Match reports
Tonight's key results
That’s enough for this evening – it’s been wild! The major results are:
Russia 1-3 France
Hungary 0-1 Scotland
Denmark 0-0 Chile
Poland 3-2 South Korea
Belgium 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Tunisia 1-0 Costa Rica
Switzerland 6-0 Panama
Germany 0-1 Brazil
Nigeria 0-2 Serbia
Spain 6-1 Argentina
Colombia 0-0 Australia
Thanks for joining me! I leave you with Danny Taylor’s match report from Wembley:
Full-time: Spain 6-1 Argentina
Quite sensibly, that was concluded without any stoppage time. And wow! What a statement win from Spain!
One question that will dog Sampaoli now, after this absolute thrashing – was he really sensible to leave out Dybala and Icardi, both having such superb seasons but both clearly not in favour, from this squad?
It’s all getting a bit heated in Madrid, meanwhile, with Ramos piling in after a loose challenge on a team-mate and seeing himself very lucky not to be sent off for his reaction. He’s booked but, having seen the replay, you can see his point of view – the challenge from Meza, already booked, was terrible and he should definitely have been sent off.
Argentina are looking to salvage a bit of pride with a few semi-threatening attacks. I have to be honest, though – not even Messi would have pulled them up to the required level tonight.
Now please do take in John Davidson’s report from Colombia 0-0 Australia:
Last time Argentina conceded 6 - a World Cup qualifier in La Paz in 2009. #EspañaArgentina
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 27, 2018
A dark night for Argentina.
Meanwhile, here’s Paul Doyle’s piece from Nice (that rhymes!) – where Tunisia beat Costa Rica 1-0:
Spain have been absolutely electric here. This is a marker for June and July, don’t doubt it. But Argentina have been masters of their own downfall too. So open, so sloppy on the ball – especially in their own half.
Goal! Spain 6-1 Argentina (Isco 75)
A hat-trick for Isco and another quickfire double! Argentina *yet again* cede possession in their own half, Aspas carries the ball forward, tees up Isco and the Real man finds the corner sweetly for the third time. Astonishing!
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Goal! Spain 5-1 Argentina (Aspas 73)
Oh, my. This one was so simple. Argentina’s high line has been exposed time and again – this time it’s a simple ball from back to front that, inexplicably, completely splits them. Aspas just runs straight down the middle of the pitch and, with Caballero rushing out of goal, knocks it beyond him. And you won’t believe this but ...
Gerard Pique is applauded from the Wanda Metropolitano pitch by the local fans, which is nice.
I told you Jacob Steinberg would have something nice for you from Brussels, didn’t I? Here’s his report from Belgium 4-0 Saudi Arabia:
England and Italy have drawn 1-1, while Colombia and Australia have drawn 0-0.
Morocco, meanwhile, saw out their 2-0 win over Uzbekistan. So we only have Spain left – another 24 minutes of them. They remain 4-1 up against a sorry Argentina.
Better to jaw jaw than to VAR VAR. This World Cup is going to be full of endless controversy. https://t.co/X8KMQOtFkj
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) March 27, 2018
Yes and it is going to be very tiresome indeed. The pedants and “now *was* that a handball there?” merchants have won, at considerable detriment to our sport.
Belgium have beaten Saudi Arabia 4-0 and it sounded like a pretty straightforward night for them. Jacob Steinberg will have more for you from that one.
Nigeria 0-2 Mitrovic at the Hive is a result. That’ll cool the buzz around Nigeria a bit, and give Serbia a vital boost. They play Argentina and Brazil respectively in June.
It’s all going off at once – now Colombia miss a penalty at Craven Cottage. Join Mike Ticher now!
And at Wembley, Italy equalise! It’s a penalty from Insigne three minutes from time, it’s 1-1 and I gather there was some VAR drama – join Scott now!
Full-time: Germany 0-1 Brazil
Amid all that, Brazil secured their deserved win in Berlin. Alisson saved from Draxler right at the end, but that was as close as Germany came and Brazil lay one or two of those 2014 ghosts to rest!
Goal! Spain 4-1 Argentina (Alcantara 55)
They are running riot! Now it’s Isco running down the right and Aspas can’t quite control his centre .... but Thiago Alcantara can and it’s 4-1!
Goal! Spain 3-1 Argentina (Isco 52)
It is Isco’s second and Spain have been so slick tonight. Iniesta, brilliant again, sends substitute Aspas away. He’s forced wide by Caballero but doesn’t panic, instead cutting back for Isco, who finishes coolly again. And almost immediately ...
It ... ummm .... kind of escalated quickly in Chorzow. Did I say South Korea didn’t have time to equalise? They did – through Hwang Hee-chan. But that wasn’t all ... as Poland came back and won it right at the end through Piotr Zielinski! Full time: Poland 3-2 South Korea.
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And it’s Nigeria 0-2 Serbia. Mitrovic again! He is on fire and certainly loves London at the moment. His club manager, Slavisa Jokanovic, is in the stands watching.
Još jedan test pred svetsko prvenstvo Srbija-Nigerija. pic.twitter.com/1k1LCftPyr
— Slavisa Jokanovic (@Jokanovic) March 27, 2018
South Korea have one back in Poland – but it’s probably too late to complete that turnaround.
The second half is about to start in Madrid – don’t forget that match started half an hour after the others but we’ll stay with it. Of course we’ll stay with it!
Romania have beaten Sweden 1-0. Austria have won 4-0 in Luxembourg. Belarus have prevailed 2-0 in Slovenia.
Substitute Sule has just made a fine tackle on Douglas Costa in Berlin, where Brazil aren’t exactly being battered in search of a Germany equaliser. They have 12 minutes to play there.
Serbia have scored against Nigeria – it’s a very sharp close-range finish from Aleksandar Mitrovic, and they lead 1-0 at the Hive!
Make that Belgium 4-0 Saudi Arabia – Kevin de Bruyne!
Belgium 3-0 Saudi Arabia – Michy Batshuayi!
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JR in Illinois saw what I eventually saw: “It wasn’t really in the corner. It was a very rare De Gea howler. Went right through his arms which were right in front of his face.”
Half-time: Spain 2-1 Argentina
That’s two cracking friendlies that Spain have been involved in so far.
Jesus could make it two after a misjudgment from Trapp, who comes out for a cross and misses. The ball drops for Jesus at a slightly awkward height and there are defenders back, and his header drops wide of the near post.
Could David de Gea have done better with that Otamendi header? I think he could, firm as the connection was – it went right between his arms as he dived.
Germany have made a triple substitution, meanwhile – Sane among those to go off. It’s not really happened for them yet – we’re in the 64th minute.
Goal! Spain 2-1 Argentina (Otamendi 39)
Well! What a cracker of a game in Madrid. Otamendi gets above Ramos and fairly *thuds* a downward header into the bottom corner from a good 10 yards out. Argentina are back in it!
It’s goalless between Colombia v Australia – a match being played at Craven Cottage – and we have an MBM on the go for that one too!
Scotland have won in Hungary – it finished 1-0 and that’s a little boost for Alex McLeish.
@NickAmes82 Germany 0-1 Brazil scored by Jesus, a Devine strike apparently. Meanwhile at Wembley Italian Striker Immobile is going nowhere.
— Paul Howarth (@TOOFEE) March 27, 2018
I see what you’ve done there.
Senegal 0-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina is a result – haven’t heard much about how that one panned out but presumably Senegal would have liked a better outcome.
Goal! Spain 2-0 Argentina (Isco 27)
Spain look clinical. Again Argentina cede possession in their own half and the ball is worked out to – I think – Thiago Alcantara. The low centre from the right is converted smoothly by Isco. Argentina haven’t taken their chances, Spain have – and the hosts are playing some great football!
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Greece have beaten Egypt 1-0, a touch surprisingly, although Salah stayed on the bench. Tunisia, another of England’s opponents, held on to beat Costa Rica 1-0. And Maximiliano Meza, filling Messi’s boots tonight, has just come close to equalising for Argentina in Spain after a fine move.
They are back underway in Berlin, where Brazil lead Germany 1-0.
Denmark 0-0 Chile is a result. Both sides had chances and hit the woodwork. Meanwhile, a goal in the Romania-Sweden game at last and it’s for the hosts:
Goooooooaaaaal Romaniaaaa! ROTARIU SCORES!!! 1-0!!!
— Emanuel Roşu (@Emishor) March 27, 2018
It’s Morocco 2-0 Uzbekistan – Manuel da Costa. All good practice for 2026.
Goal! Spain 1-0 Argentina (Costa 12)
Diego Costa succeeds where Higuain failed! Spain win the ball not far outside Argentina’s area – it was Iniesta who originally regained possession – Costa is slipped through and he makes no mistake. He gets totally cleaned out in the process and eventually hobbles up in quite a bit of pain.
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Costa Rica really should equalise in Tunisia, seven minutes from time, but a fine low save denies a striker – I’m sorry, this feed makes his identity less than clear – who had a clear go at goal from 15 yards.
What a miss by Gonzalo Higuain! A quick break sees him found right in front of goal – I think by Lo Celso – and with the ball at about knee height, and he jabs it into the ground and over the bar!
Kamil Grosicki has doubled Poland’s lead against South Korea.
Half-time: Germany 0-1 Brazil
It’s not been a classic, but that Jesus goal gives Brazil the interval lead and heightens the impression that they are *back*.
Argentina, remember, are Messi-less again – so whatever they do tonight can always be added to by a stroke of genius.
Lasse Schone has just curled an Eriksen-style free-kick against the post for Denmark, who are 14 minutes from a goalless draw with Chile.
Argentinian fans in good voice
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) March 27, 2018
They have just got underway at Wanda Metropolitano ...
Jamie Vardy has broken the deadlock for England against Italy! What can stop them in Russia now?
Goal! Germany 0-1 Brazil (Jesus 37)
But he makes amends immediately – and Brazil celebrate like a team getting a monkey off its back! He heads a right-wing cross powerfully but straight at Trapp ... who finds it far too hot to handle and lets it drop over the line, scooping it out too late!
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Gabriel Jesus misses a big chance for Brazil! It’s the first obvious opening, 36 minutes in, and he looked offside as he raced beyond the defence. Two Germans recover but Jesus checks back, lines up the shot and ... lifts it over Trapp’s bar.
We have a man at that one too!
UH OH. Belgium 2-0 Saudi Arabia, Lukaku's second goal made by a superb Eden Hazard dribble. Kevin De Bruyne made the first.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) March 27, 2018
It’s Romelu Lukaku 2-0 Saudi Arabia – Eden Hazard setting his second up. That’s encouraging!
Christian Eriksen leaves the fray for Denmark after 63 minutes. He’ll enjoy the rest – there’s a bit of concern in Denmark about the sheer amount of football he’s played this season and he is, of course, absolutely *vital* to them. Still goalless there. Greece just came mighty close to a second against Egypt but the header was well saved.
Robert Lewandowski has put Poland ahead against South Korea. They’d like a result after losing at home to Nigeria on Friday – although the penalty that won that one was sketchy to say the least ...
Scotland are winning in Hungary! A victory on the way for Big Eck? Matt Phillips put it away in the 48th minute.
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Nigeria and Serbia are 14 minutes in at the Hive – which begs a question ...
Has an international ever been played at the ground of the team in 92nd place in the Football League before? https://t.co/9PjPaGJjeY
— Tom Rostance (@TJRostance) March 27, 2018
Denmark should be beating Chile but the striker Andreas Cornelius has just missed an absolute sitter with his head. I’d have scored that and I’m awful in the air for a six-footer. They’re in the 55th minute there.
Ayoub Kaabi has put Morocco 1-0 up against Uzbekistan. In our main games – there isn’t any fresh action. Germany are forcing the pace against Brazil, trying to get Leroy Sane involved, but Willian has led a couple of nice moves in response.
Montenegro came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Turkey. Marko Arnautovic has put Austria 1-0 up in Luxembourg. Belarus are winning in Slovenia and, in something much more World Cup-related, Romelu Lukaku has put Belgium ahead against Saudi Arabia.
England and Italy have both given heartfelt applause to the memories of Cyrille Regis and Davide Astori. That one’s about to get underway and, as mentioned earlier, Scott has it.
Germany-Brazil has started a lot more slowly than Germany-Spain did. The away defence was briefly panicked by a Germany free-kick but eventually the flag went up anyway.
And it has finished Switzerland 6-0 Panama. That was very poor from Panama’s defence, and you could see Belgium and even England making hay if they carry on like that. Ivory Coast – remember them? – are 2-0 up against Moldova.
Kosovo have beaten Burkina Faso 2-0. There you go. I’ve got Kosovo down as my surprise Euro 2020 qualifier from the fourth tier of the Nations League.
Nailed on nil nil with England then https://t.co/brvpsUryOy
— Graham Randall (@76placidcasual) March 27, 2018
Ahem, yes ...
Germany and Brazil are belting out the anthems in Berlin. What a smorgasbord we have tonight! Talking of which, Sweden are currently goalless in Romania. Panama, by the way, are minutes away from avoiding further embarrassment in Switzerland, where the hosts have eased off rather.
Charlie Mulgrew has had a penalty saved in Hungary – so it’s still goalless in the Scotland game.
And now Khazri opens the scoring for Tunisia! There are flares and there is rejoicing. He bundled home at the second attempt. We even have a man on the scene!
1-0 Khazri opens scoring!
— Paul Doyle (@Paul_Doyle) March 27, 2018
There is a almighty set-to going on at Tunisia v Costa Rica, I think related to Wahbi Khazri kicking out at someone. He’s been booked. I can tell you, too, that Greece have just taken the lead in Egypt.
The Panamanian commentator is sounding rather upset again – Fabian Frei has made it 6-0 to Switzerland and England will be licking their lips. This time the man on the mic barks out some shorter “NO! NO!”.
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No more goals in the games we’ve mentioned. Turkey are 2-1 up in against Montenegro though. And Scotland are underway against Hungary.
Chile have started like a steam train in Denmark, Schmeichel tipping a Hernandez header against the bar. I’ll be back in 10 once I’ve grabbed a sandwich and then let’s dig in for the night ...
I have Egypt v Greece on one of my screens. Mo Salah is on the bench, so Liverpool fans can be assured he’s getting a rest.
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It’s now Switzerland 5-0 Panama, with 40 minutes still to play. Gavranovic the scorer and you’d have to say Panama’s centre-backs have had an absolute shocker tonight – they’ve been turned time and again. I’m enjoying the Panamanian commentator though – he greets each goal with the requisite “GOOOOOOOOOOOL”, but quickly appends a genuinely pained, groaning “NOOOOO! NOOOOO! NOOOO!” that makes me want to give him a cuddle.
If a deeper dive into England v Italy is what you’re after, there’s no better man to provide the oxygen than Scott Murray:
Germany v Brazil and Spain v Argentina are the headline acts, let’s be honest. Germany v Spain was a cracking match for an hour on Friday. And of course this one has the added edge of being the first time they’ve met since *that* match at Brazil 2014. Victory for Brazil tonight wouldn’t scratch the surface of true revenge, really, but it would form a helpful part of the healing process.
Hello everyone
Phase two of these World Cup preparation games is among us and to be honest I think it’s best that we pretty much crack straight on. There are games in progress already, some games already finished, goals flying in all over the place and pictures of how things might pan out this summer crystallising in minds all over the world as we speak.
So far we’ve seen France win 3-1 in Russia, Japan lose 2-1 to Ukraine and Iran beat Algeria 2-1. The Russians look bad, and of course badly depleted through injury; has there been a less favoured host nation team in living memory? Perhaps we’ll come back to that later. In progress we have Panama putting up rather less of a fight against Switzerland than they did in Denmark. It’s Switzerland 4-0 Panama at half-time. And there are all kinds of games kicking off now-ish and later on. A selection of the most interesting, with UK time kick-off in brackets, follows:
Tunisia v Costa Rica (7pm)
Denmark v Chile (7pm)
Belgium v Saudi Arabia (7.45pm)
Germany v Brazil (7.45pm)
Poland v South Korea (7.45pm)
Germany v Brazil (7.45pm)
Colombia v Australia (8pm)
England v Italy (8pm)
Nigeria v Serbia (8pm)
Hungary v Scotland (8pm)
Spain v Argentina (8.30pm)
There is more besides, but that’s to be going on with. So strap in, and please do keep in touch with your emails and tweets – how’s your team shaping up tonight, and is there a big talking point or tactical tweak from one of the more obscure games that I might have missed? Enjoy ...
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