Rob Smyth's Blog, page 87

August 6, 2021

Bournemouth 2-2 West Brom: Championship season opener – as it happened

The new EFL season started with a pulsating match at the Vitality Stadium, where West Brom twice came from behind to earn a point

10.04pm BST

That’s all for tonight. Thanks for your company - I’ll leave you with Ben Fisher’s report. Goodnight!

9.48pm BST

Stat du jour West Brom won possession in the final third eight times tonight, which was eight more than Bournemouth.

9.43pm BST

That was a pulsating game between two of the main promotion contenders. Bournemouth led twice, but West Brom played with a mildly terrifying intensity and deserved a draw. There was loads to admire on both sides, not least the performances of 21-year-old Jaidon Anthony for Bournemouth and the new signing Alex Mowatt for West Brom. It was relentlessly entertaining stuff, and a cracking way to start a new season.

9.37pm BST

The Championship’s back, then.

9.37pm BST

90+4 min Mowatt lifts it into the area towards Kipre, but Zemura comes across and shepherds the ball out of play. That should be that.

9.36pm BST

90+3 min A foul on the halfway line gives West Brom one last chance to lump the ball into the Bournemouth area.

9.34pm BST

90+1 min A change for Bournemouth: the teenager Christain Saydee replaces David Brooks, who decorated the game with his usual touches of class.

9.34pm BST

90 min Mowatt’s corner is cleared desperately at the near post. There will be four minutes of added time.

9.32pm BST

90 min Zohore forces Zemura into conceding yet another West Brom corner.

9.30pm BST

87 min A change for West Brom: Karlan Grant off, Kenneth Zohore on.

9.29pm BST

85 min Livermore is booked for booting Kilkenny up in the air.

9.26pm BST

82 min Now it’s West Brom’s turn to pin Bournemouth back. Mowatt is fouled on the right wing by Solanke. He takes the free-kick himself, and Bournemouth again struggle to clear. Eventually it’s knocked away to Livermore on the edge of the area. He chests the ball down and then batters it over the bar.

9.23pm BST

80 min Mowatt is booked for a deliberate foul on Zemura.

9.22pm BST

78 min: Good save from Button! Bournemouth are really pressing for a winner. Anthony clips a clever first-time pass down the inside-left channel towards Solanke, whose low shot on the run is pushed away to his right by Button.

9.21pm BST

77 min O’Shea then gets away with a tug on Mepham’s shirt in the West Brom area. That could easily have been a penalty to Bournemouth, albeit a soft one.

9.20pm BST

75 min Brooks guides a lovely pass into the underlapping Smith, whose cross is put behind for a corner. Brooks fizzes the corner to Billing, 20 yards out, and he drills a fierce shot that is blocked. Moments later, Bournemouth appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when the falling O’Shea meets the ball with either his head, his hand or both. Even after a replay, I’m not sure what happened there.

9.17pm BST

74 min Robinson steers a bouncing ball towards Grant on the left of the area. He teases Mepham, moves the ball onto his right foot and drives a fierce shot that flashes just wide of the far post.

9.15pm BST

72 min This is pulsating stuff. The ferocity of West Brom’s play, with and especially without the ball, is quite something.

9.14pm BST

71 min Robinson’s superb low cross just evades the stretching Grant at the far post. Had he controlled that, he would have had a great chance to put West Brom ahead.

9.13pm BST

69 min: Fine save from Button! Bournemouth almost take the lead for the third time. Billing, on the left wing, looks up and drives a long cross towards Brooks beyond the far post. He meets the ball sweetly on the half-volley, and Button plunges to his right to push it round the post. That wasn’t a fine save, it was a brilliant one.

9.11pm BST

Townsend won the ball 40 yards from goal and West Brom were off again. Mowatt played a quick pass into Phillips, who turned and ran at the defence. Bournemouth backpedalled, allowing Robinson to poke a lovely through pass back towards Mowatt in the inside-left channel. He stretched to guide a low cross towards Robinson, who opened his body to steer the ball into the far corner. So much for long-ball football: that was a gorgeous goal.

9.10pm BST

Callum Robinson equalises with a superb team goal!

9.08pm BST

65 min Phillips has gone up front, with Callum Robinson moving to the right.

9.07pm BST

64 min The limping Grady Diangana is replaced by Matt Phillips.

9.07pm BST

63 min Mowatt hammers the free-kick towards the six-yard box. Furlong gets to it first, in front of the near post, but flicks a header over the bar.

9.05pm BST

62 min Diangana is too tricky for Zemura, who hacks him down just outside the box on the right. He’s pretty lucky not to be booked for that.

9.04pm BST

59 min Bartley is booked for throwing Emiliano to the floor. A split-second later Grant headed past Travers, so it was a costly foul from Bartley. The whistle had certainly gone before Grant scored, though I’m pretty sure Travers tried to save it.

9.01pm BST

59 min “As a Norwich fan I think I can identify with WBA supporters,” says Dan Christmas. “It’s so bizarre having a season where you expect to win every game followed by the exact opposite, ad infinitum. I can’t think of an Olympic sport that correlates with (well, I guess now it’s cycling…). Delay the season!”

9.00pm BST

58 min Nothing comes of the corner.

9.00pm BST

57 min Brooks wins a corner for Bournemouth, who are running with the momentum of the goal. This has been a cracking match, a classic Championship ding-dong.

8.59pm BST

56 min Brooks’ pass is flicked cleverly by Billing into the path of Emiliano, but he overruns the ball on the edge of the area.

8.58pm BST

55 min Jaidon Anthony, 21, has had a fine game on the left wing for Bournemouth. He got an assist for the goal but his part in the second, a really cute reverse pass, was probably even better.

8.57pm BST

54 min West Brom come again - of course they do - and there’s yet another game of head tennis in the Bournemouth area. Eventually the ball drops to Robinson, who drags a volley a few yards wide of the far post. That was a decent chance.

8.55pm BST

The goal was superbly made and coolly finished. Anthony, on the left touchline, played a fine disguised pass to the underlapping Zemura. His cross was pushed away by Button but only to Billing, who calmly slid the ball into the far corner with his right foot. That was a lovely finish.

8.54pm BST

Bournemouth regain the lead with their first attack of the half!

8.52pm BST

49 min West Brom have been seriously impressive. Watching them reminds of Paul Doyle’s great line about Jack Charlton’s Ireland:

The beauty of a game depends on the beholder. For nearly 10 years Charlton’s Ireland were hard to watch and harrowing to play against, yet they gave unprecedented joy to millions.

8.51pm BST

48 min A West Brom corner causes more chaos in the six-yard box. Travers punches the ball up in the air and then O’Shea’s header is deflected behind.

8.49pm BST

46 min West Brom again win the ball in the final third. Diangana feeds the ball into the area towards Robinson, whose cross is crucially blocked by Mepham.

8.48pm BST

46 min Peep peep! West Brom begin the second half, with no changes on either side.

8.35pm BST

Half-time reading

8.35pm BST

Peep peep! An intriguing, intense first half ends level. The debutant Emiliano scored an early goal for Bournemouth; Dara O’Shea headed a deserved equaliser for West Brom, who - and I say this with love - look a rare old pain in the arse to play against. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

8.32pm BST

45+1 min A sliced clearance from Zemura goes to Grant on the edge of the area. He tries to lob the ball over the last man Mepham, who does really well to get back and head the ball away.

8.32pm BST

45 min Two minutes of added time.

8.31pm BST

44 min “McMahon is, as per, bang on the money,” says Matt Dony. “Can’t wait for the revolutionary hip-hop-inspired fitba. Slightly surprised by its enormous success in America, though.”

8.29pm BST

43 min Another game of head tennis ends with Travers making a comfortable save from Bartley’s looping header. Valerien Ismael said he wanted to make West Brom “horrible” to play against; I suspect the Bournemouth players would vouch for what a good job he has done.

8.28pm BST

42 min: Good save from Travers! Robinson collects a loose ball 25 yards out, turns and drags a low shot that is pushed round the post by the sprawling Travers.

8.27pm BST

42 min The corner leads to a game of head tennis in the Bournemouth area. Eventually Robinson’s hooked cross is headed onto the roof of the net by Bartley, running away from goal. It wasn’t much of a chance. But West Brom are all over Bournemouth at the moment.

8.26pm BST

41 min Townsend’s long throw is headed behind for a corner by Smith (I think).

8.26pm BST

40 min This is West Brom’s best spell. Robinson’s cutback is booted away - but that allows Townsend to come forward for another long throw...

8.24pm BST

38 min Don Goodman, the Sky Sports summariser, thinks that was a harsh free-kick against O’Shea. But if you put hands on a goalkeeper at a set piece, you’re asking for trouble.

8.23pm BST

37 min: Disallowed goal! West Brom win a corner on the right. Mowatt drops it under the bar, and the referee blows for a foul on the keeper just before Robinson turns the ball over the line. O’Shea put both hands into Travers’ back - not with any great force, but enough for a free-kick to be given.

8.20pm BST

Forget that, O’Shea isn’t a wing-back! Here’s what happened: Townsend’s long throw from the left was headed back to him by Billing. He swung a high, hanging cross to the far post, where O’Shea got the run on Zemura and thumped a downward header that zipped off the pitch to beat Travers.

8.18pm BST

The wing-backs combine to bring West Brom level!

8.17pm BST

32 min The stretching Diangana just fails to reach Robinson’s header over the Bournemouth defence. No matter, he was offside.

8.16pm BST

30 min Zemura is spoken to after a late tackle on Diangana. The referee has been excellent so far, and relatively lenient.

8.13pm BST

27 min Nothing much to report. Gavin Kilkenny, the young Irishman in front of the Bournemouth back four, has looked good on the ball.

8.12pm BST

25 min “The Hamilton v Kilmarnock game which Mr and Mrs Dony will be attending in a fortnight (9 min) should be a good early indicator of which one of those teams is best placed for a quick return to the Scottish Premiership,” says Simon McMahon. “A titanic duel awaits.”

8.08pm BST

22 min West Brom’s press has been really effective, but they haven’t yet done enough with the ball. It’s a good game though, and the intriguing clash of styles that we expected.

8.07pm BST

21 min Mepham shoves Grant over near the touchline and is booked. Grant fell into Scott Parker and sent him flying as well.

8.06pm BST

20 min Scott Parker made a point of thanking the referee, who played a good advantage in the build-up to the goal. Anthony fed the ball into Solanke, who was fouled by Billing. The referee played the advantage, which allowed Anthony to collect the loose ball and tee up Emiliano.

8.05pm BST

19 min A long throw from Townsend leads to a game of head tennis in the Bournemouth area. Eventually Kipre volleys over, and that’s the end of that.

8.01pm BST

16 min Bartley gets an extended telling-off after flattening Emiliano while jumping for a bouncing ball.

8.00pm BST

14 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “I’m absolutely not ready for the new season yet. The Olympics are still going on, for crying out loud. I watched the final of the women’s football just today. There should be at least three or four weeks of meaningless friendlies and transfer speculation before a new season st… Oh no, I’m turning into a cranky old man at just forty.”

Don’t worry, life’s a riot once you hit 45.

7.59pm BST

The goal was made by Jaidon Anthony, who picked up a loose ball on the left of the edge of the area, poked it forward and slid a low cross into the middle. O’Shea was blocked by Solanke, which allowed the ball to run on to Emiliano, and he sidefooted low past Button with his left foot.

7.57pm BST

Emiliano Marcondes scores on his debut!

7.56pm BST

10 minn Robinson is fouled 30 yards from goal by ... someone I don’t recognise. Mowatt flips the free-kick towards Grant, who heads straight at Travers on the stretch. It wasn’t an easy chance - there was no pace on the ball and it was slightly in front of him.

7.54pm BST

9 min “Club football’s back, I’m officially on holiday as of 5pm this afternoon, the sun is shining in West Wales, Mrs Dony has managed to get hold of tickets for Hamilton in two weeks, and I have the Lego Friends Apartment to be getting on with,” says Matt Dony, offering a breezy high-five to confused bystanders. “Life is good, Rob. Life is good. Looking forward to a dominant Solanke hat-trick, steamrollering his way through the West Brom defence. Might even pour myself a cheeky Penderyn…”

7.53pm BST

8 min Diangana beats a couple of players on the right and finds Grant on the edge of the D. He dithers and is dispossessed.

7.52pm BST

7 min“Hey Rob,” says J.R. “We’re all very excited here in Illinois to see the Throstles kick off their Championship campaign! (By “we” and “all” I mean basically just me. And maybe the one other West Brom fan I know but I haven’t spoken to him in well over a year.)

“On the one hand I’m no longer able to see every Baggies game like I can when they’re in the Premier League. They only show a few each month here. On the other hand I don’t have to watch the games from behind the sofa any longer. It’s a very different feeling to expect to win. But of course the biggest positive: no VAR!!! Yes! Now I can just complain about the referee on the field. (The recipient of eviscerating criticism today, it should be noted, will be Darren Bond.)”

7.51pm BST

6 min There’s a lovely pace to the game. Solanke plays a one-two with Billing on the edge of the area and drives a low cross that is cleared.

7.49pm BST

4 min We haven’t seen a replay of that penalty appeal, so I assume there was nothing in it.

7.49pm BST

3 min Billings is late on Bartley, who goes over and then angrily declines the offer of a hand from Billings.

7.48pm BST

2 min It’s been an ultra-aggressive start from West Brom, who have already won the ball in the final third on a couple of occasions.

7.47pm BST

1 min West Brom’s high press brings an early reward, with Diangana picking up the loose ball and winning a corner. It’s driven deep to Bartley, whose volley bounces up and hits the arm of a Bournemouth defender. West Brom appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty. I’d like to see that again.

7.45pm BST

1 min Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Bournemouth get the EFL season under way, kicking from right to left.

7.45pm BST

There’s an even lovelier roar as the players stroll onto the field. Bournemouth are wearing red-and-black stripes; West Brom are sporting this little number.

7.35pm BST

There’s a lovely low hum around the Vitality Stadium, with a crowd of around 11,000 expected. Is this normal?

7.32pm BST

“Hey Rob, the new fitba season, at last!” says Simon McMahon, whose season technically started a month ago. “Been a poor summer for sport, what with just the Euros, Wimbledon, the Open golf, Olympics, and cricket (not including the Hundred) to keep us going. Good old Championship though, eh? Like Jimmy Anderson, it always delivers.”

True that, though I doubt even Jimmy will still be delivering at the age of 129.

7.28pm BST

And here’s Scott Parker

“We’re looking forward to tonight. It’s a tough start, but I’m sure they’re staying the same about as us. This league is relentless and brings up tough games every week. Arnaut Danjuma’s future is still to be decided – the only reason he’s not in the squad tonight is because of an injury.”

7.25pm BST

Valerien Ismael’s pre-match thoughts

“We want to be a complete team - in possession, out of possession, on set pieces. We have the quality to stay at that level and now we need games. The most important thing is to show our determination from the first minute. We want to start the season well.

7.21pm BST

Probable formations

Bournemouth (4-3-3) Travers; Smith, Mepham, Kelly, Zemura; Emiliano, Kilkenny, Billing; Brooks, Solanke, Anthony.
Substitutes: Stanislas, Taylor, Ibsen Rossi, Saydee, Moriah-Welsh, Dennis, Camp.

6.49pm BST

Yep, West Brom have only six subs.

Three full league debuts
Kelly captains the side
Ten academy graduates in squad

Here's how we line up for this evening's opening game with West Brom #afcb pic.twitter.com/juQMxZnPKW

Our first starting XI of the season

Alex Mowatt makes his debut, Cedric Kipré is set for his first league start for us, while David Button is also included.

Intouch Games Ltd | #WBA

6.45pm BST

Pre-match reading

6.45pm BST

Transfer business

As ever there have been a lot of ins, lot of outs, lot of what-have-yous. Bournemouth have signed Brentford’s Emiliano Marcondes, who created the goal that beat them in last season’s play-offs, and the Leeds defender Leif Davis has joined on loan. Those doing one include Diego Rico, Asmir Begovic, Sam Surridge and – how the hell did it come to this - Jack Wilshere.

6.45pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion from the Vitality Stadium. Or, to put it another way, THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS BACK. And Bournemouth are the intrepid voyagers of 2021-22. They got the English season under way last Saturday, when they beat MK Dons 5-0 in the Carabao Cup, and now they host West Brom in the opening game of the EFL.

The fixture computer done good. This is a cracking start to the season, between two of the favourites for promotion. Both have new managers, Scott Parker at Bournemouth and Valerin Ismael at West Brom, and tonight should be an interesting clash of styles.

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Published on August 06, 2021 13:43

The Fiver | Barcelona, Lionel Messi and one of football’s great fiascos

The news that Lionel Messi is definitely, probably, we’ll-believe-it-when-we-see-him-kissing-the-Millwall-badge-with-love-in-his-eyes leaving Barcelona has sparked quite a reaction. Tears, anger, speculation, shock, not to mention literally hundreds of liveblogs: there hasn’t been such a media frenzy since Weird Uncle Fiver announced he was going on Tinder.

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Published on August 06, 2021 08:28

June 27, 2021

Belgium 1-0 Portugal: Euro 2020 last 16 – as it happened

Thorgan Hazard’s rasping drive gave Belgium a hard-fought victory over Portugal, whose reign as European champions came to a frustrating end

12.19am BST

10.09pm BST

Sid Lowe’s match report has arrived, so I’ll be off. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!

10.00pm BST

So, Belgium will play Italy in the quarter-final after a seriously hard-fought victory. The reigning champions Portugal were the better team for most of the game, especially in the second half, but Belgium were resilient in defence and Thibaut Courtois only had a few relatively straightforward saves to make. Raphael Guerreiro hit the post late on and Diogo Jota missed two presentable chances.

In the end the game was settled by Thorgan Hazard’s fierce drive just before half time. It may interrupt Rui Patricio’s sleep for the forseeable, because he probably should have done better. That aside Portugal will have few regrets; they left it all out there, especially during a pulsating last 20 minutes.

9.54pm BST

Peeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

9.54pm BST

90+5 min Leander Dendoncker replaces the goalscorer Thorgan Hazard.

9.54pm BST

90+4 min Belgium have a three on two break, but Carrasco’s pass through to Tielemans is blocked. At the other end Joao Felix plays a one-two with Ronaldo and drags wide from the edge of the area. It was only a half chance really, and Courtois had it covered.

9.52pm BST

90+4 min Portugal have 90 seconds to find a goal.

9.51pm BST

90+2 min Fernandes smashes well wide from distance. That was a poor decision, and the execution wasn’t up to much either.

9.50pm BST

90+1 min Five minutes of added time. Fernandes coaxes a clever pass into Andre Silva, who controls it on the chest but is dispossessed before he can have a shot.

9.50pm BST

90 min Portugal will be pretty aggrieved if it stays like this. They’ve had more of the ball, most of the chances and none of the goals.

9.48pm BST

89 min Lukaku goes on a brilliant run, beating three players before finding Carrasco. He is held up superbly by Ruben Dias and the attack eventually peters out.

9.48pm BST

88 min: Good save from Courtois! An excellent cross from Andre Silva is headed away superbly under pressure, I think by Meunier. Moments later, a hanging cross is headed on by Ronaldo towards Andre Silva, whose shot on the stretch is smothered bravely by Courtois.

9.46pm BST

87 min Another change for Belgium: Yannick Carrasco replaces Eden Hazard, who appears to have pulled or strained a muscle. It might just be a precaution.

9.44pm BST

85 min Ronaldo’s shot deflects behind off Vermaelen. This is Portugal’s best spell of the match by a distance. Fernandes’s corner flashes across the six-yard line before being cleared.

9.44pm BST

84 min Lukaku is fouled 22 yards from goal, to the right of centre. Lukaku curls the free-kick over the bar.

9.43pm BST

83 min: Guerreiro hits the post! Felix’s cross is headed away to the edge of the area, where Guerreiro runs onto the ball and hits a crisp half-volley that beats Courtois and rebounds off the far post!

9.42pm BST

82 min Bruno Fernandes’s corner from the right is met with a thumping header from Ruben Dias - but it’s straight down the throat of Courtois, who punches it away with both hands. That was a terrific chance for Dias.

9.41pm BST

81 min Alderweireld is booked for a foul on Felix. This game is about to boil over. A tip of the hat to Mark Childs, who wrote this early in the second half: “I’m starting to get some Battle of Nuremberg vibes: if Belgium go up 2-0, I do not see Ronaldo and Pepe going gently into the good night.”

9.39pm BST

79 min Ronaldo controls a long ball beautifully in the D, spinning away from Alderweireld in the same movement. He goes down and claims he was pulled back by Alderweireld; the referee disagrees. I’m pretty sure it was just outside the area, so it wouldn’t have been a penalty anyway.

9.37pm BST

78 min Portugal make their fourth and fifth substitutions: Danilo and Sergio Oliveira replaces Palhinha and Sanches.

9.36pm BST

76 min: It’s kicking off! The referee stops play with Lukaku down holding his head. Thorgan Hazard doesn’t hear the whistle and carries on playing - until Pepe chops him down with an absurd tackle. He is booked. A number of the Belgium players charged over towards Pepe but it sooned petered out.

9.32pm BST

73 min Ronaldo closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, runs forward... and smashes the free-kick into the wall. I think it hit Sanches in fact.

9.31pm BST

72 min Vermaelen is booked for a tackle from behind on Joao Felix. Portugal have a free-kick 30 yards from goal...

9.31pm BST

71 min “Hey Rob!” says Ahmad Hutasuhut. “To me Renato Sanches is once again Portugal’s most impressive player (aside from CR7). I know he failed at Bayern but is Lille really his level? Maybe somewhere in between?”

He’s still only 23, and I’ll be extremely surprised if he doesn’t play for another huge club at some stage. He’s a class act.

9.29pm BST

71 min Ronaldo is now playing from the left, with Andre Silva up front, Joao Felix on the right and Bruno Fernandes in midfield with Renato Sanches.

9.29pm BST

70 min Another Portugal substitution: Andre Silva is on for Diogo Jota, who missed one excellent chance and one decent one.

9.27pm BST

68 min Now Sanches shoots wide from long range. Most of Portugal’s attempts have been from outside the penalty area.

9.26pm BST

67 min Lots of Portugal pressure, though they are still struggling to open up the Belgium defence.

9.25pm BST

65 min If Portugal go out tonight it will be the first time since 1992 that they have failed to reach the last eight of the European Championship. (In 1992 there were only eight teams at the tournament; Portugal didn’t qualify.)

9.22pm BST

63 min After lovely play from the Hazards on the left, Lukaku smashes over the bar from the edge of the area.

9.21pm BST

62 min Fernandes smashes over from distance. It’s all Portugal now, with Ronaldo heavily involved in general play - perhaps too involved, as most of his work is being done outside the penalty area.

9.20pm BST

61 min Sanches’s deep, floated cross from the left is headed straight at Courtois by Joao Felix. It wasn’t much of a chance.

9.18pm BST

58 min: Chance for Jota! Ronaldo plays a one-two with Dalot and screws a terrific pass into Jota in the area. He controls it well under pressure but then lashes the bouncing ball over the bar.

9.16pm BST

57 min It’s De Bruyne’s 30th birthday tomorrow, the poor bloke.

9.14pm BST

56 min A double change for Portugal: Bernardo Silva and Joao Moutinho are replaced by Joao Felix and Bruno Fernandes.

9.13pm BST

54 min Ronaldo collects a bouncing ball and hammers a long-range shot that is blocked by Vermaelen. Portugal are having a decent spell, albeit without creating any clear chances.

9.12pm BST

53 min “Would be far more worried about KDB’s ankle ligaments,” writes Rithvik Balakrishnan. “It looked like a pretty bad hyperextension on that Paulinha tackle.”

9.09pm BST

51 min Dalot is booked for pulling back Eden Hazard.

9.08pm BST

48 min Dries Mertens replaces Kevin De Bruyne.

9.07pm BST

47 min: De Bruyne injured Oh no. I think his tournament is over. I worried about this when his knee got stuck, because it was slightly reminiscent of the horrific injury suffered by the cricketer Simon Jones in the 2002-03 Ashes. This isn’t as bad, and De Bruyne is able to walk off the field, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he has damaged knee ligaments.

9.04pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Portugal begin the second half.

9.04pm BST

“Football nicknames aren’t what they used to be,” says Mac Millings. “Therefore, I’ve put together an all-time Suggested Nicknames XI. It can’t be worse than that first half, can it? (Spoiler: Yes it can.)

9.02pm BST

A few of you think Joao Palhinha should have been sent off. He certainly should have been booked for trying to pull Romelu Lukaku back, and then was booked for a foul on Kevin De Bruyne. So yes, technically they were two yellow-card offences, but I doubt he would have made the tackle on De Bruyne had he already been booked.

9.00pm BST

“Seems that like quite a few of the OBO regulars, I’m also following the football - having spent 10 years in Brussels, I am very happy to see the ‘red devils’ doing well!” says Eva Maaten. “Germany-England should be interesting… not sure I necessarily want to follow this on any British media channel…”

It’ll be entirely miserable. But it will still be better than 1996, when the pre-match coverage in the Daily Mirror was such that the editor of the Sun claimed the moral high ground in some style on Channel 4 News. “The Sun has maintained a jingoistic approach,” he said, “rather than a xenophobic one.”

8.53pm BST

Half-time reading

8.50pm BST

Peep peep! Belgium lead through a spectacular goal from Thorgan Hazard. That was one of the only highlights of a somnolent, cagey first half. I say ‘somnolent’ and ‘cagey’; what I really mean is crap.

8.48pm BST

45+3 min Palhinha cracks a bouncing ball into orbit from the edge of the D.

8.48pm BST

45+2 min De Bruyne is up and about, though he’s only jogging at the moment.

8.46pm BST

45 min: De Bruyne injured! Another dangerous Belgium break ends with Dalot slicing the ball towards his own goal. Rui Patricio makes a comfortable save. Meanwhile, Joao Palhinha is booked for a foul on De Bruyne at the start of that move. He got the ball but went through De Bruyne, who knee got stuck in the turf. This is a big worry.

8.45pm BST

43 min On reflection, Rui Patricio might have done better there. It was a superb strike but it didn’t go right in the corner. I think Patricio put his weight on the wrong foot, his right, and that meant he couldn’t spring far enough to his left to save the shot.

8.44pm BST

A brilliant goal, too. Thorgan Hazard has given Belgium the lead with a rasper. Meunier picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and gave it to his fellow wing-back Hazard. He had two quick touches and then smashed a beautiful shot that swerved from Rui Patricio and into the far corner.

8.43pm BST

Glory be, a goal!

8.42pm BST

41 min Portugal work the corner short, and then Guerreiro hits a miserable shot from 25 yards that is booted away.

8.41pm BST

40 min Renato Sanches, the brightest attacking player on the pitch in the face of no competition, charges away from De Bruyne and Witsel before finding Bernardo Silva on the right. He wins a corner for Portugal, the first of the game at either end...

8.40pm BST

39 min The other right wing-back, Dalot, volleys well wide from 15 yards. He’d been flagged offside anyway, though it looked tight.

8.39pm BST

39 min “This needs something outrageous to liven it up,” says Matt Dony. “Come on, Pepe. This is your time. Those Belgian hands won’t stand on themselves…”

8.38pm BST

38 min The right wing-back Meunier cuts infield, plays a one-two with De Bruyne on the edge of the area and flicks an extravagant shot with the outside of his right foot. It drifts a few yards wide.

8.37pm BST

37 min Brlgium break menacingly from a Portugal free-kick. Lukaku surges away from Palhinha, who has a good tug of his shirt and still can’t stop him. The referee plays the advantage and Lukaku’s pass to Thorgan Hazard is intercepted on the edge of the area.

8.36pm BST

36 min Ronaldo’s free-kick is the only shot on target so far.

8.35pm BST

35 min Portugal have dominated possession in the last 20-25 minutes, which is not something many people expected.

8.34pm BST

34 min I honestly don’t know what to say.

8.32pm BST

31 min “Am I imagining this or can many of the players no longer run?” says Andrew Hurley. “Ronaldo, Hazard (E), the entire Belgian defence...”

To be fair, Ronaldo needs to conserve his energy if he’s going to play at this level for another 65 years.

8.30pm BST

30 min Kevin De Bruyne has been quiet so far. Joao Palhinha, making his full debut, is doing a decent job in front of the back four.

8.29pm BST

29 min Any danger of someone doing something? This is really dull.

8.28pm BST

28 min “In contrast to Simon McMahon I rather like both kits,” says Phil Dennison. “More interesting than plain colours. There are some shocking choices for shirt number fonts in this competition, though not as bad as the last World Cup.”

8.27pm BST

27 min Palhinha shoots over from long range.

8.26pm BST

25 min: Good save from Courtois! Ronaldo hammers the free-kick through the wall and to the right of Courtois, who gets down smartly to push it away. Joao Palhinha, with almost no reaction time, heads the rebound off target.

8.24pm BST

24 min Jota pokes the ball past Vermaelen, who handles it as he falls backwards. Free-kick to Portugal 25 yards out, a fair way to the right of centre. Yes, he is over it.

8.23pm BST

22 min Ronaldo goes down holding his face after running into Meunier, who made sure to stiffen his shoulder as Ronaldo approached. The referee wasn’t interested. Moments later, Sanches shoots well wide from distance.

8.21pm BST

22 min “At what point does this ‘cagey’ football by both teams become mind numbingly dull?” weeps Mary Waltz. “I fear that moment is fast approaching.”

8.21pm BST

21 min Portugal are starting to have more of the ball, not that they, or Belgium, are doing much with it. It’s been a sluggish, cautious start, and both teams look like they are in it for the long haul.

8.19pm BST

19 min Thorgan Hazard cuts inside from the left and drills a shot from 20 yards that hits a defender.

8.19pm BST

18 min “Not sure if we have grass experts among our number but this pitch looks suspect to my untrained eye,” says Ian Copestake. “I have no idea how grass can grow in the hottest part of spain anyway but it looks ready to cut up. I also have no idea why I am concerned about this.”

Spain were very critical of the pitch after their early games.

8.17pm BST

16 min Portugal have their first sustained spell of possession in the Belgium half. Nothing comes of it, but I have to write something here.

8.13pm BST

13 min Belgium continue to move the ball from side to side in pursuit of an opening. The only slight criticism is that they could increase the tempo of their passing.

8.11pm BST

11 min I’m not sure Ronaldo has touched the ball yet.

8.10pm BST

10 min Eden Hazard plays a nice one-two with Lukaku on the edge of the area, and then slices his shot miles wide.

8.09pm BST

9 min That Jota chance aside, it’s been a pretty cagey start. Belgium continue to dominate possession, but Portugal won’t mind that.

8.07pm BST

6 min: Good chance for Jota! Out of nothing, Portugal almost grabbed the lead. Sanches turned Tielemans smoothly on the halfway line, surged at a retreating defence and slid the ball to his left to find Jota just inside the area. He took a touch but then, with Alderweireld sliding across him, dragged a shot well wide of the far post.

8.04pm BST

5 min “Ronaldo is also tied with Marta on 109 international goals,” writes John Neville, “with about eight women ahead of them. He has some distance to go to move past Christine Sinclair on 186.”

But what a moment it will be when he scored goal No187 against Spain on his 63rd birthday.

8.03pm BST

4 min Nothing to report so far. Belgium have had most of the ball in the early minutes.

8.03pm BST

Nelly Korda is the best player in the world yet to win a major. She’s leading, having nearly holed out from 250 yards for an albatross on the par-five 5th. She’s outstanding, and so is second-placed Lizette Salas, who is a much shorter hitter but has supernatural scrambling skills and simply refuses to yield. It’s shaping up to be a great battle. Go on, open another window, spoil yourself with sport.

8.02pm BST

2 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I hope the football is better than the kits, which are both shockingly bad.”

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Belgium, in red, kick off from left to right. Portugal are in their teal change strip.

7.57pm BST

Some games are bigger than others. And for a last-16 tie, this is humongous.

7.56pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “Far be it for me to infer that my optimism is fuelled almost entirely by what feels like an endless supply of ice cold bottles of Mahou (other chilled Spanish lagers are available) but I do feel that tonight’s match could be a right old thumper. I’m thinking France v Argentina at World Cup 2018. Alternatively, supplies could run out, its 1-0 Belgium and I’m in bed by 9.45.”

7.55pm BST

The players stroll onto the field. It’s a gorgeous evening in Seville, with temperatures around 30 degrees. It’s 9pm on a Sunday!

7.42pm BST

“Hang on!” shouts Charles Antaki. “Thomas Vermaelen in the back three - is that the same Thomas Vermaelen, 87, (actually 35, but hey), was pretty good when he played for Arsenal, pretty poor when he played (when not injured) for FC Barcelona, and who-knows-how-good when playing nine games in the J-League this year? I know that Ronaldo isn’t quite as fast as he used to be, but the green lights must already be flashing in his eyes.”

The Belgium back three have a combined age of 101, which is coincidentally the age at which Cristiano Ronaldo plans to start winding down at the highest level.

7.33pm BST

The reward for tonight’s winners is a mouthwatering quarter-final against Italy in Munich on Friday night. The winners of that game will play France, Switzerland, Spain or Croatia in the semis.

7.25pm BST

Two players are on a yellow card and will miss the quarter-final if they are booked tonight: Thorgan Hazard for Belgium, Ruben Dias for Portugal.

7.09pm BST

7.00pm BST

In other news, congratulations to England on the Czech Republic’s surprise victory in Budapest

7.00pm BST

Pre-match reading

6.51pm BST

Joao Palhinha and Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot make their full internatonal debuts for Portugal, having been picked ahead of Danilo and Nelson Semedo. The out-of-form Bruno Fernandes is again omitted.

Belgium’s team is pretty much as expected; Thomas Vermaelen has been chosen as the third centre-back.

6.15pm BST

In a few hours’ time, either Belgium or Portugal will be out of Euro 2020. Gone. Next plane home. Forget it, it’s over. It feels too early for such a titanic clash, but that’s the delicious jeopardy you get at major tournaments – especially when some of the third-placed teams qualify. Exhibit A: 24 June 1990. Like Brazil that day, Belgium could become collateral damage from the group of death.

With a respectful nod to Croatia v Spain, this is the tie of the round – the team ranked no1 in the world against the reigning champions (and the world no5). Both teams are deluxe motley crews, if that isn’t an oxymoron; a slightly odd mixture of galacticos, geriatricos and Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielders.

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Published on June 27, 2021 14:09

June 26, 2021

Euro 2020: latest news and buildup to last-16 games – as it happened

All the buildup to Wales v Denmark in Amsterdam and Italy v Austria at Wembley

3.30pm BST

And so to Amsterdam

3.28pm BST

3.26pm BST

Barry Glendenning has arrived in the MBM bunker, cracking his knuckles in preparation for Wales v Denmark, so I’m going to wrap up. I’ll leave you with a reminder of today’s main stories and features. Cheers!

3.17pm BST

“So what do you do if you’re a quarter Scottish and three-quarters English, like me?” asks Francis Mead. “Well, apparently you support England without qualms, but when it comes to the EU, I’ll use my Scottish grandmother in a jiffy to get Scottish citizenship. I guess it’s the nationality-of-convenience principle.”

3.15pm BST

You knows it

We know who we are and who we represent. The three million people of our astonishing, beautiful country, and those afar who are Welsh.

I’r gad, Cymru ✊#WAL | #EURO2020 | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/LP9yVGX56P

3.04pm BST

“The Welsh squad of 2016 and today remind me an awful lot of the Republic of Ireland squad in the early 2000s,” writes Niall O’Keeffe. “Four or five top players inspiring less talented teammates to raise their games to levels they had never experienced before. Bale, Ramsey, Allen, James and Davies are the clear stars for the Welsh. For us, all those years ago, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Steven Finnan, Shay Given and a certain Roy Keane. Talent a bit lacking now but Rice, Grealish, Michael Keane and Bamford would be nice. What’s that you say? Oh. Come on Wales!!”

Stick your comparison up your bollix. But seriously, that’s a very good point. Feels like a lot of people have forgotten just how brilliant Robbie Keane and Damien Duff were, particularly around the 2002 World Cup.

3.01pm BST

Here’s a nice piece from Andy Brassell on a man who has scored 109 goals for his country

2.49pm BST

“As a Danish Kiwi, I think Wales are awesome,” writes Lars Mathiasen. “They have serious talent in their squad and the way the players lift their game for their country has been crucial to their success. The trick is to keep that mindset going and not give in to the trap of thinking, ‘that was our one shot’.

“I know this because Denmark were there in 84 and 86 and 92 and 98. Now we have a team of players, who grew up knowing that it is possible, on a good day, to upset pretty much any other side, even without a certified superstar in the team. I obviously hope Denmark wins, but if not, I’ll be cheering for Wales and any other ‘small’ country left standing.”

2.40pm BST

Thomas Muller, who did not start Germany’s draw with Hungary, says he will be fit to invade England’s space on Tuesday night. I do worry about England’s ability to deal with Germany’s two ghosts, Muller and Kai Havertz.

2.36pm BST

“Muller/Rice should take corners, not penalties,” says Nick Saberton. “I’ll get me coat.”

2.34pm BST

Alternative mood music

2.32pm BST

Mood music

2.29pm BST

Wales v Denmark team news Nothing official yet, but it feels like selection is pretty straightforward for most managers. Wales should return to the XI that beat Turkey, and Denmark will surely stick with the team that landed four hits on the Russian bear.

2.17pm BST

2.11pm BST

“When I read the retro MBM of Euro 1996 the other day,” begins Yash Gupta, “one thing was quite clear: who was going to take the penalties. Any idea who might be the poor guy(s) this time around?

“Let’s be honest, no soul on earth knows how the game’s going to pan out. Germany were minutes away from crashing out, while England midfield... well, saying England has a midfield is already a compliment. So penalties are the only certainties for now.”

1.50pm BST

The first match is still three hours away. But there is plenty of other live sport going on, if that’s totally your jam.

1.34pm BST

Today’s other game is between Italy and Austria. They’ve met a few times at the World Cup, though never in the European Championship finals. You might remember their match at Italia 90, when the hosts missed 472 chances before the substitute Salvatore Schillaci introduced himself to the wider world. Gianluca Vialli’s cross to create the goal was pretty magnificent.

1.30pm BST

“As a Welshman, I appreciate the support of the guys in the blog below,” writes Matt Dony. “I hope many others join in, but I’m not holding my breath. 2016 was tremendous fun, and the team were partly carried along by a warm wave of general goodwill from the public (apart from many English fans after the Iceland video. Which, let’s face it, was pretty funny.)

“This time around, playing Denmark, it does feel different. Maybe not the full Millwall ‘No one likes us and we don’t care’, but certainly a very different situation to last time. Realistically, getting out of what looked like a tough group is a great achievement. If it must end today, I’ll be proud of the team. But if, IF, the adventure continues, it would be a perfect end to a long, strange season.”

1.26pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Mike Gooding. “This talk of English people not supporting Wales is just so small-minded. I shall be giving Wales exactly the level of support they give England.”

1.24pm BST

Thirty-one years ago today, Dragan Stojkovic gave simulation a good name.

1.19pm BST

And twenty-nine years ago today, we all saw John Jensen score.

1.13pm BST

Twenty-five years ago today

1.11pm BST

And here’s the latest EuroCovid update, care of the Associated Press

Finnish health authorities have detected a spike in coronavirus cases that has been traced to football fans returning from neighboring Russia following European Championship matches in St. Petersburg.

1.05pm BST

This is an interesting piece from Paul MacInnes on football’s ongoing negligence on the issue of concussion.

1.02pm BST

In case you missed them earlier, here are our main pieces of Wales v Denmark in Amsterdam.

12.51pm BST

“Hi Rob,” writes Jon Collin. “Running the numbers on that Haaland restaurant story, a 30 grand tip on a €500,000 bill isn’t even 10%, the cheapskate. And he didn’t even have the decency to get in a good old-fashioned late-night summer hols brawl either.”

Imagine being that rich. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I’d be giving £100 tips at the barbers, and I’m bald.

12.45pm BST

Thanks John, hello everyone. Let’s start with a bit of Premier League news: Rafa Benitez has reportedly agreed the “key aspects” of a contract to manage Everton and could be confirmed as their new manager on Tuesday. I have no idea how this is going to play out, but I doubt it will be dull.

12.33pm BST

Right, time to hand over to Rob Smyth for your afternoon of buildup.

12.28pm BST

Proud Irishman Michael Gibson joins the Celtic alliance. “I agree with my fellow countryman, Niall, about supporting our Celtic cousins. Realistically, both Wales and Denmark have already overachieved, but I wonder how long the Danes can ride the wave of support and goodwill. Let’s face it, they’ve done incredibly well to come back from what they witnessed, and losing their first match. But they have, after all, lost by far their best player. And even though I think they’ll have been happy to draw Wales, I have a sneaking feeling this might now be a match too far.”

12.28pm BST

And a letter from Vienna from Gabriel. “As much as I’ve been annoyed with what Austrian national teams made of the individual class available in recent years, I’m not really supporting them either. First of all Austrian television prioritises every meaningless detail about Austria’s campaign over important information on the best teams. Fun fact: ORF broadcasts a lot of winter sports because Austria‘s good at those.

“A lot of the sport hosts and commentators are not good at hiding their incompetence when they eventually cover football. Secondly, I’m afraid a prolonged run from Austria could mean Covid cases go up again due to public viewing, big parties with lots of drinking etc.”

12.26pm BST

A letter from Copenhagen from Lars Bøgegaard. “This date is the most mythical in Danish football history. So 29 years after the biggest ever Euros upset (Greece coming a close second and Czechoslovakia 1976 third), everything is perfectly poised for a Danish triumph tonight: Denmark riding high after the vulcanic eruption against Russia, most of the football world on their side and a stadium filled with Danes and Dutch sympathisers (dozens of Danes - including Eriksen himself - has played for Ajax.

“But wait a minute! Actually Wales and Denmark are quite identical. Both teams full of combat proven professionals, organised, well drilled and normally very hard to beat. On top of that both sides has 2-3 players who can do the extraordinary stuff.

This could easily go to penalties - like when Croatia beat Denmark in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Russia. Here’s a Dane hoping for the best!”

12.22pm BST

Away from the Euros, a transfer window perennial has been enjoying himself.

Greek sports newspaper Sportime are reporting that Dortmund striker Erling Haaland spent €500k in six hours at a restaurant on the island of Mykonos and ended up leaving a €30k tip for the staff.

12.14pm BST

More on that St Petersburg Covid-19 story from AFP.

Russia’s Euro 2020 host Saint Petersburg on Saturday reported the country’s highest daily Covid-19 toll for a city since the start of the pandemic, data showed.

Official figures said the city, which has already hosted six Euro 2020 matches and is due to host a quarter final on Friday, recorded 107 virus deaths over the last 24 hours Russian news agencies said this was the highest toll of any Russian city since the start of the pandemic.

12.09pm BST

Harry Rowland, calling in from Down Under, raises a Red Rom question: “I found this comment typical of your modern footballer. “If I play badly I will be really disappointed in myself and the team, because now is the right time to harvest.” Why will it be his teammates’ fault if Lukaku plays badly?”

12.07pm BST

News from the England camp, per PA Media.

England’s preparations for the Euro 2020 clash with Germany continued without Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount on Saturday. Having finished top of Group D, the Three Lions are preparing to take on Joachim Low’s side at Wembley in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

The availability of Chilwell and Mount for that match is in doubt as the duo are due to be in isolation up to and including Monday after coming into contact with Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for Covid-19.

12.03pm BST

A Mr Balderdash from both Worcester and Derby gets in touch: “Lot of people talking up Italy but they haven’t played anybody ‘decent.’ Highest ranking team they’ve beaten in that run are Switzerland (13). Only team in the top ten they’ve played are Portugal (curiously - their last defeat).”

12.01pm BST

Barry Glendenning has manned his hoofer-doofer and, like the rest of us, watched the fun unfold on TV. It’s been good, hasn’t it?

11.46am BST

Richard Hirst is in: “Sorry if this observation has already been made: England are one of only two teams (Italy being the other) to have beaten two teams who have qualified for the last 16. Must be worth something surely, he said, clutching at straws.

“And on Wales: was quite prepared to support them at football (though never rugby: having worked in Wales for 20 years the rugby rivalry was too intense) until a certain Mr Bale said some ridiculous things about England before the game at the previous tournament. As long as he’s around Wales are a no-no, so it’s come on Denmark.”

11.44am BST

Charles Antaki gets in touch: “I’m a bit worried about Roberto Mancini. I once bumped into him, almost literally, in a college doorway as he was waiting for my Italian evening-class teacher (who was also his Leicester City interpreter) and he was a beefy, solid unit. Nowadays he looks wan and, to my mind, a bit too thin. Perhaps he’s on a superstitious diet? If so, I hope Italy wins the competition and he can get back to the carbs.”

11.23am BST

Matt Dony also gets in touch: “I like the cut of Niall O’Keefe’s jib! Croeso cynnes, Niall. Denmark are undoubtedly a feel good story, but they’ve already done Eriksen proud, and it’s ok for their story at this Euros to end.”

11.13am BST

Steve gets in touch on the Belgian beer tip. “Why do I get the feeling that Belgium will go down like an age if Belgian Sour? Big flourish upon opening the tournament. Lots of tasty flourishes. But falls flat after being left open on the counter. And why would we expect anything less in the analogy department from a writer with your last name?”

11.05am BST

This does not look good. The city held six matches in ten days, and a number of Finnish fans returned home to test positive.

#BREAKING Euro host Saint Petersburg records Russia's highest daily virus toll of pandemic: tally pic.twitter.com/ccT7GDCReh

11.00am BST

Angus gets in touch. “The Belgians, ageing like a fine wine or ageing like a Trappist beer? Trappist beer can age beautifully. I hid a bottle of Orval at the back of a cupboard – after 12 years I couldn’t wait any longer, and it was delicious. Try it! Anyway: let’s hope that this is a good omen for Belgium’s chances.”

Ok then, wrong metaphor. Ageing like a can of Stella.

10.49am BST

Romelu Lukaku has been talking, and comparing himself to the other great forwards in the world, starting with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Per Reuters.

At his age, he continues to shine and I’m going to try and get as close to his achievements as possible. Oh, I need competition. When someone says he’s better than me, I want to transcend him. Ronaldo wants to be the best at everything, (France striker Kylian) Mbappe also wants to win everything.

I’ve taken a big step. (Robert) Lewandowski, (Karim) Benzema and (Harry) Kane used to be talked about as world-class strikers. For me, those sort of comment was always limited to: ‘He is in shape’. Well, now I’m world class, too. That was my personal goal.

10.43am BST

Jonathan Liew on the Belgians, ageing like a fine wine or ageing like a Trappist beer?

Portugal are not the team they were five years ago: they feel passive and flat-footed at the back, too vulnerable to pace, too reliant on the goals of Cristiano Ronaldo. Increasingly this is beginning to look like a tournament too far for Pepe. Belgium should win if they concentrate on their own strengths. But in that “should” is buried a multitude of curses as well as blessings.

10.36am BST

Who do you fancy? Gracenote have the answers.

- THE GRACENOTE FORECAST FOR #EURO2020

Chance of progress to the quarter-finals

7⃣2⃣% Italy

6⃣8⃣% England

6⃣6⃣% France

6⃣6⃣% Netherlands

6⃣6⃣% Spain

6⃣1⃣% Sweden

6⃣0⃣% Belgium

5⃣8⃣% Denmark#ITA #ENG #FRA #NED #ESP #SWE #BEL #DEN #Euro2021

10.35am BST

Gareth Southgate to stay on. There are few candidates for his position so it makes sense. He’ll be five years in the job later this year and Jogi Löw will have done 15 years by the time he hangs up his hair dye.

10.14am BST

Best name in the tournament? Got to be up there.

10.05am BST

It’s England v Germany on Tuesday, the big one. For England. This is beautiful from Barney Ronay.

The Germans! Wouldn’t you know it? Our greatest, our deepest rivals, our nemesis. Except, in reality, this this isn’t a close rivalry at all, not if we accept the standard definition that both sides need to be aware that it exists. Germany have won seven major tournaments. Germany have reached 15 semi-finals since the “one World Cup” of 1966.

Their most intense footballing rivalries are among their peers: Italy (nine finals), the Netherlands (14 semi-finals), France (world champions, neighbours). In this company England are a minor cast member, the bumptious cartoon dog, dukes up, who keeps on yappily inserting itself into the centre of the story.

9.49am BST

Niall O’Keefe gets in touch. “What is all this nonsense about the world, apart from the Welsh, wanting Denmark to win. As an Irishman, I want our Celt cousins to win. Eriksen is alive which is wonderful. So, I am off to learn the English lyrics to ‘Land of our Fathers’ and get behind a country.”

9.40am BST

No below-the-line comments today, so air your thoughts to me via John.Brewin.Casual@theguardian.com or via the Twitter on @johnbrewin_

Get in touch if you see fit.

9.37am BST

France have not been too impressive so far, though that seems to be part of Didier Deschamps’ plan, but their injuries are stacking up ahead of Monday’s match with Switzerland.

Per Reuters.

France left-back Lucas Hernandez had to be taken off with a knee injury after the first half and remains doubtful against Switzerland. His replacement Lucas Digne is also nursing a hamstring injury and looks unlikely to be fit for Monday, forcing potential changes to Deschamps’ defensive plans.

Digne’s replacement in the game against Portugal, midfielder Adrien Rabiot, has himself been dealing with a nagging ankle injury since the end of the season and is not yet at 100%. To make matters worse, Thomas Lemar suffered a leg injury and Marcus Thuram hurt his right thigh in training on Thursday, hobbling off the pitch with the support of medical staff. France are already without Ousmane Dembélé, who has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament and will require knee surgery.

9.13am BST

Angela Giuffrida, the Guardian’s Rome correspondent, reports.

The Italian players who refrained from making the gesture before the game against Wales were strongly criticised. Enrico Letta, the former prime minister, said: “Watching on Sunday, with all the Wales players kneeling and only [five] of the Italian players doing it, it was not a good image.

9.11am BST

And Marcus Christenson profiles the Denmark coach.

He was a controversial choice as Denmark coach when given the job in 2019, to take over a year later. He was seen as a football romantic, a lover of Barcelona and Johan Cruyff, whereas his predecessor, the successful Hareide, was more pragmatic. Hjulmand does not believe it is as black and white as that but the team have played some sensational football under him, not least in the first three qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, beating Israel, Moldova and Austria, scoring 14 and conceding none.

9.10am BST

Andy Hunter has been hearing from the Denmark camp and their coach, Kasper Hjulmand.

We respect Wales. What they’ve done in the last few years is really good, they remind us of ourselves. They are proud to represent their country, everyone supports them and the players always give their best football. We respect them a lot. At the same time we feel safe and comfortable in the things we do. We have so much power that we will hopefully have again tomorrow in what I consider to be an equal game.

9.06am BST

And Ben Fisher spoke to Daniel James, the flying Welshman.

It is not just about being strong on the pitch but also about being robust. When games are coming two or three times a week, you have to be ready for that and your body has to be ready. Coming in every day and doing gym work, you can slowly reduce that risk of injury. As a player you never want to miss any games so you have to keep on top of that.

9.05am BST

Jamie Jackson heard from Robert Page, who has proved himself an unlikely statesman, ahead of the Wales game..

I’ll sleep OK tonight. The support we’ve had back home: as much as it is frustrating for everybody – staff, players and supporters – that the supporters can’t be out here, the messages we’ve had, and social media with the kids in school singing the anthem for us, which is a montage of clips that we’re going to put together and show the players; we know that everybody, come the kick-off, will be behind us.

9.00am BST

The knockouts are here, the knockouts are here. Following the surprisingly superb jamboree of red-hot soccer in the group stages, it’s time for the shackles to go on and the nerves take hold. Though hopefully not, as Wales ready themselves for a big match with Denmark in Amsterdam, though with no Welsh fans in the ArenA, pretty much.

Only those Welshmen living within the Schengen area can be there, and that arrangement means that Danish fans can travel despite their country being on the Covid danger list for the Dutch government. Such is the way of the world and Euro 2020.

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Published on June 26, 2021 07:26

Euro 2020: latest news and buildup to Wales v Denmark in last 16 – live!

Buildup to Saturday’s first knockout stage matchesElis James: Wales dream of more fridge magnet momentsFeel free to email John or tweet @JohnBrewin_

9.13am BST

Angela Giuffrida, the Guardian’s Rome correspondent, reports.

9.11am BST

And Marcus Christenson profiles the Denmark coach.

9.10am BST

Andy Hunter has been hearing from the Denmark camp and their coach, Kasper Hjulmand.

9.06am BST

And Ben Fisher spoke to Daniel James, the flying Welshman.

9.05am BST

Jamie Jackson heard from Robert Page, who has proved himself an unlikely statesman, ahead of the Wales game..

9.00am BST

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Published on June 26, 2021 01:13

June 25, 2021

The Euro 2020 Fiver: Not even Premier League Years will tempt us away

The Fiver was worried that, in the context of a jam-packed 2020-21 season, two days without any Euro 2020 games would be an unendurable drought. Thankfully we’ve still got Premier League Years 1994-95 to watch on loop – that John Hartson tackle (sic) never gets old – and now it’s almost time for more live action. We’ve done our bit for Uefa’s official partnerships by readying multiple crates of 0.00% Heineken and our homemade 60.00% Coca-Cola. (The 60 is a reference to the inaugural European Nations Cup, and in no way reflects a partial misjudgement with the turps during the brewing process.)

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Published on June 25, 2021 05:21

June 20, 2021

Switzerland 3-1 Turkey: Euro 2020 – as it happened

Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice to give Switzerland the win they needed – but they must wait to find out whether it’s enough to put them in the last 16

7.07pm BST

That’s all from me. I’ll leave you with Louise Taylor’s report on an entertaining afternoon in Baku. Goodnight!

7.01pm BST

6.54pm BST

Italy 1-0 Wales was the final score in Rome, which means Wales go through to the last 16. They will play the runners-up in Group B, which is likely to be Russia, Denmark or Finland.

Italy will play the runners-up in Group C, which will be either Austria or Ukraine. Both games are on Saturday.

6.51pm BST

Peep peep! Switzerland finish third in the group and must wait to find out whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. Four points and a goal difference of -1 should be enough, but they won’t know for sure until later in the week.

Turkey are going home after three straight defeats, though they contributed plenty to a very enjoyable free-for-all in Baku this afternoon.

6.48pm BST

90+1 min One more substitution for the road: Silvan Widmer is replaced by Kevin Mbabu.

6.47pm BST

90 min Three minutes of added time.

6.47pm BST

89 min: Chance for Muldur! An overhit corner from the left is retrieved by Karaman on the far side. He looks up and fires the ball into Muldur, who shoots straight at Sommer from 15 yards.

6.43pm BST

86 min Two more changes for the Swiss: Loris Bento replaces the hat-trick hero Steven Zuber, and Admir Mehmedi is on for Breel Embolo.

6.42pm BST

83 min Yilmaz misses an excellent chance, heading a corner wide of the near post from six yards. He mistimed his header, in fact, and the ball went wide off his shoulder. He might have been unsighted; if not, it was an extremely good chance.

6.40pm BST

83 min It looks like Switzerland are going to finish third, with four points and a goal difference of -1. That should be enough to reach the last 16, but they won’t know until tomorrow night at the earliest.

6.38pm BST

80 min That’s Under’s last act - he is replaced by Kenan Karaman, and Orkan Kokcu replaces Kahveci. Yes, I know I had Karaman coming on earlier; in fact that was Yusuf Yazici. Probably.

6.37pm BST

79 min Under goes on another thrilling run from the halfway to the edge of the area before flashing a drive just over the bar.

6.36pm BST

78 min If you asked me to name three geniuses, I wouldn’t say Pele, Maradona, Messi. I’d say Laudrup, Costa. Zuber.

Only three players have assisted three goals in a single European Championships game:

Michael Laudrup (1984 vs. Yugoslavia)
Rui Costa (2000 vs. England)
Steven Zuber (2020 vs. Turkey)

This is Zuber's first start of #EURO2020. pic.twitter.com/SnXzs0xAby

6.35pm BST

77 min: Xhaka smashes the free-kick off the post! Nobody moved. The ball thumped off the post and straight at Vargas, who couldn’t react quickly enough to put the rebound into the net.

6.34pm BST

76 min Soyuncu fouls Xhaka in the D and is booked. This is another decent chance for Switzerland.

6.33pm BST

75 min A double change for Switzerland: Mario Gavranovic and Ruben Vargas replace the outstanding pair of Haris Seferovic and Xherdan Shaqiri.

6.33pm BST

75 min Celik is booked for a tactical foul.

6.32pm BST

74 min Switzerland are still attacking with the urgency of a team who are two goals down rather than two ahead. In a sense, they are: if they win 5-1 and it stays the same in Rome, they will move above Wales.

6.29pm BST

71 min That was such a good finish from Shaqiri, because the ball bobbled slightly just in front of him, but he watched it onto the side of his foot and lasered it into the roof of the net.

6.28pm BST

It’s still Italy 1-0 Ten-man Wales. Switzerland need a two-goal swing to move above Wales.

6.28pm BST

70 min Calhanoglu is booked for a poor tackle on Elvedi.

6.27pm BST

It was another superb finish. The tireless Zuber played a one-two with Xhaka, just inside the Turkey half, and then shaped an excellent low cross around the defence. Shaqiri ran onto it, 17 yards out, and slammed a first-time shot through Cakir with his left foot.

6.25pm BST

Xherdan Shaqiri gets his second!

6.25pm BST

67 min Scratch that, Kahveci didn’t come off; of course he didn’t. I have no idea who did, I’m afraid.

6.23pm BST

66 min In fact Turkey made a triple substitution after the goal. The one I missed was Yusuf Yazici for the goalscorer Kahveci, whose last touch was that cracking goal. I bet he was thrilled to come onee.

6.23pm BST

65 min Seconds later, Freueler’s low cross is turned wide of the near post by Embolo. He was under pressure so it wasn’t much of a chance.

6.22pm BST

64 min Yet another fine save from Cakir, who dives full length to his left to keep out another right-footed curler from Shaqiri.

6.21pm BST

63 min Turkey celebrate with a double substitution: Okay Yokuslu and Kenan Karaman replace Tufan and Ayhan.

6.20pm BST

Another twist! Irfan Can Kahveci has got Turkey back in the game - and given Wales a boost - with a brilliant goal. He twisted Rodriguez one way and then the other before lashing a left-footed shot that flew across Sommer into the far corner.

6.18pm BST

61 min Cakir makes an outstanding fingertip save from Seferovic, who beat two players and drove a low right-footed shot towards the far corner. There have been a few good saves in this match, at both ends, but none better than that.

6.17pm BST

59 min Nothing much happening in this game. Switzerland haven’t settled for 2-0, though; their intensity is good and they evidently know the value of winning by four or five.

6.16pm BST

Wales are down to 10 men in Rome, where Ethan Ampadu has been given a straight red for a late tackle. Switzerland need a two-goal swing across both games to have a chance of leaping into second place.

6.12pm BST

54 min Under, who has been Turkey’s best player along with Muldur, slaloms past three players but then blooters the ball into orbit from the edge of the area.

6.10pm BST

52 min Embolo bursts away from Soyuncu in the inside-right channel and blasts a rising drive that is superbly saved, one-handed, by Cakir at the near post.

6.09pm BST

51 min Another chance for Zuber, whose shot takes a slight deflection and is saved at the second attempt by Cakir.

6.07pm BST

5o min At the other end, Under’s cross is headed over by Yilmaz. A half chance.

6.06pm BST

49 min Seferovic drops between the lines and plays a simple pass through the inside-left channel to Zuber. His shot from a tight angle is comfortably saved by Cakir.

6.02pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Turkey begin the second half.

5.57pm BST

Four points might not be enough to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. Unlikely, but not beyond the realms. At this stage it’s possible for the third-placed team in all six groups to finish with at least four points, in which case it will come down to goal difference. Somebody could be in for a nasty surprise.

5.54pm BST

The half-time score in Rome is Italy 1-0 Wales. That means Switzerland are level on points with Wales but with an inferior goal difference, -1 to Wales’ +1.

5.48pm BST

Peep peep! Switzerland are heading through to the last 16 thanks to fine goals from Haris Seferovic and Xherdan Shaqiri. Turkey have been lively in attack, forcing a number of good saves from Yann Sommer, but they are all over the show in defence.

5.46pm BST

45 min After Soyuncu made that superb block a couple of minutes ago he was kneed in the face by Seferovic, who couldn’t stall his momentum. He seems fine but I’m surprised there wasn’t a concussion check. In the Premier League last season, there might have been a red card for Seferovic as well.

5.44pm BST

43 min Seferovic’s shot is brilliantly blocked the sliding Soyuncu. Turkey break through the left-back Muldur, who beats three players during a barnstorming 70-yard run before his shot is excellently saved by Sommer.

5.41pm BST

40 min I’ve just realised that I’ll need to discuss the score in the Italy/Wales game later, because it will affect where Switzerland finish in the group. So if any of you don’t want to know what’s happening in the Wales game, please bugger off at your earliest convenience.

5.38pm BST

38 min Embolo’s cross shot flies a few yards wide of the far post. The angle was pretty tight.

5.37pm BST

36 min Under feeds a short pass into Yilmaz in the area. He wins an impromptu wrestling match with Akanji and pokes the ball square to Celik, who spanks it over the top. A half chance.

5.36pm BST

35 min I won’t tell you what’s happening in the Italy/Wales game, just in case any of you plan to watch it on delay, but you can get the latest news with Paul Doyle.

5.34pm BST

33 min Sommer makes another excellent save, diving full length to his right to push Muldur’s swirling long-range shot round the post. Turkey have been pretty good going forward, but their defending has been hopeless.

5.31pm BST

30 min “I do hope Turkey don’t fire Senol Gunes on the back of their poor performance in the tournament,” says Anis Aslaam. “He’s a good coach and they’re still leading their qualifying group for the World Cup. It might be a crappy tournament for the Turks but sacking Mr. Gunes isn’t the way forward.”

Yep, I totally agree, but I fear there is a P45 with his name on it.

5.30pm BST

28 min: Fine save from Cakir! Switzerland should be out of sight. Seferovic, in the centre circle, turned and played a clever pass to Shaqiri, who roared away from Soyuncu and through on goal. He reached the edge of the area and then drove a low shot across Cakir, who thrust out his right foot to deflect it past the post. Superb save.

5.28pm BST

Seferovic again had too much time to line up a shot from the edge of the area. This time it was blocked but Zuber picked up the loose ball and squared it to Shaqiri on the edge of the D. His immaculate first touch created just enough space for him to hit a spectacular curling shot that flashed past Cakir as he leapt to his left.

5.26pm BST

Xherdan Shaqiri scores a beauty - with his right foot!

5.24pm BST

23 min Tufan curls over from 25 yards. A bad idea, poorly executed.

5.22pm BST

23 min Turkey probably need to win 4-1 to have a realistic chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. For Switzerland, any victory will do.

5.21pm BST

21 min Zuber, who has been heavily involved in attack, shoots well wide from 25 yards.

5.19pm BST

18 min Shaqiri, on the right, feeds a pass into the penalty area. Zuber lets it run cleverly to Embolo, who tries to flick it round the corner to give Zuber a shooting chance. The pass is just too heavy and Zuber can’t control it on the stretch. That was a decent opportunity.

5.18pm BST

17 min Seferovic runs onto a long pass and shoots straight at Cakir from the edge of the area. The angle was tight and he had a defender alongside him, so it wasn’t much of a chance.

5.17pm BST

16 min: Good save from Sommer! The impressive Under skins Zuber on the right and hits a fierce cross that just evades the leaping Yilmaz in the middle. It’s collected on the far side of the area by the left-back Muldur, who chests the ball down and cuts across a good strike that is pushed away by the diving Sommer.

5.11pm BST

11 min Turkey started brilliantly but they look thoroughly cheesed off at going behind again. Switzerland have a decent chance to put them away in the next 10 minutes.

5.09pm BST

8 min “Turkey were, genuinely, a really good team in qualifying,” says Kári Tulinius. “It’s been mystifying to see how they’ve gone from being aggressive defensively and intelligent offensively, to the pub side that turned up against Italy and Wales. I can’t think of a national team having that severe a drop-off in such a short time, without injuries being a factor.”

Colombia 1994 are the first team that come to mind, although as we know there was all sorts going on there.

5.08pm BST

Zuber picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and played a short pass infield to Seferovic. He was given too much time to turn and drive a precise low shot that went through the legs of Demiral and sneaked into the far corner. At first it looked a relatively innocuous attempt, but it was perfectly placed and Cakir couldn’t reach it as he dived to his left.

5.07pm BST

Switzerland score with their first attempt!

5.05pm BST

4 min: Fine save from Sommer! Under twists Rodridguez inside out on the edge of the area and has a shot blocked. The quick-witted Yilmaz chests the loose ball behind him to Kaan, who whistles the sweetest half-volley towards goal from 25 yards. Sommer dives to his right to push it away, a terrific save.

5.04pm BST

3 min Now Tufan spanks over from long range. Turkey have made a bright, fast start.

5.03pm BST

3 min The corner is headed away at the near post by Embolo.

5.03pm BST

2 min The captain Burak Yilmaz has an early pop from long range. It hits the back of Akanji and flies behind for a corner.

5.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Switzerland, in red, kick off from right to left. Turkey are all in white.

4.55pm BST

The players stroll out of the tunnel, into the steamy Baku heat. There are reportedly over 20,000 Turkey fans in the ground, and they proudly belt out the national anthem.

4.45pm BST

4.01pm BST

Paul Doyle is your man for the big game in Rome, and much else besides.

4.00pm BST

Switzerland will go out of the tournament unless they win. A victory would give them four points, which should be enough to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. They could also finish second in the group: if they win and Wales lose, goal difference will decide who comes second.

Turkey need to win to have any chance of qualification, probably by a few goals. Their poor goal difference (-5) is likely to cost them if more than one third-placed team finishes on three points.

3.59pm BST

Two changes for Switzerland. Silvan Widmer and Steven Zuber replace Fabian Schar and Kevin Mbabu, which should mean Ricardo Rodriguez moving from left wing-back to left centre-back.

Turkey make three changes from the side that lost to Wales. Okay Yokuslu, Kenan Karaman and the injured Umut Meras are out; Merih Demiral, Irfan Can Kahveci and Mert Muldur come into the team.

3.58pm BST

Switzerland (3-4-1-2) Sommer; Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer, Freuler, Xhaka, Zuber; Shaqiri; Embolo, Seferovic.
Substitutes: Mvogo, Kobel, Mbabu, Zakaria, Vargas, Sow, Fassnacht, Benito, Mehmedi, Gavranovic, Schar, Comert.

Turkey (possible 4-2-3-1) Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Soyuncu, Muldur; Ayhan, Tufan; Under, Calhanoglu, Kahveci; Yilmaz.
Substitutes: Gunok, Bayindir, Yokuslu, Tokoz, Karaman, Yazici, Antalyali, Kabak, Unal, Yilmaz, Kokcu, Dervisoglu.

3.30pm BST

You wait 19 months to play at a major tournament, and then it’s all over in 10 days. Back in November 2019, when Switzerland and Turkey qualified for Euro 2020, they could let their imagination run wild with what they might achieve. But reality doesn’t take long to bite, and today at least one of these teams will leave the competition without trace.

I’ll explain the permutations later, just as soon as I understand them. In short, both teams need to win - but Turkey need to win huge, and even that might not be enough.

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Published on June 20, 2021 11:07

June 19, 2021

Spain 1-1 Poland: Euro 2020 – as it happened

A masterful header from Robert Lewandowski kept Poland in the tournament after Alvaro Morata had given Spain the lead in Seville

10.07pm BST

Spain 1-1 Poland Sid Lowe’s match report has landed, so I’ll be off. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!

9.55pm BST

Robert Lewandowski’s masterful header has kept Poland in the tournament. They deserved a point against a Spain side who again flattered to deceive and looked a bit rudderless. Alvaro Morata had given them the lead, and Gerard Moreno hit the post with a penalty straight after Lewandowski’s goal, but that aside they struggled to create clear chances. If they don’t beat Slovakia on Wednesday, they could go out at the group stage.

9.53pm BST

Peep peep!

9.53pm BST

90+4 min Rodri takes a yellow card with a tactical foul on Kozlowski, who nicked the ball on the edge of the area and was away on the counter.

9.52pm BST

90+4 min Lewandowski is booked for something or other.

9.52pm BST

90+4 min “Safe safe safe,” says the BBC co-commentator Danny Murphy in reference to Spain’s passing. If that isn’t a sly plea to join Goldie Lookin’ Chain, I don’t know what is.

9.51pm BST

90+3 min Tiki-taka-tiki-taka-tiki-taka-hoof clear.

9.50pm BST

90+1 min “Pedri has been something of a mystery: beautifully accomplished, not a pass which doesn’t find its mark, as progressive as the circumstances allow, but discreet to the point of ineffectiveness,” says Charles Antaki. “Iniesta without, if one can use the word with Iniesta, the venom.”

That’s a great point, although don’t forget that Iniesta wasn’t oozing venom at 18. He went to the venom level at maybe 21 or 22.

9.49pm BST

90 min The 17-year-old Kozlowski runs at a backpedalling defence, with options either side, but then a poor touch ends the move. That was half a chance for Poland.

9.48pm BST

90 min Five minutes of added time. Spain still aren’t moving the ball quickly enough.

9.45pm BST

86 min And Spain bring on Mikel Oyarzabal for the goalscorer Morata.

9.45pm BST

85 min Two more changes for Poland: Karol Linetty and Pawel Dawidowicz replace Jan Bednarek and Jakub Moder.

9.44pm BST

84 min: Great save by Szczesny! Alba curled a gorgeous pass into the area towards Sarabia. He chested it square to Morata, who shot was smothered desperately by Szczesny and then half cleared by Bednarek. It went to Torres, who curled over from the edge of the area.

9.42pm BST

83 min If it stays like this, Spain will need at least a draw against Slovakia, and probably a win, to qualify for the knockout stages.

9.41pm BST

81 min Pau Torres is booked for elbowing Lewandowski as they jumped for a high ball. We’ve just seen a replay of that Morata fall; that could have gone either way on the field, but again it wasn’t a clear and obvious error so VAR were right not get involved.

9.40pm BST

80 min Torres feeds a cross into Morata, back to goal on the six-yard line. He tries to turn and goes down - was that a foul by Bednarek - and the danger is cleared. Moments later, Rodri whistles a half-volley straight at Szczesny from 18 yards. It was a sweet strike with his left foot.

9.39pm BST

79 min Fabian Ruiz pushes the ball towards Morata in the area. It’s a poor pass that runs towards Szczesny... but then Ferran Torres appears from nowhere to poke the ball away from him. That leads to an impromptu scramble on the six-yard line until Szczesny grabs the ball.

9.36pm BST

77 min Lewandowski charges forward from the halfway line and plays the ball through to Frankowski in the inside-right channel. He tries to return it to Lewandowski, who is desperate to get another chance, but the pass is blocked.

9.34pm BST

75 min It’s all Spain now, but still their tempo leaves a bit to be desired.

9.33pm BST

74 min “To my mind, that penalty is exactly what VAR is for,” says Matt Dony. “The referee would naturally have followed the ball, and so missed Moder standing on Moreno’s ankle well after the ball had gone. Danny Murphy gave it the old ‘Not all contact is a foul’, but standing on someone’s ankle while getting nowhere near the ball would be given anywhere else on the pitch (as the cliche goes). Was it the most heinous foul in the world? No. But it was still a foul, and VAR gave the ref a chance to evaluate it. (Saying that, as someone who learnt the game playing in defence, had that kind of thing been given more consistently, I would have given away a LOT of penalties.)”

Ugh, not for me, though I do see your point.

9.32pm BST

73 min: Chance for Torres! Spain work the ball nicely across the field to Marcos Llorente on the right. He stands up a cross that is headed wide of the near post by Torres, 10 yards out. That was quite a tricky chance because there no was pace on the ball.

9.30pm BST

72 min Spain are starting to put Poland under pressure again. Sarabia’s inswinging free-kick is punched away by Szczesny, a more convincing piece of goalkeeping than the last.

9.29pm BST

69 min A dangerous corner from Sarabia is missed by Szczesny, who punches fresh air with both hands, and hits the arm of the unsighted Laporte. Bednarek then boots it away.

9.26pm BST

67 min A double change for Spain: Fabian Ruiz and Pablo Sarabia replace Gerard Moreno and Koke. And For Poland, Przemyslaw Frankowski comes on for Karol Swiderski.

9.24pm BST

66 min If it stays like this, the group will read: Sweden 4, Slovakia 3, Spain 2, Poland 1.

9.23pm BST

65 min Morata makes a good run through the inside-right channel and hits a decent cross shot that is pushed round the far post by Szczesny.

9.23pm BST

64 min “Penalty given was precisely the same as the one that was given against Alaba last week,” says Gene Salorio. “So consistent.”

But not against the Scotland defender whose name I forget last night.

9.22pm BST

63 min A draw keeps Poland alive. A win would make things exceedingly interesting.

9.20pm BST

62 min Ferran Torres comes on for Spain to replace Dani Olmo.

9.18pm BST

59 min Now Jozwiak is booked for a foul on Pedri.

9.18pm BST

58 min Oh my goodness. Moreno slid the penalty off the face of the left-hand post, and Morata somehow put the rebound wide. If anything Morata’s was the easier chance because, although it came at him quickly, Szcezesny was out of the game having dived to his right in an attempt to save the penalty.

9.16pm BST

PENALTY GIVEN! That is so soft, embarrassingly so. Moder is booked as well.

9.16pm BST

56 min: VAR check for a Spain penalty! Moreno’s cross ricochets across the area and is cleared, but they have gone back to look at a potential foul on Moreno. Moder stood on his foot a split-second after he put the cross in, and I think this will be given.

9.15pm BST

55 min A change for Poland: the 17-year-old Kaper Kozlowski replaces Mateusz Klich. He takes Jude Bellingham’s record as the youngest player in the history of this tournament.

9.14pm BST

55 min Spain thought there was a foul on Laporte by Lewandowski. You could certainly make the case, but it’s hard to argue it was a clear and obvious error.

9.13pm BST

That was a brilliant header. The move started with Moder, who turned elegantly away from Pedri and Morata before finding Klich. He moved the ball wide to Jozwiak, who swung a deep cross towards Lewandowski, six yards out. He bumped Laporte out of the way, strained his neck muscles and guided a superb header into the corner.

9.12pm BST

Robert Lewandowski equalises!

9.11pm BST

53 min Spain slow the game that with an extended spell of possession. Poland are now 37 minutes away from going out of the tournament with a game to spare.

9.09pm BST

50 min Morata elbows Glik in the jaw while trying to shield the ball. That looked exceedingly painful. There was no VAR check for a potential red card, but I’d like to watch a replay to see whether it was deliberate.

9.07pm BST

49 min Poland have started the second half aggressively, pressing high up the field. They did the same in the first but were slowly passed into submission by Spain.

9.06pm BST

48 min “Regarding Wilson’s column…” says Kari Tulinius. “The main benefit of the 24-team format is that it’s rare to be eliminated after two games. The type of match I dislike the most at a major tournament is when an already eliminated team has to trudge back on the field. The absolute worst is when it’s two eliminated teams, a feel-bad version of the third-place playoff. The current format means these are few and far between.”

Ha, good point. Every World Cup seems to have a 23rd-place playoff.

9.05pm BST

47 min “Barney Ronay’s article was perfect,” writes Marz Waltz. “Especially his comparison of fanless football with mechanised sound to American Cheese (America’s most embarrassing product). During the shutdown I got used to it but he is right that it’s a football ‘product’, not the real thing. I am finding the Copa America almost impossible to watch without fans.”

9.03pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Spain begin the second half, with no changes on either side.

9.02pm BST

“How do you rate J Alba esq?” asks Henry C esq. “I could be wrong but he seems to have been around for ages. But usually plays well and provides great crosses. Not as fast as he used to be - watch his goal vs Italy in the final in 2012.”

I vividly recall being wowed by him during this game at Stamford Bridge in 2011, and have loved him ever since then. At his peak he was the perfect modern left-back.

8.57pm BST

“Are we sure that Glik is not a cockney?” says Ian Copestake. “He has the air of a top geezer.”

You what mate?

8.55pm BST

Originally flagged for offside, VAR intervened and allowed Morata's goal to stand!#ESP 1-0 #POL

Watch: https://t.co/gwX1m8wzvY #bbceuro2020 #euro2020 pic.twitter.com/2a18cGGw0T

8.49pm BST

Half-time reading

8.49pm BST

Peep peep! Spain lead through a goal from Alvaro Morata, who had a bit of help from the third, fourth and fifth letters of his first name.

Although Spain dominated, Poland had a decent penalty appeal turned down early on and hit the post just before half-time. If Poland don’t score in the second half, they will be out of the tournament.

8.45pm BST

45 min: Now Moreno misses a great chance! Jordi Alba breaks down the left in familiar style and slides an inviting low pass towards the six-yard box. Moreno gets in front of Szczesny at the near post but then flicks the ball into the side netting.

8.43pm BST

43 min: Double chance for Poland! It should be 1-1. Swiderski cut inside on his left foot and hit a vicious low drive that thumped off the post. The ball rebounded to Lewandowski, who controlled it and smashed a close-range volley that was somehow blocked by Simon. It was a vital save but Lewandowski should have scored.

8.41pm BST

42 min Spain have had 77 per cent pof the possession, it says here. Standards are slipping.

8.40pm BST

39 min “Seen a reasonable amount of Pedri for Barcelona this season,” writes Ben Kybett. “It’s really striking the amount of trust Messi has in him (not something that necessarily applies to all the current Barca squad), always seeking him out for little interchanges around the area. Footballing recommendations, you feel, do not come a lot higher. He’s the real deal; whether he can show it in this mildly creaky Spain team, we shall see.”

He’s been fairly quiet tonight but it’s obvious he’s a class act. On Messi, one of football’s unsung pleasures is trying to infer who the great players do or don’t rate in their team.

8.37pm BST

37 min Klich is booked for a foul on someone or other.

8.37pm BST

35 min: Chance for Poland! Lewandowski breaks down the right and crosses towards the near post. It’s blocked but the ball comes to back to Lewandowski, who waits for some movement and then coaxes another cross towards Swiderski in the six-yard box. He twists his body and sidefoots an acrobatic volley over the bar. He was unable to get over the ball, and it’s a bit strange that he didn’t attack it with his head. He probably saw Simon in his peripheral vision; that’s all I can think of.

8.34pm BST

34 min Moreno curls the free-kick fractionally wide of the left-hand post. On reflection, Szczesny probably had it covered.

8.33pm BST

33 min Dani Olmo is fouled in the D by Glik. This is a really good chance for Spain to get a second.

8.32pm BST

32 min That goal should allow Spain to relax a bit more in possession. At the moment they are in complete control of the game.

8.30pm BST

30 min The quick, effective use of VAR has been one of the features of this tournament, and that goal was another example.

8.29pm BST

29 min A reminder that if Poland lose tonight they will be out of the competition.

8.28pm BST

28 min “I pity the managers of both sides if they fail to win,” says Anis Aslaam. “Paulo Sousa will probably be feeling the heat if Poland lose this. Don’t forget, he was hired after qualification for the Euros was achieved and since day one, his only victory has been against David Nugent’s favourite opposition, Andorra. As for Luis Enrique, big jobs come with big expectations and one of those would be to conquer Group E.”

8.27pm BST

27 min Alvaro Morata has caught a much-needed break, and the first thing he does is run over to hug his manager Luis Enrique.

8.26pm BST

It really was tight: the goal has been given! Morata was just being played onside by Bereszynski.

8.25pm BST

25 min: Morata has a goal disallowed for offside! Moreno came infield, hugging the ball on his left foot, and drove a mishit shot across goal. Morata reacted smartly to turn it in from six yards, but then the flag went up for offside. This is very tight actually.

8.24pm BST

24 min The pace of the game is getting slower by the minute.

8.23pm BST

23 min “Monday, January 31st, 2011,” weeps Matt Dony. “Desperate for work after my cleaning business had seriously struggled, I had taken a nasty little job in a sales call centre. After my week’s training, I had just finished my first day on the phones. It had been hideous. I had spent three (increasingly frustrating) hours on the phone to HMRC due to some problems with my Self-Assessment submission.

“Mrs Dony was away, leaving me at home on my own. My dinner that night was Super Noodles and Carling. I didn’t have Sky Sports, so I was getting my updates from a live blog on Yahoo. It was one of the saddest, most depressing evenings of my life.

8.21pm BST

21 min Spain are well on top now, even if their domination has a whiff of sterility. Poland are struggling to get out.

8.20pm BST

20 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “What do you reckon Cristiano Ronaldo thinks of Koke?”

Not as much as he thinks of this fella.

8.19pm BST

19 min: Chance for Rodri! A Spain corner leads to a bit of a scramble until Rodri, eight yards out, has a fresh-air shot. That was a really good chance.

8.17pm BST

17 min The corner is played short to Koke, whose fast cross is headed away.

8.16pm BST

16 min Tiki-taka-tiki-taka-tiki-taka. Eventually Olmo swings a cross beyond the far post. He tries to hook it back across the face of goal and the ball goes behind off Puchacz. Corner to Spain...

8.14pm BST

14 min Poland’s tactics are interesting: 3-1-4-2 with the ball, 5-3-1-1 without. We’ve seen more of the latter in the last few minutes.

8.13pm BST

13 min Spain are starting to fire up the passing carousel. After a long spell of possession, Pau Torres tries to score from 35 yards. No.

8.10pm BST

10 min Olmo steals the ball off Jozwiak, cuts inside and drives a low shot from the edge of the area. Szczesny crouches to make a comfortable save.

8.10pm BST

10 min “Got to admit, I’m glad Spain aren’t playing Ferran Torres,” writes Matt Dony. “Every time I see ‘F. Torres’, or I hear a commentator excitedly say ‘Torrrressss’, my heart hurts a little bit. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a footballer like I loved Fernando.”

I’d love to have seen your face when you found out he’d been sold to Chelsea and replaced by Andy Carroll.

8.09pm BST

9 min Moreno’s low cross is half blocked by Bednarek at the near post and then cleared properly by Klich. The tempo of this game is terrific.

8.07pm BST

6 min A lovely effort from Klich. He picks up a loose ball 30 yards out, moves forward and whips a dipping shot that lands on the roof the net. Simon was at full stretch, though I don’t think he had it covered.

8.05pm BST

5 min It’s been a busy, confident start from Poland, which has taken Spain a bit by surprise.

8.03pm BST

3 min: No penalty! That could have gone either way. Maybe it wasn’t a clear and obvious error, but I think that would have been given in the Premier League last season.

8.02pm BST

2 min: Big shout for a Poland penalty! Morata gives the ball away in a dangerous area, then tries to make up for his error with a clumsy challenge from behind on Zielinski. The referee looked set to blow his whistle, and then didn’t. I’m sure this will be checked.

8.01pm BST

2 min It looks like the same 3-1-4-2 formation for Poland, with Jakub Moder replacing the suspended Krychowiak in front of the back four.

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Poland, in white, kick off from right to left. Spain are in their usual red strip.

7.55pm BST

The players line up for the anthems. It’s a gorgeous evening in Seville, sunny but with a pleasant breeze.

7.54pm BST

“If I’m Pedri (which I’m a distance from being), I’m thinking: ‘How many gilt-edged chances to I have to create for Morata to finish one?’” says Bill Hargreaves. “I’m being mean, I know - all forwards suffer a level of missed chances - but is Morata less reliable than other big team strikers?”

He’s a strange player – at his best he’s a brilliant, modern No9, but his confidence is so fragile.

7.51pm BST

Poland will look, as usual, to Robert Lewandowski tonight. His record in big tournaments is modest, two goals in 12 games I think. This would be a good time to address that statistic.

7.45pm BST

“Since the days of David Villa and Fernando Torres,” begins Charles Antaki, “the national team has tried (I looked it up) Álvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado, Fernando Llorente, Iago Aspas, Paco Alcácer, Diego Costa, Lucas Vasquez, Rodrigo … Not one established himself, so it’s no surprise that there’s been a change today. After Moreno, Adama Traoré is presumably the next in line, and it’s maybe a bit surprising that he hasn’t been thrown on already.”

7.30pm BST

6.59pm BST

Uh-oh

6.58pm BST

6.53pm BST

And the scapegoat is... Ferran Torres, who has been replaced by Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno. That’s Spain’s only change from the draw against Sweden.

Poland make three changes from the team that lost to Slovakia. Brighton’s Jakub Moder, Tymoteusz Puchacz and Karol Swiderski replace Karol Linetty, Maciej Rybus and the suspended Grzegorz Krychowiak.

6.30pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Spain v Poland in Seville. This is the final game of Matchday 2, but the big picture isn’t getting much clearer. Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands are the only teams definitely through to the knockout stages; North Macedonia are the only ones to have been eliminated. But Poland will join them in the departure lounge if they are beaten in Seville.

Poland’s 2-1 defeat to Slovakia in the opening game means they need at least a point tonight. Spain’s start was underwhelming for different reasons. They redefined sterile domination in their 0-0 draw with Sweden, when some analysts credited them with 86 per cent possession. (Uefa had it at 75 per cent, and no I don’t know why there’s a disparity.) We’ll find out soon whether Alvaro Morata, or any of the other attackers, have lost their place as a result.

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Published on June 19, 2021 14:00

Hungary 1-1 France: Euro 2020 – as it happened

Attila Fiola scored a barnstorming goal for Hungary, who were denied a shock victory by Antoine Griezmann’s second-half equaliser

4.13pm BST

Andy Hunter’s match report is here, which is my cue to leave. Don’t forget to join Luke for Portugal v Germany. Bye!

4.04pm BST

Euros all-time top scorers:
11: Ronaldo
9: Platini
7: Griezmann, Shearer#FRA #EURO2020

4.01pm BST

Next up, a biggie: Portugal v Germany with Luke McLaughlin.

4.00pm BST

Both teams play their final group games on Wednesday evening. Hungary meet Germany in Munich; France play Portugal in Budapest.

3.58pm BST

The Hungary keeper Peter Gulacsi clenches his first and screams with delight. He made a vital late save from Kylian Mbappe and ensured Hungary would get a famous draw against the world champions. They worked incredibly hard in sweltering heat and this time, unlike against Portugal, they didn’t fall at the final hurdle.

Attila Fiola’s barnstorming goal gave them the lead just before half-time, and France were starting to panic when Antoine Griezmann equalised in the 66th minute. They will go through to the knockout stages, but it’s far from certain that they will top the group.

3.55pm BST

Lemar’s cross is headed wide by the stretching Varane, and that’s the last touch of the game!

3.55pm BST

No penalty! That could easily have been given.

3.55pm BST

90+4 min Griezmann’s free-kick is punched away by Gulacsi, then Michael Oliver stops play so that Botka can receive treatment. He was all over Kimpembe, grabbing his shirt, and then went down himself. There’s a VAR check for a France penalty!

3.53pm BST

90+3 min Ninety seconds to go. Kante is fouled by Fiola near the corner flag on the right. This is a good chance for France to shatter Hungary and steal a winner.

3.52pm BST

90+1 min A half full Coke bottle has just been thrown onto the pitch near the Hungarian keeper Gulacsi. Nobody seems too bothered by it.

3.50pm BST

90 min Four minutes of added time.

3.50pm BST

89 min France are still pushing for a winner, albeit without too much conviction. Hungary deserve a point.

3.49pm BST

87 min Another change for France. Thomas Lemar replaces Ousmane Dembele, who only came on in the 57th minute. I’m pretty sure Dembele is injured.

3.47pm BST

85 min Hungary started with a 3-3-2-2 formation. Now it’s 5-3-2-0-0-0-0-0-0.

3.46pm BST

84 min A change for Hungary: Gergo Lovrencsics replaces the excellent Laszlo Kleinheisler.

3.44pm BST

82 min Moments later, Tolisso’s long-range shot is comfortably saved by Gulacsi.

3.44pm BST

82 min: Good save from Gulacsi! Griezmann gets between the lines and pokes the ball towards Giroud on the edge of the area. A defender comes across and diverts the ball* to Mbappe, who controls it deftly and hammers a rising shot with his left foot that is beaten away at the near post by Gulacsi.

* I think, though it might have been a deliberate touch from Giroud; it’s hard to tell.

3.41pm BST

80 min Hungary were level at this stage of their first game and ended up losing 3-0. They look tired, having worked like beasts in extreme heat, but they are hanging on.

3.40pm BST

79 min “Hi Rob,” says Ruth Purdue. “Please can you ask Simon if he looked at the love hearts in turn before he ate them?”

Of course he did. To do otherwise is frankly barbaric.

3.39pm BST

77 min If it stays like this, most bets are off in the Group of Death. France will be through but might not finish top, which would a change a few wallcharts.

3.36pm BST

76 min And Hungary bring on Tamas Cseri for Andras Schafer.

3.36pm BST

76 min A double change for France: Corentin Tolisso and Olivier Giroud replace Paul Pogba and Karim Benzema.

3.34pm BST

74 min Sallai’s deflected shot from 25 yards is comfortably saved to his left by Lloris.

3.33pm BST

72 min It’s all France now. Dembele’s low cross is taken off Mbappe’s toe by Schafer (I think), then Griezmann is tripped just outside the area. Michael Oliver plays the advantage and Kante shoots wide. France invite him to bring the play back for the foul; he politely declines their kind offer.

3.31pm BST

70 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I’ve just eaten a packet of Love Hearts for the first time in a while, and they were better than I remember. Rather enjoyable in fact. The last one urged me to ‘cheer up’ so not only have I had a welcome sugar rush, I’ve been given some sound life coaching as well. Maybe Uefa/the FA could offer them a sponsorship deal?”

3.30pm BST

Drinks break

3.29pm BST

69 min A clever free-kick from Griezmann finds Mbappe, who tries to hook a volley towards goal as the ball drops over his right shoulder. It’s a really difficult chance and he can only slice it wide of the near post.

3.28pm BST

It was a route-one goal, believe it or not. Lloris collected a free-kick and hammered the ball straight downfield towards Mbappe. The two Hungary defenders let the ball bounce and from that moment they were in trouble. Mbappe muscled Nego aside to take possession on the right side of the area, then moved away from Nego and drove the ball across the face of goal. Orban got a slight touch on the ball but could only divert it straight to Griezmann, who slammed it in from close range.

3.26pm BST

And like that, Hungary’s lead has gone.

3.25pm BST

64 min France look rattled, and Pavard commits another silly foul on the outstanding Sallai. He has carried the ball brilliantly all afternoon.

3.23pm BST

63 min France have switched to a 4-2-3-1 since the introduction of Dembele. He is on the right with Mbappe on the left and Griezmann behind Benzema.

3.23pm BST

62 min “Really enjoyed the interview with Thiago Alcântara,” writes Phil Podolsky. “A player of creative genius who soberly acknowledges that the game is changing in a direction that’s hostile to what he represents, yet also understands that he’s not the protagonist of reality and everyone has to adapt. That’s the old ‘in the struggle between yourself and the world, second the world’ attitude right there.”

Sid Lowe consistently does tremendous interviews.

3.21pm BST

61 min Kleinheisler’s cross hits the hand of Kimpembe in the area, but it was down by his side and there’s no credible claim for a penalty.

3.20pm BST

60 min “Dear Rob,” writes Esther and Tamara. “Watching the sweltering match from sweltering Berlin. Hoping that Benzema gets his act together soon. We both agree that Kante has lovely shoes and that Griezmann (or as we have christened him Man Bun Plays) is a great forward alongside Mbappe. In short we are enthusiastic if clueless France supporters.”

By a strange coincidence, Enthusiastic if Clueless is the name of my twee pop band.

3.20pm BST

59 min: Dembele hits the post! That’s how to make an impact as a substitute. Dembele cuts infield from the right, chops back outside a couple of defenders and smashes a shot that beats Gulacsi for pace and thumps off the outside of the near post. That was scintillating.

3.19pm BST

58 min Pavard dangles a leg at Fiola, who declines the opportunity to run into it and appeal for a penalty. That was a risky challenge from Pavard, a reflection of France’s slightly scrambled minds.

3.18pm BST

57 min Rabiot commits a silly foul on Nikolic. It’s his last contribution: he has been replaced by Ousmane Dembele.

3.16pm BST

55 min The last few minutes have been more comfortable by Hungary. Ten down, 35 to go.

3.13pm BST

53 min The impressive Sallai buys Hungary a bit of time, protecting the ball and drawing a foul from Kimpembe.

3.12pm BST

52 min Botka is booked for a foul on Mbappe.

3.12pm BST

52 min Pogba, who looks sharper since half-time, slips as he takes a long-range shot and it spins a few yards wide. Pogba slaps the ground in frustration.

3.10pm BST

50 min Griezmann’s corner is flicked on by Pogba and cleared desperately by a couple of Hungarian defenders.

3.09pm BST

49 min Good play from Pogba, who beats a man on the right hand and smashes a cross towards Benzema that is punched away by the stretching Gulacsi. The rebound is picked up by Digne, whose follow-up cross is blocked.

3.06pm BST

47 min “Well, well, well,” writes Mary Waltz. “As much as I want Hungary to lose for reasons apart from football (and wisely will not be discussed) that goal does make for a dramatic second half. Hungary will tear and claw at France and hope that France will get so frustrated that they abandon the game that normally overwhelms opponents.”

3.05pm BST

46 min Peep peep! France begin the second half.

3.05pm BST

“Interesting match so far,” writes João André. “Not too dissimilar to Hungary-Portugal, but with France having better forwards and with that mistake from Varane (brilliant defender, but does need a Ramos next to him). It seems that the key to beat this Hungarian team is a player who can carry the ball in midfield to break the lines. Portugal was much better after Sanches went on, so France should do the same. Wonder if they have a player capable of that. Someone like a Pogba or... oh...”

He’s been quiet today, which must raise questions about the tactical nous of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

3.01pm BST

“I understand that players get excited when they score but did Fiola have to upturn that woman’s chess board in his celebration?” says David Wall. “Is there no respect for those who enjoy quieter, more cerebral pastimes?”

Was it actually a chess board? That makes it even funnier.

2.58pm BST

“Rob, others are saying it, not just me: Giroud needs to play,” says Kevin Query. “Mbappe is too brash at the moment, and France needs some measured buildup that could easily happen with Benzema and Giroud.”

You’d leave Mbappe out? Really? It’s Giroud or Benzema, surely.

2.56pm BST

Have a look at the celebration

What a goal! What a celebration!

Hungary have shocked France.#HUN 1-0 #FRA

Watch: https://t.co/TrUauNiyxt #bbceuro2020 #euro2020 pic.twitter.com/ZgqLzIOCu0

2.54pm BST

“Hi Rob,” writes Anand. “Anand here, have followed you on OBO. Saw that you are covering Euro today. So, curious to know how you decide what to cover or who draws up the roster? Do you have a drawing of lots at the Guardian? When can we expect you at the World Test Championship final?”

An unsung genius called Philip Cornwall does the rota for all staff on the sports desk – editors, writers, sub-editors, picture desk, the lot. Then the editors assign games/tasks for the writers on a week-by-week basis. Then us egomaniacal writers moan about not getting the matches we wanted. As for the cricket, I think I’m down for day five, if it goes that far.

2.53pm BST

Half-time reading

2.53pm BST

Well I never. Hungary lead the world champions through a memorable goal from the left wing-back Attila Fiola. France had most of the ball, most of the chances, and all of that matters not one jot.

2.51pm BST

45+4 min That really was an outstanding goal. The defending wasn’t great, from Pavard or Varane, but Fiola’s dynamism deserved that reward.

2.49pm BST

Attila Fiola has sent the Puskas Arena into ecstasy. Nagy drove a crossfield pass towards Fiola, just inside the France half. He headed it infield towards Sallai, collected the return and hurtled away from Pavard towards the penalty area. Varane was on the wrong side and couldn’t challenge him, so Fiola kept going and then slid the ball past Lloris at the near post. What an outstanding, carpe-diem goal from Fiola. He’s the left wing-back!

2.46pm BST

Hungary have scored!

2.45pm BST

45 min The drinks break and the injury to Adam Szalai mean there will be five minutes of added time.

2.43pm BST

44 min Nikolic’s long-range shot hits his teammate Fiola and goes well wide. I don’t think it was going to trouble Lloris anyway.

2.43pm BST

43 min Hungary are a limited team but their team spirit and work rate are pretty impressive. It was the sme against Portugal.

2.42pm BST

42 min “I see the players spray agua on themselves, not Coke,” writes

Cristia-
Len Micay.

2.41pm BST

41 min “On German TV we were just told that Adam Szalai had ‘circulation problems due to the heat’,” writes Ingo Herzke. “That’s from the Hungarian press team.”

That’s a bit worrying. It does look ferociously hot in Budapest.

2.40pm BST

40 min Pogba, who is wearing boots that look like the top of a Fab lolly, is unhappy after Fiola stands on his foot. Michael Oliver decides it’s not worth a booking.

2.39pm BST

39 min I can’t remember the last time Hungary crossed the halfway line. France are so good at wearing teams down.

2.38pm BST

38 min “If Hungary lose today, all the pre-tournament dark horses will be fighting for the lives in the final round of matches,” says Anis Aslaam. “Turkey, Denmark, Scotland… They’re all in the same boat.”

That’s a good point; Turkey in particular have been such a disappointment. But did anyone really give Hungary a chance of getting out of this group?

2.37pm BST

37 min Pavard pushes the ball into Pogba, who turns Nagy and rifles the ball into the side netting from a ludicrously tight angle. That was the wrong option, but it was a lovely turn. It feels like a matter of time before France score.

2.36pm BST

35 min France break three on two. Mbappe plays the ball square to Benzema, who tries to flick it with the outside of his right foot to the unmarked Griezmann. It hits the chest of Attila Szalai, whose positioning probably saved a goal.

2.34pm BST

34 min “France might have two goals by now if Olivier Giroud had taken the headers Mbappe missed,” says John Hess. “Just saying.”

I can see the headlines now: ONCE RESPECTED ENGLISH NEWSPAPER THE GUARDIAN SAYS GIROUD SUPERIOR TO ‘LOSER’ MBAPPE.

2.34pm BST

33 min Mbappe receives the ball on the edge of the area, turns and beats three players in a phonebox with some dizzying footwork. That creates a shooting chance, which he drags across goal and well wide. It wasn’t a great effort, but the run was mesmerising.

2.32pm BST

31 min: Benzema misses a sitter! Griezmann curls the ball into Mbappe, who makes another excellent angled run across the area. He controls the ball on the run then flicks it behind him to Benzema, a brilliant piece of skill. Benzema runs imperiously onto the bouncing ball but then shins it wide of the near post. That was a great chance, and a surprisingly poor effort.

2.29pm BST

29 min Lloris charges to the edge of his area to beat the substitute Nikolic to Fiola’s through ball. That was excellent goalkeeping.

2.29pm BST

28 min “How do you rate this Euro so far,” says Bogdan Kotarlic. I think that it has been little bit below expectations and I hope the teams will improve in the rest of the tournament. Too many defensive minded games, especially in the last few days?”

I think it’s been pretty good, maybe 6.5/10. I’m loath to judge during the group stage, because you end up with people hailing the best tournament ever, as in 2014, before being bored to tears for the majority of the knockout stages.

2.27pm BST

27 min Mbappe’s free-kick hits the substitute Nikolic straight in the face, knocking him over. He springs to his feet and starts slapping himself about the coupon to liven himself up.

2.25pm BST

26 min The captain Szalai is replaced by Nemanja Nikolic.

2.25pm BST

26 min I’m not sure what happened to Adam Szalai but he looks very groggy as he walks towards the touchline. His work is done for the day.

2.24pm BST

Drinks break It’s sweltering in Budapest, and an injury to Adam Szalai allows the players to wander over the touchline for some aqua.

2.23pm BST

23 min Pogba is fouled 30 yards from goal by Schafer, who was drawn into the challenge by a poor first touch from Pogba. France are slowly, surely taking control of the game.

2.22pm BST

23 min “This fixture brings back memories of my first World Cup in 1978 when, as an eight-year-old, all foreign teams were truly exotic,” says Mark Lewis. “I remember ticker tape, Kempes, Gemmill, and much more but above all, the final group game between these two teams when France played in green and white stripes due to a kit mix up.”

2.21pm BST

21 min Benzema’s short-range, half-volleyed cross is headed over by the stretching Mbappe. The ball was slightly too high for him to control the header.

2.20pm BST

20 min I haven’t seen much of Freiburg’s Roland Sallai before, but he looks an excellent player - bright, skilful and with a healthy dose or arrogance.

2.19pm BST

19 min Lovely stkill from Roland Sallai, who flicks the ball one side of Kimpembe and tries to run round the other. Kimpembe disabuses him of this notion with an emphatic shoulder charge that puts Sallai on the canvas. I’m surprised Kimpembe wasn’t booked for that.

2.18pm BST

17 min: Just wide from Mbappe! Benzema plays a simple pass down the left wing to Digne. He shapes a lovely, precise cross towards Mbappe, who arrives late and connects with a header that curls just wide of the far post.

2.16pm BST

16 min At the other end, Kleinheisler’s long-range dribbles tamely through to Lloris.

2.14pm BST

14 min: Good save from Gulacsi! Benzema picks up a loose ball 20 yards out and hits a daisy-cutter that is saved by Gulacsi, sprawling to his right. He pushes it straight to Griezmann, who returns the favour by hitting his shot at Gulacsi rather than into the otherwise vacant net. It was a terrible miss - but it turned out Griezmann was offside, so it wouldn’t have counted had he a scored.

2.12pm BST

12 min “Football manual for today,” begins Mary Waltz. “Whenever any contact is made, first collapse to the ground. Then grab your head no matter where the contact is made. Rolling, twitching is recommended. If the foul is not given, spring to your feet and continue playing. See Neymar for great examples; he is the Meryl Streep of faux injuries.”

2.10pm BST

10 min Kleinheisler’s free-kick is put behind for a corner, which is taken comfortably by Lloris.

2.10pm BST

10 min Now they do have some success: Pavard is booked for another foul on Sallai. I’m not it was a foul, but there you go.

2.09pm BST

10 min Hungary are trying it on with the referee, so far without success. When Pavard fouls Sallai, the manager Marco Rossi is up off the bench waving an imaginary card.

2.08pm BST

9 min Pogba wins the first corner for France down the right. Griezmann curls it in, Adam Szalai heads it away at the near post.

2.08pm BST

8 min France are again playing 4-3-3, not the diamond that we expected before the tournament. Griezmann is diligently chugging up and down the right flank.

2.07pm BST

7 min France haven’t got going. It was the same against Germany - they took around 10 minutes to stir, and then they were brilliant.

2.04pm BST

4 min It’s been a really fast start from Hungary, and Varane brings down the flying Sallai on the left wing. The free-kick is headed away.

2.04pm BST

2 min “I expect to see at least seven bookings and one sending off as the ref is English and they ref to the last tournament (like our generals to the last war),” says Phil Haran. “So far I have seen far fewer histrionics rewarded by free-kicks from MOST refs. Let’s hope Mr Oliver can catch that mood swing rather than decide that every touch equals a foul.”

It’s a good point. While there are one or two clowns with whistles in the Premier League, I think it’s a cultural problem more than individual incompetence. The use of VAR in this tournament has highlighted what an officious mess English football/England is in.

2.01pm BST

1 min Pavard, who was in the wars agianst Germany, is sent up in the air by a fierce block tackle from Fiola. A free-kick, nothing more.

2.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Hungary kick off from left to right. They need at least a point today, or they’re going home. Yes I know they’re already at home, what’s your point?

1.55pm BST

“Any chance David Reynolds could update us on the amount of money Orban’s government are investing in promoting football to LGBTQ+ communities?” says Jimmy Ainsworth. “I’ll wait.”

I have no sympathy for Orban at all, but I don’t think that was the point David was making. Even Anyway, let’s leave the subject there; any discussion will only end with somebody trying to get me sacked for publishing an email they don’t agree with.

1.53pm BST

The teams are in the tunnel, ready to walk into the furnace. Hungary are in their red home strip; France are wearing their elegant white change strip.

1.52pm BST

Budapest is scorchingly hot today, temperatures are in the 30’s and it is hard to imagine that won’t have an impact on the #Fra v #HUN game. UEFA say a decision on cooling/water breaks will be taken prior to kick off. #EURO2020 @BBCSport #bbceuro2020 pic.twitter.com/JWrbKkXP74

1.51pm BST

“I hope France destroy this Hungary team and silence this crowd,” says Ruth Purdue. “I also hope that the BBC, take a different tact from ITV, with how they are going to cover the whole game.”

I haven’t seen all of the build-up as I went to get a coffee, but I don’t think they’ve mentioned the homophobia.

1.42pm BST

Here’s a piece from earlier in the week on the same subject

1.42pm BST

“Afternoon Rob,” writes David Reynolds. “It has been very disappointing to see the uniformly negative coverage of Hungary’s investment in football in our press in the last week, which has been quite unfair and misleading. The tenor of it has been, to paraphrase, that this investment has largely been a vanity project of the current government which has involved flash stadium projects alongside little to impact on the game itself. Please allow me to redress this inaccurate impression.

“Firstly, it is important to note the situation when the Hungarian FA launched its long-term football strategy a decade ago, which was, in short, that most people did not play football or watch Hungarian football. To quote from that strategy (which is in English and online): ‘Today the greatest enemy of Hungarian football is the indifference that has more and more surrounded Hungarian football in recent years.’

1.39pm BST

“When the great national football powers produce excellent teams, each one tends to have its own unique virtues, but when they fail, they tend to follow a national script,” says Kári Tulinius. “For example, Spain keep the ball but never score, Italy bag an early goal and invite pressure until they concede, and France become a collection of individuals, rather than a team, riven by acrimony.

“There were hints of that before the tournament, but based on the performance against Germany, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Perhaps the comparatively milder pressure of playing against Hungary will allow the cracks to show, otherwise the rest of the field should really fear France.”

1.19pm BST

12.55pm BST

12.53pm BST

Both teams make one change from their opening match. The right wing-back Loic Nego, who was born in France and played for them at various age-group levels, comes into the Hungary team in place of Gergo Lovrencsics. He will be up against Everton’s Lucas Digne, who has replaced Lucas Hernandez at left-back for France.

Hungary (3-3-2-2) Gulacsi; Botka, Orban, Attila Szalai; Nego, Nagy, Fiola; Kleinheisler, Schafer; Adam Szalai, Sallai.
Substitutes: Dibusz, Bogdan, Lang, Kecskes, Cseri, Holender, Lovrencsics, R Varga, Siger, K Varga, Nikolic, Schon.

12.35pm BST

It was only 1-0, but the authority of France’s win against Germany was pretty ominous for those with any teams with hopes of winning Euro 2020. The mood can change very quickly at a big tournament, as England are finding out. But right here, right now, France look a class apart. If they Hungary today they will qualify for the last 16 with a game to spare, and have a hearty laugh in the face of the Group of Death.

Hungary lost their opening game 3-0 to Portugal, though that scoreline doesn’t tell the story of a contest that was goalless after 83 minutes. They will have home advantage again today, with a raucous 67,000 crowd in Budapest, so maybe that will unnerve France. Hungary aren’t the only team who will hope so.

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Published on June 19, 2021 08:04

June 18, 2021

England 0-0 Scotland: Euro 2020 – as it happened

Billy Gilmour starred on his full international debut as Scotland kept their Euro 2020 hopes alive with a moral victory over a subdued England

12.47am BST

10.29pm BST

That’s it for tonight’s blog. Thanks for your company and emails - sorry that I didn’t have chance to read them all. I’ll leave you with Dave Hytner’s report and Jacob Steinberg’s player ratings. Goodnight!

10.28pm BST

Steve Clarke’s verdict

“I’m delighted for the players and the staff. It was a great performance - we knew we’d have to suffer a bit out of possession but I was delighted with the way we played with the ball. I’ve said for a while: we’re a good team. I thought the reaction after Monday was a bit over the top, and it’s nice to maybe close a few voices down.

10.22pm BST

And here’s Tyrone Mings

“I think the intensity from all of us wasn’t good enough. We’re delighted with a clean sheet and a point because it’s another step towards our goal of qualification, but we lacked intensity. I don’t think Harry being taken off is a reflection of his performance, or him; we all have to take responsibility when things don’t go right. We kept a clean sheet and we’ll take a point.”

10.21pm BST

The views of Gareth Southgate

“It was a frustrating night. We know we can play better. We’ve gotta give Scotland huge credit – they defended valiantly and played well. We didn’t do enough to win the game. We understand it’s a disappointment for our supporters especially.

10.16pm BST

Roy Keane’s verdict “Scotland won the midfield battle. England’s mindset was to pass the ball sideways and backwards. You’ve gotta pass forward; don’t be afraid to lose it. Home advantage can bring an added pressure and England didn’t win well enough with it.”

10.14pm BST

On ITV, Gary Neville is scathing of England’s performance, particularly their energy levels. He’s right, but there’s going to be all sorts of hot air between now and their game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

10.12pm BST

“That scramble in injury time was summed up by our commentators here in Spain as ‘fútbol británico’,” says John Parry. “Enough said.”

10.10pm BST

The post-match views of Andy Robertson

“I think we had the big chances. At times we kept the ball superbly, frustrated them, and on another night we could have come away with more. We’ll take a point, it keeps us alive. But it’s important we use this feeling to get a positive result on Tuesday.

10.05pm BST

The boy’s a bit special

Congrats, Billy Gilmour! Star of the Match on his first Scotland start #EUROSOTM | @Heineken | #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/jNTdIah8iN

10.05pm BST

Fair play Scotland, them tribal games hit different. Billy Gilmour was basically Ngolo Kante

10.02pm BST

That scramble in injury time was quite something. “It’s almost like a rugby match,” says John Collins as he watches it back. McTominay did very well to put his body in front of the ball to stop Mount getting anything resembling a clear shot.

Was that the moment for #ENG?

Goalmouth scramble... and #SCO survive... just #ENGSCO | #ITVFootball | #Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/B0FY6zBd7N

9.58pm BST

“Good game,” writes our token Wales fan Matt Dony. “Enjoyed that, but we’re still none the wiser over deciding who’s the second best team in Britain.”

9.57pm BST

Gareth Southgate’s decision to substitute Harry Kane will lead to plenty of chatter. I don’t really mind it, as Kane was poor again, but replacing him with Marcus Rashford was a bit odd. He has many qualities, on the field too, but he’s the antonym of the kind of centre-forward you need against a deep-lying defence.

9.55pm BST

Scotland’s players are saluting the Tartan Army, celebrating as if they’ve won. Easy to sneer but this is a moral victory, and they also got the actual point they needed to set up a death-or-glory match against Croatia on Tuesday.

9.52pm BST

The England players trudge off, with plenty to think about. Some of their key players - Kane, Foden, Sterling - were poor. Scotland had some immense individual performances, particularly Marshall, O’Donnell, Tierney, Hanley, Gilmour, McGregor, Dykes, Adams, McTominay, Robertson and most of all the remarkable John McGinn.

9.50pm BST

Here’s a snap report: Dave Hytner’s full Wembley opus will follow soon.

9.48pm BST

Peep peep! Scotland are still in the tournament thanks to the most honourable of draws. They were heroic, against a team miles above them in the world rankings, and fully deserved a point.

9.47pm BST

90+1 min James’ low cross leads to a Sunday-league scramble on the six-yard line, which seems to go on for an eternity until McGinn - of course it was him - boots the ball clear.

9.46pm BST

90 min There will be ... two minutes of added time.

9.44pm BST

88 min Flower of Scotland is being belted out by the Scotland fans. McGinn is treating himself for cramp; I’d love to see his running stats tonight.

9.42pm BST

87 min O’Donnell is booked for an, a-hem, old-fashioned tackle on Grealish near the halfway line.

9.41pm BST

86 min Another Scotland change: the young Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet replaces the superb Che Adams.

9.39pm BST

83 min We know all too well about Scotland’s relationship with glorious failure. If they concede now this will be yet another chapter, because their overall performance has been wonderful.

9.38pm BST

82 min Nothing comes of the corner.

9.38pm BST

82 min McGinn really is Glasgow’s finest Kante tribute act.

9.37pm BST

81 min Hanley makes a brilliant tackle on Rashford just outside the area and Scotland break. Eventually McGinn’s long-range shot deflects over the bar. I feared for McGinn after that early yellow card but he has been fifty shades of immense.

9.35pm BST

79 min Sterling appeals unsuccessfully for a penalty after a challenge from Robertson near the byline. VAR isn’t interested but that was pretty similar to the penalty given against David Alaba yesterday. Whether it should be a penalty is a different matter.

9.34pm BST

78 min: Chance for Adams! Oh, Scotland. Tierney’s cross from the left skims off the head of Stones and flies towards Adams beyond the far post. He launches into it on the half-volley but slices it well wide of the near post. It looked a much tougher chance on the replay.

9.32pm BST

76 min Scotland substitution: Stuart Armstrong comes on to replace Billy Gilmour, who faded a little in the second half but was sensational before the break.

9.31pm BST

75 min That’s a pretty brave decision from Gareth Southgate, which registers 5.7 on the LinekerSmithTaylorometer. Kane has done very little in both games, but he’s also scored hundreds of goals in his career. I can see both sides!

9.30pm BST

74 min Another England substitution: Marcus Rashford replaces... Harry Kane.

9.29pm BST

74 min Mount’s flicked pass deflects through to Shaw on the left of the area. He takes it down on his thigh but then smashes a cross shot miles wide.

9.29pm BST

73 min Grealish has been good since coming on, bringing an arrogance and composure in tight areas that Foden, at this stage, doesn’t have.

9.28pm BST

72 min Marcus Rashford is being readied, in the parlance of association football.

9.27pm BST

72 min “Seen it all before,” is the subject of Simon McMahon’s email. “I think we all know how this ends, eh, Rob?”

9.26pm BST

71 min If it stays like this, England will be effectively, but not officially, through to the last 16. Scotland would almost certainly need a win over Croatia in their final game.

9.25pm BST

70 min “For all the tradition, this is dreadful,” says Paul Pooley. “As a neutral, this game needs a goal. From anyone. Please.”

But it’s England v Scotland! (I’ve enjoyed it immensely, but I do know what you mean.)

9.24pm BST

69 min This is a good spell for England, with Scotland looking low on energy for the first time.

9.24pm BST

68 min Shaw curls a fine long pass over the top to Kane, who lays it back towards Grealish on the edge of the D. McTominay slides in to poke the ball away.

9.21pm BST

66 min Grealish’s first act is to win a corner off McTominay, who started nervously on his return to centre-back but has been superb in the last half an hour or so. The corner is cleared at the near post.

9.20pm BST

64 min: Jack Grealish is on! He replaces the disappointing Phil Foden. Grealish goes to the left, Raheem Sterling moves to the right.

9.19pm BST

62 min: James clears off the line from Dykes! This is pulsating stuff now. Robertson’s inswinging corner from the right ricochets towards Dykes, whose hooked shot beats Pickford and is headed off the line by James! It might have been going wide but James didn’t know that. He did brilliantly to run back towards goal and head it away.

9.17pm BST

62 min Mings takes a cross off Dykes’ head, nodding it behind for a Scotland corner.

9.17pm BST

61 min An incredible long pass from Pickford (if he meant it) falls kindly for Sterling 20 yards from goal. He is tackled by Hanley and then Robertson (or Tierney) makes an important challenge on Foden.

9.16pm BST

60 min Mount wins another corner off McTominay. Scotland’s three centre-backs have worked incredibly hard in the last 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Jack Grealish is getting ready to come on.

9.15pm BST

59 min Kane twists away from two defenders on the edge of the area and hits a low left-footed shot that is heroically blocked by Hanley. But the pressure is building...

9.14pm BST

58 min “Billy Gilmour is not ‘perhaps Glasgow’s only Xavi tribute act’,” says Matt Vallance. “Wee Billy comes from Ardrossan, in God’s County of Ayrshire - about 40 miles from Glasgow. We are a much bigger country, where football is played outwith Glasgow.”

Ach, what a moron I am – sorry. Why did I think he was born in Glasgow? It’s because Chelsea got him from Rangers, isn’t it. As a proud Orcadian I’m mildly disgusted with my ignorance. But I suppose we can say with a degree of confidence that he is Ardrossan’s only Xavi tribute act.

9.13pm BST

57 min: Chance for Adams! Now Scotland almost take the lead. Dykes moves infield from the right and hits a 20-yard shot that is blocked by a combination of Adams and Stones. The ball falls to Adams, near the penalty spot, but he can’t find the angle for an immediate shot. He turns back, looking for support, and then hits a shot on the turn that is blocked by Stones. Credit where it’s due, Stones did brilliantly there.

9.11pm BST

55 min: Chance for James! Kane, on the left, looks up and plays a very good medium-range pass into James on the edge of the area. He gets the ball out of his feet but then spanks it over.

9.09pm BST

54 min England have been slightly livelier since the break, but Scotland still look relatively comfortable. It’s surely time for Grealish, or Sancho, or Rashford.

9.07pm BST

51 min Adams turns on the halfway line and plays a fine pass out to the marauding Robertson. His low cross towards Dykes, not entirely convincing by his stratospheric standards, is cleared at the near post. Che Adams has had an excellent game.

9.06pm BST

51 min “I might be watching this through low-cal reduced sugar shandy glasses but if England showed a little less respect and more oomph they could surely cause Scotland way more problems,” says Ian Copestake. “Like any relationship this looks like an invitation to create unnecessary drama.”

9.06pm BST

50 min There’s a decent roar as Jack Grealish appears on the big screen, prompting him to break into a smile. I think he’ll be on soon.

9.05pm BST

48 min Sterling’s low cross is taken off Foden’s toe by Robertson in the six-yard box, then Mount whistles a shot that is pushed round the post by the diving Marshall. That almost went through Marshall at the near post. It was a very sweet strike, in Marshall’s defence, and in view of the conditions I’m surprised more players haven’t had a pop from 20-25 yards.

9.02pm BST

47 min Mount’s corner is headed away at the near post by the increasingly impessive Tierney.

9.02pm BST

46 min A fast start from England. Sterling slides a superb pass into the underlapping Shaw, whose low cross towards Kane is put behind by Tierney.

9.01pm BST

46 min Peep peep! England begin the second half. It’s still pouring down, since you asked.

9.00pm BST

Thanks for all your emails by the way. I’m trying and failing to read them all. It’s not my fault, the man upstairs only gave me two eyes!

8.59pm BST

“Hmmm it’s not a world-beating display from England is it?” says Rachel Clifton, who shares a specialist subject with Sybil Fawlty. “At least I managed to find a pub that put the commentary on (English manager) and the weather is super.”

It won’t matter if they win. The first half was so similar in 1996 but nobody remembers that.

8.58pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “It’s a game of sub-plots: Mount v Gilmour has been a smashing watch but Kane’s visible deterioration is a bit sad.”

I can’t work him out. There are times when he looks, as Andrew Hurley said, like an old man. But he also scored/made a gazillion goals last season. Maybe he’s becoming like late-period Shearer – still hugely effective against all bar the best teams.

8.56pm BST

“Perhaps a bit late to come in here, but for me it was clearly cheers
when the players took the knee,” says Colin McKenzie. “Perhaps they have some kind of boo filter on French TV.”

It’s fake boos!

8.55pm BST

The STV panel of David Moyes and John Collins are raving about the performance of Billy Gilmour. He is incredible, Glasgow’s finest Xavi tribute act, and possibly its only one.

8.54pm BST

At Euro 96, after a pretty similiar first half, Terry Venables made a proactive change and brought on Jamie Redknapp for Stuart Pearce. Gareth Southgate, who was part of the consequent reshuffle, must be tempted by something similar. Mason Mount is the only one of the front five who had a good first half.

8.49pm BST

Half-time reading

Or, if you prefer, I can give you my PayPal details.

8.48pm BST

Peep peep! The referee blows after one second of added time. It’s been a tight, tense game so far, with Scotland probably just shading it. They certainly have the best player on the pitch; Billy Gilmour is also the youngest.

Both teams had one big chance. John Stones hit the post early on for England; Stephen O’Donnell drew a superb save from Jordan Pickford.

8.45pm BST

45+1 min “This can’t be doing Kane’s transfer fee any good,” says Paul Griffin. “Someone just easily ambled past him as he was chasing a ball. And he was a steward.”

8.45pm BST

45 min Nothing comes of the corner.

8.44pm BST

44 min Scotland keep the ball for over minute, with Gilmour involved all the while. I’m slightly in awe of this kid’s temperament, never mind his talent. Eventually Adams cracks a long-range shot that hits Mings and goes behind for a corner.

8.43pm BST

42 min This isn’t news, but Billy Gilmour is a class act. He’s played two or three terrific passes, dozens of effective ones and is always offering to take the ball in tight areas. He’s 20 years old and this is his full international debut.

8.41pm BST

41 min “Kane is moving like an old man,” says Andrew Hurley. “And why are England so afraid that they play so many defensive players?”

If I kill you, I’ll have to tell you.

8.39pm BST

40 min “Hi Rob, and thanks to Matt for his concern, but I only ever drink when Scotland win a match at a major tournament finals,” says Simon McMahon. “So three in my (legal drinking age) lifetime, the last being in 1996. A big weekend that, though. It’s lasted 25 years.”

I’m very impressed that your weekends start on a Tuesday night. And that they go on for 25 years.

8.39pm BST

39 min Corner to Scotland on the left. Gilmour’s inswinging is punched away by Pickford, an effective if not entirely convincing intervention.

8.37pm BST

36 min Foden is unhappy with some of the tackles on him and has complained to the referee a few times.

8.35pm BST

35 min England have had 65 per cent possession, but both teams have had the same number of shots at goal (4) and on target (1).

8.34pm BST

34 min Mount’s imaginative pass into the area is miscontrolled on the stretch by Sterling. That was half a chance. Mount and Sterling have combined beautifully at times in this tournament.

8.34pm BST

32 min Kane plunges his studs into McGinn’s leg in his follow through. It wasn’t deliberate, and there were no complaints, but in the Premier League that would probably have led to a 12-minute VAR review.

8.32pm BST

31 min “At least Scotland will be spared any humiliating Schickhousery today,” says Peter Oh.

8.31pm BST

30 min: Fine save from Pickford! Brilliant play from Scotland. Robertson plays in the overlapping Tierney, who twists back inside James and floats a right-footed cross to the far post. O’Donnell waits and waits for it to drop and then cracks an excellent volley through the legs of Shaw. Pickford, who must see it late, gets down really smartly to his right to push it away, and Adams puts the rebound over the bar. It wasn’t much of a chance for Adams, because he had no reaction time. But it was a lovely strike from O’Donnell and an extremely good save.

8.30pm BST

29 min The diving Kane heads wide from James’s cross. He was flagged offside after the event but I’m not sure he was. It was a difficult chance, with the ball zipping off the wet turf. Kane threw himself at the ball but it was always just too far in front for him to keep the header on target.

8.28pm BST

27 min Steve Clarke must be pretty happy with how this is going, though he’d like Robertson and Tierney to be more involved in attack. It’s not dissimilar to the bitty first half when these two met at Euro 96. Maybe Jack Grealish will play Jamie Redknapp. But who will be Uri Geller?

8.26pm BST

26 min “3am start in Singapore,” says Michiel Denie. “Sipping some fine Scotch and hoping they’ll pull off a miracle. Nothing against the English but who doesn’t love an underdog?”

8.25pm BST

25 min The irrepressible Mount has been England’s most vibrant attacker so far. Foden and Kane have been fairly quiet.

8.23pm BST

23 min Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour are having a terrific, aggressive battle in midfield. Every time one of them gets the ball, the other is straight up in their face.

8.22pm BST

22 min Gilmour’s free-kick leads to a short game of head tennis before Stones heads clear. Tierney picks up the loose ball and shoots wide from 30 yards.

8.22pm BST

21 min Stones takes a ride on the back of Dykes and is penalised. Free-kick to Scotland 35 yards from goal on the left wing.

8.20pm BST

20 min Mount’s corner is headed away by McGinn.

8.19pm BST

19 min England are starting to dominate. Mount’s cutback is blocked by McTominay and goes behind for another corner.

8.18pm BST

18 min Foden shoots just wide from the edge of the area, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside and then accidentally controlled the ball with his hand.

8.17pm BST

17 min We’ve just seen a replay of the Stones chance. It was a majestic leap, but I think he was up a fraction too early and that meant he had to wait a split-second for the ball to come to him.

8.17pm BST

17 min “5am start here in Sydney,” says Sean Boiling. “Have you got a spare coffee going?”

Coffee he says.

8.16pm BST

15 min McGinn is booked for dissent after a foul is given against Dykes. That’s a huge blow for Scotland given McGinn’s ankle-biting role in the team.

8.15pm BST

14 min “Has anyone checked on Simon McMahon?” says Matt Dony. “I fear for his liver.”

8.14pm BST

13 min England are turning up the heat. McTominay loses the ball in a dangerous area to Sterling. He moves into the box from the left, teases McTominay and then slides a low cross that is pushed wide of the near post by Mount. That was a chance too, though it came at Mount very quickly and he didn’t have time to adjust his feet. Stones’ was the best opportunity.

8.12pm BST

11 min: Stones hits the post! Mount’s outswinging corner is met by the unmarked Stones, who thumps a header off the inside of the near post! I think it was Dykes who was supposed to be marking Stones, but he lost him and was very lucky not to be punished.

8.11pm BST

11 min England move the ball across the face of the area until Mount curls a shot that is deflected behind for England’s first corner.

8.09pm BST

9 min England haven’t really got going yet, save a couple of decent surges off the ball from Kalvin Phillips.

8.08pm BST

8 min Now Phillips is penalised for blocking McGinn on the left wing. The free-kick is 30 yards from goal, slightly in from th touchline. It’s curled in by Robertson and headed away well by Mings.

8.07pm BST

7 min Kane is put on the canvas by McGinn, which gives England a free-kick 40 yards from goal. Mount’s ball in is helped on by the off-balance Rice and runs through to Marshall.

8.06pm BST

5 min Gilmour has made a busy start, with and without the ball. He doesn’t look remotely overawed.

8.05pm BST

4 min: Early chance for Scotland! John Stones makes a vital block from Che Adams. Scotland worked it well down the right, with Gilmour and McGinn combining to find O’Donnell. He cut the ball back sharply to Adams, whose first-time shot across goal was blocked by Stones on the six-yard line. I think that was going in.

8.03pm BST

2 min England’s formation is as expected, the same 4-1-4-1/4-1-2-3 they played on Sunday. Scotland’s looks closer to 3-4-1-2, with McGinn just ahead of McGregor and Gilmour, presumably to lead the press.

8.02pm BST

2 min McGinn nicks the ball off Sterling, the first of an expected 471 interceptions tonight.

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Scotland kick off from left to right.

8.00pm BST

Before the game, both teams will take a knee. It’s so noisy that I honestly can’t make it whether there were boos or not. It certainly wasn’t the dominant sound.

7.57pm BST

It’s time for the latest chapter in a story that began 149 years ago

7.56pm BST

The Scotland anthem is roundly booed. A close up of the Scotland players shows a) that it really is lashing down at Wembley and b) Andy Robertson is seriously on one.

7.55pm BST

The players stroll into the north London rain. Most look relaxed, though Andy Robertson’s face is a picture of mildly terrifying focus. This is it: ENGLAND v SCOTLAND!

7.52pm BST

“Of course the Scots want to win but if Clarke’s squad are competitive he keeps his job,” says Mary Waltz. “A draw will be seen as a win. On the flip side, if Southgate doesn’t win and win with style, the wolves will be hot on his trail. Grealish, a fantastic player no doubt, is being raised to Pele-like levels and if England don’t win he will be the hottest hashtag on the net. Southgate is on the griddle.”

7.51pm BST

“Interesting that Gareth’s persisting with the same front three,” says Tom Bradstreet. “For all the Grealish chat - and he is a wonderful footballer - I might have gone with Sancho. Pace on both wings gives Scotland’s wing-backs more to think about, and allows Kane to drop into the hole if he’s not getting any joy up top. Scotland’s lineup looks much more of a proposition now that Tierney’s back, Adams starts, and Gilmour makes his bow. This. Is. On.”

I suppose what it shows more than anything is how good England’s options are. The last time they played Scotland, that madcap 2-2 draw in 2017, the front six was Dier, Livermore, Rashford, Alli, Lallana and Kane.

7.46pm BST

I’m off to grab a coffee. See you in 10 minutes for the big yin: England v Scotland.

7.45pm BST

Let's go inside the #ENG camp

Here's @_DeclanRice on...

◾️ The biggest night of his career
◾️ The strengths #SCO possess
◾️ How @England will approach the game

@GabrielClarke05 #ENGSCO | #ITVFootball | #Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/Jk449A60ZI

7.45pm BST

“Deeply naive of Alex Monro to expect tactics here,” says Ian Copestake. “This is about more than formations and occupying half-spaces with a pivot. This is about taking back control, playing for the shirt, announcing an arrival and establishing a marker. Should be horrendous.”

7.43pm BST

The pre-match thoughts of Steve Clarke

“I hope we put on a good performance and get a result, because we want to stay involved in the tournament as long as possible. Billy [Gilmour] likes to get on the ball and make his team play - he’s done it for Chelsea and I’m sure he can do it for Scotland as well.

7.37pm BST

“I wanted to see what the team selections would mean tactically, so I googled ‘England Scotland formation’,” says Alex Monro. “It came back with results about 1707. No escaping the history and politics in this one.”

It’s a good thing Steve Clarke didn’t pick Mary, Queen of Scots, or those google searches would have been even more confusing.

7.31pm BST

“It’s weird to think that, if McAllister had scored his penalty, this would’ve been the big song of Euro 96,” writes Craig Sinclair. “Warning: some industrial lyrics.”

7.22pm BST

Forty minutes to kick off and the atmosphere is building. There will be 22,500 fans at Wembley tonight, plus half the population of Scotland outside the stadium.

7.18pm BST

7.12pm BST

Tonight’s most pressing question

Has anyone won the big cash prize yet?

7.03pm BST

7.00pm BST

It finished Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic in the other game. That means... actually I have no idea what it means, but we should have a better idea by 10pm.

6.59pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Stephen Davenport. “I’m not sure that I’d trust Nicola Sturgeon on meteorological matters. ‘Even the weather in London is Scottish today’, she says. Because, of course, it never rains in England. And I’m no meteorologist (actually I am literally a meteorologist) but 14 degrees would seem a bit balmy for a rainy Scottish day.”

Maybe she just wanted a nice round of golf tonight.

6.50pm BST

England (4-1-2-3) Pickford; James, Stones, Mings, Shaw; Rice; Phillips, Mount; Foden, Kane, Sterling.
Substitutes: Maguire, Chilwell, Grealish, J Henderson, Rashford, Trippier, Ramsdale, Coady, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin, Johnstone, Bellingham.

Scotland (3-4-1-2) Marshall; McTominay, Hanley, Tierney; O’Donnell, Gilmour, McGregor, Robertson; McGinn; Dykes, Adams.
Substitutes: Gordon, McLaughlin, Christie, Fleck, Cooper, Armstrong, Nisbet, Fraser, Patterson, Hendry, Forrest, McKenna.

6.46pm BST

So, England make two changes from the 1-0 win over Croatia, both at full-back. Reece James and Luke Shaw replace Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier. Harry Maguire returns to the bench, as do Jadon Sancho and Ben Chilwell. The three players omitted from the matchday squad are Walker, Ben White and Bukayo Saka. Let’s hope their teammates find time to rally round them over the next few days.

Scotland have made four changes from the team that lost to the Czech Republic on Monday. Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour, 20, makes his full international debut, while Che Adams, Callum McGregor and the fit again Kieran Tierney also come into the side. Liam Cooper, Jack Hendry, Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Christie miss out. It looks like Scott McTominay will move back into defence.

6.43pm BST

“Evening Rob, evening everybody,” says Guy Hornsby. “It’s a funny time when I feel so little jeopardy over a game with the auld enemy. And that’s no bolshy English exceptionalism, it’s just a reflection of the protagonists. But... we’ve been here before and really all anyone English will want is a win. If it’s 1-0 after 75 minutes, anything’s possible. It’s going to be a fiery opening 15, that’s for sure!”

6.41pm BST

No Jack Grealish, but all the other rumours were true. Scotland have picked a pretty attacking side.

#ENG #SCO TEAM NEWS!

◾️ James, Shaw in for @England
◾️ Tierney, Gilmour start for @ScotlandNT #ENGSCO | #ITVFootball | #Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/AQWI2CS4Qt

6.38pm BST

And now it’s over to Nicola Sturgeon for the weather

Even the weather in London is Scottish today

Wishing the very best of luck to Steve and all of @ScotlandNT - here’s hoping we can raise the over Wembley tonight. #ENGSCO #SCO pic.twitter.com/ybKY75yxx6

6.37pm BST

David Lacey > anyone who has ever written about football

6.33pm BST

It’s a mustn’t-lose game!

6.32pm BST

A few reliable folk are reporting that Billy Gilmour, Che Adams, Kieran Tierney and Callum McGregor all start for Scotland. With that and the rumours that Jack Grealish is in the England team, my neutral mouth is well and truly watered.

6.27pm BST

This match isn’t the only Big Sport of the night. Long-suffering Scotland fan Scott Murray is

practicing avoidance behaviour
covering the golf at Torrey Pines.

6.18pm BST

Here’s today’s Fiver, which may or may include observations that were subsequently recycled for tonight’s preamble

6.17pm BST

These players have a level of humility that is really important. We pride ourselves on it. We have got to have confidence. We can’t be shrinking violets going into an experience like this one, so we’ve got to be prepared and not undersell the event.

6.14pm BST

6.13pm BST

Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic The other game in this group is taking place as we type/read, and Ivan Perisic has just equalised for Croatia with a banger.

6.12pm BST

Team news Nothing official yet, though there are rumours that Luke Shaw, Reece James and Jack Grealish will start for England. No news on whether Steve Clarke will do the right thing and pick Billy Gilmour in the Scotland midfield.

6.05pm BST

5.45pm BST

Take the best Friday feeling you’ve ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you’re still nowhere near it: England v Scotland in the European Championship, at Wembley, on a Friday night. When the draw was made in November 2019, few of us twigged that England v Path C play-off winners (Wembley) would be such a big deal. It could have been England v Norway, England v Serbia or England v Israel.

Instead it’s England v Scotland, the oldest fixture in international football. The pre-match buzz is electric but also a peedie bit peculiar – the anticipation is as much about the occasion and the history as the actual football. Rightly or wrongly, reasonably or arrogantly, consciously or unconsciously, most people think England will win this match fairly comfortably. That’s rarely the case before such a blockbusting match.

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Published on June 18, 2021 14:29

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