Rob Smyth's Blog, page 142

June 25, 2018

Spain 2-2 Morocco: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Iago Aspas’s controversial injury-time goal denied Morocco a famous victory in a dramatic match – and ensured Spain would top Group B

Report: Spain 2-2 Morocco

9.25pm BST

Pick your player ratings...

9.03pm BST

Somehow, despite that late drama, Sid Lowe has already filed his match report! I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company, goodnight!

9.01pm BST

So, to summarise:

8.59pm BST

8.58pm BST

There will be plenty of talk about the preposterous, premature VAR, though I hope that doesn’t overshadow a wonderful match that was overflowing with human frailty and human spirit. Morocco were sensational.

Iran have drawn 1-1 with Portugal, who go through to face Uruguay. It sounds like there was an even bigger VAR shambles in that game.

8.56pm BST

Peep peep! That was a belting game, and it ends with Spain winning the group despite a huge scare.

8.55pm BST

90+7 min There were supposed to be four minutes of added time but the goal took 72 years to be given so we’ll be playing for a while yet.

8.54pm BST

90+5 min There are now suggestion that the corner should not have been given for another reason, because Rodrigo didn’t keep the ball in play before putting in the cross that was put behind. This is a mess.

8.53pm BST

90+4 min Iran have equalised against Portugal! That means Spain are now winning the group.

8.52pm BST

It’s all kicking off on the touchline, with players from both sides having a row. Play hasn’t yet restarted after the goal, which was originally scored in the year 1972.

8.51pm BST

It was the right decision in terms of the offside, though I’d like to see that tackle from Busquets again. It was a great finish from Aspas, who flicked the ball behind his standing foot and past Munir.

8.51pm BST

The goal is given!

8.50pm BST

It came from a short corner that was whipped in and flicked cleverly into the by Aspas. The flag went up but it’s being reviewed, and replays suggest Aspas was onside.

Morocco will be furious if the goal is given, because the corner came after Busquets got away with what looked like a foul near the halfway line.

8.49pm BST

90+1 min Iago Aspas has a goal disallowed for offside - but I think this might be overturned by VAR.

8.48pm BST

89 min Morocco really should come to the World Cup more often. They were so much fun in 1986 and 1998, and they have added so much more to this tournament than a first-round elimination suggests.

8.47pm BST

88 min Munir is booked for timewasting. Like he gives a solitary one about that!

8.45pm BST

87 min Iago Aspas does well to manufacture a cross that is headed wide on the run by Asensio. It wasn’t much of a chance.

8.45pm BST

86 min It’s worth repeating that Spain are safe unless Iran equaliser and Morocco score a third goal. But this would sting, and put them in the tougher half of the draw. Luis Suarez v Spain: that’ll be fun.

8.43pm BST

85 min Now Morocco make their final change, with the excellent Ziyach replaced by Aziz Bouhaddouz.

8.42pm BST

84 min Spain make their last change, with David Silva replaced by Rodrigo.

8.42pm BST

83 min The goal doesn’t change anything in terms of Spain’s qualification – it would need an Iran equaliser and another Morocco goal for that – but this would be a legendary victory for Morocco.

8.41pm BST

What a goal! Amrabat hit an outswinging corner from the right towards the penalty spot, where En-Nesyri towaered over Ramos to plant an unsaveable header into the top corner!

8.40pm BST

Morocco lead through an immense header from the substitute Youssef En-Nesyri!

8.38pm BST

79 min “It is always good to see Aspas doing well,” says Ian Copestake. “At Liverpool he looked so nervous, and the shirt did not so much weigh him down as actually make him lose weight.”

Now that’s technology.

8.37pm BST

78 min Sergio Ramos slams a shot miles over the bar from distance.

8.36pm BST

78 min It’s still Iran 0-1 Portugal, so as things stand Spain will finish second in the group and play Uruguay in the last 16.

8.35pm BST

77 min A foul on Amrabat gives Morocco a breather. Though nothing comes of the free-kick, it’s the first time they’ve been out of their half in a while.

8.32pm BST

74 min A double change for Spain: Asensio and Aspas replace Diego Costa and Thiago. Both were poor.

8.30pm BST

72 min Another Morocco change: the goalscorer Boutaib is replaced by En Nesyri.

8.29pm BST

71 min Morocco are starting to look tired, which is no surprise given how much they have put into this game.

8.27pm BST

70 min The disappointing Thiago blooters a first-time shot miles wide from 20 yards.

8.27pm BST

69 min One goal would put Spain back on top of the group, and mean a last 16 game against Russia rather than Uruguay.

8.26pm BST

68 min “Deal, Matt,” says Simon McMahon of Matt Dony’s contingency plan should England win the World Cup. “And if it happens and Sir Harry Kane and his boys bring the bloody thing home, as well as the booze we can at least look forward to Scotland becoming unofficial world champions at Wembley next year ...”

8.26pm BST

67 min Isco and David Silva combine beautifully on the edge of the area, only for David Silva to miscontrol the ball at a key moment.

8.22pm BST

64 min Morocco make their first change, with Fajr replace Belhanda.

8.21pm BST

63 min From the resulting corner, Pique heads fractionally wide of the far post. That was another excellent chance.

8.21pm BST

62 min: Saiss makes a brilliant goalline clearance! Isco towered above Amrabat to head a right-wing cross towards the far post, and it was drifting into the net until Saiss stretched to head it just past the post.

8.20pm BST

61 min Spain have had a couple of siestas within this match but they are starting to look more threatening again. For a game that doesn’t have much riding on it, this isa cracker.

8.17pm BST

59 min Thiago plays a neat one-two with David Silva, only to slash a speculative left-footed volley all the way across goal.

8.14pm BST

55 min: Amrabat hits the post with an unreal effort! He received possession 25 yards from goal, to the right of centre, and cut across a stunning rising drive with the outside of the foot. De Gea did not move as it arrowed towards the top corner, only to batter off the inside of the post and rebound to safety.

8.12pm BST

53 min It’s still Iran 0-1 Portugal in the other game - but Cristiano Ronaldo has had a penalty saved.

8.12pm BST

52 min “Briefly thought Morocco might be on pace to set a record for yellow cards in a World Cup match, but they’re actually a little behind Portugal’s record, set in ‘06 against Holland in The Battle of Nuremberg,” says Darin Woolpert. “Morocco will have to pick up the pace a bit here in the second half. More dubious honors can be found here.”

I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun during an MBM as I did with that game.

8.10pm BST

51 min Portugal still lead the group as things stand. On that note, if you think it’s hard following the as-it-stands table at a World Cup, have a look at this.

8.09pm BST

50 min Spain have started the second half sloppily. A dangerous, driven pass into the area almost finds Boussoufa, with De Gea flying from his line to punch clear.

8.07pm BST

48 min Pique gets away with another one, this time a deliberate handball on the edge of his own area. Morocco’s players implore the referee to give something, with precisely no success. Pique’s now on one Expected Yellow Card and one Expected Red.

8.05pm BST

47 min “I am alas only watching the Spain game in the hope that Ramos receives enough rough treatment to give myself closure from the violent fantasies I keep having of doing it myself,” says Ian Copestake. “I used to be a good person.”

And then you became an even better one, etc, etc.

8.04pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Morocco begin the second half of this association football contest.

8.03pm BST

I know I’ve got wallchartitis and am getting ahead of myself, but we could easily end up with Brazil, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium and Argentina all in one half of the draw.

8.01pm BST

Tiebreaker department

“I could obviously do a simple google search, but I am at work, with two windows open for streaming the games and one for the MBM and besides, I am lazy,” begins Rachel Clifton. “Does qualifying out of the group come down to yellow cards when you are level on points, or do they take the result of the game between the two tied teams into account first?”

7.58pm BST

Though Spain look certain to qualify now, they will still be keen to win this group because, as things stand, it would open up a much easier route to the final.

7.58pm BST

“Ahoy McMahon!” says Matt Dony. “I don’t want to get sidetracked from the Spain v Morocco action, but I think we need to make a Celtic deal. I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying the free-scoring England progress. BUT should they go and win the whole damn thing (which doesn’t seem outside the realms of possibility), the fans are going to be in-flipping-sufferable. In that event, we need to meet up, and drink a lot. I’ll bring the Penderyn, you bring the Buckfast.”

We had a plan for this in the Guardian office in 2006. If they got to the final, we were all going to go round and round and round on the Circle Line, with only a 12-pack each for company, hoping that after about two hours we would see a slow, weary procession of the glum and the heartbroken.

7.50pm BST

As things stand, it’ll be Spain v Uruguay and Portugal v Russia in the second round.

7.49pm BST

Half-time reading

7.48pm BST

Peep peep! Spain have had a fright, but they are on course for the second round.

7.48pm BST

45+2 min More majestic play from Iniesta, who scoots past two players on the left side of the box before sliding a beautiful ball right across the face of goal. The stretching Costa got a stud on the ball but that wasn’t enough to divert it into the net.

7.46pm BST

45 min Two minuters of added time. Portugal lead Iran 1-0, which means they are on top of the group as things stand.

7.43pm BST

43 min Morocco enjoy a much needed 90 seconds in the Spain half before Ziyach, found by a terrific pass from the left wing, swishes a shot over the bar from 25 yards.

7.42pm BST

42 min Thiago, starting his first game of the tournament, has been quiet. Costa has been scruffy, though he played a part in the equaliser. Iniesta and Isco have been excellent.

7.40pm BST

39 min Morocco can’t get out of their half, and a second Spain goal looks increasingly inevitable. It’s been a strange half, in that Spain have been very dominant but should probably be a goal and a man down.

7.39pm BST

38 min Boutaib is lucky not to be booked for a hack at Isco, whose shinpads are getting a good product testing.

7.37pm BST

37 min Busquets misses a great chance, heading Isco’s inswinging corner over the bar from eight yards. He was totally unmarked and should have scored like John Stones.

7.36pm BST

36 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Morocco’s first World Cup goal since 1998? Their last would have been against Scotland then, when they pumped us 3-0 in the final group game, but in tribute to the Scots they still failed to qualify for the knockout phase after Norway beat Brazil in the other game. Happy days.”

7.35pm BST

35 min David Silva’s dangerous cross flashes across goal before being booted clear by Hakimi. For the first time in the match, Morocco are hanging on.

7.33pm BST

34 min Morocco are really struggling to cope with the triple left-sided threat of Jordi Alba, Isco and Iniesta.

7.32pm BST

32 min Boussoufa is booked for dissent, the fourth Moroccan to receive a yellow card in this game.

7.31pm BST

32 min It’s still Iran 0-0 Portugal in the other game.

7.31pm BST

31 min Da Costa is booked for a nasty lunge at Isco.

7.29pm BST

29 min Spain have been excellent going forward, and hideous in defence. Amrabat, meanwhile, is booked for a challenge on Ramos.

7.27pm BST

26 min This is a terrific game. Iniesta is playing beautifully. After another good Spain move, Alba cuts the ball back to Costa, who makes a dog’s breakfast of a left-footed shot from 15 yards.

7.26pm BST

25 min Another great chance for Boutaib! Morocco had a throw-in near the halfway line, from which you can’t be offside, and it was flung over the sleeping Pique and Ramos to put Boutaib straight through on goal. He lumbered into the area but waited a bit too long to shoot, and that allowed De Gea to spread himself and block the shot.

7.24pm BST

23 min An inswinging corner form the left is met by Pique, whose downward header under pressure is comfortably saved by Munir.

7.23pm BST

22 min “Question - does it not matter that Pique’s challenge was all ball?” says Flo. “I’m not pro-Spain or anything, but it seemed a fair challenge. But I defer to your expertise.”

No, that’s irrelevant these days. You don’t even need to make contact with a player to be sent off if it’s a dangerous challenge.

7.21pm BST

21 min El Ahmadi is booked for a foul on Busquets.

7.20pm BST

It was a lovely team move, a textbook example of progressive tiki-taka. Iniesta to Isco to Costa, who quickened things up with an excellent first-time pass to Iniesta on the left of the box. He surged past a defender to the byline and slipped it back to Isco, who took a touch and rammed the ball over Munir from close range.

7.19pm BST

That didn’t take long. Spain equalise with a gorgeous goal!

7.18pm BST

17 min Iniesta slashes a 25-yard shot well wide. Spain are rattled, and Morocco – for the time being at least - have their swagger on.

7.16pm BST

16 min Spain are a goal down and should be a man down – but as things stand they are still going through.

7.15pm BST

15 min “The kick-off times in 2002 were magnificent,” says Matt Dony. “I was self-employed, and living at home, which afforded me a certain amount of flexibility. I remember the group stage with a wistful smile. First game at 7am, out to do a couple of hours work with 5Live commentary for the 9am match, then an early lunch (at a pub where possible) for the 11am game. Simpler times. After spending most of the 90’s obsessing over metal and grunge and pretty much nothing else, I fell back in love with football around the turn of the millennium, and Japan/South Korea came at just the right time.”

7.15pm BST

Khalid Boutaib scores Morocco’s first World Cup goal since 1998. Ramos and Iniesta left the ball to each other on the halfway line, a bizarre bit of play that allowed Boutaib to march straight through on goal. He charged into the area, kept his cool and slid the ball between De Gea’s legs.

7.14pm BST

Morocco have taken the lead!

7.13pm BST

13 min Spain would be in a lot of trouble had they gone down to 10 men. As it is they are having the better of the game, though they are not controlling it as we might have expected. Morocco look really up for this.

7.10pm BST

11 min “Goodness gracious guys!” says Ben. “It’s coming home, England loses here, it’s not coming home, it’s coming coming to the right street but doesn’t make it past the gate... Everybody (commenting) is so busy predicting and mapping out possibilities, I feel like few people are just enjoying England’s adventure. Some sound like they’re more concerned than anything else. It’s the World Cup. England has a great team. Let’s enjoy the hell out of this ride, step by step. Be happy. Smile. Yay football! (And hopefully Rashford starts).”

And in one email, Ben perfectlyt summed up the questionable gift of being English.

7.10pm BST

10 min In 1990, Pique’s challenge would barely have merited a second look, but by the modern interpretation of the laws he should probably have been sent off – both feet were off the ground, with studs showing, as he challenge Boutaib.

7.09pm BST

9 min The referee doesn’t even look at the monitor, so that’s another triumph for VAR.

7.09pm BST

8 min Pique goes in two-footed on Boutaib, a weird and reckless challenge even though he won the ball. He should be sent off for that but it looks like nothing is going to happen.

7.07pm BST

7 min All of a sudden it’s getting a bit lively. Amrabat fouls both Isco and then Ramos, who swings round to have a word. El Ahmadi gets involved as well, but it’s all hold-me-back posturing and play resumes soon enough.

7.06pm BST

6 min “That Spain line up lacks both pace and goals,” says Gene Salorio. “Thiago is better on the ball than Koke but less dynamic. Silva and Iniesta are wonderful ball players and passers but Carsten Jancker-like when it comes to scoring. Speaking of which, Isco is hot foreplay in the car followed by a goodnight kiss at the door. I want goals: Asensio and Saul wide, plus skip the double pivot for a second forward to play off Costa.”

Tbf, I never written Iniesta.

7.06pm BST

5 min Spain’s strip is a fetching homage to their 1994 kit – the red one, rather than the white away strip that ended up covered in Luis Enrique’s blood after he ran nose-first into Mauro Tassotti’s elbow.

7.04pm BST

4 min Spain steal possession and break down the left. Isco tries to stab a cross with the outside of the foot and makes a balls of it, toebunging it straight at Munir.

7.01pm BST

2 min “Another chance to see Iniesta; no need to talk that up,” says Charles Antaki. “But also another chance to see Busquets: surely the most elegant, balletic user of a football in what is traditionally a semi-clogger’s role? Spain must have the greatest proportion of players who make even the commentators purr, though as a predictor of winning the competition purring probably isn’t infallible.”

They should at least initiate the Fifa Purr Play Trophy.

7.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Spain, in red, get the match under way. Morocco are wearing their white away strip.

6.58pm BST

The players are ready for action. At least I assume they are; I’m currently staring at a blank screen because the BBC coverage does not start until kick-off.

6.54pm BST

If permutations make you weak at the knees, this is for you.

6.45pm BST

Legal disclaimer: it may not actually be coming home

“Regarding your wobbling predictions about how far England will go, I find myself in a very similar predicament - mainly after yesterday,” says Shaun Wilkinson. “Never mind whether we can avoid Germany and Brazil in the quarters, how bloody good were Colombia last night?”

6.43pm BST

“This is Jeff from Ferndale, Michigan, USA,” writes Jeffrey Lilly. “I look forward to the World Cup the same way I look forward to the Olympics - a great ideal, of many nations and cultures coming together to compete in a fair manner. As the USA didn’t make it this time, I don’t have a rooting interest, and thus have been able to simply enjoy the spectacle. I have so many fond memories of working and traveling abroad in years past, coming together with soccer fans all over the world to watch World Cup games - my first was being in West Germany in ‘86 for their run to the finals when I was a teenager. I was in Japan for ‘98, ‘02, and ‘10, watching with Japanese friends and British, Aussie, and Kiwi expat friends. So many lifelong friendships made, and so many great times...”

Yes, in some ways the World Cup has nothing to do with football, particularly when you’re in your twenties. And if nothing else, the time difference during the 2002 World Cup made it compulsory, never mind acceptable, to have beer for breakfast. Especially on Friday 21 June 2002.

6.39pm BST

A reminder that you can follow the big game in this group, Iran v Portugal, with Simon Burnton.

6.33pm BST

“Germany can still top their group...” says Bob Wilson, “… ‎if Sweden manage to beat Mexico and Germany trounce South Korea. Not impossible, just implausible.”

I’m not sure it’s even implausible – but I’d still expect Mexico to get at least a draw against Sweden.

6.22pm BST

An email! “I’m very worried Brazil are going to win it,” says Andrew Hurley. “Germany are awful (Kroos though had the best individual performance of the tournament for me v Sweden). Portugal - no. England (sorry!) - no. Argentina will go out. Belgium weak and have no passion (they don’t have a strong national identity). France - too many of their players hate their country, will buckle & don’t care enough. Croatia dark horses. Spain are my only hope!”

Brazil should play Germany in the second round, and who knows what kind of muck will be swilling round their subconscious after 2014. The best thing about this tournament so far is that nobody really knows anything – it’s the most open since 2002. At different stages in the past few days I’ve decided that England are going to reach the semis, that they’re going to lose to Colombia in the last 16, and that IT’S ONLY BLOODY COMING HOME.

6.03pm BST

Pre-match reading

5.47pm BST

Spain (4-2-3-1) De Gea; Carvajal, Pique, Ramos, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Thiago; Silva, Iniesta, Isco; Diego Costa.

Morocco (4-2-3-1) Munir; Hakimi, Da Costa, Saiss, Dirar; El Ahmadi, Boussoufa; Amrabat, Belhanda, Ziyech; Boutaib.

3.02pm BST

The World Cup moves pretty fast. It’s only 12 days since Julen Lopetegui was sacked as Spain coach but there are new stories and new crises which we can use to generate hot air. Spain have gone under the radar since the actual football started, and their geriatricos have arguably been the most impressive team in the tournament so far.

A draw against Morocco tonight would secure an unexpectedly smooth passage to the last 16, where they would face either Russia or Uruguay.

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Published on June 25, 2018 13:03

Jos Buttler: matchwinner with the courage and ability not to become ordinary | Rob Smyth

From the beginning of his ODI career he looked the part and he has now developed into England’s perfect all-weather batsman

Many batsmen look the part as soon as they step into international cricket. Not many do so while barely scoring a run. The start of Jos Buttler’s ODI career was a nightmare – but only if these things are judged on paper. In his first 18 months as an England player, up to the end of the 2013 Champions Trophy, Buttler made 116 runs at an average of 11.60. He was barely more successful in IT20 matches, yet it is not an example of false memory syndrome to say that, even then, he looked a near certainty to make it at the highest level.

The main reason was that he was so different. Like Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan before him, Buttler clearly had not read the memo about how England batsmen were supposed to play in one-day cricket. The difference was that Buttler did not have the eyes of the outsider; he had drawn the same conclusions as Pietersen and Morgan despite a standard English upbringing.

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Published on June 25, 2018 10:27

June 24, 2018

World Cup: England beat Panama 6-1 and look to the knockout rounds - as it happened

Harry Kane got a hat-trick, John Stones grabbed a brace and Jesse Lingard played excellently and scored a gorgeous goal as England ran riot

9.38pm BST

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And with that, I’m done. It was a fine performance, and an emphatic win. England could have done with scoring one goal less, or conceding one goal more, and thus protecting coveted second place in the group, but overall you’ve got to say it’ll do. Bye!

4.57pm BST

Some more player reaction:

What a performance today from all the boys. Well done @HKane on the hat-trick Time to go again v Belgium pic.twitter.com/09m16RydRD

Professional performance from the lads. Congrats @HKane on the hat trick. We go again. pic.twitter.com/vSt73A6Ao4

4.47pm BST

It’s half-time in Japan v Senegal, and it’s tied at 1-1. Anyone’s game/group/tournament.

4.42pm BST

Pele’s heard that someone’s getting a lot of attention for scoring a World Cup hat-trick, and he wants some of it for himself:

60 years ago, I scored my first and only hat-trick in a World Cup. It was against France in the semi-final of the 1958 tournament. // Há 60 anos, eu marquei o meu primeiro e único hat-trick em uma Copa do Mundo. Foi contra a França, na semi-final da Copa de 1958. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/qunzdg9p6v

4.35pm BST

Here are our player ratings. There’s a 2/10 in there (not an Englishman).

4.33pm BST

Harry Kane, as official man of the match, has held a press conference. This is what he said:

About winning the golden boot:

There’s going to be a lot of talk about it but there’s a long way to go. We’ve got some of the best players in the world scoring goals, doing well. For me, it’s about the wins. And we’ve got another big game on Thursday to try and finish top. Hopefully I can score more goals and help my team.

I’m extremely proud. We’re proud of each other, the way we played, the discipline, the hard work. And we had fun out there as well, which is important. It could have been a tough game. We started well, we’ve been working hard on set pieces and they came together as well. We’ve got to enjoy this. It’s not every year that we go through after two games. We’ll enjoy it now and then focus on trying to finish on top.

The first penalty, I have a routine for penalties. I think I put the ball down about three times. It was about going through the same routine, picking a corner and sticking with it. The third was one of the luckiest goals of my career. As a striker sometimes you go through spells when you’re scoring, and other times it’s not so good. It’s been going my way so hopefully that will continue.

We knew it would be an aggressive game, they’d do everything they could to stop us. I thought the discipline was really good from us, we didn’t get involved in anything silly, we made sure the ref was aware of holding and pulling. And we got what we deserved. I’m very proud of the lads for that.

That’s the manager’s decision. Obviously I want to play, I want to continue my form. It’s still important that we finish top. I think we’re ahead by a yellow card. We’ve just got to go and try to win the game.

4.21pm BST

What you’d really like at this stage, I’d imagine, is five talking points on the England game. Well, your luck’s in.

4.14pm BST

Senegal have just gone a goal up against Japan to leap to the top of Group H, after the Japan goalkeeper, Kawashima, punched the ball straight into Sadio Mane’s knee, from where it rebounded into the net. For all that it was a little unfortunate, it was first and foremost an absolute howler.

4.10pm BST

I see that there were two Englishmen who attended today’s game as official “Fifa Legends”: Sol Campbell and 23-cap, never-played-in-a-major-tournament Wes Brown.

4.00pm BST

I’ve only just seen this, possibly the greatest thing that’s happened at the World Cup since that Zaire free kick in 1974: Panama trying to score on the counter-attack while England celebrated a goal.

Panama trying to score a goal while England players are celebrating. #ENGPAN pic.twitter.com/I32acjyWXl

3.54pm BST

News just in: England scored the best goal of all time!

25 - There were 25 uninterrupted passes played by England before their 6th goal today; the longest sequence for a World Cup goal since 1966 & one more pass than Esteban Cambiasso's goal for Argentina v Serbia in 2006 (24). Fortunate.#Eng #EngPan #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/pBnHr1EEKr

3.50pm BST

I have statistics! England had seven shots on target in that match, and scored six goals. Panama had two shots on target, and scored one. Both conceded 13 free kicks.

Kyle Walker attempted 109 passes, and succeeded with 104. In the first half, Panama’s entire team attempted 155 passes, and succeeded with 134.

3.41pm BST

Harry Kane has been tweeting:

Professional. Clinical. Bring on Belgium and the knockout rounds. #ThreeLions #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/QXSsHNoejq

3.39pm BST

Here are the best pictures of today’s game:

3.37pm BST

This is how Panamanians treat players who have just been thrashed 6-1. In brief, pretty well:

Perdieron 6-1. Quedaron eliminados de Rusia 2018. Y así celebra (sí, celebra) Baloy junto a su gente el primer gol de Panamá en la historia de los Mundiales. Fútbol, fuente inagotable de emociones. Hay que saber elegirlas. pic.twitter.com/zapOAyxyeE

3.36pm BST

As it stands, if all groups finish as they are today, one half of the draw will contain France, Brazil, England, Germany, Portugal, Russia, Nigeria (potentially Argentina) and Senegal. The other will contain Spain, Croatia, Uruguay, Mexico, Japan, Denmark, Switzerland and Belgium. England will have the benefit of knowing how all but one of the groups have concluded before they play their final game, but if they remain unchanged they must surely choose a route towards the semi-finals that would see them play Japan and the winner of Mexico v Switzerland, over Colombia and then the winner of Brazil v Germany.

3.27pm BST

This is a good picture of celebrating Englishmen:

3.24pm BST

Japan will shortly be playing Senegal, and you can follow the match either in English:

Related: 【ライブ速報】2018年W杯：日本対セネガル

3.20pm BST

Gareth Southgate has answered some questions:

I didn’t particularly like the performance. Well, I didn’t like the start, and I didn’t like the goal at the end, but I guess the bits in the middle were pretty good. I think we were a little bit anxious at the beginning. We played some really good stuff after 35, 40 minutes. And second half is difficult. We talked about the importance of one more goal to be top of the group, which is why the goal at the end is disappointing. But it’s really rewarding to see how well they’re playing, and how much they’re enjoying their football.

[Did he really want to be top of the group?] You don’t know but you’d rather be in control of it than not. Big moments for Jess Lingard today, of course great for the captain to get his hat-trick. And also our set plays were a real threat, which was pleasing to see.

3.14pm BST

And Ruben Loftus-Cheek:

Really, really happy with the performance from the boys. To win 6-1 in the World Cup is fantastic. I’m delighted with that. I think we want to put on a good performance for the fans, but also for ourselves.

[On Harry Kane] For such a young captain he’s so vocal. I think everyone respects him massively, what he’s done for Tottenham and bringing it in for England.

3.10pm BST

And Ashley Young:

It was very hot out there. Maybe they’re used to it more, but I think the confidence we had coming into the game showed, especially in the first half. It could have been a nearly perfect performance. It’s disappointing to concede, but takes nothing away from the performance we put in. It’s a squad game and everyone’s got to put in a performance, and I think everyone did that today.

The togetherness I’ve seen is incredible. Off the pitch everybody mixes with each other. Everybody wants the ball, nobody shies away from the ball. We’ve got to keep on doing that, keep showing our confidence and keep playing the way we have. We’ve just got to keep our feet on the ground and keep working hard in training. This could be the start of something good.

3.08pm BST

Jesse Lingard has a chat now:

I mean, it’s an amazing feeling. Even better that we won and are top of the table. I thrive in that role. Basically around the lads there’s a great team spirit at the moment. With the squad we’ve got and the confidence flowing I don’t see why [we can’t go on and win the whole thing], but at the moment we’re still learning and we’ll take it game by game. There’s a lot of positivity, so we’ll take it into the Belgium game.

3.06pm BST

This is how the ranking of teams will be decided if they finish level on points in their group:

5. The ranking of each team in each group shall be determined as follows:

a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;

3.03pm BST

And John Stones as well:

Not something I thought I’d do at the start of the day. It’s great to get through. I remember four years ago, knowing how hard the lads had worked. This time round, playing, we wanted to do the country proud and get through to the next step and see where we can go.

I think to score my first goals for England, that was something special, especially at the World Cup. We defended so well and dominated the match, to not get a clean sheet was a bit disappointing. It’s something to take into the next game I suppose, and hopefully I can get a few more goals from set pieces.

3.01pm BST

Hello world!

Harry Kane has had a little post-match chat.

To achieve anything in life you have to believe. There’s still a lot of hard work to go. It’s a big difference. We’re a bit disappointed to concede a goal at the end. We’ll go into the [Begium] game looking to win, of course. Let’s see what happens.

2.55pm BST

2.53pm BST

Peep peep! England have smashed their record for the biggest World Cup win. It was 3-0; it’s now 6-1. It could have been more, but they eased up in the second half after leading 5-0 at the break. Harry Kane scored England’s first World Cup hat-trick since 1986. I have to jump straight into cricket mode, but Simon Burnton will bring you all the post-match reaction. Thanks for your company, bye.

2.49pm BST

90 min Four minutes of added time.

2.48pm BST

89 min “Look at the link again about fair play separation,” says James Hurle. “England and Belgium start on 0 points and then earn minus points for each fair play contravention. Team with the highest score (least minuses) tops group.”

Ah yes, my mistake. That’ll teach me to sneer at Fifa!

2.46pm BST

88 min “Rob, very disappointed to see you use such incendiary language to describe the Panamanian football team,” says David. “There are plenty of English clubs that play an agricultural brand of football and have done for years on end, but words like ‘filthy’ are generally not used by journalists to describe them. Is it easier to use crass language (which unfortunately has a racial association) about a team we will never hear about again?”

I use the word ‘filthy’ all the time to describe teams who boot people up in the air. I quite like this Panama team, and I’ve always guiltily enjoyed football filth. Sorry not to be a racist.

2.45pm BST

87 min The match is petering out. The second half has been largely uneventful, aside from those two landmarks: Kane’s hat-trick and Panama’s first World Cup goal.

2.43pm BST

84 min Both sets of fans are having a party: Panama because they have scored, England because IT’S ONLY BLOODY COMING HOME! Nothing is happening on the pitch.

2.42pm BST

83 min Yes, fair play points will split England and Belgium if necessary, though the wording of this suggests the group winners would be the ones who collect the most yellow and red cards.

2.40pm BST

82 min I think it was Rose and Maguire who played Boloy onside. Meanwhile, Sterling whistles a shot just wide from 20 yards. That was a fine effort.

2.38pm BST

80 min That goal means England and Belgium are now dead level: F8 A2. So if they draw, I think they will be split on the Fair Play table.

2.37pm BST

What a charming moment this is. Baloy, the 37-year-old substitute, runs on to Avila’s outswinging free-kick and stretches to slam a terrific half-volley past Pickford from 12 yards. It was poor defending from England, with some defenders pushing out and others playing everyone onside, but few would begrudge filthy, incompetent Panama such a joyous moment.

2.36pm BST

Panama have scored their first World Cup goal!

2.34pm BST

76 min Rose gives away a needless corner – and Roman Torres misses a great chance from it. The corner was flicked on beautifully at the near post and landed perfectly for Torres, who slammed it wide on the run from six yards. Panama are still gamely pursuing their first World Cup goal, despite the scoreline.

2.33pm BST

74 min “Hi Rob,” says Lizz Poulter. “I love football (and can be a little naïve) so I really can’t bear the idea that a team (my team, in this case) would play for a draw or a loss. Apart from it being against the spirit of the game, isn’t it better for team morale to win wherever possible? As I said, I have been accused of being Pollyanna-ish and I do wear my heart on my sleeve, but come on - we can take Germany, Brazil or anyone on our day, let’s not be defeatist already.”

I’m probably getting ahead of myself. Germany could still win their group, which would change everything. And you are right about the benefits to morale of beating Belgium, even in what is likely to be a reserve match. Also, the natural English tendency to worry about the future doesn’t really fit this intrepid team. Let them have a bit of fun and see where it takes them.

2.31pm BST

73 min A free-kick on the left leads to a game of head tennis, until eventually Henderson sizzles an acrobatic volley just wide from the edge of the area.

2.31pm BST

72 min This game is drifting to sleep. Murillo is booked for a foul on Sterling.

2.27pm BST

70 min England bring on Danny Rose for Kieran Trippier, who appears to have a slight knock. Ashley Young will move to right wing-back.

2.27pm BST

69 min Panama make two changes: Barcenas and Gomez are replaced by Arroyo and Baloy.

2.25pm BST

66 min Panama almost get their first World Cup goal! The impressive Barcenas played a fine through pass to the marauding Murillo, whose attempted dink was well blocked by the hitherto unemployed Pickford.

2.23pm BST

65 min “I note you’d rather England play Mexico further down the line,” says Rob Marriott. “Isn’t that a bit like the presumptuousness that did for England two years ago? Mexico have been magnificent.”

They have, and that’s why last night I impetuously bought their kit to wear during five-a-side, but you’d still rather play them than Brazil or Germany.

2.22pm BST

64 min A double change for England: Vardy and Delph replace Kane, the leading goalscorer at this tournament with five, and the superb Lingard.

2.21pm BST

It was a fluke goal but he won’t care. Loftus-Cheek’s long-range shot hit the unsighted Kane and completely wrongfooted Penedo. VAR checked for offside but he was played onside by the heel of Torres.

2.21pm BST

Harry Kane becomes the first England player since Gary Lineker to score a World Cup hat-trick!

2.18pm BST

59 min Sterling and Loftus-Cheek have not had great games. Nor, in truth, has Kane, though that won’t be a problem if he scores twice every game. Lingard has been the only outstanding attacking player. What a funny game it has been.

2.16pm BST

58 min “The mind boggles how Panama managed to get to this World Cup, unless the occasion has got to them and they’ve bottled it,” says Dave Tole. “But really, imagine being in their group and not finishing above this rabble?”

2.15pm BST

57 min The second half has been a bit like a friendly, in stark contrast to the unfriendly before half-time.

2.14pm BST

55 min “Hey Rob,” says Andy Morton, “how come neither you nor the BBC mentioning that one more goal and England ahead of Belgium on goal difference ? That could matter, no?”

It’s a mediawide conspiracy to ensure goal difference doesn’t get too big-headed about its influence on the World Cup. But yes, you’re right. I actually think it would be better for England to finish below Belgium, because it could be the difference between playing Mexico or Switzerland in the quarter-finals rather than Brazil or Germany.

2.12pm BST

54 min Loftus-Cheek wins a corner for England, who have already scored four from them in this tournament if you include Kane’s second penalty. Trippier’s outswinger is booted away by Torres.

2.10pm BST

53 min There has been a notable drop in intensity from England, which is fair enough in this heat.

2.09pm BST

52 min It’s just dawned on me that John Stones is on a World Cup hat-trick.

2.09pm BST

51 min It’s been a slow, low-key start to the second half from both sides. Panama win their first corner of the game, which is flicked across goal and headed clear by Walker.

2.07pm BST

48 min “You,” says ,” says Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby, “are so offensive.”

Crikey. I love this job.

2.06pm BST

47 min It’ll be interesting to see how England play the second half. The logical thing is to preserve energy, but they will never have another chance to win 10-0 in a World Cup game.

2.03pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Panama begin the second half.

2.01pm BST

“’Panama are filthy and incompetent,’” says Kevin O’Connor, quoting my half-time entry. “Let’s turn down our Trump-talk-O-meter shall we Rob.”

What should I have said? ‘Panama are angelic and unlucky to be 5-0 down’?

1.56pm BST

“When’s the England game on, Rob?” says Guy Hornsby. “It’s certainly nice to see Brazil really shifting through the gears finally.”

1.54pm BST

“Here’s a question for you Rob,” says Chris Caulfield. “Why do refs invariably add on less time at the end of the first half than the second? The ref added on two minutes there after no end of naughtiness, injuries, dissent and convoluted celebrations. Lingard was down for two minutes after the first attack.”

I have no idea. You are right though – there could have been seven or eight minutes of added time.

1.53pm BST

“Just so you know, Panama’s tactics are standard in Concacaf,” says Kevin Smith. “The difference is the referees in Concacaf accept it. Particularly in favour of the home team. Then add in more diving, simulation, embellishment, time wasting, etc. Concacaf is, generally, a disgrace and I would love to see VAR brought to World Cup qualifying to clean up some of the bull.”

They really are a throwback to a golden age of football filth.

1.50pm BST

That was slightly surreal. Panama are filthy and incompetent but a 5-0 scoreline brooks no argument. England were superb on set pieces, while Jesse Lingard scored a beautiful third goal.

1.49pm BST

Peep peep!

1.48pm BST

45+2 min Cooper elbows Maguire in the face and is fairly lucky not to be sent off. Another triumph for VAR.

1.47pm BST

45+2 min This is going to sound ridiculous... but England arguably played better in the first half against Tunisia. Who cares, they’re 5-0 up!

1.46pm BST

England have scored five goals in a World Cup game for the first time in their history - and it’s not even half time! Kane gets his fourth of the tournament with an identical penalty to the first, hit brutally into the left side of the net. He is now the joint top scorer in the tournament.

1.45pm BST

44 min Escobar is booked for dissent. This is mayhem.

1.44pm BST

43 min Finally a bit of wrestling at a corner is punished. Goday was dragging Kane all over the area, a preposterous piece of defending, and the referee gave a penalty.

1.43pm BST

42 min Another long-range curler from Lingard is blocked on the edge of the area. If England win 6-0 or better they will go above Belgium. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, because the group winners are likely to go into a much tougher half of the draw.

The alternative view is that it doesn’t matter whether it’s 4-0, 6-0 or 10-0, BECAUSE IT’S ONLY BLOODY WELL COMING HOME!

1.42pm BST

41 min There was a long VAR check, possibly for offside against Sterling, but the goal stands.

1.41pm BST

It’s yet another goal from a set-piece. It was a lovely training-ground routine: Trippier played it short to Henderson, who clipped it first time beyind the far post. Kane headed it back across the face of goal to Sterling, whose close-range header was superbly saved by Penedo. It rebounded to Stones, who headed gleefully into the roof of the net,

1.40pm BST

England are running riot!

1.39pm BST

38 min This scoreline equals England’s biggest win at the World Cup, a record they will break before the final whistle.

1.37pm BST

Lingard shuffled infield from the left and played a short pass to Sterling on the edge of the area. He played a nice return ball that allowed Lingard, who never stops moving, to run onto the ball and curl a majestic shot into the far top corner from 20 yards.

1.37pm BST

This is a gorgeous goal from the best player on the pitch.

1.33pm BST

33 min GO ON ‘ARRY.

1.32pm BST

31 min Sterling pleads with the referee for a bit of humanity after yet another foul. Trippier drives the resulting free-kick beyond the far post towards Maguire, who heads onto the roof of the net. It was a decent chance but he couldn’t quite get around the ball to head it back across the face.

1.30pm BST

30 min “I am worried for the safety of the England players,” says JR in Illinois. “Panama are next level dirty, cheating butchers. At least one of them is certainly going but an England player might retaliate and go too. “Even right there on a nothing play in the 25th minute Murillo jacked Lingard in the back of the head after the ball was already out of play. Jeez.”

1.30pm BST

29 min A long spell of possession for Panama, who suddenly quicken things up on the edge of the area. It’s moved across to Rodriguez in space on the left, but his sprays a poor cross out for a goalkick.

1.27pm BST

27 min England haven’t been as impressive as in the first half hour against Tunisia, though much of it is down to the fact it has been so stop-start. And they are 2-0 up, so there is very little to moan about.

1.27pm BST

26 min Apparently Loftus-Cheek was booked during one of the melees either side of the Kane penalty.

1.25pm BST

25 min Lingard isn’t the greatest player technically but his movement is world-class. It led to the second goal, and he has been England’s most prominent attacker so far.

1.24pm BST

24 min “Did you see that?” says Matt Dony. “He must have a foot like a traction engine.”

1.23pm BST

23 min Panama’s heads have gone. They tried to pick a fight on the edge of the area before the penalty was taken, then surrounded the referee after it. I’ll be very surprised if they don’t have at least one player sent off.

1.22pm BST

Harry Kane has done absolutely nothing in this tournament - apart from score three goals. This is a brilliant penalty, belaboured into the top left corner at the speed of light.

1.20pm BST

20 min Lingard makes a lovely run through on goal and is pushed over from behind by Escobar. It’s a fair decision; it was a really clumsy challenge from Escobar.

1.18pm BST

18 min There was actually a sly foul by Young in the build-up to Stones’s goal. He blocked Murillo, who was marking Stones, which meant Stones had a free run at the ball.

1.16pm BST

16 min Barcenas looks Panama’s best player by a distance. He receives the ball 25 yards from goal, moves it onto his left foot and shapes a nice curler that drifts a few yards wide of the far post. Panama are having a bit of joy against the left-sided pair of Young and Maguire, an area that could be a problem for England against better opposition.

1.15pm BST

14 min “Hi from the Bahamas,” says Simon Frank. “I’m stuck on the beach with the wife and kids this morning, thank you for the sympathy. Hoping to leverage this great charity for later in the tournament. But how far are England gonna get?”

The semi-finals – but only if they are smart enough to throw the Belgium game so that they end up in the easier half of the draw.

1.13pm BST

12 min For all their impressive football under Gareth Southgate, England have now scored three goals from corners. I bet Sam Allardyce doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

1.11pm BST

11 min “If you’re wondering why several of the Panama squad have English surnames, it’s likely that their ancestors came from Barbados or Jamaica to work on the Panama Canal,” writes Nick Foster, author of this intriguing book. “They brought the game of cricket with them, and Panama still has a few (now overgrown) cricket pitches. As an England supporter, I’m happy to say that I hardly ever saw anyone play football in Panama.”

1.11pm BST

10 min Cooper is booked for a nasty and absurdly late hack at Lingard.

1.10pm BST

9 min That was a lovely finish from Stones. Had he not scored, England would have had another good shout for a penalty because of Gomez’s manhandling of Maguire.

1.09pm BST

It took an age for the corner to be taken, because Gomez was wrestling Maguire off the ball. Eventually Trippier swung it out towards the penalty area, where the scandalously unmarked Stones arrived late to plant a terrific downward header past Penedo.

1.08pm BST

England have scored another set-piece goal!

1.05pm BST

5 min A good chance for Panama! They won the ball near the halfway line and broke forward at pace. Eventually the ball came to Barcenas, who slid a nice pass across the face of the area to find the unmarked Godoy. He slashes a nervous first-time shot miles wide.

1.04pm BST

5 min “It’s always fascinating listening to the Golden Generation™ talk about their time in the England squad, as Rio and Lampard have been doing during the buildup,” says Matt Loten. “It’s genuinely sad to hear how a squad as talented as any in the world at its peak was undermined by shambolic management, inter-club cliques, and hubris. You could almost hear the disdain dripping from both Ferdinand and Lampard’s words when talking about Sven’s management style and tactics.”

Yes, it’s an interesting subject, and Lampard in particular is excellent. Sometimes I think it’s a bit too easy to blame Sven, Keegan or whoever, though I did feel at the time that Sven was the wrong manager for that particular group of players.

1.04pm BST

4 min Barcenas booms a shot miles over the bar from 30 yards.

1.03pm BST

3 min After being assessed for a good two minutes by the England physio, Lingard looks set to continue.

1.02pm BST

2 min “Is there any point in the rest of us even playing now?” says Shaun Wilkinson. “The future is decided - Germany will scrape out of the group on goal difference after a last-minute deflected goal from Thomas Müller’s knee, win every knock-out game on penalties until they get to the final, and then beat/lose to Portugal in the worst game in the history of all sport. As an Englishman living in Cologne with a Mexican wife, I am definitely not bitter.”

Brazil v Germany in the last 16 is going to be off the scale.

1.02pm BST

1 min A promising early break down the right from Loftus-Cheek, who gets into the box and cuts the ball back sharply to Lingard on the edge of the area. His touch is poor and Panama are able to clear. Moments later, Gomez slams an elbow into Lingard’s face as they jump for a loose ball. Lingard looks pretty groggy.

1.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! England, in white, get the match under way. Panama are in red. It’s boiling.

12.58pm BST

“Mrs Dony is travelling back along the M4, having watched Taylor Swift last night,” begins professional Wales fan Matt Dony. “Master Dony is at his friend’s house, having had a sleepover last night. The upshot is, the world has been my oyster this weekend. I could have done absolutely anything, and so naturally I spent the entirety of yesterday watching football. I love the World Cup! I have to break away from the festivities today to pick them both up, annoyingly, so I’m hoping for a lightning quick start from England, so I don’t miss too much excitement in the second half. I have no emotional attachment to the team, but they’re likeable, very capable, and to be fair, the first half performance against Tunisia was (finishing aside) very impressive. I’m looking forward to it.”

12.56pm BST

The Panama anthem is magnificent, an event in itself. A couple of the players are on the verge of tears.

12.56pm BST

The players emerge from the tunnel. It’s seriously hot out there, in excess of 30 degrees. Gareth Southgate and his players belt out the national anthem, despite the off-putting presence of cameras approximately 0.01 centimetres from their face.

12.44pm BST

Gareth Southgate speaks! “We think we will have the vast majority of the play, which is good in this heat, but we have to move the ball quickly and use width intelligently. The prize for today is to qualify with a game to spare but we have to concentrate on our performance. We need to be patient. We’ve seen the importance of substitutions throughout the tournament and I’m sure there will be changes later in the game.”

12.39pm BST

Pre-match pluggery

Who can get the most song titles into their interviews?

The 1998 England #WorldCup squad was different to any previous group

Check out our new nostalgic long read by Rob Smyth: https://t.co/jLqNpyEREK pic.twitter.com/dVvfNXVA8C

12.33pm BST

“I’m particularly pleased to see Loftus-Cheek’s name on the team sheet as a starter in a World Cup match given that he has had to take some hard knocks over his short career, including rejection by Mourinho,” says Michael Cosgrove. “But really came into his own when he moved to Selhurst Park, where has made all kinds of progress. The lad fully deserves this chance and I hope he goes on to have an excellent World Cup.”

He has so much going for him, though I’m not sure he has yet realised his potential in more ways than one.

12.33pm BST

In the Grub World Cup, this match is Tamal de Olla versus Beans on Toast. What are you eating?

12.28pm BST

Want to know more about Panama? If only somebody had lovingly prepared a bite-size guide to to every single player at the World Cup.

12.24pm BST

A bit more reading Here’s Thomas Hitzlsperger on the potential impact on Toni Kroos’s glorious winner against Sweden last night.

12.22pm BST

Gareth Southgate has encouraged his team to make their own history, and if they start well today they could break the record for England’s biggest win at a World Cup. The current record is 3-0, against Poland and Paraguay in 1986 and Denmark in 2002.

12.21pm BST

This, like everything else Paul Doyle writes, is very good

12.15pm BST

An email!

“Methinks that Trent Alexander-Arnold should start instead of Trippier who didn’t exactly impress against Tunisia,” says Mike Mackenzie. “TAA has excelled against much tougher teams and individuals than Panama offers.”

12.11pm BST

Pre-match reading galore

12.10pm BST

If you’re in London and have no friends, this could be for you. But seriously folks, this looks like a blissful way to experience the World Cup. I wish they’d open a pop-up shop in Orkney.

England v Panama live at the BOX - 4-6 Ram place, London E9 6LT

There's still space for walk-ins for all today's games so come down and you can also enjoy 20% off all items (in store only) pic.twitter.com/nDopWuy4VU

11.55am BST

Raheem Sterling starts for England, which makes the non-story of Steve Holland’s notes look even more desperate. The only change from the 2-1 win over Tunisia is Rufus Creek for the injured Dele Alli. Panama are unchanged from the team that was plugged 3-0 by Belgium.

England (3-3-2-1-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Henderson, Young; Loftus-Cheek, Lingard; Sterling; Kane.

9.05am BST

England have never really enjoyed the group stages of a major tournament. Even when they qualify for the knockout stages, it’s often a torment that involves them hanging on for dear life in the final group game against a team ranked 478th in the world. It’s no fun for anyone - least of all poor old Nana, trembling her way through the dying minutes with four lit Marlboros in one hand and a pint of Valium Substitute in the other. And she doesn’t even like football.

Gareth Southgate’s team have the chance to do things differently today, and spare Nana’s arteries. If they beat Panama, they will qualify for the second round with a game to spare. England have only ever done that twice at a World Cup or European Championship, in 1982 and 2006.

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Published on June 24, 2018 09:07

June 22, 2018

Football transfer rumours: Ronaldo to Manchester United? Again?

Today’s gossip ain’t ’fraid of no GOATs

Having proved beyond sane dispute that he is the GOHG, Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly heading back to where it all started. No, not his mother’s womb; we mean Old Trafford!

Reports suggest Ronaldo is thinking more and more about a move to Manchester United, where he would fulfil a lifelong ambition to play alongside Ashley Young.

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Published on June 22, 2018 00:44

June 21, 2018

When Costa Rica lowered the colours of Brazil and then some

Just over 58 years ago in San José the home side got the better of the World Cup holders, still the only time they have avoided defeat in 10 meetings

The Panamerican Championship is one of those international tournaments that time forgot. It ran every four years from 1952-60, with emerging teams from North America joining the big hitters from the South. And though the competition is unlikely to be a Mastermind specialist subject any time soon, it had its moments. In 1952 Uruguay and Brazil met for the first time since the immortal Maracanazo of 1950, when Alcides Ghiggia’s late goal stole the World Cup from the host, Brazil. A virile rematch ended 4-2 to Brazil in goals and 1-1 on sendings off.

Eight years later Brazil were the subject of one of international football’s more incongruous scorelines when they lost 3-0 to the host, Costa Rica. The result stood out then; it stands out even more now. Costa Rica’s record against Brazil going into Friday’s match in St Petersburg is dismal: P10 W1 L9. That includes two World Cup defeats, 1-0 in a low-key game at Italia 90 and 5-2 in a wildly open match 12 years later, and assorted pastings elsewhere.

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Published on June 21, 2018 09:20

June 20, 2018

England thrash South Africa by 121 runs: women's T20 international – as it happened

A coruscating 116 from Tammy Beaumont inspired England to a record-breaking victory over South Africa at Taunton.

8.24pm BST

20th over: South Africa 129-6 (Luus 3, Ismail 1) England complete an almost perfect match, in which they broke two significant records: the highest total in IT20 cricket history and now the highest winning margin by runs. Tammy Beaumont’s coruscating 116 was the highlight but there were so many brilliant performances, including a ridiculous spell of three overs for two runs from Anya Shrubsole at the start of the innings. Thanks for your company, goodnight.

8.22pm BST

Another one for Dani Hazell, with Lackay swinging straight to midwicket. Two balls remaining.

8.20pm BST

19th over: South Africa 124-5 (Lackay 2, Luus 1) England made a record score when they batted and now they are on course for a record victory. South Africa need 11 runs from the final over to deny them.

8.18pm BST

Anya Shrubsole ends van Niekerk’s innings with a spectacular swooping catch at mid-off! Van Niekerk made a fine 72 from 51 balls, and probably thought she was moving to 76 when she slapped Katherine Brunt towards mid-off. Shrubsole had other ideas.

8.16pm BST

18th over: South Africa 123-4 (van Niekerk 72, Lackay 2) England’s T20 form has been up and down in recent times but this emphatic victory is a fine way to start the tournament. On this evidence they will surely be facing New Zealand in the final.

8.14pm BST

17th over: South Africa 115-4 (van Niekerk 65, Lackay 0) Jones hurts her back while saving six with brilliant piece of fielding on the square-leg boundary. She’s okay to continue. Gunn’s over – which includes a 37mph over – with consecutive slog-swept sixes from van Niekerk. She has played heroically in the face of certain defeat.

8.10pm BST

16th over: South Africa 101-4 (van Niekerk 52, Lackay 0)

8.09pm BST

Mignon du Preez falls, driving Ecclestone straight to mid-off. England could still pull of a record victory - they need to restrict South Africa to fewer than 135.

8.07pm BST

15th over: South Africa 98-3 (van Niekerk 50, du Preez 24) Dane van Niekerk works Anya Shrubsole for a single to reach a really impressive half-century. It’s strange to praise a captain’s innings when her team are getting stuffed, but she has set an admirable example. Shrubsole ends with the startling figures of 4-2-8-0.

8.03pm BST

14th over: South Africa 92-3 (van Niekerk 46, du Preez 22) Knight saves four with a fine diving stop at mid-off. Both teams are still scrapping as if the match is in the balance, which depending on your perspective is either impressive or slightly weird. I’ll go with the former.

7.59pm BST

13th over: South Africa 85-3 (van Niekerk 41, du Preez 21) South Africa continue to go down fighting. Van Niekerk wallops Ecclestone over midwicket for four

7.56pm BST

12th over: South Africa 77-3 (van Niekerk 35, du Preez 20) Jenny Gunn almost takes an astonishing catch! Van Niekerk blasted Hazell down the ground, where Gunn stretched to take a spectacular one-handed catch on the run. She knew her momentum was going to take her over the rope so she threw the ball up in the air, jumped off and then back onto the field of the play – only to drop a simple chance as the ball dropped into her hands.

7.51pm BST

11th over: South Africa 67-3 (van Niekerk 26, du Preez 19) England are next up for the double-header, with games against South Africa and New Zealand at Taunton on Saturday. The cricket balls in that second game are going to take one hell of a beating.

7.48pm BST

10th over: South Africa 61-3 (van Niekerk 25, du Preez 14) This is an admirable, defiant innings from the captain van Niekerk. Her team have had a miserable day but she is still batting with a lot of pride. She gets another boundary in that over, reverse sweeping Hazell nicely for four.

7.45pm BST

9th over: South Africa 54-3 (van Niekerk 20, du Preez 12) Van Niekerk swipes Nat Sciver for a huge six over midwicket to bring up the fifty. Sciver’s first over goes for 17 – and if South Africa can keep that rate up for last 11 overs… they’ll still lose the game.

7.41pm BST

8th over: South Africa 37-3 (van Niekerk 9, du Preez 6) The clever left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone comes into the attack and is swept firmly for four by Mignon du Preez. Van Niekerk makes it two boundaries in the over with a brusque slap through extra cover.

7.38pm BST

7th over: South Africa 28-3 (van Niekerk 5, du Preez 1) It’s been a day of record-breaking, and England are closing in on another big one: the largest margin of victory (by runs) in an IT20 match is 115 runs.

7.35pm BST

Sophie Ecclestone makes up for her dropped catch with a terrific run out from mid-off. Brits played tip and run and was well short when Ecclestone’s throw broke the stumps.

7.34pm BST

6th over: South Africa 26-2 (Brits 1, van Niekerk 4) The South African captain van Niekerk, who is not exactly a personification of joie de vivre right now, clouts Brunt down the ground for four. Those are the only runs from the over, and this match is over.

7.30pm BST

5th over: South Africa 22-2 (Brits 1, van Niekerk 0) Shrubsole continues to swing the ball sharply back into the right-handed batters. All Brits can really do is survive, and Shrubsole’s figures are now 3-2-2-0. In the context of the day - 638 runs in 65 overs - they are astonishing.

7.27pm BST

4th over: South Africa 22-2 (Brits 1, van Niekerk 0) South Africa need 229 from 16 overs at a required rate oh what’s the point.

7.26pm BST

Dani Hazell strikes! Lizelle Lee smacked her for two fours and a six but Hazell had the last word with a quicker ball that beat Lee’s attempted sweep and trapped her plumb LBW.

7.23pm BST

3rd over: South Africa 8-1 (Lee 5, Brits 1) Brits chips Shrubsole towards cover, where Ecclestone puts down another simple chance. It’s unlikely to cost them the game, but England will still be annoyed at dropping two sitters like that.

7.19pm BST

2nd over: South Africa 6-1 (Lee 4, Brits 0) Lee gets the first boundary, whapping Brunt round the corner for four.

7.18pm BST

Laura Wolvaardt chips Katherine Brunt’s second ball high towards mid-on, where Jenny Gunn drops a simple running catch. She gets an almost identical opportunity two balls later, and this time she takes it. This could get

messy
even messier for South Africa.

7.15pm BST

1st over: South Africa 0-0 (Lee 0, Wolvaardt 0) As if a target of 251 wasn’t hard enough for South Africa, Anya Shrubsole is getting some prodigious inswing. It’s as much as Lizelle Lee can do to survive, and the first over of the innings is the most unlikely maiden.

7.06pm BST

Tammy Beaumont speaks! “I had a bit of a minute yesterday with our batting coach with our assistant coach Ali Maiden saying I don’t start quickly enough in T20 cricket, so to get my first hundred is pretty pleasing! It’s always nice to start with Dani Wyatt; she starts so quickly that I can play myself in for a bit. We get on really well. It’s an incredible wicket here and I feel a bit sorry for the South African girls having to bowl twice in one day, but we all have that at some stage in this Tri-Series. The standard of women’s cricket is going through the roof.”

7.03pm BST

20th over: England 250-3 (Brunt 42, Knight 1) Heather Knight gets a single off the last ball of the innings to take England to the landmark score of 250. TWO HUNDRED AND BLOODY FIFTY! Poor South Africa have gone for 466 in 40 overs today, and you would expect England to cruise to victory. Dani Wyatt (56 from 36), Nat Sciver (33 from 15) and Katherine Brunt (42* from 16) all batted superbly, but Tammy Beaumont was again the star with a joyous 116 from 52 balls.

7.01pm BST

Sciver goes to the penultimate ball of the innings. It was a unique dismissal - she stepped across to the off side and dragged a leg stump delivery back onto the stumps, before hitting her own wicket to make sure. She played a lovely cameo of 33 from 15 balls.

6.57pm BST

19th over: England 240-2 (Sciver 27, Brunt 39) Sciver lifts Klaas sweetly over extra cover for four, one of the classiest shots of the innings, and ends the over with a mighty slog sweep for six. This is staggering stuff.

6.53pm BST

18th over: England 224-2 (Sciver 14, Brunt 37) A full toss from Lackay is muscled over long on for six by Brunt, which brings up England’s highest IT20 score. The record by any country is the 216 for one made by New Zealand earlier today – and England have demolished it with 14 balls to spare! I haven’t a clue what’s going off out there. Brunt smashes two more sixes, and would have had a third but for a great bit of fielding from Brits. Twenty five from the over!

6.48pm BST

17th over: England 199-2 (Sciver 14, Brunt 12) Brunt hits two boundaries off van Niekerk, both with the aid of misfields. South Africa have had a day of almost unprecedented misery: in 37 overs they’ve conceded 415 runs.

6.45pm BST

16th over: England 188-2 (Sciver 13, Brunt 2) The new batter Katherine Brunt slaps a high full toss to mid-off, where Klaas puts down a tricky running chance.

6.44pm BST

Beaumont pulls Lackay for four, dissecting the two boundary fielders perfectly. Her placement has been immaculate, and her timing has been vaguely adequate too: she walks down the track to belt the next ball over midwicket for six. But she’s gone now! She toe-ends a moon ball straight back to Lackay, who takes a simple catch.

Beaumont is congratulated by the South African players and walks off with a huge smile. That was an astonishing innings: 116 from 52 balls with 18 fours and four sixes. She scored 108 from her last 40 balls.

6.41pm BST

15th over: England 175-1 (Beaumont 106, Sciver 12) If Beaumont bats 20 overs she will obliterate the record for the highest score in an IT20 match, Meg Lanning’s 126 against Ireland in 2014. One of the best things about watching Beaumont is the sheer sense of fun; she reminds us what the word ‘sport’ used to mean. At the other end, Sciver gets moving with consecutive edges for four.

“Re the need to do something to help bowlers (12th over), how about Duke and Kookaburra producing pre-scuffed balls?” says Smylers. “Bowling improves when the ball’s surface is altered, but it’s against the rules for players to perform significant alterations while playing — so why not simply issue them with balls that are good for bowling with? Each new ball comes with one shiny side and one rough one.”

6.37pm BST

14th over: England 159-1 (Beaumont 101, Sciver 1) Nat Sciver is promoted up the order to No3. Beaumont, meanwhile, moves to 97 with a mighty six over wide long-on that almost cleans up the Sky Sports commentary team in their little pod beside the boundary. A precise sweep for four brings up a stunning century, her third in consecutive innings for England. It’s taken only 47 balls, the second fastest in IT20 history. I’m not sure it’s possible to bat much better than she has today.

6.33pm BST

Glory be, a wicket! Wyatt slog sweeps Lackay towards cow corner, where Ismail takes a calm catch. Wyatt played beautifully to make 56 from 36 balls.

6.32pm BST

13th over: England 147-0 (Wyatt 56, Beaumont 90) Beaumont dumps a full toss from van Niekerk for six before being dropped at long-on by Luus, though that’s a harsh description for what was essentially a brilliant bit of fielding. Luus took a stunning one-handed catch but had to release the ball because she was about to fall over the rope. She did, at least, save the six.

6.28pm BST

12th over: England 136-0 (Wyatt 55, Beaumont 80) Stacy Lackay is the latest to draw the short straw, and Wyatt works a single to bring up her fifty from 31 balls. She’s been overshadowed by Beaumont but it’s been a cracking innings. She’s been particularly good through and over extra cover, a point that is reinforced with another storming hit over the top for four. England need 81 from the last eight overs for the world record.

“Forgive me if I’m being stupid,” says Greg John, “but with all this talk of cricket being overbalanced in favour of bat over ball, shouldn’t we just get rid of fielding restrictions?”

Eng batting astonishing yesterday against naive bowling. Bowlers need help though : ditch the dreadful Kookaburra, use a single Duke and encourage reverse swing .

6.24pm BST

11th over: England 127-0 (Wyatt 47, Beaumont 80) Beaumont completes her wagon wheel by ramping Klaas for four, and follows up with a slog-sweep to the boundary next ball. I can’t keep up with this. Beaumont has scored 71 from her last 24 deliveries! Even a mishit reverse ramp into her own grille can’t wipe that familiar smile from her face.

6.20pm BST

10th over: England 116-0 (Wyatt 45, Beaumont 71) The legspinner Sune Luus comes into the attack, and England set about hitting her out of the attack. Wyatt makes room to blitz the second ball over extra cover for four and then Beaumont clouts a full toss back over the bowler’s head for four. That’s the 22nd four of this innings – and Beaumont ends the over with the first six, the sweetest of straight hits from a flighted legbreak. Is this even cricket we’re watching anymore? I don’t know what it is but I love it.

6.15pm BST

9th over: England 100-0 (Wyatt 40, Beaumont 60) Beaumont charges van Niekerk and lifts another jaunty boundary down the ground. A single brings up the century partnership from an absurd 8.5 overs.

“Evening Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “I know yesterday was all sorts of ridiculous, (and part of me wishes I could’ve moved to Australia for 24 hours for the fun) but our women’s team is just as impressive, and destructive. We’ve got a pairing that’ll make Roy and YJB sit up from their isotonic drinks here.”

6.11pm BST

8th over: England 92-0 (Wyatt 38, Beaumont 54) The young offspinner Raisibi Ntozakhe assumes the position. Beaumont skids back in her crease to pull heartily for four. The IT20 record of 216 for one, posted by New Zealand earlier today, will be under threat if these two carry on much longer. A beautiful shot from Beaumont, clipped wristily through midwicket on the run, takes her to 49, and a single brings up a majestic fifty from 27 balls – the fastest by an England player in IT20s, for the next few minutes at least.

6.07pm BST

7th over: England 78-0 (Wyatt 37, Beaumont 41) The captain Dane van Niekerk comes on to bowl some spin. After a boundary drought of four deliveries, Wyatt clouts a slog sweep to cow corner. Nine from the over. Wyatt has 37 from 19 balls, Beaumont 41 from 23. They complement each other beautifully.

6.04pm BST

6th over: England 69-0 (Wyatt 31, Beaumont 38) Wyatt blasts Ismail high towards long on, where Klaas misjudges what would have been a very difficult catch even if she’d been able to lay hands on it. Which she didn’t. Beaumont then hits three consecutive boundaries, which makes it seven fours from her last eight deliveries!

If you include the New Zealand game earlier today, South Africa have conceded 285 for one in 26 overs. Asking them to bowl to the New Zealand and England batting line-ups on a Taunton belter on the same day is surely a human rights violation.

5.58pm BST

5th over: England 53-0 (Wyatt 28, Beaumont 25) Masabata Klaas comes into the attack, although with the way this innings is going it should probably be called the defence. Beaumont charges down the track, turning an attempted yorker into a low full toss and dumping it whence it came for four. She stays in her crease next ball but the result is the same, a perky clump down the ground for four. A sizzling slog-sweep and a clip through midwicket makes it four consecutive boundaries – and a fifty partnership in 4.5 overs. This is blistering stuff.

5.54pm BST

4th over: England 37-0 (Wyatt 28, Beaumont 9) Wyatt rides a short ball from Ismail, uppercutting for four with both feet off the ground, and drags another boundary just over the head of mid-on. She has 28 from 13 balls and is largely responsible for a terrific start by England.

5.50pm BST

Anyone out there? Eh?

5.50pm BST

3rd over: England 27-0 (Wyatt 19, Beaumont 8) Wyatt hits Kapp’s first two balls for four, with an uppercut followed by an emphatic thump between extra cover and mid-off. She dances down the track two balls later to ping another boundary through extra cover. Wyatt is off to her usual flyer: 19 not out from eight balls.

5.46pm BST

2nd over: England 14-0 (Wyatt 6, Beaumont 8) The brilliant Shabnim Ismail will share the new ball. The first ball pops from a length and is steered deftly through the vacant slip area for four by Beaumont, who comes into this match after back-to-back ODI centuries. A slightly unbecoming hack to leg brings two more, and then she survives a huge LBW appeal after playing around sharp inducker. That looked really close, though replays showed it was bouncing over leg stump. Six from an excellent Ismail over.

5.42pm BST

1st over: England 8-0 (Wyatt 6, Beaumont 2) Peep peep! Marizanne Kapp bowls the first over. England are opening with Dani Wyatt, who is so dangerous in this format and has blasted two centuries in the last six games IT20s. She gets going with a push into the covers that sneaks through for four. A few quick singles complete a good start for England.

5.26pm BST

England Beaumont, Wyatt, Jones, Taylor (wk), Sciver, Knight (c), Brunt, Gunn, Shrubsole, Hazell, Ecclestone.

South Africa Lee (wk), Wolvaardt, Brits, van Niekerk (c), du Preez, Lackay, Luus, Kapp, Ismail, Klass, Ntozakhe.

5.18pm BST

#ShowUp for England Women!@ejrainfordbrent & @MarkButcher72 look ahead to Saturday's Vitality IT20 Tri-Series double-header & explain how you can get involved! @WomenSportTrust https://t.co/ORnXlDsUaK

Series begins now on Sky Sports Cricket with SAvNZ, then EngvSA from 5.30pm pic.twitter.com/zLGC5nB4Ex

1.02pm BST

When you win a World Cup, it gives you a serious taste for more. I say this confidently even though I’ve never won a World Cup - not even on Brian Lara Cricket ’96, with a cheat code that allowed me All-Time World XI of Bradman, Sobers et al to face the UAE in every round. But everybody knows that glory is addictive; and in November, England will hope to complete their domination of the white-ball world by winning the World T20 in the Caribbean.

The build-up to that tournament starts with this Vitality IT20 Tri-Series involving New Zealand and South Africa. There’s an interesting format, with each team playing a double-header on different days: South Africa at Taunton today, England on the same ground on Saturday, and New Zealand at Bristol a week tomorrow. Each team plays four group games, with the top two going through to the final at Chelmsford.

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Published on June 20, 2018 12:39

June 19, 2018

Football transfer rumours: Chelsea to sign Robert Lewandowski?

Today’s fluff is playing by the rules

The Mill stops for nothing: not Christmas, not the World Cup, not even our beloved Nana Mill’s 100th birthday. Oh eff that was yesterday, wasn’t it? She’s going to have a seriously affronted coupon when we explain that we missed her party because we were busy probing snouts about where Marouane Fellaini might be playing next season.

Anyway, to business. A number of players – 736, to be precise – may have been effectively banned from arranging transfers during the World Cup, but that doesn’t stop us

making up stories about what they might do after
talking about all the other players in the world!

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Published on June 19, 2018 00:44

June 18, 2018

Sweden 1-0 South Korea: World Cup 2018 – as it happened

Andreas Granqvist’s VAR-assisted penalty gave Sweden a deserved win in a largely forgettable game

World Cup 2018: Tunisia v England – live!

3.43pm BST

3.36pm BST

Enough of our old friend VAR Pending: another old warhorse, Jonathan Wilson, has filed his match report from Sweden 1-0 South Korea. I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company today. Enjoy the match tonight, and be sure to drink irresponsibly. It’s the World Cup!

3.33pm BST

“Hello Rob,” writes my Nessun Dorma chum Lee Calvert. “As someone who watches quite a lot of rugby and covers it a fair bit one thing to say is that video refs do not in any way take controversy out of decisions. Rugby is a good decade into the use of the tech and honestly, it feels like it’s getting worse in some areas.

“Some decisions it works perfectly fine with: line decisions, groundings (for the most part) and it’s right to use it there as it avoids the ridiculous situation where everyone but the ref can see the obvious correct decision. However, as soon as you bring it into use on decisions of subjective interpretation laws as they apply to a dynamic incident, it becomes in many ways even more of a shitstorm as the extra time and resources available to the officials mean there is even less tolerance for the frailty of human interpretation.

3.24pm BST

A gentle reminder No, not that your tax return is overdue. But that Barry Glendenning is waiting to furnish you with details of Belgium v Panama.

3.18pm BST

Wallchart latest Sweden’s win means Germany probably have no margin for error in their last two games. If they draw against Sweden in their next match, their fate will be out of their hands going into the final match against Korea.

3.13pm BST

The biggest problem with VAR in its current form, aside from the inconsistent application, is that there is too much pressure to objectify the subjective. Today was an example of it working well, a clear and obvious error, but most games have had at least one VAR controversy. Technology was supposed to make thing blacker and whiter, not even greyer.

The concept is fine, but it isn’t ready for a tournament of this significance. Wait until the games really matter; it’ll be mayhem.

3.04pm BST

“VAR PENDING!” says Christoph Blau. “I can’t be the only person who thought that the Sweden had taken the lead through (veteran fictional Brondby striker, by the sounds of it) Var Pending when they read that, surely?”

I now want/need to hear Peter Drury commentate on a Var Pending hat-trick.

3.03pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Pete Tomlin. “I am sorry but you are completely wrong about VAR. The introduction at this World Cup has been a resounding success & can only make things fairer. So far the one & only disputable incident was the penalty given to France but even then I could understand why it was given. It is ensuring teams get their just rewards & it is helping to riddle out the cheats. If only we had VAR in 1986! We could have won that World Cup. Games have not been stopped with referees waiting for a break in play. There is no way that the use of VAR is detrimental in any way.”

There’s no need to be sorry, Pete. One thing on 1986, though: had VAR existed, Terry Fenwick would have been sent off about five times before Maradona’s debatable goal.

2.58pm BST

Don’t forget to leave your player ratings for today’s game

My Man of the Match, since you asked, was probably Pontus Jansson.

2.55pm BST

Next up is Belgium v Panama, the first match in England’s group. Barry Glendenning has assumed the position for that one.

2.54pm BST

As I’ve been so critical of VAR in its current form, it’s only fair to let the great Sean Ingle present the alternative view.

2.53pm BST

Sweden join Mexico at the top of the table, while Korea join Germany at the bottom. I would humbly suggest this is now effectively a three-team group, and you can insert your own Germany joke here.

2.53pm BST

Sweden fully deserved to win a forgettable game. The goal came from a VAR penalty, finished calmly by Andres Granqvist. There are going to be a helluva lot of penalties iun this tournament.

2.51pm BST

Peep peep!

2.51pm BST

90+4 min Son plays it short, gets it back and drives a cross into the area. Korea appeal for handball after a bit of pinball, but the referee ignores them. It did hit the arm of Thelin, though there wasn’t much he could do to avoid Granqvist’s attempted clearance.

2.50pm BST

90+3 min Svensson, unaware of what’s behind him, gives away a needless corner...

2.49pm BST

90+2 min: Hwang misses a great chance! That came out of nothing, from a deep left-wing cross. It was headed dangerously back across goal by Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang planted a header wide from 10 yards. That was an excellent opportunity. I put the farm on a 1-1 draw you eejit!

2.47pm BST

90+1 min There will be four minutes of added time.

2.47pm BST

90 min Sweden have declared at 1-0. They’ve barely bothered to attack in the last 10 minutes. There’s always a degree of risk in such tactics but they do look very comfortable defensively.

2.46pm BST

88 min Lee Yong breaks down the right, looks up and sees two Koreans and six Swedes in the box. They’re 1-0 down with two minutes to go!

2.44pm BST

86 min Korea continue to jab away at Sweden, but the punches aren’t registering. They look a pretty poor side.

2.42pm BST

84 min “Hi Rob,” says Mike Crockett. “There’s a truth about VAR that you can’t get away from - you could have an infinite number of video referees looking at an infinite number of television replays and it will always be a subjective interpretation at the end of the process. In contact sports, even slow motion replays can make a good challenge look like an intentional foul , and conversely, an intentional foul look like a great defensive tackle. Like everything else, it will either reach a tipping point where it’s generally viewed as good for the game, or it will be quietly (or not so quietly) dropped. Does anyone remember kick-ins instead of throw-ins?”

Yes, this is a much smaller problem in cricket, where DRS (the VAR equivalent) works pretty well. I suspect they’ll eventually find a method that makes it fit for purpose in football but there’s no guarantee. What they should done is put their toy back in the box and trial it as often as possible with a view to using it in 2022 or 2026. But it’s all politics and nonsense, really; nobody cares about the football.

2.39pm BST

82 min Sweden, who have such an excellent defensive record, are holding on their 1-0 lead very comfortably.

2.38pm BST

80 min Sweden make their final change: Gustav Svensson replaces the limping Seb Larsson.

2.37pm BST

78 min “What procedural errors?” says Jamie O’Halleron. “It should only be used when the referee is unsure of a decision, which has been the case. It was never going to eliminate every incorrect or missed decision nor should it.”

It’s got nothing to do with the referee – it’s the VAR official who decides whether it should be checked by the on-field referee, isn’t it? There have been decisions that should have been reviewed but were not in almost every game. If you want cock-ups, humans can produce those just fine without help from technology.

2.34pm BST

77 min Another Sweden change: Thelin for Toivonen, Isaac for Ola.

2.32pm BST

76 min “It looks more and more like Spygate is going to be THE big story of this World Cup,” says Pete Salmon. “I had South Korea down to win 3-0 here, but obviously Sweden have used their inside information to completely nullify the attacking potency of Hwang Hee-chan, Kim Shin-wook and Son Heung-min. Hugely disappointing for all of us who thought football was finally clean.”

2.31pm BST

75 min South Korea haven’t really threatened to score in this match. Son has had a few good runs down the flanks but that’s about it.

2.31pm BST

74 min “The 68th-minute entry: it’s ALAN Park not Alex Park,” writes Ji-Sung Park. “You’re a shambles. I want a review!!!”

Haha, I’ve had a rare old shocker there.

2.30pm BST

73 min Korea’s final change: Koo Ja-cheol is replaced by Lee Seung-woo, once of Barcelona.

2.29pm BST

71 min Sweden make their first change: Ekdal is replaced by Hiljemaak, and no I don’t know their first names off the top of my head.

Albin and Oscar, there you go.

2.27pm BST

70 min South Korea’s heads have been all over the place since the goal, with Sweden really threatening to make it 2-0.

2.26pm BST

68 min “In what way has VAR been a shambles?” says Alex Park. “Decisions are always going to be subjective but it’s been quick and effective. Shambles is harsh.”

There have been procedural errors in almost every game, which I think constitutes a shambles. I’m not against it per se – it works pretty well in cricket – but it simply isn’t ready for the World Cup. The procedural errors confirm that. Wait until the games really matter. Somebody will punch a referee, or a TV screen.

2.24pm BST

66 min Korea make their second change: Jung Woo-young replaces Kim Shin-wook.

2.22pm BST

Granqvist, the big, bearded centre-back, scores coolly from the spot.

2.21pm BST

64 min I think that’s the correct decision. VAR has been a mess but it worked there: it was a clear and obvious error. Claesson just nicked the ball away from Kim Min-woo, who was committed to his attempted clearance and sent Claesson flying.

2.21pm BST

It was a desperate tackle by the substitute Kim Min-woo on Claesson - and a penalty has been given!

2.20pm BST

Sweden demand a penalty after a tackle on Claesson. Their manager is almost on the pitch! It’s not given but the referee is going to look at it on the TV screen.

2.18pm BST

61 min Claesson is booked for a lunge at Hwang.

2.17pm BST

59 min This is threatening to become an exciting game. Hwang robs Granqvist, who was trying to see the ball out for a corner, and moves into the box from the right. He tries to slide the ball across the six-yard box and Jansson makes a vital interception at the near post.

2.15pm BST

57 min “Some of the missing Swedish fans are stranded in the Arlanda airport,” says Joao Caetano.

2.14pm BST

56 min The free-kick leads another Sweden chance. Larsson’s dangerous inswinging cross is headed towards goal by Toivonen at the near post, and Cho Hyun-woo gets down smartly to shovel it away. Cho, a bit of a surprise choice, has had a fine game.

2.13pm BST

56 min Replays show that Hwang kicked Augustinsson in the back while he was lying on the floor. Some referees would have sent him off for that, though I do think he was trying to get to the ball. He just did it very stupidly.

2.12pm BST

55 min Hwang Hee-chan is booked for a brainless foul on Augustinsson.

2.12pm BST

54 min This is a good spell for South Korea, perhaps their best of the match.

2.09pm BST

52 min Now Koo-Ja cheol almost stamps on Sweden, flashing a header into the side netting at the near post from Kim Min-woo’s sharp cross. That was a good effort.

2.09pm BST

51 min Larsson stamps on the back of Koo Ja-cheol’s leg. I suspect it was accidental, though can never be sure with these things. It isn’t referred to VAR.

2.08pm BST

50 min There will come a time, probably in the year 2034, when we’ll be nostalgic about this game. Let the record that show nostalgia will be unmerited

2.07pm BST

49 min Another chance for Sweden. Claesson breaks beyond the defence in the inside-right channel and cuts the ball back to Forsberg, 20 yards from goal. He moves the ball purposefully onto his right foot – and then whips a curler miles over the bar.

2.05pm BST

48 min Nothing to report thus far in the second half.

2.02pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Sweden begin the second half of this probably-must-win match.

2.00pm BST

“Is it me,” says Clive Hollingshead, “or have many supporters of both countries dressed up as blue seats?”

I wouldn’t spread rumours like that if I were you. Every game has been a sellout.

1.50pm BST

Half-time quiz (and a bit of reading)

1.47pm BST

Peep peep! Sweden had the better chances in an underwhelming 45 minutes. See you soon for the second half!

1.47pm BST

45+2 min Another chance for Sweden. The ball was worked neatly across the field to Lustig, who curled a fine cross into the area. Claesson got between two defenders but mistimed his header onto the head of Jang Hyun-soo and over the bar. On reflection, I’m not sure he did mistime the header - I think it was just a superb piece of defending.

1.46pm BST

45 min “Not wanting to be a naysayer and all,” says Amod Paranjape. “But have you guys looked at who is going to referee the England game??”

No. Is it Jean-Claude Juncker?

1.44pm BST

44 min A corner breaks to Granqvist, who shoots tamely at Cho Hyun-woo from the edge of the area.

1.43pm BST

43 min Now Sweden appeal for a penalty after a challenge from Ki on Toivonen. Again he got the ball; mind you, so did the Australian defender the other day. Moments before that, Berg mishit a shot across the face of goal from a tight angle. He created the half chance himself with a lovely piece of chest control, but the ball bounced up awkwardly before he was able to take the shot.

1.42pm BST

42 min Korea appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty after a challenge by Augustinsson on Son (try saying that after etc). I’m pretty sure he got something on the ball and there’s no VAR action.

1.40pm BST

41 min This is poor. Sweden have been the better team, but only in the sense that gout is better than gangrene.

1.37pm BST

38 min Lee Jae-sung cuts in from the right and hits a shot that is blocked. Sweden are unhappy because the chance came after an unpunished foul on Forsberg.

1.36pm BST

37 min “Hi Rob,” says David Seare. “Great tackle by the S.Korean defender. But surely it was a pen since the France VAR decision was the same?”

Don’t get me started on that shambles.

1.35pm BST

35 min Son skins the lumbering Granqvist down the right and charges into the box. He tries to cut the ball back to Hwang, but Granqvist wheezes into position to make a good interception at the near post.

1.34pm BST

34 min The scoreline is more down to a lack of quality than a lack of intent. I think both teams accept they probably need to win this.

1.32pm BST

32 min “The problem with Swedish teams is that you can get far by being well organized, hard-working and a good collective, but you don’t (usually) go far in tournaments without some top quality somewhere on the pitch,” says Thomas Krantz. “The Swedish collective consciousness is very good at producing the former, but not the latter.”

1.32pm BST

31 min Granqvist is lucky not to be booked for a sly, cynical foul on the breaking Son Heung-min.

1.32pm BST

30 min “I have to say, Rob, this doesn’t exactly get the juices or romanticism flowing in the way it would’ve done back in the Hiddink years,” says Guy Hornsby. “It feels a long way from 2002, as evidenced by the grey in my beard

and the ennui in my lif
e. I’m sure we’ll get the usual industry and organisation, but not much inspiration. Though surely a result for one team will spice things up for Germany? I’m still getting over someone with a first name of Pontus. I bet RE was a bantz-fest™ when he was a lad.”

2002 was wonderful, wasn’t it. The actual football was mostly muck, I’ll give you that, but I’d sell my soul to relive the whole experience.

1.30pm BST

29 min Another chance for Berg! A deep corner from Larsson bounces off a couple of players and fell nicely for Berg eight yards out. He connected well with a left-footed snapshot but Kim Young-gwon flew across the area to make his second goal-saving tackle of the match.

1.28pm BST

29 min Kim Min-woo replaces Park Joo-ho, who is being helped down the tunnel on a stretcher. It looks like a hamstring or muscle tear.

1.27pm BST

28 min Park Joo-ho lands awkwardly after a header and is in a lot of pain. His game is over.

1.27pm BST

27 min TIf you like it then you shoulda put the farm on it.

1.27pm BST

26 min It’s going to be 0-0 isn’t it.

1.26pm BST

25 min Nothing much is happening.

1.24pm BST

23 min “Rob,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “I’m quite looking forward to a free kick or corner later in this match to see what South Korea’s secret training is all about. I’m hoping it involves a simulation of the chess scene from Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, players lined up in a Z formation to mock Zlatan, and a denunciation of socialism… It’s just going to be a short corner that leads to nothing, now isn’t it?”

1.22pm BST

21 min: Cho Hyun-woo makes a spectacular save from Berg! A loose ball rolled across the box to Berg and his close-range shot was somehow blocked by Cho, who charged across his line and saved with his legs. He then sprang to his feet to punch the loose ball to safety. It was brilliant keeping, though Berg should have given him no chance.

1.19pm BST

20 min After a sluggish start, Sweden are starting to have more of the game.

1.19pm BST

18 min Kim Young-gwon makes a vital challenge. Granqvist rumbled followed from the halfway line like an earthier Beckenbauer and played the ball to Berg on the edge of the area. He backflicked a lovely return ball into the area, where Granqvist was about to shoot before Kim Young-gwon came across to make a superb sliding tackle.

1.17pm BST

17 min “It’s nice to see John Guidetti at a World Cup, given that it looked like for a while he’d be permanently sidelined following a horrible nerve infection,” says Kári Tulinius. “Hopefully he’ll come on because whenever I’ve seen him play he’s looked so happy to be playing. And at his best he’s the dictionary definition of irrepressible.”

An important caveat there, as Manchester United fans would testify. But yes, good luck to the bloke.

1.16pm BST

16 min A lovely long pass finds Son on the left wing, one against one with Jansson. He tries to twist him inside out but Jansson expertly wins the ball back.

1.15pm BST

13 min Sweden’s first half-chance. Claesson on the right plays a decent ball into the box for Berg, whose low pass across the face of goal is kicked clear by Lee Yong.

1.12pm BST

13 min Kim Shin-wook is booked for a lunge at Ekdal. He won the ball but followed through with his studs into Ekdal’s shin.

1.11pm BST

12 min South Korea continue to dominate possession, though neither side has yet threatened to create anything.

1.09pm BST

11 min Brad McMillan is a visionary.

1.08pm BST

10 min This is not great.

1.08pm BST

9 min “Hello,” says Tony Campisi. “Following the MBM from the office in Lafayette Louisiana. 7am here and looking for a South Korea draw today. Being Italian, this WC is quite a relaxing event without my side in it.”

An abstainer is never disappointed, eh.

1.07pm BST

8 min Korea are starting to play some vaguely promising football. They’ve certainly started better than Sweden.

1.04pm BST

6 min “Let’s fire up the infallible World Cup predictor I completed before a ball was kicked,” says Stu Morphet. “I’m pleased to announce that today will be Sweden 2-0 South Korea. Definitely 100 per cent accurate so far. Not four results out of 12 with no correct scores...”

1.04pm BST

5 min Hwang scurries down the right to win a corner for South Korea. It’s curled deep and punched away by Olsen.

1.03pm BST

4 min It’s been a slow start to the game, with precisely nothing of note to report.

1.00pm BST

2 min “I love that New Zealand were the only undefeated team in the 2010 World Cup,” says Brad McMillan. “But, such are my feelings about Sweden in international tournaments, I’m always amazed they haven’t had the same distinction, before or since. Maybe it’s an England-supporter thing, but they just have ‘draw’ written all over them. As such, I agree with your 1-1 prediction, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this is the first 0-0 of the tournament.”

That’s not a bad shout. You can get odds of 15/2 on that score. Put the farm on it!

1.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! South Korea, in white, get the match under way. Sweden are in yellow.

12.55pm BST

The players emerge from the tunnel to the familiar sound of the White Stripes classic ‘Oh Michael van Gerwen’. It’s a lovely sunny day in Nizhny Novgorod.

12.50pm BST

An email! “It strikes me that for a long time Sweden had a fairly ordinary side with some attacking quality that elevated it (Ljunberg, Larsson, Ibra) but I don’t really see that anymore,” says Gerry Scott. “For that reason I think I fancy the South Koreans to just nip it one nil. That said my predictions are usually hopelessly, gloriously wrong.”

I know what you mean – but Swedish sides are very good at knowing their limits, and this team are strong defensively. I think they’re the likelier winners, though I’m going for 1-1 because I’ve bet the farm on it. Yesterday’s result has made it really difficult for either team to qualify.

12.48pm BST

If you want to follow the build up to the England game, we have a live blog running alongside this MBM. Walk out the door, see if I care, go on and go now - but don’t turn around, cause you’re gonna see my heart breaking.

12.46pm BST

Pre-match viewing

12.42pm BST

Any predictions? I have a theory that you should bet a donkey on a 1-1 draw every time a Scandinavian team plays at a major tournament, so Sweden 1-1 South Korea it is.

12.37pm BST

12.26pm BST

And here’s today’s

hilarious
World Cup Fiver, written by my good friend Rob Smyth.

12.24pm BST

Pre-match reading (England v Tunisia, tonight)

12.18pm BST

Victor Lindelof is sick – no, not in that sense - so Pontus Jansson comes into the Sweden side. The South Korea is officially as below, though they could all be wearing different numbers to confuse the Swedes.

Sweden (4-4-2) Olsen; Lustig, Granqvist, Jansson, Augustinsson; Claesson, Larsson, Ekdal, Forsberg; Berg, Toivonen.

12.09pm BST

Pre-match reading (Sweden v South Korea)

1.32pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Sweden v South Korea in Group E. These are two of the more likeable, inoffensive teams at any World Cup – so of course there’s been a spying controversy in the build-up. You can read all about it here.

Right, enough of that, let’s proceed to the football. The common attitude before the first game of a World Cup is to make sure you don’t lose – but this is arguably a must-win game for both teams. Mexico’s win over Germany has disturbed the natural order of the group, and Sweden and South Korea are likely to feel the force of Germany’s reaction to that defeat. With Mexico already on three points and Germany likely to finish on six, even a draw today would leave Sweden and South Korea under a fair bit of pressure.

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Published on June 18, 2018 07:36

It's only bloody well coming home | World Cup Fiver

The Fiver knows the signs all too well. An inability to sit still; a delivery from Amazon of St George Face Paint that we don’t even remember ordering; and an uncontrollable reflex to shout “FOOTBALL’S COMING HOME!” at random people in the street. Yep, the days before England’s first match at a major tournament are the closest The Fiver gets to experiencing that alien concept called happiness.

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Published on June 18, 2018 04:15

June 17, 2018

World Cup 2018: Brazil 1-1 Switzerland – as it happened

Brazil failed to win their opening World Cup match for the first time in 40 years, with Steven Zuber’s controversial header cancelling out Philippe Coutinho’s gorgeous goal

9.07pm BST

Thanks for your company, I’ll leave you with our match report from Rostov-on-Don.

9.05pm BST

Slaven Bilic, the pundit of the World Cup so far, says he can see both sides of the argument over the Switzerland goal.

Mark Pougatch: “You’re sounding very neutral there, Slaven?”

9.02pm BST

Har har, VAR The ITV panel are chatting about the Switzerland equaliser. Gary Neville has highlighted one angle that suggests it was a foul. Interestingly, most of the Brazil players didn’t complain until they saw a replay on the big screen. VAR is, as expected, an utter shambles that is ruining the World Cup.

9.00pm BST

The World Cup has been more open than expected. Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain all failed to win, while France were pretty lucky to beat Australia. On some admittedly limited evidence,

IT’S BLOODY WELL COMING HOME!!!
I’m starting to fancy Spain to win it.

8.58pm BST

Switzerland deserved the draw for a determined, smart and brave performance. Brazil were terrific for a 15-minute period around Philippe Coutinho’s beautiful goal, but they lacked intent for much of the game until a desperate late flurry almost brought a winning goal.

8.55pm BST

Peep peep! For the first time in 40 years, Brazil have failed to win their first game of a World Cup.

8.55pm BST

90+6 min Neymar dummies to shoot and dinks the ball into the area. It’s headed towards Renato Augusto, whose mishit volley is kicked away from inside the six-yard box. It wasn’t going in anyway.

8.53pm BST

90+5 min Neymar beats three players on the left before being fouled by Zakaria. This is Brazil’s last chance. The free-kick is 25 yards from goal, a fair way to the left of centre...

8.52pm BST

90+4 min The excellent Djemaili draws a foul near the halfway line to give Switzerland a bit of respite.

8.50pm BST

90+2 min For the first time in the match, Switzerland really are hanging on.

8.50pm BST

90+1 min There will be five minutes of added time – and Miranda has missed a sitter! A left-wing corner was half cleared to him on the edge of the box, but his flustered shot bobbled a few yards wide.

8.49pm BST

90 min: Good save from Sommer! Neymar’s inswinging free-kick from deep on the left was headed towards goal by the unmarked Firmino, and Sommer plunged to his right to push it away. It was another good chance, though the ball was slightly behind Firmino as he tried to flick the header towards goal.

8.47pm BST

89 min Switzerland break through Shaqiri, who makes a Horlicks of a promising situation – first with a lazy pass, then with an errant shot from distance when the ball comes back to him.

8.46pm BST

88 min Willian’s right-wind cross finds Neymar, who plants a downward header straight at Sommer from 12 yards. That was another pretty good chance.

8.45pm BST

87 min Lichtsteiner, who has cramp, is replaced by Michael Lang.

8.44pm BST

86 min “The way Alisson stayed rooted to his line as the ball flew into his six-yard box really makes me think he has what it takes to succeed at Liverpool,” says Niall Mullen.

8.43pm BST

85 min Switzerland break through Embolo, who tries to run Miranda on the right of the box and is expertly dispossessed.

8.42pm BST

83 min Shaqiri receives a return pass from Zuber and rumbles into the box before being crowded out by Brazil defenders. Switzerland are certainly not hanging on for a draw.

8.40pm BST

82 min A half chance for the substitute Firmino, who hammers a bouncing ball over the bar from a tight angle to the right of the box. A player of his ability might have done better with that.

8.39pm BST

81 min Lichtsteiner is down holding his face. Replays show that he wore a trailing arm from Miranda. He’s up now and seems to be fine.

8.38pm BST

80 min Another Switzerland change: the lively Breel Embolo replaces Haris Seferovic up front.

8.37pm BST

79 min Switzerland have been terrific, and a draw would not flatter them. Their attacking play has often been untidy but they have been tactically brave and defensively excellent.

8.36pm BST

79 min Firmino replaces Gabriel Jesus.

8.36pm BST

78 min Neymar’s long-range curler is comfortably saved by Sommer, plunging to his right.

8.35pm BST

77 min Roberto Firmino is about to come on.

8.35pm BST

76 min Brazil are looking more urgent/desperate than at any stage in the match. But that isn’t always a good thing, as Fernandinho reminds us by driving high over the bar from distance.

8.34pm BST

75 min Just before that penalty appeal, Dzemaili shot straight at Alisson from 20 yards after a good break by Shaqiri.

8.32pm BST

74 min Nope, there’s no review and play continues. It was a risky challenge from Akanji, who had his hands around Jesus at one point; it could have gone either way.

8.32pm BST

73 min Jesus goes down in the box after a challenge from Akanji. The referee says no penalty but this might be reviewed.

8.29pm BST

71 min Another change for Switzerland: Denis Zakaria replaces the admirable Behrami.

8.29pm BST

70 min Neymar’s fine pass finds Coutinho on the left side of the box. His first touch is lovely, a deft bit of chest control to come inside Lichtsteiner and set up a shot, but then he slashes the bouncing ball a few yards wide of the far post. That was an excellent chance.

8.26pm BST

69 min The last time Brazil failed to win their first World Cup game was in 1978. The last time they lost it was in 1934.

8.26pm BST

68 min Behrami is booked for a foul on - yep - Neymar.

8.25pm BST

67 min Neymar’s corner is half cleared to Willian, whose stinging 20-yard shot hits his team-mate Fernandinho. Brazil are going to make their second chance, with Renato Augusto replacing Paulinho.

8.23pm BST

65 min Schar is booked for a foul on Neymar.

8.22pm BST

63 min Switzerland continue to have an even share of possession, and the second shock of the day isn’t beyond the realms. Brazil are struggling a little; it doesn’t help that Neymar doesn’t look match-fit.

8.18pm BST

60 min Brazil, affronted by the equaliser, have sprung into life. Casemiro wafts a shot over the bar from 25 yards. It’s his last touch, with Fernandinho coming on to replace him.

8.17pm BST

58 min “Every single bar and restaurant here has the World Cup on,” says Rachel Clifton in America. “It’s quite amazing. As was the confusion in my office when the Spain-Portugal game finished at 3-3 and that was it. ‘No extra time?? What?’”

Seriously? That stuff still goes on?

8.16pm BST

57 min Coutinho has two shots blocked in the space of two seconds, then Neymar’s shot is deflected into the side netting. Neymar is limping as well, which is a concern given his recent injury problems.

8.14pm BST

55 min “Brazil stopped being serious when they scored,” says Ian Copestake. “I would take Neymar off for Firmino, but then that is why I am in my pants in a hotel.”

8.13pm BST

54 min On ITV, the former referee Mark Clattenburg thinks it was a foul by Zuber and that it should have been reviewed. But it wasn’t referred to the on-field referee by Team VAR.

8.10pm BST

52 min The defending for that goal was less than utopian, with Zuber unmarked four yards from goal.

8.09pm BST

A simpler goal will not be scored in the tournament. Shaqiri curled an inswinging corner into the six-yard box, where Zuber eased Miranda out of the way and flashed a header past Alisson. He did put hands on Miranda’s back, and Brazil are appealing for VAR, though I’m not sure it was enough for the free-kick. Yes, the goal has been given.

8.08pm BST

Switzerland have equalised!

8.08pm BST

50 min Seferovic’s through pass towards Dzemaili is crucially intercepted by the covering Marcelo. Brazil need to be careful because they are allowing Switzerland to have a lot of the ball.

8.05pm BST

47 min Casemiro is booked for a foul on Dzemaili.

8.04pm BST

47 min “This team already looks way better than Brazilian sides of recent vintage,” says Dileep Premachandran. “But they still have Paulinho and Casemiro playing where Cerezo and Falcao used to. Is it any wonder that some of us will never get over 1982? What a team that was!”

Yeah, they’re comfortably the best attacking team I’ll ever see. The portfolio of goals they put together in three weeks in Spain is better than most countries have managed in their entire history.

8.03pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Switzerland begin the second half.

7.48pm BST

The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football

Brazil has produced some of the greatest players of all time It also produced the greatest football never to play football: Carlos Kaiser, who earned a living as a star striker at some of Brazil’s biggest clubs for two decades – and he didn’t score a single goal. A film and a book about his extraordinary life will be released soon (I wrote the book, hence this entirely gratuitous plug), and I recommend them both. Obviously.

7.47pm BST

Brazil lead through Philippe Coutinho’s trademark long-range curler. They look comfortable enough, even though they didn’t create much in a largely uneventful first half. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

7.47pm BST

45+2 min A decent chance for Thiago Silva, who heads Neymar’s inswinging corner over the bar at the near post. That was a really good opportunity, though not a sitter.

7.44pm BST

44 min Switzerland have really dominated possession in the last 10 minutes, albeit without creating much. They are game, that’s for sure.

7.43pm BST

43 min “Brazil has flirted with indulgence and conservatism,” says Billy Graboso. “Their great match winners of the past three decades have hid the fact they play ugly football. The last time they truly set the world alight was in the 2005 Confederations Cup unleashing Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Adriano. All three at their peak! The same has happened recently with Argentina who held the beautiful game’s torch from the 90s to 2006.”

7.42pm BST

42 min It’s been a strange half, in that it feels like Brazil have been really impressive yet they’ve only created one clear chance.

7.40pm BST

40 min Zuber’s errant shot, which would have gone out for a throw-in, flashes into the coupon of Thiago Silva. He visits the canvas but bounces straight back up and seems fine.

7.39pm BST

38 min Thiago plays a backpass to Alisson, who nonchalantly flicks the ball over Dzemaili’s attempted block. That was laughably confident.

7.37pm BST

37 min The biggest threat to Brazil is complacency. They are in total control of this game.

7.35pm BST

35 min Apart from that early chance for Dzemaili, Switzerland have struggled to get anywhere near the Brazil area.

7.34pm BST

33 min A corner on the left to Brazil. Neymar swings it to the far post, where Jesus heads back across goal from four yards. The ball beats everyone and goes all the way back to Neymar, who is offside. It looked a great chance for Jesus, though replays showed he couldn’t quite get around the ball to steer it towards goal.

7.32pm BST

32 min “Neymar’s hair,” says John Ashdown. “My wife thinks it’s like Glenn Close’s in Fatal Attraction days; to me it’s more like 1980s Martin Gore of Depeche Mode. Your thoughts?”

I just think it’s time Paul Pogba concentrated on his football.

7.31pm BST

31 min Lichtsteiner is booked for a foul on Neymar.

7.29pm BST

30 min Switzerland have played pretty well, limiting Brazil to no clear chances, and they are having a lot of possession at the moment.

7.28pm BST

29 min “Coutinho, Willian, Jesus, Danilo, Paulinho; Bobby Firmino and Ederson on the bench - who said that South Americans couldn’t hack the English game?” says Matt Loten.

If Brazil win the World Cup, I hope they make a special media for Richard Scudamore.

7.27pm BST

28 min Casemiro and Schar are fine.

7.27pm BST

27 min “Working in Munich for an Italian boss, I’m enjoying asking him about his World Cup viewing plans,” says Olly Bond. “I even gave him a nice wall chart for his office, which he took very well. On my way to visit colleagues in Holland where I’ll be equally tactful, crossing a very subdued Germany by train.”

I’d go easy on the schadenfreude until England have played Panama.

7.25pm BST

26 min Switzerland win a corner on the left. Rodriguez’s outswinger is headed away by Casemiro, who clashes heads with Schar in the process.

7.25pm BST

25 min “Is there any other player in this World Cup who loves to show off his skill as much as Neymar?” says Gokul Kannan. “At times it is nauseating. He can pass, but he won’t. He has to make the other player look stupid and show the world that he can hold on to the ball. It is always a personal challenge for him.”

7.23pm BST

23 min After a slow start, Brazil have looked really slick with the ball - and equally good without it.

7.21pm BST

Marcelo’s cross was headed away to Coutinho, in the inside-left channel 25 yards from goal. His first touch was immaculate, teeing himself up for a big right-footed curler that clattered off the inside of the far post and into the net. It’s a beautiful goal, the kind we’ve seen him score so often.

7.19pm BST

Hello Brazil, my old friend. Philippe Coutinho has given them the lead with a gorgeous goal!

7.17pm BST

18 min Lovely play from Brazil. Neymar flicks the ball behind him to Coutinho, who surges into space and finds Jesus on the left side of the box. His crisp low cross is a bit too close to Sommer.

7.16pm BST

17 min “Ronaldo, Romario, Garrinca and Pele…” says Pete Salmon. “Give me that tactical anarchy any day of the week...”

BUT WHO’S TRACKING THE RUNNERS?

7.15pm BST

16 min Neymar hits a tame free-kick into the wall.

7.15pm BST

15 min Neymar is fouled 25 yards from goal in a central position. It’ll be Cristiano Ronaldo to take it...

7.13pm BST

13 min Brazil are starting to swagger. Marcelo finds Jesus, whose curling cross drifts a few yards wide of the far post.

7.13pm BST

11 min Paulinho misses a sitter. Coutinho slid a nice little pass to Neymar, whose low cross from the left of the box deflected into the path of Paulinho four yards from goal. He panicked and mis-hit a left-footed shot against his standing foot, though it still needed a terrific fingertip save from Sommer.

7.11pm BST

10 min “Am I the only one who doesn’t like Brazil?” says Andrew Hurley. “I get them as favourites but their sense of entitlement is gnawing. 2014 one had the sense they felt it was their destiny, and it stunk of arrogance. The semi-final is one of my all-time favourite games. They look very good on paper though. (None of the above is because two Brazilian ex-GFs got rid of me....)”

Cris Freddi, the world’s best football historian, hates them as well. I do think they can be snake oil salesmen but watching players like Ronaldinho, Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo has made my life umpteen times better.

7.07pm BST

8 min Brazil haven’t started playing yet. Whenever you’re ready, lads.

7.06pm BST

7 min “Hallo from San Antonio, TX, where a partisan crowd cried and cheered Mexico’s win,” writes Sam. “We’re staying at pub for Brazil/Switzerland, as hubby’s granddad was Swiss, tho for the longest he thought he was Irish (Muhleman). What grand old sport, eh? Allez les Suisses!”

7.06pm BST

6 min Xhaka is lucky not to be booked for dragging Neymar back.

7.05pm BST

6 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “For a moment I thought Ian Copestake’s Bobby was Bobby Murdoch of Celtic and Scotland, Big Cup winner and 12 times capped - yes, 12!! - Scotland international who never played in the World Cup finals, competing as he did for places with Jim Baxter and Billy Bremner. Oh Scotland!!!!!!!”

7.05pm BST

5 min It’s been a leisurely start from Brazil, with Switzerland looking the more urgent.

7.04pm BST

4 min “Two upfront,” says Phil Podolsky of the Ronaldo/Romario debate. “They even made an unstoppable duo in the 1997 Copa.” Aye, and it’s such a shame we didn’t see Ro-Ro at France 98. But you couldn’t play Ronaldo, Romario, Garrinca and Pele. It’d be tactical anarchy!

7.03pm BST

3 min An early chance for Switzerland, who have started well. Shaqiri’s cross from the right is hooked over the bar by Dzemaili. It bounced awkwardly and he ended up shinning it, but it was still a decent opportunity.

7.01pm BST

2 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius, who has just about recovered from Iceland’s glory yesterday. “Growing up I heard many stories of the wonders of ‘samba football’ but as my first World Cup was Italia 90, the Brazil I’ve had to watch is double-pivot tactical dourness coupled with a sense of entitlement. It’s like being told about the existence of Jedi when all you see is imperial stormtroopers. But… but… I’ve heard that this time fun Brazil is back. Though I’ve hoped that many times before only to see more Death Star Football.”

I thought they were fun from 1998-2006, albeit shambolic fun a lot of the time. We’ll never see pure jogo bonito again but I think this lot will be fun to watch.

7.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Brazil, in their brilliant yellow strip, get the match under way. Switzerland are in red.

6.56pm BST

The Brazilian players belt out their anthem, looking infinitely more relaxed than they did at the same stage of the semi-final four years ago. A World Cup never truly begins until Brazil start their first game; that time is now.

6.52pm BST

“Oh Rob,” says Phil Podolsky of my all-time Brazil World Cup XI. “Ronaldinho was good in 2002 but there’s a an entire world cup Brazil owes to Romario.”

Yeah but he can’t play left wing, can he? On reflection I’d probably have Zagallo instead of Ronaldinho.

6.49pm BST

If you’re into the whole England thing, there’s a terrific documentary on BBC2 straight after this game - Managing England: The Impossible Job. It’s by the same people who did that lovely documentary on Euro 96 a couple of years ago. And though this doesn’t have quite the same feelgood warmth, given the subject matter, it’s equally good.

6.45pm BST

“Yo Rob,” says John Rogers. “Quick question: how many players starting tonight for Brazil were on the field for the 7-1 hammering by Germany four years ago?”

Marcelo is the only man to start both games, though Willian and Paulinho came on against Germany.

6.37pm BST

“Where’s Bobby, Bobby?” weeps Ian Copestake, in reference to the absence of Roberto Firmino. “Am gutted.”

They prefer Gabriel Jesus. It’s a tactics thing; you don’t wanna go there.

6.31pm BST

‘Remember when is the lowest form of conversation’

6.20pm BST

Pick your all-time Brazil World Cup XI!

Here’s mine. It’s based on World Cup performances rather than a whole career, which is why I left out Celio Silva. You can pick yours here.

6.19pm BST

Some pre-match reading

6.01pm BST

In case you missed it, the holders Germany lost 1-0 Mexico this afternoon in Moscow. Read all about it, why don’t you.

5.59pm BST

Brazil (4-3-3) Alisson; Danilo, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Paulinho, Casemiro, Coutinho; Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar.

Switzerland (4-2-3-1) Sommer; Lichtsteiner, Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Behrami, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Zuber; Seferovic.

3.58pm BST

Never mind Nike; Brazilian football could advertise Nietzsche. Their World Cup story is validation of his old proverb about how what does not destroy us makes us stronger. Their last three wins, in 1970, 1994 and 2002, were emotional redemptions from the misery of the previous tournament: Pele being booted around England like an old sock in 1966, Diego Maradona vaccinating them in 1990, and the Ronaldo mystery of 1998. They will hope that the biblical meltdown of 2014 was merely a sick prologue to a sixth World Cup.

Brazil look relaxed and confident, with none of the mind-altering pressure of four years ago. The coach Tite has guided them back towards a lighter, more Brazilian style of play, while retaining a fair amount of their newfangled solidity. Marcelo is the only survivor in the starting XI from the team that lost 7-1 to Germany, and they qualified for the tournament with ease. They lost only one of their 18 games and finished ten points ahead of second-placed Uruguay.

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Published on June 17, 2018 13:07

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