saturday night, what would happen if Holland and Brazil just said that they werent going to play the 3rd/4th play off game? What would Sepp do?" I'm guessing both countries would be threatened with a ban from future tournaments, which, now that you mention it, might be a blessing for Brazil.
12.48pm BST
Anyway, that's it from me. I'm DOING ONE. From here on in, Paul Doyle, like a pint of plain, is your only man!
12.31pm BST
Where's Whelan? It's the new craze sweeping Brazil. Ray Whelan, the senior director of Fifas official hospitality company, pictured here a few days ago talking to PC Gaz from Supergrass as part of a police investigation into a $100m ticket touting investigation ...
12.07pm BST
O Fiverão, the unfunny daily World Cup email written by irritable people at ungodly hours, has landed. Today's edition considers claims that the 2014 World Cup is the greatest of all time. O Fiverão's not on board, kids, O Fiverão's not on board.
11.49am BST
Michael Cox has already given you his tactical take on Sunday's final. It's only fair that Jonathan Wilson gets a chance to Have His Say too. Here he is, having his say.
11.38am BST
Poor Wesley Sneijder, the latest in a long list of Dutchmen to balls it up big time in a major-tournament penalty shootout. He can take succour from the fact that he might be off to Old Trafford, where he'll earn ££££££££££££s. Yes, that's right! Real cash money! That's just one of the hot snippets of transfer gossip in today's Rumour Mill, which is shorter than usual because most of the people who usually spin these stories out of thin air are currently in Brazil rattling up their expense accounts.
11.22am BST
Old-fashioned 1980s-style German confidence dept. Fulham manager Felix Magath may not even bother watching the big game on Sunday. "I don't know if I will watch the final," he announced, as part of a triptych on insouciance which also included yawning and scratching his arse. "For me, the result is obvious. I think it will be 3-0 to Germany." Also taking it easy: Harald Schumacher. "I'm absolutely convinced that we will beat Argentina," says Magath's team-mate from the loveable 1982 and 1986 West German squads. Here, Schumacher and the rest of the 1980s German team may not have necessarily won many neutral hearts, but they had one hell of a kit! Imagine if they ran out in their bottle-green number on Sunday, with Argentina in their blue-and-white-striped shirts and black shorts. Eleven out of ten for aesthetics. I wouldn't even mind if the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, the photographs would be superb.
11.10am BST
Ahead of the final, it might be a good idea to bone up on famous Argentina-Germany matches of yore. Here are some old Guardian match reports, including
a 34,000-word think piece on Oreste Corbatta's third-minute opener for Argentina in the 1958 group stage
the legendary and quite brilliant David Lacey's takes on the 1986 and 1990 finals.
West Germany were two goals down before the hour and seemed destined to pass into footballing history as the most uninspired of losing World Cup finalists. In this sort of situation, however, something always seems to stir in the soul of the most leaden-footed West Germany footballer ...
10.48am BST
Here's Shaun Wilkinson on the Guardian's One-Point Plan To Save Brazilian Football (10.14am). "Brazil ditched their white shirts and went on to World Cup glory?" he begins. "Forget youth development and infrastructure investment - we may have just solved English football's problems." Yes, perhaps that would do it. Though are there any other, less dramatic, decisions we could make?
10.31am BST
A different angle of the aforementioned Ron Vlaar penalty. Thanks to Ryan Johansen for sending it in via electronic mail. Poor old Holland. But we say that every other World Cup. The real talking point here is whether Sergio Romero wants sacking for gross dereliction of duty. See the job through, Sergio, for goodness sake!
10.18am BST
Michael Cox is probably making more sense. How do Germany stop Lionel Messi? Will Argentina be able to cope with Germany's midfield? The answers are here!
10.14am BST
The big question of the week, of course, has been: what is wrong with Brazilian football, and how to save it? The answer is surely staring everyone in the face. The last time they suffered a soul-shattering defeat as World Cup hosts, in 1950, they ditched their white shirts. Bingo! Within five years of pulling the new yellow ones on, they were world champions and preparing to embark on a golden decade of glory. So if it worked once, surely another sartorial reboot could see them fine once again? No need for anything as dramatic as changing colours again, just a little spiritual realignment ...
Here are some happy Brazilians in 1958, having played the World Cup final in duds purchased in Stockholm city centre, badges sewn on at the last minute.
9.42am BST
Good morning. That video of Müller and Neuer is quite something, isn't it. Neuer is surprisingly self-conscious for a man who
plays for Bayern Munich
happily races out of his area during World Cup knockout matches to gad around like Franz Beckenbauer in his pomp. A sober dad at a wedding. The kids are embarrassed. Müller however really is going for it, and should be commended for pulling some top-class shapes. The full Bob Fossil. Someone should ask him if he likes cricket, or whether he can go for that.
9.24am BST
That's it from me. Scott Murray will be here for the next couple of hours to guide you through the Argentinian dance moves and the rest of the World Cup news.
9.22am BST
Just when we thought the Germans were great at everything comes this heaven-sent video of Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer on the dancefloor. Check out the shorts, shoes and white socks combo too.
9.14am BST
Britain's Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce has made the novel suggestion that England should copy Germany in producing youth teams which can develop together and form the core of the senior national side. Many of the Germany team that reached Sunday's World Cup final were also in the side which trounced England 4-0 in the final of the 2009 European under-21 championships. "The Brazil v Germany semi-final was astounding, the performance of the German team was something else," said Boyce. "But I have been chairman of Uefa's youth committee for many years and I have seen how the Germans have built up their policy. From that team many played at under-19 level, then at under-21 level and in fact won the 2009 European under-21 championships. Like the Belgians, the Germans decided they were starting on that policy and saw it through. I think England need to start doing something like that because the Germans are now reaping the benefits."
9.04am BST
David Wall has emailed in to inquire whether Brazilian might unleash any superstars of the future in the third-placed play-off against Holland on Saturday.
The 3rd/ 4th place play-off is often a chance for those who've not yet played in the tournament to get a game at the World Cup. Are there any hidden gems in the Brazilian squad to look out for tomorrow evening, similar to Viola who got a quarter of an hour in the '94 final and looked more exciting than the other players on the field put together? What must Philippe Coutinho be thinking back on Merseyside? Having watched Marcelo's performance against Germany even Fabio might have cause for complaint for being over looked for the squad, let alone the Liverpool forward.
8.50am BST
Is Lionel Messi lazy? The Guardian's German football expert Raphael Honigstein has stumbled across a very interesting fact about the Argentina forward's work-rate at this World Cup:
Interesting stat: only #BRA's Fred (47.2km) has run less than #ARG 's Messi (51.9km) in six WC games (http://t.co/hFm5j60DeF)
8.43am BST
Argentina are not popular among the other South American countries, but the Associated Press think for once their neighbours will be rooting for them against Germany.
With a reputation for arrogance and illusions of European-styled grandeur, Argentines have long been the objects of scorn and the butt of jokes across Latin America But for at least 90 minutes on Sunday, during the World Cup final, most Latin Americans will put aside their disdain for their proud neighbors as they look to Lionel Messi and his teammates to salvage what's left of the region's soccer pride. A defeat for Argentina would be historic: never has a European team been crowned champion on this side of the Atlantic. But in the wake of Germany's 7-1 thrashing of host Brazil even the most-devoted believers in the spontaneous and stylish Latin American brand of soccer are wondering if the region is outmatched. "My heart wants Argentina to win, but my brain says Germany will," confessed Alberto Ramos Salcedo, a Colombian journalist and author who frequently writes about soccer.
8.31am BST
Morning all. Rob Bleaney here to run you through the next couple of hours of World Cup final buildup. First though, for anyone who missed it, the Chile forward Alexis Sánchez has joined Arsenal and Amy Lawrence reckons this is proof that the Gunners are finally ready to compete...
It was around this time last summer that Arsenals players began dropping hints about how hopeful they were that progress could be made with some welcome major additions. The names of Gonzalo Higuaín and then, infamously, Luis Suárez dominated Arsenal thoughts, but neither of them materialised, and a summer of transfer angst was only relieved when Mesut Özil arrived with a late flourish.
This is different. Alexis Sánchez, one of the outstanding performers of this World Cup,has been snapped up before the tournament in Brazil has even finished, and it is a serious statement of intent that in the transfer market Arsenal intend to be more aggressive than they have been since the early days of Arsène Wengers tenure.
7.26am BST
Here's another question that I know not the answer: Did Ron Vlaars penalty in World Cup semi-final cross the line?
What do you think?
7.12am BST
Josh Chapman has an interesting question, the answer to which I haven't the foggiest: "Who is wearing what kits in the final? Seems Germany is the home team? Does that mean no famous stripes for messi? Are they at all superstitious about not playing in their famous shirt? Will they switch for the trophy presentation like Spain in 2010 if they win?
6.58am BST
For those curious about the latest on Ángel 'will-he-play-or-won't-he-play' di María, look no further than ... here.
6.51am BST
Speaking of predictions - and seeing as I was lashed the other day for supplying the thirsty throng with a 'not very good at all' prediction video not featuring an animal - here's a camel.
6.48am BST
Must say, as a betting man, I'm surprised Germany are odds-against to beat Argentina in 90 minutes. I rate them slight odds-on chances, if you're at all interested.
If you have an opinion on who will win the World Cup final, and I'm convinced you do, why don't you share said opinion with your fellow man?
6.37am BST
Neymar has been shedding a considerable amount of tears these past few days, what with him suffering a serious back injury and then being helpless as his teammates suffered that shellacking at ze hands of ze Germans.
6.17am BST
Welcome to Friday's coverage of the World Cup, featuring all the breaking news from Brazil and reaction to the latest results, injury news, squad stories and fan reaction.
Scott Murray's Blog
- Scott Murray's profile
- 3 followers
