Rob Smyth's Blog, page 172

July 6, 2016

Portugal 2-0 Wales: Euro 2016 semi-final – as it happened!

An immense header from Cristiano Ronaldo just after half-time and a quickfire second from Nani ended Wales’ fairytale in Lyon

Euro 2016 semi-final player ratings: Portugal 2-0 Wales Cristiano Ronaldo ends Wales fairytale to put Portugal in Euro 2016 final Portugal 2-0 Wales: five talking points from the semi-final in Lyon

10.08pm BST

That’s about it for tonight’s live blog. Thanks for your company throughout the game; it was far too manic for emails in the second half so I’ll try to catch up with the emails now. Congratulations to Portugal, who now have the chance to win their first major trophy. Well done to Wales, who had already had so much credit in the bank that tonight’s defeat has barely made a dent. For the players, the coaching staff and the entire country, Euro 2016 has been the time of their lives. And that bit where they celebrated England going out was brilliant.

10.03pm BST

Here’s David Hytner’s match report from Lyon

10.02pm BST

Here’s Gareth Bale “We’re massively disappointed but we’ve got to be proud of ourselves. We’ve given everything. We tried to enjoy the experience. We want to thank the fans, who have been incredible. We tried our hardest and we’re sorry we couldn’t get to the final. They shut up shop quite well. We have no regrets. We have to be proud of what we’ve achieved.”

9.56pm BST

“Honestly, I have no idea how to feel,” says Matt Dony, who has drunk so much that his whole body is numb. “Wales have no right to be in the semi finals, and this is an absolute triumph, no matter what. And yet. And yet. Portugal seem so damn beatable! I think this is going to hurt like hell tomorrow (and not just in a fuzzy-head kind of way), but I’ll look back with a smile in the future.”

Yes, I know what you mean. You’d almost prefer an unarguable 4-0 shellacking; there will always be a slight ‘what if’ with this game. But really, when the dust settles and your hangover clears next Tuesday, you’ll accentuate the million positives from the last month.

9.52pm BST

Wales did not do a lot wrong in that game, but they missed Aaron Ramsey and they were powerless to stop the best player in the world changing everything with a brilliant goal just after half-time. Ronaldo and Bale have a long chat at the final whistle, before embracing and going their separate ways.

9.50pm BST

Portugal go into Sunday’s final, their first in a major tournament on foreign soil.

9.48pm BST

90+2 min Joe Allen, on a yellow, clatters a Portuguese player 25 yards from goal. A jobsworth would have sent him off; this referee showed his human side.

9.47pm BST

9.46pm BST

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

9.46pm BST

90 min Gareth Bale, Cerys Matthews, Neil Kinnock, Richard Burton, Tom Jones, Clayton Blackmore, Maggot ... your boys took some beating. They achieved more than Spain, Englad, Italy and others in this tournament. They have done the country incredibly proud in the last four weeks, and achieved something even more precious than victory: glory. Tonight is sad and frustrating but it doesn’t compromise their achievement in the slightest.

9.45pm BST

89 min Bale is booked for a very high foot on Cedric. It was overzealous rather than nasty. I reckon he would have been sent off for that six months ago - it was quite like Nani in that Real Madrid game in 2012-13 - but a yellow card is more appropriate I think.

9.42pm BST

87 min Portugal bring on their lucky charm, the geriatrico Ricardo Quaresma, to replace Nani.

9.42pm BST

86 min This is Wales’ best spell of the game in terms of sustained possession, though of course that is dictated by the match context. And it also leaves them vulnerable to a counter-attack like this: Gomes on the left finds Ronaldo, who rounds Hennessey but takes it too wide in doing so and can only crunch it into the side netting.

9.40pm BST

85 min I don’t think Wales have, in the parlance of our time, left anything out there. But they will forever wonder how the game might have panned out had the second goal not come so soon after the first. One minute they were 0-0 and comfortable; the next they were 2-0 and in the malodorous stuff.

9.39pm BST

83 min Bale is fouled by Joao Mario 35 yards from goal. He tried to stay on his feet, but he won’t say no to this free-kick. This might be Wales’ last chance of getting back into it ... but Bale whacks it into the wall. Bale picks up the rebound and is flattened by Nani. The referee waves play on.

9.38pm BST

82 min Jonny Williams, who has again made a difference from the bench, puts in a good cross that is half cleared to Ashley Williams. His shot from the edge of the box hits his own man, Vokes, though I’m not certain it was on target.

9.37pm BST

80 min A ridiculous swerving effort from Bale, who must have been nearly 40 yards out, is palmed away by the diving Rui Patricio. That ball misbehaved viciously.

9.35pm BST

80 min “So,” says Niall Mullen, “Aaron Ramsey is the Dude’s rug of this Welsh team.” Well that’s just, like, your opinion, man.

9.35pm BST

79 min Another Portugal change: Joao Moutinho replaces Adrien Silva.

9.34pm BST

78 min Hennessey keeps Wales in the competition, just about. Danilo stole the ball 30 yards from goal and marched into the area before hitting a shot that burst through Hennessey, who was able to get back and jump on the ball just as Nani was about to turn it in from 0.00002 yards.

9.33pm BST

77 min When the ball bounces nicely for him, Bale cuts across a long-distance swoosher that is again too close to Rui Patricio and comfortably held. It was sweetly stuck mind. Bale had that exhilarating five minutes in the first half, when he looked like he was starting to bend the game to his will, but since then it hasn’t quite happened for him.

9.31pm BST

75 min “It won’t be the first time an indiscretion in one game has had a profound effect on the next,” says Charles Antaki. “But that Ramsay handball has flattened Wales into a depthless two-dimensional side, coming up short against a side who are no world-beaters. A shame.”

And yet, they were comfortable until the world’s best player did something spectacular. I agree though, they have missed him badly Was his handball deliberate or not? I couldn’t really decide. It seemed like a reflex that he then tried to stop but couldn’t.

9.30pm BST

73 min Renato Sanches leads a Portugal break before crashing a shot high over the bar from the edge of the box. Like Salvatore Bonpensiero, he had options. It’s his last touch of the game, with Andre Gomes replacing him. Renato Sanches has been excellent.

9.28pm BST

72 min Ronaldo picks on someone his own size, shoving Jonny Williams over. He’s booked. Bale’s inswinger is headed over by Chester, who was under considerable pressure. It was a quarter-chance at best.

9.27pm BST

70 min Wales, who looked in control defensively in the first half, have been ragged since the goals. You can understand why; nothing they have experienced in their thousands of professional games can prepare them for such a blow. At the moment they look out of it, though a goal would change everything. A goal for Wales, anyway: Fonte almost makes it 3-0 with a header from a corner that is well held by Hennessey. Bruno Alves is then booked for blocking Hennessey’s kick-out.

9.25pm BST

68 min “A friend has just text me the word ‘Istanbul’. I’m feeling more positive suddenly.”

9.23pm BST

67 min “In what may be Wales’ last game, can we have a word of praise for Joe Allen?” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Whoever first described him as ‘the Welsh Xavi’ did him no favours. But he is an outstanding midfielder who rarely makes the wrong pass and always keeps his head. Why Liverpool are looking to sell him is one of many thousands of things I don’t understand.”

9.23pm BST

66 min Wales’ final change: Jonny Williams on, James Collins off. Collins did excellently in the circumstances. Wales have plenty of attackers on now. Bale puts in a decent cross from a narrow position to Vokes, who mistimes his header well over the bar from 15 yards. It was a tricky chance because of the angle of the cross.

9.21pm BST

65 min A four-year campaign looks like it has come down to three minutes. Wales still look a little shell-shocked, and it was almost 3-0. Nani’s deflected long-range shot is spilled by Chester, and Joao Mario whistles the rebound wide. He should have scored.

9.20pm BST

64 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “I popped the Welsh liveblog into Google Translate, and it’s an excellent read. Elena Cresci’s half-time summary seems very accurate: “No caps lock today friends. From what I saw, a lot of kicking, a lot of saving. But I get more beer so I’m happy.” Speaking of caps lock, when Cymru is written in all upper case, Google translates it as “ENGLAND”. That’s just too wrong.”

I knew England would it. Arise Uncle Roy.

9.19pm BST

63 min The resulting free-kick is 25 yards out, a fair way to the right of centre, and Ronaldo wobbles a brilliant effort onto the roof of the net as Hennessey leaps desperately to his left. Before play resumes, Simon Church replaces Hal Robson-Kanu up front for Wales.

9.18pm BST

62 min Bale’s excellent driven pass is controlled nicely on the chest by Vokes, but Alves gets round to shin the ball clear. Portugal break and Chester is booked for a foul on Ronaldo. Bale won the first half; Ronaldo is romping the second.

9.16pm BST

60 min Wales are rattled, as you would expect after such a shocking and almost unforseeable twist. I don’t think Hennessey has made a save in the match, so you couldn’t say it was coming.

9.15pm BST

59 min “Did someone,” says Kelvn, “say the Portuguese Crouch?”

That ball for the goal was about eight feet in the air. Crouch would have scored with a scissor-kick.

9.14pm BST

58 min Chris Coleman is going for it. Joe Ledley is replaced by Sam Vokes, so Wales will switch to a 3-4-1-2.

9.13pm BST

57 min We haven’t seen a replay of the incident that led to the corner for the first goal, though Gunter in particular was certain there was a foul on a Wales defender. Then the athletic genius of Ronaldo kicked in; whatever you think of him, it was a stunning goal.

9.11pm BST

56 min Wales need to stay calm for a few minutes and make sure they aren’t completely out of this game in the next 10 minutes. If they keep it at 2-0 they can get Jonny Williams on, try to make it 2-1 by the 80th minute. Then human nature kicks in and anything can happen.

9.10pm BST

If the first goal was majestic, this is exasperatingly scruffy from a Wales point of view. Ronaldo, 25 yards from goal to the right of centre, mishit a low cross-shot that fell perfectly for Nani, who stretched to slide it past Hennessey from close-range.

9.09pm BST

It’s all going horribly wrong for Wales.

9.08pm BST

52 min Warm congratulations to Martin Bell, who has just been appointed as the new sports editor of the Guardian. “Maybe,” writes Martin, “you could concentrate on reporting the game?”

9.08pm BST

Portugal won a corner on the left, though Wales thought there was a foul that should have gone their way. It was played short to Guerreiro, who curved a delicious first-time ball to the far post. Ronaldo rose majestically eight yards from goal, muscling Chester aside, and thumped a header high into the net. Hennessey had no chance. Ronaldo hung in the air for an age. It was similar in nature to his memorable goal at Roma in the Champions League in 2007-08; in context, it might be even better. It was simply immense.

9.06pm BST

Cristiano Ronaldo scores an awesome header to give Portugal the lead.

9.05pm BST

49 min Allen is penalsed, perhaps harshly, for a foul on Adrien Silva. That said, he got away with a clearer foul a few seconds earlier when Adrien stayed on his feet. Had he gone down, that might even have been a second yellow for Allen, though probably not in the current climate. He does need to be careful though.

9.04pm BST

49 min “You can relax now,” says Pol Curley. “Final score. Offaly 1-10 Dublin 2-15 Dublin are Leinster U21 Leinster Champions.”

9.03pm BST

48 min Chester plays another excellent ball down the left to Bale, who is one-on-one with Alves but overruns the ball. Chester has arguably been the best player on the pitch so far.

9.01pm BST

47 min “A hurling liveblog seems appropriate,” says Ian Copestake, “given the gut reaction I get whenever Ronny shows his faces.”

9.01pm BST

46 min Bing bong! Portugal begin the second half, kicking from left to right. There are going to be tears in the next hour or two; hopefully Welsh tears of joy.

9.00pm BST

“Stepping back and trying to be rational, I’m happy so far,” says Matt Dony. “I’m willing the Pembrokeshire Pirlo to be the match winner. I’m going for 2-1 Wales, all goals in the last 20, Allen scoring the winner. That definitely can’t come back and bite me on the bum...”

And then a couple of minutes later: “Hi, Scott Martin. I’m fidgeting and drinking and squirming and whimpering and shouting. The last 45 minutes took about a fortnight off my life expectancy.”

8.56pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Scott Martin. “Any chance of a half-time Matt Dony update? Just want to make sure he hasn’t nodded off.”

8.53pm BST

“In regards to Prateek Chadha’s email, Portugal have been playing like this for quite a while, one of the reasons why Ronaldo underperforms so much for Portugal,” says Filipe Gomes. “It is quite frustrating as a Portugal fan but we have failed to produce a killer striker for a while. I would think we could have taken at least one real striker to the Euros, but sadly Santos decided to take Éder...”

What is it with Portugal and centre-forwards? I wonder how much they might have won in the last 20 years if they had a (Brazilian) Ronaldo, or even a Klose.

8.51pm BST

Half-time viewing

8.51pm BST

“Immense sigh of relief as Murray wins,” says Jennifer Thorp, “and the UK can switch to one match rather than juggling two live text feeds at once.”

Erm, the hurling?

8.47pm BST

Half-time reading

8.46pm BST

Half-time chit-chat “I know we shouldn’t harp on about Ramsay’s absence,” says Charles Antaki, “but there is a hole in front of Joe Allen which he is quite properly shy of risking going into, and Andy King seems to be managing somehow to avoid appearing in. Bale can’t be everywhere, try as he might.”

Yes, that booking is so frustrating because he has played beautifully. I think King was the sensible, safe option, with Jonny Williams to come on if they want/need to chase a goal.

8.46pm BST

It’s tight, it’s tense, but Wales have been Portugal’s equals and will be happy enough. See you in 10 minutes!

8.45pm BST

44 min The first big chance for Ronaldo! Adrien Silva came infield from the left and swung a cross towards the far post, where Ronaldo had isolated Chester. He looked offside, but there was no flag and Ronaldo leapt to head over from eight yards. That was a pretty good chance for somebody so good in the air.

8.42pm BST

42 min Ronaldo’s fierce long-range shot deflects behind off Collins. They are having quite a duel. Williams defends the corner very well at the far post, and the ball loops up for Hennessey to clam comfortably.

8.41pm BST

39 min “Santos seems to be playing without a centre forward or even a false nine,” says Prateek Chadha. “Nani and Ronaldo are the highest players on the pitch and seem to have been asked to drift into the eighteen yard box. Does anyone recall a similar formation?”

Only on the Amiga. You’re right though, it’s odd. Have a look at the average positions for Portugal in their quarter-final. It looks like one of those caterpillars in R-Type.

8.38pm BST

38 min Renato Sanches has probably had more touches than anyone in this half. His maturity is so impressive, almost Rashfordian.

8.38pm BST

8.37pm BST

36 min I suspect Wales will be really pleased with how it has gone so far. You could eat your dinner of Wayne Hennessey’s gloves, and Bale is influencing the general play more than against England, Northern Ireland and Belgium (I didn’tt see the other games).

8.35pm BST

35 min “There’s more MBMs going on right now than there are empty pint glasses on Matt Dony’s table,” says Alex Barrett. “Be sure to keep your A game coming Rob or I may have to switch over to Matt’s live Periscope feed where I hear he’s moving on from pints to bierstiefels in prep for tomorrow’s game.”

8.34pm BST

34 min With apologies to Matt Dony’s liver, this game might be going the distance. It’s very tight.

8.33pm BST

32 min “Out of curiosity I flicked over to your colleague Elena Cresci’s Welsh-language MBM feed,” says Robert Nease. “The very first thing I saw was ‘Munud 22: Blydi hell’.”

Pêl-droed? Blydi hell.

8.31pm BST

31 min When Ronaldo scores a hat-trick, Bryan Tisinger’s email address will be available for a small fee. “Has Ronaldo turned into a glorified Peter Crouch” writes Brian. “All he does for Portugal is run into the box, put his arm up, and demand his teammates cross the ball to him, even if he has zero chance to get a head to it. I have watched almost all of Portugal’s matches and all they do is send hopeless crosses into the box. Portugal is the old Stoke! I guess that is one reason they haven’t won a game in normal time in forever.”

I agree with you, at least up to a point. He’s playing too central and too often with his back to goal.

8.30pm BST

30 min The right-back Cedric has caused Wales a few problems. This may have inflated his sense of self-worth a touch, because he has just blootered one into orbit from about 40 yards. Even Arie Haan would have thought twice about shooting from there.

8.28pm BST

28 min Joao Mario stabs a pass into Nani, and the last man Chester intercepts. He has quietly had a superb tournament.

8.26pm BST

26 min Taylor is mugged by Cedric, who swings a deep cross into the box. Ronaldo leaps preposterously high but still can’t get there and Hennessey claims it behind him.

8.26pm BST

25 min Wales are having a superb spell. Robson-Kanu turns away from Alves on the right and clips a cross towards King at the near post. The flying Fonte gets there first and heads it behind for another Wales corner. Ledley swings it deep and Bruno Alves heads clear.

8.23pm BST

23 min Bale skins Danilo thrillingly inside his own half to launch a three-on-three break. He gallops infield from the right to within 25 yards of goal before hitting a firm shot that is too close to Rui Patricio and comfortably held. He looks really lively now.

8.21pm BST

21 min Bale has come into the game now. He charges down the right, brushing aside Ronaldo, and hits a dangerous low cross that evades the sliding King and is well claimed by the sprawling keeper Rui Patricio.

8.20pm BST

20 min Ronaldo is penalised for sending Collins flying. After that earlier incident, the identity of the victim probably isn’t a coincidence.

8.19pm BST

19 min An excellent stabbed pass down the left from Chester finds Bale, who runs the ageing Alves and wins a corner. The super furry animal Ledley will take it. It’s a clever one, dragged back towards the edge of the box for Bale, who runs from far to near post and then whacks it over the bar. He couldn’t quite get round the ball but it was nicely worked nonetheless.

8.17pm BST

18 min Bale has been quiet so far, although, as Ryan Giggs shrewdly observed before the Belgium game, he doesn’t have to play well to win a match.

8.16pm BST

16 min Joao Mario plays a nice one-two with Ronaldo, who is dumped over by Chester as he plays the return pass. Joao Mario continues into the box and then drags a low cross-shot a few yards wide of the far post.

8.15pm BST

15 min “Feeling conflicted,” says Pól Curley. “Dublin are playing Offaly in the Leinster Hurling now. I have to flit between the two games.” Luckily for you we’ve got an MBM of the hurling here.

8.13pm BST

14 min Renato Sanches, who could be one to watch in the future, has been bright and breezy in possession so far. Nothing much is happening, in truth, but the occasion is such that even the dull stuff is crackling with tension.

8.13pm BST

13 min “I think we all - not just Matt Dony - should have to down a pint every time Ronaldo pulls a face,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “There’s been two already. Drink!”

8.12pm BST

11 min Portugal have certainly been the better side so far. Wales are feeling their way into the game, which is fair enough, what with it being the biggest game of their life and all.

8.10pm BST

10 min A very dangerous right-wing cross from Cedric towards Ronaldo is headed clear by Collins. At first it looked like great defending, just a few yards from his own goal; replays showed he had his arm round Ronaldo’s neck, which in some cultures might be construed as a risk. He got away with it though.

8.08pm BST

7 min Hal Robson-Cruyffenbauer brings a roar from the Wales fans with a lovely dragback. Moments later, Allen loses the ball to Nani and then fouls him. He’s booked, which is fair enough as it’s his second foul and Nani was in a promising position. The yellow cards were wiped after the quarter-final, so you have to be sent off to miss the final. Or lose the game I suppose.

8.06pm BST

6 min “Yup,” says Matt ‘Two Pints’ Dony. “Of Penderyn!” Never mind a Welsh-language MBM, we need an MBM of Matt Dony watching the match as well.

8.05pm BST

5 min Portugal have had more of the ball so far, though it has mostly been harmless passing in front of Wales.

8.04pm BST

4 min “That Welsh anthem is something, isn’t it,” says Robin Hazlehurst. “Hopefully Wales will get France in the next round so that the footy fans can get to enjoy what rugby fans are treated to every year in the Six Nations - an anthem-off between France and Wales before a big match.”

8.03pm BST

3 min Ronaldo charges at the Wales defence and is taken down by Williams 20 yards from goal. Did he get the ball? The referee thinks so. And replays show he’s right; that was an excellent challenge.

8.02pm BST

3 min Both these teams like playing on the break, so it could be a fairly cagey start. There are unconfirmed rumours coming in that Matt Dony has already downed two pints since kick-off.

8.00pm BST

2 min “So with Murray on one live blog tab and Wales on the other, I think I can lay claim to still being British, even in these troubled times (and living in New York…),” says Rachel Clifton. He’s still playing? That doesn’t sound good.

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Wales kick off from left to right. Both teams are in their away strips: black for Wales, green for Portugal.

7.58pm BST

“Argh!” says Matt Dony. “And I thought Liverpool’s oh-so-close non-title run-in was nerve-racking! This is tense, and amazing, and terrifying, and beautiful all at once. (Much like my wife, who is hopefully not reading this!) Come on, David Hopkins, we’ll let you in. All together, #Hal, Robson, Kanuuuuuu!”

7.55pm BST

The players emerge from the tunnel for a European Championship semi-final between Wales and Portugal!

7.55pm BST

BONG BONG BING, BONG BONG BONG

7.53pm BST

Chris Coleman pre-match interview “The players are confident, they’re excited. We can’t wait for the game. We heard the rumours that there was a problem with Pepe, but they’re a good team so they’ll have replacements. I’ve told the players to believe in themselves, and go for it.

“We can’t come off with any regrets. It’s an old saying but it’s true: give it everything you’ve got. If that’s not enough, you shake hands with the opposition and that’s it. But if we bring it - and we can - we’ve got a real good chance.”

7.48pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Richard Maughan. “Before the game starts, do you have any recommendations for TV series I should watch? There’s got to be something better than Game of Thrones out there. Oh yeah, the football. I’d love Wales to do it but think Ramsey will be too big a loss. 1-0 Portugal.”

I need some suggestions myself. If you haven’t seen The Shield and Oz, they are wonderful. If you haven’t seen The Sopranos, you have made a monumental error of judgement that you begin to rectify this instant. The best newish series I’ve seen is The Jinx, which, like this Wales story, shows that truth will always be stranger than fiction.

7.45pm BST

On a night like this, it’s hard not to think about Gary Speed. He did so much for this team in his time as manager - as did his predecessor John Toshack, who gave debuts to most of this XI, many as teenagers, and the Under-21 manager Brian Flynn. Tonight is for them, and all those players who never made it to a major tournament: Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, Neville Southall, Dean Saunders and Paul Bodin.

7.34pm BST

“I’d like to claim spurious Welsh heritage if I may?” says David Hopkins. “Closing in on 50 Manics gigs, including their first performance of their retro footy anthem in Swansea? Oh yes, tonight I am Harry Secombe.”

7.26pm BST

We’re also liveblogging the match in Welsh. Elena Cresci is covering the game while on holiday, in a Portuguese bar that’s owned by a Welshman. We asked Maggot to do it but he said, ‘time to dash!’

Related: Cymru v Portiwgal – yn fyw!

7.20pm BST

Laugh/cry dilemma

In the last nine months, England have beaten all four of the semi-finalists.

7.20pm BST

As much as I love you

all
both, dear readers, I wish I was watching the game with these clarts

YOU KNOWS IT pic.twitter.com/T1i0vlDEXW

7.19pm BST

ITV have got a magnificent panel for the night: Lee Dixon, Craig Bellamy, Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane. All that’s missing is Slaven Bilic and Neville Southall.

7.07pm BST

The first email of the night comes from the Dhaka fan club “I studied in Cardiff University and know exactly how crazy/passionate Welsh people can be about sport!” writes Sabbir Azam. “Now living far from the UK, I can imagine how noisy it is there. Feeling euphoric and have goosebumps. Go Wales! You can do it!”

7.04pm BST

Portugal (4-1-3-2) Rui Patricio; Cedric, Bruno Alves, Fonte, Guerreiro; Danilo; Joao Mario, Renato Sanches, Adrien Silva; Nani, Ronaldo.

Wales (3-5-1-1) Hennessey; Chester, Williams, Collins; Gunter, Allen, Ledley, King; Taylor; Bale; Robson-Kanu.

7.02pm BST

Wales have brought in James Collins and Andy King for the suspended Ben Davies and Aaron Ramsey, so Jazz Richards is spared trial by Ronaldo.

7.01pm BST

Here’s a message: give us the bloody team news!

ONE HOUR...#PORWAL #EURO2016 #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/XRDS6U1qpm

6.57pm BST

Pepe is not fit to start for Portugal, which has to be good news both for Wales and Gary Lineker’s sanity.

6.47pm BST

All eyes on two special players in Lyon tonight. Which galactico will come out on top? #PORWAL #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/UZARJPCWmB

6.37pm BST

Pre-match entertainment

6.27pm BST

Come on, sing along, don’t say you don’t know the words

6.24pm BST

The word on the Lyon street is that Wales will replace Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies with Andy King and Jazz Richards, and Chris Gunter will move to centre-back. If so, we’ll find out whether Jazz is all that: he’ll be up against Cristiano Ronaldo.

The other options are James Collins at centre-back and Jonny Williams, who was excellent as substitute against Northern Ireland, in the Ramsey role. I think I’d play Collins and King, but I am not an international football manager.

10.55am BST

Good evening. Do you struggle to concentrate at work? Have you found yourself craving a drink since lunchtime? Did you do precisely bugger all in the office today? Are you too restless to function? If so, the diagnosis is positive: you are demonstrating all the symptoms of being Welsh.

In Lyon tonight, Wales play Portugal for – and I can’t believe I’m typing this – a place in the final of the European Championship. No British has side has ever reached the final of a major tournament overseas. This amazing story reminds us that, when it comes to imagination, fiction has got nothing on truth.

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Published on July 06, 2016 14:08

July 4, 2016

France have few worries in attack but more to fear at the back against Germany

A back four including Bacary Sagna and Patrice Evra – combined age 68 – do not inspire the confidence of past France defences for the Euro 2016 semi-final

Rubén Morán was 19 when he made his debut for Uruguay. Nothing unusual in that, though the match was more important than most: it was the 1950 World Cup final, against Brazil, in front of 199,854 people at the Maracanã. Uruguay stunned the world with a 2-1 victory and Morán remains the only player to make his international debut in a World Cup final.

It is hard to imagine anyone in modern football experiencing quite such a volcanic baptism, though the Brazil right-back Zé Carlos did win his only cap in the 1998 World Cup semi-final against Holland. And on Sunday night in Paris, Samuel Umtiti made his France debut in a European Championship quarter-final.

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Published on July 04, 2016 07:07

Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid to sign Spurs' Hugo Lloris?

Today’s gossip never had the makings of a varsity athlete

When José Mourinho became Manchester United manager, many joked that Juan Mata had already put his house on the market. They were guilty of premature banter – because it turns out Mata is off to nearby Everton.

The Old Trafford door never stops revolving, not even for Chuck Norris. Mourinho is today linked with bids for Derby’s Will Hughes, Juventus’s Paul Pogba – and Pachuca’s Hirving Lozano, a Mexican centre-forward who will fill the void left by Javier Hernández when Louis van Gaal sold him for scoring too many goals. Lozano is nicknamed Chucky and bears a disconcerting facial resemblance to former United player Kieran Richardson. If his Old Trafford career is half as good as Richardson’s, it’ll be a bloody disaster.

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Published on July 04, 2016 00:42

July 3, 2016

France 5-2 Iceland: Euro 2016 quarter-final – as it happened

Iceland’s fairytale came to an end as France cruised into a semi-final against Germany with a blistering first-half performance

9.54pm BST

Peep peep! For a meaningless second half, that was pretty enjoyable. France go through to meet Germany; Iceland have done themselves proud even in a 5-2 defeat. The XI who started all five games are already legends of Icelandic football. France will hope to achieve the same status in their own country in the next seven days.

Thanks to Iceland for making football fun in the last few weeks. And thanks to whichever higher power decreed that France will face Germany in the semi-final, because that will be an epic even before a ball is kicked. Thanks for your emails and company; I’ll leave you with this from Niall Mullen.

In the second half Iceland played as though they knew that none of them would be slaughtered for giving a tour of their mother’s house.

9.48pm BST

89 min “Hello Rob,” says Kari Tulinius. “You’re right that the Icelandic team’s run to the quarterfinals will be the subject of countless future documentaries. We Icelanders are incredibly proud of “strákarnir okkar” (which means “our boys”). The team will be greeted by tens of thousands when they get home, all singing the supporters’ anthem, “Ég er kominn heim” (I Have Returned Home). Enjoy the final minutes!”

Too right. It’s rare these days that you find a happy story without a catch, but that’s what this has been.

9.45pm BST

87 min The right-back Saevarsson surges into the box, draws Lloris and squares it across the six-yard box. Mangala gets there first to put it behind for a corner, without which it would probably have been 5-3.

9.44pm BST

86 min Griezmann ushers Sissoko into the box with a gentle angled pass. Sissoko wallops it into orbit.

9.43pm BST

85 min Coman’s low shot is comfortably saved by Halldorsson.

9.43pm BST

Iceland have turned a thrashing into a minor triumph. Their spirit is so impressive. Skulason swings over an excellent deep cross from the left, and Bjarnason steers a precise header away from Lloris’s dive and into the net.

9.41pm BST

84 min A nice moments for lovers of humanity: Eidur Gudjohnsen, aged 37, comes on for Sigthorsson.

9.41pm BST

83 min Coman plays the ball into Gignac, who unselfishly decides not to shoot from near the touchline with his back to goal and instead returns to Coman. He moseys down a blind alley and is dispossessed.

9.40pm BST

81 min “I imagine,” says Ian Copestake, “that whenever Cantona sees the France coach swigging water he mumbles the word ‘carrier’.” Well, when he’s in public.

9.38pm BST

80 min Another France change: Kingsley Coman replaces the adorable Dimitri Payet, who scored another excellent goal and generally played like the unique genius he is.

9.37pm BST

77 min “As an Arsenal fan,” says Venki Murthy, “I may finally get to witness a killer Ozil pass that gets finished by Giroud. Oh, wait…”

Never say never.

9.35pm BST

75 min “So,” says Adam Hirst. “Giroud destroying Iceland. Five centre forwards and I bet England would have been far more effective if they’d taken Andy Carroll. Townsend + Carroll would have been a good combo for Slovakia and Iceland.”

I would have taken both, especially Carroll, but it wasn’t easy. Who could you have left out for Carroll? One of the midfielders I suppose given that Rooney was playing there. Actually yes, you could have left out Barkley who was clearly never going to play.

9.33pm BST

74 min Umtiti is booked for a cynical block on the breaking Gudmundsson.

9.32pm BST

73 min Gunnarsson is penalised for an impromptu wrestling manoeuvre on Griezmann, shoving him unceremoniously to the canvas. It didn’t help that Griezmann weighs less than Gunnarsson’s beard.

9.31pm BST

72 min Koscielny, who is on a yellow, is replaced by Pep Guardiola’s recurring nightmare, Eliaquim Mangala.

9.30pm BST

71 min This is going to sound patronising, though it’s not meant as such: Iceland’s lack of self-pity in the second half has been pretty admirable. They could easily have thrown it in but they are playing with more attacking purpose than at any time in the tournament.

9.29pm BST

70 min France are getting lots of opportunities on the break. Sissoko marauds down the centre of the pitch and plays it left to Payet. He stumbles past his man, who falls over, and then his attempted cut-back deflects off a defender towards goal. Halldorsson sticks out his right leg to divert it wide.

9.28pm BST

69 min Did you know Iceland have had 72 per cent possession in the last 15 minutes? With an appropriately roguish delivery and a soupcon of eye contact, that could be a great chat-up line.

9.26pm BST

68 min Gignac really, really, really, really, really wants to score a goal. A loose ball comes to him in the box, he gets caught in one mind but is so excited that he slips and lumps it out of play.

9.25pm BST

67 min “Is #dickmove trending yet?” asks Ian Copestake. “ Surely the finest addition to the English language since Shakespeare said “doth” a lot.”

9.24pm BST

65 min “Hey Rob,” says Andre Vale. “Sorry to disagree, but the decision to enlarge to 24 teams has nothing to do with it. Iceland won their group, so they would have been in either way.” Didn’t the Czech Republic win that group? Not that it really matters - I should have said that I meant the smaller teams generally.

9.22pm BST

63 min Lloris makes a spectacular save from Ingason’s close-range header. That was very similar to Fabien Barthez’s crucial save from Abel Xavier that kept France in Euro 2000, and required equally superb reflexes.

9.20pm BST

62 min This has a breezy end-of-term feel now. Iceland are going home, France know flip will get real when they play Germany. As such there are plenty of chances at both ends, with an Iceland player - whose name we must withhold

for legal reasons
because I wasn’t paying attention - hitting a bouncing ball over the bar from the edge of the box.

9.19pm BST

61 min “I once (1984?) saw Newcastle United go into half time 4-0 up at QPR,” says Mac Millings. “Final score? 5-5. QPR, QED.”

9.18pm BST

60 min Giroud, who is on a yellow card, gets a nice ovation as he is replaced by Andre-Pierre Gignac. He’s on a hat-trick but he knows what time it is, and he smiles warmly as he embraces Deschamps.

9.18pm BST

Well that didn’t take long. Giroud restores the four-goal lead with a towering header from an excellent Payet free-kick. Halldorsson came for it and got nowhere. That’s Giroud’s last touch of the match.

9.16pm BST

58 min Bjarnason is booked for a bad tackle on Giroud and will miss the semi-final.

9.15pm BST

See, even Dame Fortune has fallen for Iceland’s charms. This is a really nice consolation goal. Gylfi Sigurdsson on the right whips a brilliant curling cross into the corridor of uncertainty at the near post, where Sigthorsson stabs it first-time past Lloris.

9.14pm BST

55 min It’s a shame to see Iceland tonked like this. But, as Glenn Hoddle says on ITV, it doesn’t change anything. This is the time of their lives, and not even a 7-0 defeat here would stop a slew of documentaries in June 2041. They have enriched the tournament so much with their laid-back charm, their commentary and even their long throws. The smaller teams have added so much. For this tournament, if not necessarily in the long term, the decision to have 24 teams has been a triumph.

9.10pm BST

52 min Whether France win the tournament or lose 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final, this is probably the last time they will be able to relax and enjoy themselves in the tournament. That’s exactly what they are doing, passing the ball around lazily in an unwitting homage to the 1984 side. Pogba then rifles a shot not far wide from 25 yards.

9.08pm BST

50 min Almost a fifth goal. Griezmann overruns the ball in the box and is tackled; the loose ball comes to Payet, who slices a half-volley high over the bar from the edge of the box.

9.06pm BST

48 min “This is putting England’s efforts into a little perspective in’t it,” says Adam Hirst, “as if Wales didn’t already do that on Friday.”

Niall Mullen, meanwhile, sends nothing but this link.

9.05pm BST

47 min The only concern for France is that Giroud and Koscielny are on yellow cards; I’m surprsed they weren’t

pulle
taken off at half-time.

9.04pm BST

46 min Peep peep!

9.04pm BST

Iceland are making two half-time substitutions: Alfred Finnbogason and Sverrir Ingason replaces Bodvarsson and Kari Arnason.

9.01pm BST

“I think the Germans will will that semi final easily,” says Kelvin. “France can’t defend as well as the Italians did yesterday and they’ll probably be defending for 80 of the 90 minutes. A Wales-Germany final beckons.”

Erm, first of all, who says France will be in the semi-finals? But seriously folks, France do have a mental block against Germany; their performance against them in the World Cup quarter-final was pathetically meek. But they are at home and they have added Payet and Kante. I’d make Germany slight favourites because, as you say, France’s defence is ropey and so far untested. If there’s an early goal it could be a classic. To many it’ll feel like the final.

8.54pm BST

Replays show that Giroud was offside for the first goal, though it was really tight and almost impossible to give.

8.54pm BST

So, France v Germany will meet in a semi-final for the first time since the World Cups of 1982 and 1986. That’ll be an occasion of rare intensity. I can’t remember what happened the last time Germany faced the hosts in a semi-final.

8.50pm BST

A bit of half-time reading on Our Pep

8.49pm BST

Peep peep! France have a slender lead going into the second half, but will be wary of an Iceland fightback. Trust me, it would be a dick move to suggest this game is over. See you in 10 minutes.

8.48pm BST

Matuidi (I think) played a crisp low pass forward to Giroud, who tried to flick it behind the defence for Griezmann. I’m not sure whether he got a touch or not but it didn’t matter because Griezmann scooted past the flat-footed Arnason, drew Halldorsson and dinked the ball gently over him. Lovely goal.

8.47pm BST

Antoine Griezmann makes it four!

8.46pm BST

It was a nice goal, lots of quick passing and then a cross from the right from Sissoko that eventually came to Payet on the edge of the D. He moved it onto his left foot, away from the defender, and dragged a precise low shot into the far corner.

8.44pm BST

Dimitri Payet makes it three!

8.43pm BST

41 min Iceland have not collapsed since the second goal, far from it, but they do look like a team who know it’s over.

8.41pm BST

38 min After another long passing move, Payet gets the ball on the left of the area and lofts it back to the onrushing Matuidi, who slices his volley well wide from 25 yards.

8.39pm BST

36 min France are keeping the ball for extended periods now. Then, out of nowhere, Pogba plays a brilliant disguised pass to start a move that falls down when Payet picks the wrong option on the edge of the box.

8.36pm BST

34 min Evra surges down the left and is fouled by Gudmundsson. The referee gives nothing.

8.33pm BST

31 min Another long throw from Gunnarsson is headed clear by Evra. Glenn Hoddle makes the good point that the wet ball doesn’t help Gunnarsson.

8.31pm BST

29 min France are playing a bit of olé football, albeit without the actual olés, and they have another corner on the right. This time it’s taken by Payet rather than Griezmann, and Gylfi Sigurdsson heads it clear.

8.28pm BST

26 min “Quite the dick move to say a game is ‘surely over’ at 2-0 with 70+ minutes to play,” says Evan Ouellette, our Dick Move Correspondent.

8.27pm BST

25 min Iceland almost score again from the long throw. It was beautifully worked, flung flat and fast from the right by Gunnarsson to Sigthorsson, who headed it dangerously towards the six-yard area. The stretching Bodvarsson got to it first but was under pressure from Umtiti and could only lob it over the bar.

8.25pm BST

24 min I wonder what poor old Roy Hodgson is doing tonight.

8.24pm BST

22 min “Honestly, I think Giroud was ever so slightly offside,” says Robert Wilson. “I’ve seen calls where if the shoulder is in front of the last defender, the player is offside. I don’t think it was bad officiating, but definitely it was a close call. Shame for Iceland. And Halldorson, who’s been excellent this tournament.”

8.22pm BST

France have doubled their lead through Paul Pogba. Griezmann drilled a flat corner to the far post, and Pogba roared about Bodvarsson to thump a fine header into the net from six yards. That was a Ronaldo-like leap, aided by the fact that he had the run on the static Bodvarsson. This game is surely over.

8.21pm BST

19 min A corner to France on the right, from which...

8.20pm BST

17 min The Iceland fans have picked up where they left off before the goal - HUH! - and so have the team, who have certainly had more than their usual 30 per cent possession so far. The backpedalling Bodvarsson loops a gentle header into the hands of Lloris from a right-wing cross.

8.18pm BST

15 min “That pitch looks greasier than your town’s dodgiest chipper,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Easy to imagine a goal coming from a Stevie G style slip and fall.” What’s Richie Aprile got to do with it?

8.15pm BST

13 min That might have been offside; Amason certainly thought so. It was extremely close but, without seeing a replay, I think Giroud was just okay.

8.15pm BST

What a simple goal. Matuidi, on the halfway line, curves a fine pass over the top of the defence to Giroud, who galumphs down the inside-left channel and rattles an excellent first-time shot through Halldorsson’s legs with his left foot.

8.13pm BST

11 min “It’s been a long old tournament so far, and my wife has largely enjoyed it,” says Matt Dony. “Signs of tiredness are creeping in, though. She’s currently giggling like a schoolgirl at Umtiti.” He hasn’t been that ba- oh.

8.11pm BST

9 min A period of harmless French passing is soundtracked by the lustiest of Huh chants from the Iceland fans. Then a long ball is flicked on by Sigthorsson to Bjarnason, who drags the bouncing ball well wide from 20 yards. It was well worked though.

8.10pm BST

8 min Gunnarsson is fortunate not to be booked for a bad tackle on Payet. He’s one of the nine who are a yellow card away from missing the semi-finals.

8.09pm BST

7 min That’s an excellent sprawling claim from Halldorsson, without which Griezmann would have had a tap-in from Sissoko’s cross. The ball is zipping off this wet pitch, so low shots and crosses are the order of the day.

8.08pm BST

6 min After a lovely one-touch move from France, Payet drills a low 25-yard shot that Halldorsson spills out in front of him. Two France players were closing in but he was able to grab the loose ball just in time.

8.06pm BST

5 min This has been a really good start from Iceland. Saevarsson plays an excellent long pass towards Gudmundsson, who runs away from Pogba in the box but then miscontrols the pass and it goes out for a goalkick.

8.05pm BST

3 min Gylfi Sigurdsson has the first shot saved by Lloris. He moved smartly away from Matuidi in the box but couldn’t get enough power on the shot. Just before that, Umtiti clambered riskily all over Bodvarsson in the box. Had Bodvarsson gone down, that might have been a penalty, though it’s hard to say without seeing a replay

8.03pm BST

3 min France are indeed playing 4-2-3-1, with Griezmann behind Giroud.

8.02pm BST

2 min “Back in 1994, before anyone in the US cared about the National team, they used to have all their friendlies in Southern California,” says Dave Hill. “I saw a lot of games in small arenas. One of the smallest was a San Diego community college where the US played Iceland. A couple of hundred people showed up including about 6 or 8 Iceland fans. I thought they needed help so I went and helped them cheer on the team to a 2-1 victory. Ever since they have been my third team behind Holland and the US.

“It was a very trying time during this qualifying group watching them beat the Dutch, but I’m glad they’ve come this far. Everyone seems to forget they were a playoff away from reaching the last world cup too. So don’t be too surprised if they can pull this one off.”

8.02pm BST

1 min It’s a rainy night in

Lyndhurst
Paris, as France kick off from left to right. They are in blue, Iceland in white.

7.55pm BST

“Hey there Rob,” says Madrin Macgillivray, “excitement is bubbling here in Gimli Manitoba, on the west side of Lake Winnipeg. The small interlake town is home to one of the biggest Icelandic populations outside of Iceland. Bars are packed, blue, white and red flags on every corner and Viking hats on every head. Turns out one of our table mates has a cousin on the team....Can’t wait for kickoff!”

Don’t leave us hanging; which player is his/her cousin?

7.54pm BST

The players are in the tunnel. Both teams look relaxed, Iceland in particular. This is a free game for them really. They’ve already won their tournament.

7.53pm BST

“Dear Rob,” says Ursolin Waxoh. “How would an Iceland victory tonight change the perception of England’s elimination? Would there be a re=evaluation of sorts, would English pundits and fans accept that Iceland are quite good and being eliminated by them is no big shame? Or would you all have a hearty laugh at the French, make a couple of Frexit jokes and carry on crucifying Mr. Roy? I fear this question will be academic, but still.”

The discourse around England’s elimination from tournaments rarely has time for unnecessary diversions like facts, so I don’t think it would change much even if Iceland won the tournament. I did the reaction was slightly over the top - USA 1950 was a much greater humiliation - but England deserve everything they get for looking Marcus Rashford in the mouth.

7.49pm BST

Here’s Gary Naylor “I guess Gareth Bale and co will be hoping for a France win tonight - after all, when Wales come up against Iceland, they usually get slaughtered. I’ll get my parka.”

7.42pm BST

“Hello Rob,” said Kári Tulinius. “I was a spectator at the Iceland-France game in Reykjavík in 1998. Nothing much happened until late in the first half when Barthez went for a cross he had no business going for, and Iceland scored. A few minutes later Zidane went through the Icelandic defense like he was a laser and they were a block of cheese, and set up the equalizer. After that not much happened, except for a near YouTube highlight reel goal from Djorkaeff, the Tigana of that side.

7.36pm BST

Spurs fan will no doubt remember Samuel Umtiti from that brilliant Europa League tie against Lyon in 2012-13.

7.34pm BST

Just in case you missed it last night, here’s the comedy highlight of the Euros so far: Simone Zaza’s Fitness for Octogenarians DVD.

7.21pm BST

I wonder where Bjarni Fel is watching tonight’s game. Bjarni - everyone is on first-name terms with him - is an Iceland football institution, the subject of this lovely piece from Scott Murray before the tournament.

7.17pm BST

Players on a yellow card, who would be well advised not to give the referee agita

France Giroud, Koscielny.

7.11pm BST

"There is no longer surprise." Evra on @footballiceland...#EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/BJuWTlvsaM

7.07pm BST

A bit of pre-match reading

7.02pm BST

Iceland are unchanged, as they have been throughout the tournament. For France, the Barcelona-bound defender Samuel Umtiti makes his international debut in place of the suspended Adil Rami. Quite a time to win your first cap, though he has nothing on Ruben Moran. N’Golo Kante, also suspended, is replaced by Moussa Sissoko, which probably mean a switch to 4-2-3-1.

France (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Sagna, Koscielny, Umtiti, Evra; Pogba, Matuidi; Sissoko, Griezmann, Payet; Giroud.

5.55pm BST

Hello. The European Championship is a tournament that makes an ass out of u and me. Czechoslovakia, Denmark and Greece have won it, and the list of finalists and semi-finalists includes Yugoslavia, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Hungary and – no Robbie, it’s not a dream - Wales. All logic suggests Iceland won’t join the list, and that France will beat them comfortably tonight. In this crazy football year, however, logic doesn’t draw much water. In fact, after the events of the last week, logic doesn’t draw s- [that’ll do - ed].

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Published on July 03, 2016 13:54

July 2, 2016

Germany 1-1 Italy (6-5 pens): Euro 2016 quarter-final – as it happened

Germany missed three penalties yet still triumphed over Italy in an often shambolic shoot-out at the end of a draining match

12.19am BST

Here’s Daniel Taylor’s match report from Bordeaux:

11.00pm BST

Post-match reading

Here’s an Observer exclusive on the friction between Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville that undermined England’s Euro 2016 campaign.

10.55pm BST

Oh, one last thing: Manuel Neuer was magnificent in that penalty shoot-out. He isn’t a great keeper; he’s an all-time great.

10.55pm BST

Germany go on to play France or Iceland in the semi-finals. Patrick Battison could be a busy man in the next few days. Italy may have only reached the last eight, but this tournament has been a stirring triumph for their admirable team and their wonderful manager Antonio Conte. Thanks for your company, goodnight.

10.52pm BST

There were some bizarre penalties, not least from Zaza, who looked like he was making a fitness video during his run-up, and then blootered it into orbit. That was one of the funniest penalties I’ve ever seen, not least because it was his first touch of the match and he’d been brought on as a penalty specialist.

10.51pm BST

Dear me, where do you start with that? Buffon almost got to the last penalty. He dived the right way but it slithered under his body. Italy were so close at times during the shoot-out, and Germany took some awful penalties. Thankfully for them, so did Italy.

10.49pm BST

Hector scores! Italy 5-6 Germany. GERMANY GO THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS!

10.48pm BST

Darmian misses! Italy 5-5 Germany

A rubbish penalty, saved by Neuer to his left!

10.47pm BST

Boateng scores! Italy 5-5 Germany

10.47pm BST

De Sciglio scores! Italy 5-4 Germany

It hit the underside of the bar, and that drum and bass song you can hear is De Sciglio’s heartbeat.

10.46pm BST

Kimmich scores! Italy 4-4 Germany

A brilliant penalty, especially from a 21-year-old.

10.46pm BST

Parolo scores! Italy 4-3 Germany

Italy have started smacking them all down the middle.

10.45pm BST

Hummels scores! Italy 3-3 Germany

Excellent penalty from Hummels. This is unbelievable stuff!

10.44pm BST

Giaccherini scores! Italy 3-2 Germany

10.44pm BST

Schweinsteiger misses! Italy 2-2 Germany

He smashed it over the bar! This is a shambles!

10.43pm BST

Bonucci’s penalty is saved! Italy 2-2 Germany

He scored in the match, but he’s missed here! It’s a great save from Neuer!

10.42pm BST

Draxler scores! Italy 2-2 Germany

Good penalty, and it’s effectively sudden death now.

10.42pm BST

Pelle misses! Italy 2-1 Germany

An awful penalty again, dragged feebly wide. Had it been on target Neuer would have saved it anyway.

10.41pm BST

Ozil hits the post! Italy 2-1 Germany

Buffon went right, Ozil went the other way and hit the outside of the post!

10.40pm BST

Barzagli scores! Italy 2-1 Germany

He clipped it straight down the middle as Neuer dived left.

10.40pm BST

Muller misses! Italy 1-1 Germany

An awful penalty and Buffon saves!

10.39pm BST

Zaza misses! Italy 1-1 Germany

After a bizarre run-up, in which he jogged on the spot for ages, the substitute Zaza screams it into orbit! Madon!

10.38pm BST

Kroos scores! Italy 1-1 Germany

Another terrific penalty. Buffon went the right way, to his right, but it was too precise.

10.38pm BST

Insigne scores! Italy 1-0 Germany

Calmly sidefooted to the right. Neuer went the wrong way.

10.37pm BST

Italy will go first, which is usually an advantage. Lorenzo Insigne will take the first penalty.

10.37pm BST

We knew it would be Neuer v Buffon onight, but we didn’t think Neuer would be taking a penalty at Buffon.

10.36pm BST

In the 1990s Italy went out of all three World Cups on penalties, but their record since then is better. Germany’s is formidable - they last lost a shoot-out in 1976 - though a few of these players have missed vital penalties before. I have a hunch Italy might do this.

10.33pm BST

It’s going to penalties. It was far from a great game, but it was seriously intense.

10.32pm BST

120 min Insigne almost scoots through the Germany defence, but the last man Howedes ushers the ball through the Neuer. With penalties in mind, Italy are bringing on Zaza to replace the immense Chiellini.

10.31pm BST

119 min After a great pass from Boateng and a lay-off from Schweinsteiger, Ozil’s rising drive from 20 yards is straight at Buffon.

10.30pm BST

118 min Germany are totally dominating possession in the last few minutes. Ozil finds Muller in the box, and he pokes a pass that hits an Italian defender. There was a slight appeal for handball, though I think it hit the chest. In fact it hit Barzagli on the head.

10.28pm BST

115 min Muller buys a foul from Chiellini on the right wing. Parolo heads the free-kick clear. With the Neuer incident, he actually kicked it at the referee, and it looped dangerously back into the Germany area. The referee then blew for an imaginary infringement just as Neuer was about to challenge Pelle. I’d like to see a replay of that.

10.26pm BST

114 min In 2006, Italy were so desperate to avoid penalties against Germany that they ended up with four forwards on the pitch. This time they look so shattered that it’s almost as much as they can do to hang on for penalties.

10.25pm BST

113 min Insigne’s shot from a tight angle is comfortably held by Neuer. Then there is some kind of farce off-camera - I think Neuer kicked the ball straight into an Italian player, though it didn’t matter as the referee gave a foul.

10.24pm BST

112 min Schweinsteiger is booked for a hand off in the face of Insigne.

10.23pm BST

111 min “Funny how teams react to the pressures of tournament football,” says Matt Dony. “We were assured that, with youth coming through and a million striking options, this was the most exciting England team in years. Compare that with what we were repeatedly told would be the ‘worst Italian side in a generation.’ Also, how the hell is Buffon ‘only’ 38? He seems to have been a grizzled veteran since I first set eyes on him, a long time ago.”

10.20pm BST

109 min Germany break three-on-three through Draxler, who runs 50 yards but then overhits a fairly simple through pass to Muller!

10.19pm BST

108 min The excellent Eder limps off to be replaced by Lorenzo Insigne.

10.18pm BST

107 min Schweinsteiger’s deep cross is headed up in the air by Barzagli, towards his own goal, and Draxler improvises an overhead flick just over the bar from a few yards. That was almost a very strange goal.

10.17pm BST

106 min We’re off again.

10.15pm BST

We should have known it was going to be like this. Germany have a great record in penalty shoot-outs, of course, but they have never had one against Italy.

10.12pm BST

103 min That is ridiculous. Giaccherini is clearly fouled on the edge of the area, falls over and lands on the ball with his hands. The referee books him, either for diving or handball. Giaccherini was one of the few remaining Italians not on a yellow card, so it won’t affect his semi-final place if they get there.

10.11pm BST

102 min A couple of corners for Germany, the second of which is played short and passed around until eventually, out of sheer boredom, Boateng drives a low shot well wide from 30 yards.

10.09pm BST

99 min The break has worked in Germany’s favour, and they’ve got their passing groove back. Italy still look relatively comfortable defensively, however, and penalties is the likeliest scenario.

10.05pm BST

95 min “Turns out my presence isn’t nearly as interesting as I thought,” says Alys Barber-Rogers. “Mum’s left the room and Dad’s put the football on... At least his timing is good!”

10.05pm BST

94 min Gianluca Vialli, who is a terrific pundit, made a really good point about Boateng’s handball. Basically Boateng had his hands high in the air to show the referee he wasn’t pushing Chiellini, but he hadn’t considered that this might leave him vulnerable to handball.

10.02pm BST

93 min Chiellini and Muller have a full and frank exchange of views, with Muller accusing Chiellini of being a baby. Buffon calms him down, as you would expect of the nicest man on the planet.

10.01pm BST

91 min Extra-time is under way, and Pelle is booked inside the first minute for planting his studs into Boateng’s achilles. He’ll miss the semi-final if Italy get there.

9.59pm BST

That was apparently the first penalty of Bonucci’s career. He has some moxie, because it was magnificent.

9.53pm BST

Just as in 1970 and 2006, Germany and Italy are going to extra time. See you in a few minutes.

9.52pm BST

90+2 min Chiellini takes Ozil’s cross off the head of Schweinsteiger with an outstanding defensive header eight yards from goal.

9.51pm BST

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

9.50pm BST

90 min Hummels is booked for a foul on the increasingly menacing Eder. He’ll miss the semi-final if Germany go through. They need the final whistle a lot more than Italy.

9.49pm BST

89 min Eder flicks a classy pass with the outside of the foot to De Sciglio on the left. He attacks Kimmich, comes inside and drills a low shot just wide of the near post. It rippled the side netting, and some people thought it was in. I think Neuer had it covered either way.

9.46pm BST

86 min Florenzi, who has put in an outstanding shift and looks totally spent, is replaced by Matteo Darmian. Those two Italian wing-backs are such admirable players.

9.45pm BST

85 min Germany can hear the Jaws music. They had total control 15 minutes ago and almost went 2-0 up, but now they are looking under the sauce to see if it’s pasta.

9.44pm BST

84 min Boateng had been superb until that point as well. What a thing to do.

9.43pm BST

83 min Now Italy look the likelier winners, though we all remember Romania 1998.

9.41pm BST

81 min A superb break from Italy involving Florenzi and the speedy Eder ends with Pelle’s mishit shot deflecting wide off Howedes. Muller heads the corner away.

9.40pm BST

That was a bizarre handball from Boateng. He was marking Chiellini at the near post, and attacked the ball with his hands high in the air. It was a clear penalty.

9.37pm BST

A brilliant penalty from Bonucci, who stopped in his run-up and passed it precisely into the bottom-right corner. Neuer went the right way but was nowhere near.

9.37pm BST

Florenzi’s corner came back to him, and he curled it back into the box, where Boateng was guilty of an absurd star-jump handball. That was ridiculous.

9.36pm BST

76 min Italy, who looked beaten five minutes, have stirred into life. And now they have a penalty!

9.35pm BST

75 min “Italy’s defence may have switched off due to the sheer dullness of watching their own play,” sniffs Ian Copestake.

9.34pm BST

74 min Italy have their best spell of possession for a while. De Sciglio drags a low cross towards Pelle, who gets in front of Boateng but crashes his shot wide of the near post. He couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball.

9.32pm BST

72 min Gomez limps off; Julian Draxler replaces him.

9.31pm BST

70 min Italy haven’t had a kick since the goal. Having seen a replay, it wasn’t a backheel from Gomez at all; Chiellini, running back towards his own goal, tried to tackle Gomez and almost scored an own goal in the process. It was a majestic save from Buffon.

9.29pm BST

68 min Great save from Buffon! The increasingly influential Ozil played a gorgeous chip over the defence to Gomez, who timed his run to beat the offside trap. The ball wouldn’t sit down for him, so he improvised an adroit backheel from six yards. Buffon had barely any reacftion time but dived to his left to tip it over. That is a brilliant save.

9.27pm BST

67 min I’d need to see a replay, but I think Gomez might have been fractionally offside in the build up to the goal, when he attacked a long kick from Neuer at the start of the move. It’s hard to be sure without seeing a replay.

9.26pm BST

Gomez broke down the left, waited patiently for support and then played a fine pass infield to the underlapping Hector. His cross deflected off an Italian defender and Ozil, arriving late at the near post, swept a first-time half-volley past Buffon from eight yards.

9.24pm BST

Mesut Ozil has given Germany the lead!

9.24pm BST

64 min “Somewhere,” says Hubert O’Hearn, “Lee Cattermole is watching this game of fouls and is thinking, ‘This is international football? Why haven’t I been called up?’”

9.23pm BST

63 min “Why can no side in this tournament take a decent corner or free kick?” says Gary Naylor. “Bring back Andrea Pirlo!”

Throw-ins are the new corners.

9.21pm BST

62 min A rare Italian break, and Giaccherini’s deep, inswinging cross is headed away well by the under-pressure Hector. Moments later, Parolo’s first-time shot from 25 yards bobbles well wide.

9.21pm BST

61 min After a good start to the second half, Italy have been pushed back again by Germany’s smooth, confident passing. There isn’t a lot in it, and Buffon still hasn’t had a difficult save to make, but if you had to guess a winner now it would probably be Germany.

9.19pm BST

59 min After no yellow cards in 55 minutes, we’ve now had three in five. Parolo is booked for a high kick on Gomez. He wasn’t on a card before the game.

9.17pm BST

57 min De Sciglio is booked for a late hack at Kimmich, and he will miss the semi-final if Italy get there.

9.16pm BST

55 min Sturaro is booked for dissent, the first yellow card of the match. He was in the minority of Italians who weren’t on a booking before the game.

9.16pm BST

54 min Florenzi makes up for his own error with a spectacular clearance off the line! He gave the ball away in his own half, allowing Germany to counter-attack. Eventually the ball came to Muller, who blasted a left-footed shot towards the left-hand post from just inside the box. Florenzi’s momentum took him past the line of the ball but he improvised brilliantly to produce a kind of flying kick to divert it wide of the post. It might have been going wide anyway, it’s hard to be sure; either way, it was spectacular defending.

9.12pm BST

54 min “On the Horse of the Year Show criteria I make Neuer ahead on Elegance (nice chest-down and clearance) and Buffon down one for that near-post fumble,” says Charles Antaki. “Both equal on Hoofing.”

9.12pm BST

53 min Kimmich’s cross is headed behind for a corner by the diving Barzagli. Sturaro heads the corner clear.

9.11pm BST

51 min Italy are clearly determined to play higher up the pitch, particularly the wing-backs. De Sciglio has been involved a lot in the first few minutes of the half.

9.09pm BST

49 min “Tedious is spot on for that first half,” says Jamie Fox. “There is an emperor’s new clothes situation going on here with everyone afraid of being called out for being uncultured. . So far not a patch on the 2006 classic.” Some would argue it’s not a patch on the 1962 stinker.

9.08pm BST

47 min On the BBC, Thierry Henry made the point that Italy have been forced to play a 5-3-2, with De Sciglio and Florenzi pushed back for almost all of the half. They look most dangerous when the wing-backs get forward, as De Sciglio did there before putting in a good low cross to Eder. He tried to lay it back for Giaccherini to shoot first time but his touch was too light and Germany cleared.

9.05pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Italy begin the second half, kicking from left to right.

9.01pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Alys Barber-Rogers. “I’m visiting my folks down in Devon. Mum’s not bothered about football, Dad and I both love it, we’re having a lovely evening and I don’t get down here very often. We’d turn the telly on if it was a cracker of a game... What’s your advice?”

Keep chatting about the good times; you’re not missing much.

9.00pm BST

“I can appreciate this is a game of rare skill and tactical discipline, but I’m watching with a fever north of 39 degrees,” says Kari Tulinius. “I just want someone to do a goal before I start hallucinating dolphins telescoping down the left wing.”

You’ve got serious problems.

9.00pm BST

“From a neutral standpoint,” says Ian Copestake, “it would be worth having Balotelli in the Italy side just to see his effect on Conte.”

8.59pm BST

“Anyone who thinks that half was tedious has serious problems,” says Mike MacKenzie.

8.59pm BST

A bit of half-time reading

8.49pm BST

That was either an intriguing or tedious half of football; I’m still not sure which. See you in 10 minutes!

8.48pm BST

43 min Italy almost take the lead on the stroke of half-time. A wonderful long pass from Bonucci (I think) finds Giaccherini on the left of the box, a very similar ball to the one that led to the first goal against Belgium. Giaccherini almost overruns it but manages to cut it back across the face of goal. Eventually it comes to Sturaro, following up the play, and his first-time shot deflects off Boateng and just wide of the far post.

8.46pm BST

42 min A sliced 20-yard shot from Kroos pinballs around the Italian box before coming to Muller, who gets neither power or precision on his first-time shot from 15 yards. He scuffed it into the ground, and Buffon had plenty of time to dive to his right and grab it.

8.44pm BST

41 min Kimmich’s short-range cross finds Gomez, who gets a run on his man at the near post but powers a header well over the bar. It was a half-chance at best.

8.43pm BST

40 min “This match is reminiscent of the 2003 Champions League Final,” says Niall Mullen, landing the lowest blow of them all.

8.41pm BST

38 min I’m not sure there has been a shot on target. The game doesn’t feel like a stinker, however, probably because of the grandeur and the rare tactical intrigue. I may revise this view in an hour’s time, however.

8.40pm BST

37 min “So it seems Uefa have been slightly more proactive than expected, with respect to the Italian team ending with 12 eligible for the semi,” says Brendan Large. “They just told the ref not to book anyone. He seems to be refreshingly lenient.” It’s 2006 all over again.

8.39pm BST

36 min Buffon fumbles an awkward, deflected cross from Hector, but manages to grab it off Gomez’s toe at the second attempt. We still haven’t had a clear chance.

8.37pm BST

35 min Here’s Ian Copestake. “Am trying to imagine how Conte as Bond villain would deliver the line, ‘Come. come, Mr Bond. You take just as much pleasure in killing German tournament dreams as I do.’”

8.36pm BST

32 min “Even Conte’s bench staff look like the Council of Evil,” says John Pitre. “I cannot wait (as a neutral) for MUN CHE next year.”

Not to mention all the other big games. Managercam will be a lot more entertaining than the actual football.

8.34pm BST

31 min Parolo’s crossfield pass slithers under Kimmich’s foot and through to De Sciglio on the left. He guides a low cross towards the near post, where Boateng does brilliantly to get in front of Giaccherini and clear.

8.32pm BST

29 min Pelle plays a nice one-two with Eder, whose return pass is fractionally underhit and thus allows Howedes to intercept. Then Chiellini ploughs through Muller on the halfway line without punishment. It’s starting to warm up.

8.30pm BST

27 min Schweinsteiger has a goal disallowed. It was the right decision. Hummels drove a long angled pass into the box, and Schweinsteiger shoved De Sciglio over before heading past Buffon. It was a good header but a clear foul.

8.29pm BST

27 min Italy are really struggling to get out, although Buffon has had nothing to do so far. It’s almost like a training exercise, attack v defence.

8.28pm BST

25 min Sturaro puts Kroos up in the air and receives a lecture from the referee. The last 15 minutes have been very bitty, with lots of breaks in play.

8.27pm BST

24 min Eder has a nose bleed after an accidental elbow from Boateng. He’s back on the field, with tissue shoved up his hooter.

8.26pm BST

23 min De Sciglio beats Kimmich to a loose ball and is clattered. For some reason the referee does not give a free-kick, a decision with which Antonio Conte is not entirely enamoured.

8.24pm BST

22 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Proper major tournament football, this. 12 World and European Championships between them - Germany, Italy and Scotland. Incredible!”

8.23pm BST

21 min Italy are missing De Rossi both with and without the ball, and Germany are starting to pin them back.

8.21pm BST

19 min Italy haven’t really got into the game as an attacking force. At the moment it’s on the cagey side of respectful, certainly from Italy.

8.21pm BST

18 min “If it gets dull, could they just turn it into a save-off between Buffon and Neuer?” says Charles Antaki. “I have in mind something like the Horse of the Year Show, with points for the equivalent of spectacular jumps, responsiveness and positioning. Penalty saves if tied.” Wouldn’t Buffon win by default for being the nicest man alive?

8.18pm BST

15 min Khedira off, Schweinsteiger on. Poor Khedira has had some dumb luck with injuries: he missed the World Cup final after doing himself a mischief in the warm-up.

8.17pm BST

14 min Khedira signals to the bench that he can’t carry on, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who came out of retirement for this tournament, is getting ready to replace him.

8.16pm BST

13 min Khedira is feeling his groin - outside his shorts - and is also having treatment on his leg after a collision with Chiellini. He’s going to carry on for now.

8.15pm BST

12 min The right wing-back Kimmich is seeing a lot of the ball for Germany. When Hummels finds him with a marvellous crossfield pass, he tries to scoot round De Sciglio and into the box. De Sciglio does very well to get his body between men and ball and draw the foul.

8.12pm BST

9 min Another good spell of passing from Germany leads to their first corner. It’s played short to Kimmich, whose cross flicks off an Italian head and all the way across the box. This has been a fascinating start.

8.11pm BST

8 min Antonio Conte would make a magnificent Bond villain.

8.09pm BST

6 min Italy are into their work now, and have harassed Germany out of possession on a few occasions in the last couple of minutes. So far this is that rarest of things: the tactically interesting game.

8.08pm BST

5 min Italy win the first corner of the match. Eder tries the Anderton/Sheringham near-post corner and the ball is half cleared to Sturaro, whose snapshot from 20 yards goes well wide. From the resulting goalkick, Italy leave four men on the edge of the German box so that Neuer has to kick long. When he does it soon comes back to Giaccherini, whose shot is deflected for another corner. Nothing comes of it.

8.06pm BST

4 min “I have a feeling that facing this particular bogey, Jogi will not get a sniff,” honks Ian Copestake.

8.06pm BST

3 min Germany have started confidently, with some crisp, rhythmic passing.

8.04pm BST

2 min Germany are indeed playing a back three, with Boateng in the centre, Hummels to his left and Howedes to the right. I didn’t realise but apparently they played that system when they battered Italy 4-1 in March.

8.02pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Germany, in white, kick off from left to right. Italy are in blue.

8.01pm BST

Before we start, there’s a minute’s applause for those who died in Dhaka last night, including a number of Italians.

8.00pm BST

There’s a terrific atmosphere in Bordeaux, and the kick-off is second away. Folks, it’s Germany v Italy.

7.57pm BST

“Is Mario Gomez Germany’s Serginho?” says Gary Naylor. “Of course this German team do not have Brazil 82’s dazzling array of attacking options (no side has - before or since), but I think this Mannschaft has greatness in it. We’ll learn a lot about them tonight.”

7.50pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Mark van Dijk. “To answer David Wall’s question about suspensions... You’ll remember the situation with Germany at Euro 96, where they went into the final with Kohler, Basler and Bobic injured; Klinsmann, Freund, Ziege and Helmer on the “maybe” list; and Reuter and Moller both suspended.

“They had both reserve keepers (Kahn and Reck) training as outfield players, just in case - until Uefa allowed them to call up an extra player (Jens Todt). In that case, it was a blend of injuries and suspensions - but to answer David’s question: Yes, Uefa do have a back-up plan!”

7.44pm BST

“Never mind the football, which can hardly fail to be anything but intriguing today…what about the managerial sartorial contest?” asks Justin Kavanagh. “I fancy Antonio Conte’s drop-dead-cool-couture to shade it over Joachim Löw’s casual-Friday-in-an-investment-bank look today. And 3-2 to Italy on the field.”

We all know where Conte and Diego Simeone got their sartorial inspiration.

7.34pm BST

An email

“Looking at that list of Italians one caution away from suspension, what would happen if they were all to be booked this evening, leaving them with only 12 players eligible for the next round if they won?” asks David Wall. “Would they simply have to bite the bullet and have just the third goalkeeper on the bench for the semi-final? And what if there were injuries to that eligible 12, and they weren’t able to field an eleven? Again, is it just tough luck, and they have to muddle through with an under-strength team, or do UEFA allow for emergency call-ups to avoid a farce?”

7.31pm BST

As you probably know by now, Italy are the bogeyman’s bogeyman, having never lost to Germany at a major tournament. Here’s a short history of this fixture by that Rob Smyth.

7.11pm BST

All of these players will miss the semi-final if they are booked

Germany Hummels, Khedira, Ozil, Boateng, Kimmich.

7.02pm BST

Daniele De Rossi is not fit to start, which is bad news for Italy as Thiago Motta is also suspended. Stefano Sturaro comes into the midfield. Germany have had an interesting reshuffle, with Benedikt Howedes replacing Julian Draxler. That suggests they are going to match Italy’s back three.

Germany (3-4-2-1) Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Howedes; Kimmich, Khedira, Kroos, Hector; Muller, Ozil; Gomez.
Substitutes: Leno, ter Stegen, Mustafi, Schweinsteiger, Schurrle, Podolski, Draxler, Can, Weigl, Tah, Gotze, Sane.

6.40pm BST

Pre-match reading

Raphael Honigstein on Germany’s true nine ...

5.46pm BST

Italy 2-0 Spain: Euro 2016 – as it happened

A superbly organised Italy deserved dethroned Spain with goals from Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle in a compelling, dramatic match

7.06pm BST

Paul Wilson’s report on a manic, memorable match is below. Thanks for your company. I’ll leave you with one last email. “Ridiculously,” says Matt Dony, “I’m watching this thinking ‘In the final, I fancy Wales’ chances against Italy more than Spain...’

7.04pm BST

The other good news for Italy is that, of all the players on a yellow card, only Thiago Motta was booked and will miss the Germany game. And of course, they get delicious rewenge for the 4-0 thrashing in the final four years ago. Whatever happens in the rest of the tournament, they’ll be talking about this match for decades.

6.58pm BST

“Spain’s away kits look like they were pegged by a Starburst cannon,” says Zaharo Tsekouras. “Amazing in theory but in reality deceptive in that there is a preponderance of the much-loathed Lemon-flavour Starburst.”

Apparently that is their eighth consecutive defeat at a major tournament when wearing white. Bizarre.

6.57pm BST

“Catenaccio 2-0 Talent,” says Pete Mumola. “In case the smug editors of El Mundo (courtesy of Sid Lowe’s fine piece on this rivalry) missed the scoreline for tomorrow’s paper.”

6.56pm BST

What a brilliant, compelling game that was. The short story is that Italy did a number on Spain, though there were so many fascinating elements to it. Italy are all celebrating in front of their fans; Buffon has a huge smile plastered on his face.

6.53pm BST

After eight years as European champions, Spain are out! They played better in the second half, but it was a rousing and fully deserved victory for Italy.

6.52pm BST

90+4 min Chiellini shrieks in pain after a tackle from

Johan Neeskens
Silva, who is booked.

6.51pm BST

90+3 min Conte’s celebration will be coming to a Vine near you any minute now. He charged around the technical area, his black suit flapping in the breeze, and then tried to clamber on top of the dug out to clench his fist to the Italian fans. It must be pretty good to be a Chelsea fan right now, and unbelievably good to be an Italy fan.

6.50pm BST

Graziano Pelle completes a wonderful victory for Italy. With all the players attracted to the left side, Insigne drilled a majestic crossfield pass to Darmian on the right. He moved into the area and stabbed a low cross that was deflected up to Pelle, and he volleyed it in from a few yards.

6.49pm BST

It’s all over now!

6.48pm BST

90+1 min There will be four added minutes.

6.48pm BST

90 min Oh what a save from Buffon! The free-kick resulting from Motta’s left hook was drilled long and headed towards the six-yard box. Pique got there first and stretched to cushion a volley towards goal that was brilliantly tipped away by the plunging Buffon. Magnificent stuff!

6.47pm BST

89 min In a surprising development, Thiago Motta is booked. It was for a foul on Pedro. He’ll miss the quarter-final if Italy get there. Spain are really unhappy about something – and quite right actually, because Motta gave Pedro a left-hander! Busquets was also booked for complaining.

6.46pm BST

88 min “Nice to see Pedro get the chance to end his strop from the bench,” says Ian Copestake. “Inspirational team player.”

6.45pm BST

87 min Andres Iniesta’s first mistake since 2004 almost leads to a goal. He miscontrolled the ball to Silva, who played a delicious low cross that nicked off the foot of Barzagli and just escaped the stretching Pedro a few yards from goal.

6.44pm BST

86 min The winners, as you probably know, face Germany on Saturday evening.

6.43pm BST

85 min Italy break, and Insigne’s wobbling long-range shot is straight at De Gea and beaten away.

6.42pm BST

84 min Italy’s last substitution: the superb Florenzi, who looks a serious player, is replaced by Matteo Darmian, who I regard as the greatest full-back in history.

6.41pm BST

83 min “I haven’t seen it asked yet,” says Pete Mumola, “but who would win a cage match between these two high octane black clad coaches?” I’m sorry, Pete, but we don’t encourage cage fighting at the Guardian.

6.40pm BST

81 min Spain’s final substitution: the substitute Aduriz off, Pedro on. Aduriz is limping, so I don’t think it’s a sub-being-subbed embarrassment. And now a substitution for Italy, with Lorenzo Insigne replacing the terrific Eder.

6.38pm BST

80 min Spain do have a Plan B, in the tall Aduriz, though if they get out of this I suspect it will be because of tiki or taka. Italy are under incessant pressure now.

6.36pm BST

79 min Italy have had 25 per cent possession in the last 15 minutes. They can’t get out, or maybe they are too tired to get out.

6.35pm BST

78 min “Yellow cards aren’t wiped until after the quarterfinal games,” says J.R. Ach, thanks, my mistake. That means

England
Iceland or France could end up playing Italy Reserves in the semi-final: more than half their 23-man squad are currently on a yellow card.

6.35pm BST

76 min A technically beautiful volley from Iniesta, 20 yards out, is too straight and punched away by Buffon, who smiles in appreciation of Iniesta’s quality. He does seem like a damn fine human being, Buffon, and thirty seconds later he springs to his right to beat away a stinging 20-yard snap-shot from Pique. It was a spectacular but essentially straightforward save for somebody as good as him.

6.33pm BST

75 min Conte, annoyed at Giaccherini miscontrolling the ball for a throw-in, uses his black suede shoes to hoof the ball down the touchline in disgust. He is magnificent. What fun we’re going to have next season with all the galactico managers.

6.32pm BST

74 min Lucas hits the post after a lovely through ball from Fabregas (I think), though it didn’t matter as he had been rightly offside.

6.31pm BST

73 min So far, Italy have no suspensions for a potential quarter-final, though eight of their XI are on a yellow – six from before the game, two during it. The cards are wiped at the end of this round though.

6.29pm BST

71 min Juanfran’s flighted cross towards the head of Aduriz is punched away by Buffon, but Spain get a corner a few seconds later. Fabregas’s outswinger is met by Ramos, whose header drifts a few yards wide. He might have done better there, such is his finishing ability.

6.28pm BST

69 min The ball is coming back at Italy all the time at the moment. Fabregas’s brilliant low pass from the left is dummied by Iniesta and swept not far wide by Aduriz, 16 yards from goal. Moments later, Morata is replaced by Lucas Vazquez.

6.24pm BST

66 min “Italy are slowing down, late to the ball,” says Rick McGahey. “Wonder if they have energy to see this out.” If they don’t, they’ll regret those missed chances, especially Eder’s.

6.24pm BST

65 min Some old-fashioned tiki-taka from Italy – surely it’s time for the BBC to do I Love 2012 – but then Iniesta’s pass goes astray. This is splendidly tense, though I’ve a feeling we might get a red card soon.

6.21pm BST

61 min How did Italy not score there? Eder, who is having a magnificent game, rode a tackle on the edge of the box and found Di Sciglio to his left. His low first-time cross slithered through De Gea at the near post, but he got away it because it went to a Spanish defender rather than an Italian attacker.

6.18pm BST

60 min Morata’s imaginative volleyed lob goes well wide. But Spain are right back in what has become a cracking game.

6.17pm BST

59 min It’s getting lively now. Eder is shoved over by Pique – and the referee waves play on. When play does stop, both sets of players have a lively exchange of views, and Conte goes ballistic on the touchline.

6.16pm BST

58 min Aduriz has a nosebleed; I’m not sure why. Somewhere in the world, Mauro Tassotti’s face breaks into a smile.

6.14pm BST

55 min The genius of David de Gea keeps Spain in the tournament. Pelle’s marvellous back-flick, 40 yards from goal, allowed Eder to scamper beyond the defence and eventually into the area. He made good contact with his shot but De Gea stood tall and spread himself to make a brilliant block with his breadbasket. Eder will feel he should have scored, mind you.

6.12pm BST

54 min Pelle is booked for trying to head the ball. It was ridiculous, and the result of risible playacting from Fabregas, who went down holding his face. Pelle wasn’t on a yellow before the game – though he almost received a second yellow moments later for a clumsy tackle on Busquets. The referee makes the universal sign for ‘no more’.

6.11pm BST

53 min Silva, 18 yards out, passes when he should shoot and the opportunity is lost. Italy are under the pump, and Thiago Motta is coming on for De Rossi. That must be an injury because De Rossi has been superb.

6.10pm BST

51 min Italy are under significant pressure all of a sudden. A dangerous inswinging free-kick breaks to Pique, whose effort is blocked a few yards from goal by the backpedalling Chiellini, whose nose smells danger better than most. We’ve just seen the Morata chance again; he was so busy shoving an Italian defender out of the way that he mistimed his heading motion and the ball came off his shoulder. That’s why it went so tamely into Buffon’s hands.

6.09pm BST

50 min “Cesc Fabregas peaked before he was 25,” says Christopher Faherty. “He’s never developed into the controlling midfielder everyone thought he was going to become. He was pushed forward towards the end at Arsenal. False-nine type at Barcelona. He’s been doing shag-all controlling for Chelsea over the last eighteen months and plays more like an Alonso than a Xavi type anyway. Curious player really.”

6.07pm BST

49 min Bonucci is penalised for handball, so Spain have a free-kick on the right wing. Silva’s inswinger is headed behind for a corner by De Rossi. It’s taken short and curled in to the unmarked Morata, who plants a header straight at Buffon from only six yards. That was a glorious chance!

6.05pm BST

47 min “I’m in Germany at the mo’ and they’ve just advertised the England game in big letters: ENGLAND - ISLAND.,” says Steve Pine. “Took a while to realise German TV weren’t making an oddly timed political point.”

6.04pm BST

46 min Italy fly out of the traps again. Florenzi breaks into the box on the right and drills a dangerous low cross that Pique pokes behind for a corner. It’s another dangerous one that Ramos clears on the six-yard line.

6.03pm BST

46 min Bing bong! Italy begin the second half, kicking from right to left.

6.03pm BST

Half-time substitution for Spain Nolito off, the 35-year-old Aduriz on. Presumably Morata will play from the left now.

6.01pm BST

Some more half-time reading, on the subject of Marcus Rashford.

5.55pm BST

We’ve just seen the goal again. De Gea did try to push it away from goal but screwed it out in front. It was all a bit weird – Pique and Iniesta weren’t even looking at the ball, De Gea wasn’t quite ready, there was a big gap in the wall right in line with the centre of the goal. Spain may have to take collective responsibility on that one.

5.53pm BST

Half-time emails

“I’m sure a bazillion people have contacted you to tell you that Liverpool won the League, European Cup and League Cup in 1983/4,” says Andrew. “Or Canon League, European Cup and Milk Cup, in fact.” (Isn’t that a treble rather than a Treble?)

5.50pm BST

Half-time reading

5.49pm BST

Bing bong! That 45 minutes flew by. At the moment, the team with the plan are doing an emphaitc number on the team with the philosophy. Italy are 1-0 up, and it would be two or three but for David de Gea. They have been terrific; Spain have been pretty ordinary, or maybe pretty/ordinary. See you in 10 minutes.

5.47pm BST

More reading

5.46pm BST

45 min De Gea keeps Spain in the match with another stunning save. Giaccherini vroomed infield from the left, past two defenders, and then whipped a right-footed curler towards the far corner. De Gea flew high to his left, strained the necessary sinews, tipped it over the bar with his right hand and instantly dedicated the save to Paul Morris.

5.44pm BST

43 min Whatever happened to that Cesc Fabregas?

5.42pm BST

41 min “Much as I appreciate all del Bosque has done for both Spain and Real Madrid, this game typifies why it is time for him to start enjoying his golden retirement years,” says Gene Salorio. “Spain may get lucky and pull it out but he’s been totally out-thought by Conte.”

What is he, 65? The game’s left him behind. Bet he voted Leave an’ all.

5.42pm BST

40 min Nolito is booked for a late tackle on De Rossi. Iniesta, as Danny Murphy says on the BBC, is the only one who is on it for Spain.

5.40pm BST

38 min “As a Chelsea fan I was very dubious about the appointment of Conte, but right now I am very pleased,” says James Pavitt. “This guy is seriously good and I really like his excitement when Italy score. He may need to refresh the squad a bit though.”

Oh he will. And of those still at the club, nobody of sound mind will take even a single liberty with him. He is good tactically but, like almost all the great managers, his biggest strength is man-management.

5.39pm BST

36 min Italy aren’t just hungry; they’re ravenous. Pelle slides through Iniesta, giving Spain a foul 35 yards from goal. Nothing comes of it. Italy have been far superior in this match.

5.36pm BST

34 min “I’m afraid I’m going to have to disagree with you on De Gea’s save, Rob,” says Paul Morris. “It was athletic at best and hyped beyond belief, much like this tournament. It hasn’t exactly been rock ‘n’ roll football this summer, has it? More like easy listening football, despite the punk haircuts. But I suppose that’s the way of the world these days. We all look forward to reading your abbreviated Joy of Six: Zlatan’s Appearance In Euro 2016 once he signs for United.”

5.36pm BST

Italy take a deserved lead. Eder smashed a low free-kick that was saved but not held by the diving De Gea. It rebounded to the six-yard line, where an Italian player (not sure who) flicked it up before being tripped by the outsretched leg of De Gea. Before anyone could appeal for a penalty, Chiellini had charged in to score from a few yards. Spain had a really weird wall there, with nobody covering the centre of the goal. De Gea might have pushed it away from goal, though I suspect it was too tight to his body for that.

5.34pm BST

31 min De Rossi, who has had a terrific half, sprays another nonchalant 50-yards pass to spark a passing move that ends with Pelle being fouled from behind by Ramos. It’s a free-kick to Italy, fractionally outside the D. And it leads to a goal for Italy!

5.31pm BST

29 min De Sciglio’s dangerous low cross from the left is shanked wide of his own goal by Ramos on the six-yard line. That could have gone anywhere; it went behind for a corner. Florenzi swings it onto the six-yard line, where Pique leans over De Rossi to head it behind for another corner. Italy look really dangerous from set pieces, though the second corner leads to a free-kick for Spain.

5.29pm BST

28 min A Spain corner is played back to Iniesta, who throttles a low shot straight at Buffon. He is starting to influence the game a little more.

5.29pm BST

27 min “I think the 7th minute’s Male Escort (I think that was his name) must be referring, when using “the Treble” in a Liverpool context, to the time they won 3 cup competitions in one season,” says Mac Millings. “Come now, Mr. Escort, if you could just give that title to anything you had done three times, I could use the existence of my three children to call the proven occasions on which I’d had private intimacy with my good lady wife ‘the Treble’. And from now on, I shall.”

5.28pm BST

26 min Morata holds his face after wearing a pretty firm elbow from Parolo. We can’t be sure whether it was deliberate, but it was certainly a strong contact. Spain ask for a yellow card, but sometimes you don’t get what you want in this life.

5.27pm BST

25 min Parolo misses a good chance for Italy! It was a lovely counter-attack, sparked by Bonucci. Eventually De Rossi played it wide to De Sciglio, whose deep inswinging cross was headed wide by the later arriving Parolo, who was about ten yards from goal. At first I thought he should have scored, though the replays showed he had to stretch a bit and that’s why it drifted wide of the far post.

5.25pm BST

24 min De Sciglio is booked for stopping a one-two by pulling someone’s shirt. He wasn’t on a yellow card before the game.

5.24pm BST

23 min Morata wins Spain’s first corner. It’s played short to Iniesta and curled to the far post, where Ramos goes over under challenge from Chiellini. There was a bit of contact, with Chiellini holding his arm, though Ramos did exaggerate his fall.

5.22pm BST

21 min “You wouldn’t want it to be Gene Kelly weather,” says Marie Meyer. “The precipitation in the titular scene from “Singing in the Rain” was milk so that it would show up better on film.”

It’s brightened up now, I should have said that. I would have said that if I was doing my job properly.

5.21pm BST

20 min Spain’s best attack. Nolito combines with Silva and then, from the left edge of the box, picks out an excellent pass to Fabregas in the D. He takes a touch and larrups a shot towards goal that is well blocked by De Sciglio.

5.20pm BST

19 min “Spain are all tiki, no taka,” says Thomas Coombes.

5.20pm BST

18 min That first De Gea save was so good. In fact it was similar to the first one from Peter Schmeichel here, though arguably better because he had to go lower.

5.18pm BST

17 min I still think Spain will win because of their superior players, but at the moment this match looks like a team with a plan versus a team with a philosophy.

5.15pm BST

14 min Italy are rationing their attacks, but when they do attack it is in numbers and with real menace.

5.14pm BST

13 min “As the risk of making myself sound like the most boring man watching the game,” begins Tim Minto, “I note that Fabregas kicked the kick off straight back to the Pique(?) - I was always under the impression the ball had to go forward first? Is my old age clouding my memory?”

They changed the laws. After all the criticism of lax governance, they’ve started dealing with the important stuff.

5.13pm BST

11 min Another brilliant save from De Gea! Florenzi stood up a cross to the far post, where Pelle headed it back across the face. Giaccherini improvised to steer an overhead kick towards goal from eight yards, and De Gea got down to his left to fumble it onto the post. The referee actually gave a free-kick, presumably for high feet from Giaccherini, though that was a daft decision.

5.11pm BST

8 min Juanfran is penalised for what looked a good tackle on Eder. Italy have a free-kick 30 yards from goal, in line with the left edge of the area. And it leads to a stunning save from De Gea! It was curled in towards the far post, where Pelle got above Busquets to thump a header towards the bottom corner from seven yards. De Gea demonstrates his amazing reflexes by plunging to his left to palm it round. That’s a wonderful save.

5.09pm BST

7 min “Undoubtedly Conte’s competitive mind’s work is on display here: he’s trying to become the first manager who has more than 8 players suspended from the next game, judging by the amount of yellow cards on Italy’s squad,” says Laine Ascot. “If this is anything to go by (a must-win-everything mentality) then Liverpool and Man Utd better watch out or Chelsea will be joining them on the list of Prem teams with the Treble.” When did Liverpool win the Treble?

5.08pm BST

6 min Juanfran’s clearance comes to De Rossi 30 yards out. He shapes to shoot and then plays a clever pass to De Sciglio on the left. His ball into the box breaks to Eder, who is off balance and shoots straight at De Gea from 12 yards. It wasn’t much of a chance. But this has been a fine start from Italy.

5.06pm BST

5 min Spain put together their first decent passing move ... and then Nolito slips over on the left wing.

5.05pm BST

3 min Eder, running onto Pelle’s through pass, slips over. The pitch is already greasy. The weather gods have decided they want a primal affair and are acting accordingly. It’s not just raining; this is John Cusack weather.

5.03pm BST

2 min A really fast start from Italy. First De Sciglio rampages down the left and puts in a cross that is too close to De Gea; then De Rossi’s huge crossfield pass finds the other wing-back Florenzi, whose cross is cleared by Ramos. It’s suddenly pelting down in Paris.

5.01pm BST

1 min Bing bong! Spain, in their hideous white change strip, kick off from right to left. Italy are in blue.

4.56pm BST

“It seems to me this game could either be a classic, with lots of intrepid attacking, clever defending and incisive passing, or a complete borefest, where sterile domination meets the art of sitting back and soaking up pressure,” says Kari Tulinius. “These are two teams which at their best are equally capable of being thrilling to watch, but both are prone to bore their audience into a frustrated rage. Let’s hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Enjoy the game (hopefully)!”

I suspect it’ll be a game of few chances – 1-0 either way – but buttock-clenchingly intense. What decent person would want it any other way?

4.56pm BST

Here come the players. There’s a great atmosphere, as there has been at most of the games at this tournament.

4.44pm BST

“I suspect that this is pushing at an open door, but can we start off with some more man-love of Andrès Iniesta?” writes Charles Antaki. “On top of the stunning control, the ability to turn in the space of a telephone box, the vision and accuracy of passing, the Zen calm, there’s the charm of a) not looking much like a footballer; b) being apparemtly immune to fashion; c) having a decent other life (as a local winemaker) and d) being, so far as one can tell, a decent person. Of course he may have an utter stinker today and be sent off for nutting someone, but still.”

And if we were ever to do the Joy of Six: big-game players, he’d be the top entry. If you don’t like Iniesta, you don’t like football.

4.41pm BST

While we wait for this humdinger to begin, here’s something I wrote about why #Rashford might be a genius. Read, retweet, give me dogs’ abuse on social media.

4.37pm BST

4.17pm BST

Here’s our guide to the Stade de France, where tonight’s contest shall occur.

4.15pm BST

Pre-match reading

4.12pm BST

Players on a yellow card

Italy Buffon, Chiellini, Barzagli, De Rossi, Eder, Bonucci, Sirigu, Zaza, Motta, Insigne.

3.56pm BST

Italy make seven changes from the team that lost to the Republic of Ireland; Spain are unchanged, as they have been throughout the tournament.

Italy (3-1-4-2) Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; De Rossi; Florenzi, Parolo, Giaccherini, Di Sciglio; Pelle, Eder.
Subs: Sirigu, Marchetti, Darmian, Ogbonna, Candreva, Zaza, Motta, Immobile, Sturaro, Insigne, Bernardeschi, El Shaarawy.

1.26pm BST

Sunday 24 June 1990 was a unique day in World Cup history. Diego Maradona vaccinated Brazil; Frank Rijkaard treated Rudi Voller to a flob-and-go; Jurgen Klinsmann did the work of two men. The matches that day were Brazil v Argentina and West Germany v the Netherlands, two of the mightiest contests in world football. Yet they were played not in the semis but the last 16, due to Argentina and the Netherlands finishing third in their groups. The games were almost too momentous to function.

This is what happens when superpowers meet before the quarter-final of a major tournament, because the last eight is par and elimination before that is as unthinkable as killing off your lead character in the second act. For those teams who are killed off, the misery of metaphorical death is infinitely greater when it’s inflicted by hated rivals, as it was for Brazil and the Netherlands in 1990.

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Published on June 27, 2016 11:06

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