Tonight's results
Germany 1-1 Spain
Italy 0-2 Argentina
Portugal 2-1 Egypt
France 2-3 Colombia
Holland 0-1 England
Poland 0-1 Nigeria
Scotland 0-1 Costa Rica
Turkey 1-0 Ireland
Greece 0-1 Switzerland
Tunisia 1-0 Iran
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Ukraine
Serbia 1-2 Morocco
Austria 3-0 Slovenia
And course earlier today the big one was Russia 0-3 Brazil. That’ll do for now, it’s been fun. Have a good weekend and I’ll see you all again on Tuesday for another Clocko!
Colombia have beaten France 3-2 in Paris, after going 2-0 down! Now that is a surprise. Could we see a genuinely wide open tournament this summer?
I’m reading that the VAR delay in the Portugal game actually ensured the goal stood – it may have originally been ruled out for offside. If that’s the case then hands up, fair enough, my Portuguese isn’t what it might be so I only had the pictures really and missed the reasoning. The essence of that point remains though.
This has turned out to be a *really* fun night’s football and if it hasn’t whetted your appetite for the World Cup then ...
It’s France 2-3 Colombia! Juan Quintero from the spot with five minutes to go. Well!
Full-time: Portugal 2-1 Egypt
Ronaldo 2-1 Salah ... both of Ronaldo’s coming in stoppage time, both of them imperious headers. Both celebrated wildly – who says friendlies don’t matter? What a remarkable character Ronaldo is.
Nigeria hold on against Poland – they win 1-0 thanks to that Moses penalty.
Goal! Portugal 2-1 Egypt (Ronaldo 90+4)
He’s done it again! Ha, what drama there! Portugal come one last time and win a right-sided free-kick. It’s swung in, Ronaldo leaps highest again, and plants an even better header firmly into the corner. Now *that* is drama worthy of the World Cup.
Despite all that the goal is only confirmed after a very long VAR delay, and I have no idea why as the goal was quite obviously good. It is so, so irresponsible that this system has been railroaded into such a high level of football at this stage when it is so manifestly flawed. It genuinely angers me and will cause problems this summer.
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Goal! Portugal 1-1 Egypt (Ronaldo 90+2)
They can’t hold on! A left-wing cross drifts over the head of Hegazy, who may have been caught out a bit, and Ronaldo thunders in to head home emphatically.
England have won 1-0 in Holland – that raking low drive from Lingard separating the teams.
Egypt somehow survive a late scramble against Portugal and we’re deep in added time there now ...
Scotland have lost 1-0 to Costa Rica, due to that nice early goal by Urena. Not the dream return for Big Eck.
Full-time: Germany 1-1 Spain
Fine goals by Moreno and Muller, some superb saves too, and although the pace tailed off in the last half-hour this was largely the kind of game we’d want to see at Russia 2018. Here’s hoping!
Full-time: Italy 0-2 Argentina
Argentina, missing some key players, will be very happy with that. Are they gathering some steam under Sampaoli at just the right time?
Morocco have beaten Serbia 2-1 in Turin.
Jon Scott joins the queue of approval for Germany v Spain: “I’m watching this game now, and it’s a great game to watch. Both teams with good chances, but with so many changes in players, it’s hard to judge who and how they’ll play in the World Cup. Mostly I am looking forward to warmer weather and watching the World Cup in a Biergarten.”
Goal! Italy 0-2 Argentina (Lanzini, 85)
That might have booked him a World Cup place! Argentina break and Higuain has options to either side. He picks Lanzini, on his left, and the West Ham playmaker sets himself before fairly thrashing a 20-yarder into the top corner. Super goal, game over.
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Italy almost equalise after a slack bit of passing from the back by Argentina momentarily leaves the goal open. Buffon then saves from Perotti.
“That Banega goal for Argentina was a carbon copy of one that Bettega scored for Italy against Argentina in the 1978 World Cup. Sorry…I’ll get my anorak!” blushes Justin Kavanagh.
Falcao has equalised for Colombia in Paris! They’ve turned it right around – it’s 2-2!
I’m having fun. Are you? There are some good games going on, a lot closer to World Cup tempo than you might have expected in some cases. And in any case, it’s more enjoyable than clucking indulgently at whatever “Zlatan” – rather, his PR people – has been up to today.
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Goal! Italy 0-1 Argentina (Banega 75)
The substitute breaks the deadlock! And what a lovely goal it is – quick feet in the pocket between midfield and defence, a slick one-two and a low, drilled shot across Buffon that wrong-foots the goalkeeper and leaves him helpless as it nestles in the corner!
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Gianni Infantino is at Portugal-Egypt. It’s being played on Fifa’s doorstep, after all.
Leroy Sane is on for Germany, in case that game didn’t need an extra bit of zip.
Also, Tunisia held on to beat Iran 1-0 earlier. Promising stuff from England’s opponents to be.
No he can’t – Victor Moses converts coolly and it’s Poland 0-1 Nigeria.
Hummels hits the bar! A cleverly dinked Kroos free-kick finds him free at the far post, and perhaps he could nod across to Muller. But he goes for goal and loops it against the top of the frame.
Meanwhile, Nigeria have a penalty in Poland. Can Bialkowski be a hero?
Goal! Portugal 0-1 Egypt (Salah 56)
Of *course* it’s him. A decisive first-time finish after some smart build-up play, and Egypt are looking pretty good.
England have taken the lead in Amsterdam! It’s a cracking low finish from Jesse Lingard just before the hour, and they deserve it.
Lewandowski is foiled by Nigeria goalkeeper Francis Uzoho in Poland-Nigeria. There’ve been a lot of stoppages in that game and the latest is for treatment to Uzoho, who may have been winded in making that stop.
Ukraine and World Cup curtain-raisers-to-be Saudi Arabia have drawn 1-1, I ought to have told you.
Verratti plays Immobile in beautifully and the Italy striker has another chance, which this time he keeps on target only for Caballero to block very sharply. Still goalless; a better game in this half though.
“With the Italians back home even before Mama gets to put on the pasta this time, who will be the defence-minded, negative, backs-to-the-wall, bus-parking, time-wasting, referee-baiting villains of this World Cup? Panama? Sweden?” asks Justin Kavanagh.
Ronaldo air kicks a cross in Zurich, trying to convert on the spin, and flings his hands up in frustration. Egypt will be encouraged by their performance there at the moment.
In Dusseldorf, where the game continues to be a humdinger, both goalkeepers have been called into action again. Ter Stegen saves from – I think – Isco and then De Gea stretches to tip a low long-ranger wide.
Forget-ye-not that Scott Murray is presiding over Holland v England here. Currently 0-0 with England looking the better. Treat yourself and keep both windows open!
Bryan Ruiz – yes, him! – has just blasted over, I think off the top of the bar, from an angle against Scotland after a weaving run. Costa Rica still lead 1-0.
I don’t think I can play you the video, sadly, but I’ve just seen Lemar’s goal for France and highly recommend you try and find it. Marvellous move, included a sumptuous Griezmann backheel.
Meanwhile, Immobile misses a sitter for Italy. How did he do that? Through on goal and he blasts off target! At the other end, Lanzini misses a free header for Argentina!
In Dusseldorf, De Gea has just saved very smartly from Draxler. So it’s lively starts all round.
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They’re back underway in most of our games now ... so buckle up ...
One change I like though is that Ipswich’s Bartosz Bialkowski will play the second half in goal for Poland. He deserves that, he’s arguably the best ‘keeper in the Championship and is a lovely man too.
I’m not going to put you – or me – through all the substitutions in these games. Is that a deal? If and when one of them proves significant, you’ll be the first to know.
“Someone has forgotten to tell the players it is only a friendly,” says Thomas Krantz of that rip-roaring 45 in Dusseldorf. “Absolutely great stuff. The intensity has been amazing. Too bad the customary six changes at half-time will probably kill the game. Still would like to see Sane in this German side though.”
Half-times
Holland 0-0 England
Portugal 0-0 Egypt
Poland 0-0 Nigeria
Italy 0-0 Argentina
Germany 1-1 Spain
Scotland 0-1 Costa Rica
Serbia 1-2 Morocco
Austria 2-0 Slovenia
And it’s a lively one at Stade de France, where half-time is still 10 minutes away. Thomas Lemar put France 2-0 up before Luis Muriel pulled one back ... so it’s France 2-1 Colombia.
I’ll be back with you shortly ...
Portugal have a goal ruled out – I think it may have been Rolando ... not Ronaldo ... who converted the header, and nobody realises it’s been disallowed until Egypt start lining up a free kick. Not sure of the reason.
Livening up at the Etihad now, Buffon just about saving from Higuain before Rugani, stationed on the line, made sure.
And Poland should surely be a goal up there? The ball rebounds towards goal off a Nigerian defender and, from at least one angle, looks as if it sailed over the line before being cleared. Nothing 100% conclusive, though. The home players certainly seemed convinced.
Nigeria have a concern, though, with Victor Moses down after a bad challenge. Think he’ll be OK but it’s not the time to go steaming in on people – even if nobody told Panama that last night.
Not too much happening in Portugal-Egypt, Argentina-Italy or Poland-Nigeria at the moment – all goalless. So is Holland-England, where one might want to whisper it but Gareth Southgate’s men have played some decent stuff.
Morocco score again – they’re now 2-1 up against Serbia. That one came from Khalid Boutaib; Ziyech’s goal earlier came from the spot, by the way.
Goal! Germany 1-1 Spain (Muller 35)
And the game gets even better with a lovely – and quite uncharacteristic – 25-yarder from Thomas Muller, wafted above De Gea and into the roof of the net with power and precision. Two fine finishes there, and a cracking half!
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Charles Antaki has noticed something very similar: “Some time-machine business seems to have happened in Germany- Spain are back to their tiki-take one-touchery, only at double speed - mesmerising stuff. Nor are they up against a bunch of no-hopers, either.”
Germany v Spain is a really nice game by the way, end-to-end with Iniesta and Isco weaving some absolutely stupendous patterns for the away side. Still 0-1 there.
The World Cup is so lucky it's going to have Hakim Ziyech's talents on display.
— Priya Ramesh (@Priya8Ramesh) March 23, 2018
Yes, he alone gives Morocco a glimmer of hope in a very tough group.
France’s game with Colombia started after the others – at 8pm UK time – but Olivier Giroud has wasted no time putting Didier Deschamps’ side ahead!
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Switzerland held onto that fine Dzemaili goal to win in Greece – thanks to Jon Scott for pointing that out.
Dusan Tadic has equalised for Serbia – they are drawing 1-1 with Morocco, sounds like a decent first half there.
Portugal win an indirect free-kick inside the Egypt area, about 14 yards out, after a defender is adjudged – dubiously from what I saw – to have backpassed. Ronaldo has a crack, but it’s blocked right on the line after initially making it through the wall. Still goalless there (“there” being Zurich – obviously).
Timo Werner drags a good opening wide of the far post for Germany, but he’s flagged harshly for offside anyway. No way back yet for Germany, who are rocking their lovely green kit in Dusseldorf.
Jose Mourinho is at Hampden Park! It’s a place with fine football heritage so you can see why, to be fair. Scott McTominay is playing, too.
Oh – this has some relevance – Uruguay have beaten Czech Republic 2-0 today, goals from Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
It’s Serbia 0-1 Morocco, meanwhile, courtesy of the outstanding Ajax player Hakim Ziyech.
That Costa Rica goal, of course, brings back a few memories of Italia 90. It’s the same scoreline at the moment, albeit not really any kind of shock these days.
I still want to hear your thoughts about the World Cup, as mentioned earlier on. I’ll leave it as open as that. Excited? It might not all be goals and flying saves this evening, we may need to keep things ticking over.
Costa Rica have gone a goal up in Scotland with a lovely, guided finish from Marco Urena. That was very slick. Gianluigi Buffon, at the bottom of my screen, has just made a characteristically excellent save although the identity of the shooter eluded me.
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Not too much to report yet from the Etihad, a few crisp challenges aside. Marco Verratti just caught a particularly heavy one.
Egypt have just come very close to opening the scoring against Portugal, Beto saving a close-range shot very well. It’s Ronaldo v Salah there of course and both have started. England’s group stage opponents Tunisia, meanwhile, have struck against Iran – an own goal putting them 1-0 up with about 12 minutes to go there. Robert Lewandowski has shuddered the woodwork for Poland against Nigeria!
Goal! Germany 0-1 Spain (Moreno 6)
It’s Rodrigo Moreno for the Spaniards and it’s a clipped, clinical finish after an absolutely wonderful disguised ball by Andres Iniesta!
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Germany have started brightly against Spain – encouragingly open early few minutes there. Saudi Arabia and Ukraine are now drawing one apiece.
“I don’t know how much the MBM corner has with the rest of the paper - plenty, I’m sure - but could you have a word with them about traducing poor Gigi Buffon?” requests Charles Antaki. “According to the headline, he was ‘hitting out’ at someone or other, and apparently had the evil eye on Messi; on reading avidly on, we discover that the dear old chap was only mildly reproving those who think he’s too old, He is, of course, but that’s not the point.”
I’ll bash some heads together Charles, you mark my words. But I might have to check yours too – Buffon will never be too old.
I have five international friendly matches on my screen. If that’s not a good Friday night, what possibly could be?
Scotland v Costa Rica might not seem like the night’s glamour fixture but it does mean the return of Alex McLeish to the Hampden fold. There are mixed feelings about that. But there’s rather more optimism about the form of Wolves’ Barry Douglas, one of a freakily long list of fine Scottish left-backs. Ewan wrote about him here:
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Serbia and Morocco are just getting going in Turin – forgot to mention that game at the top of the show. Two sides that have got their act together in the last couple of years after some time out in the cold; it’ll be interesting to see how that one goes.
Turkey have beaten the Republic of Ireland 1-0. Neither side has to scramble for instant improvements ahead of this summer, of course.
Germany v Spain and Italy v Argentina – teams
Germany v Spain
Germany: ter Stegen, Hector, Boateng, Hummels, Kimmich, Khedira, Kroos, Muller, Ozil, Draxler, Werner. Subs: Trapp, Plattenhardt, Leno, Ginter, Wagner, Can, Rudy, Rudiger, Sane, Brandt, Gundogan, Gomez, Goretzka, Stindl, Sule.
Spain: de Gea, Carvajal, Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Koke, Thiago, Iniesta, Isco, Rodrigo, Silva. Subs: Arrizabalaga, Reina, Nacho, Azpilicueta, Saul, Rodri, Vazquez, Odriozola, Aspas, Costa, Asensio, Parejo, Alonso.
Italy v Argentina
Italy: Buffon, Florenzi, Rugani, Bonucci, De Sciglio, Verratti, Jorginho, Parolo, Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne. Subs: Donnarumma, Perin, Ferrari, Darmian, Ogbonna, Candreva, Bonaventura, Belotti, Spinazzola, Verdi, Pellegrini, Gagliardini, Zappacosta, Cutrone, Cristante.
Argentina: Caballero, Bustos, Otamendi, Fazio, Tagliafico, Paredes, Biglia, Lo Celso, Lanzini, Di Maria, Higuain. Subs: Romero, Guzman, Mercado, Acuna, Messi, Mascherano, Perez, Rojo, Correa, Banega, Pavon, Martinez, Perotti.
Switzerland’s Blerim Dzemaili has just scored a nice, tumbling volley to put his side 1-0 up in Greece.
If you’d like to pay special attention to Holland v England, Scott Murray is your man:
There are other friendlies *ongoing*, some of which you might find interesting, relevant or both:
Turkey are beating Republic of Ireland 1-0, while Kazakhstan are winning 3-1 in Hungary. Tunisia and Iran are goalless, as are Saudi Arabia and Ukraine.
And another that’s just finished. Bert van Marwijk hasn’t had the best start with Australia – they’ve lost 4-1 in Norway! Ola Kamara scored a hat-trick for the home side; Hull’s Jackson Irvine nabbed the Socceroos’ consolation.
Lionel Messi is on the bench for Argentina against Italy – in a match that is, of course, being held at the Etihad Stadium.
Last night I was in Copenhagen to watch a football match in the flesh. I know! It was Denmark 1-0 Panama, and Panama certainly weren’t reticent in putting themselves around. In the spirit of ... something halfway between didacticism and self-promotion ... here’s the piece:
Rather a lot has happened already today. A little earlier I kept an eye on Russia 0-3 Brazil, a comprehensive scoreline that was fair based on the Selecao’s second-half performance. Russia are in trouble ahead of their home tournament; they are racked with injuries and basically trying to bed in an entire new defence. They did actually give Brazil a decent game in the first half and should possibly have gone in 1-0 up. they should definitely have notched a late consolation but substitute Anton Zabolotny made one of the most GIF-able misses you will see. If I find it later, I’ll put it up. If you find it first, send it over!
And there’s more. The other results involving countries that will play at Russia 2018 are: Senegal 1-1 Uzbekistan – Moussa Konate with an equaliser for Senegal there – and Japan 1-1 Mali. Senegal and Japan will both expect better in Russia.
Good evening / morning / afternoon / day
You can smell the World Cup now, can’t you? Yes you can, and even if certain aspects of it might not really appeal to the olfactory sense there’s something that quickens the pulse, isn’t there, about the thought that in 83 days (eighty-three days!!) we’ll all be immersed in it, rolling along in a little microcosmic world where getting home in time for Senegal v Colombia suddenly becomes the most significant task you’ve ever set out to accomplish. And we will be. No point acting as if you’re too cool.
And no point acting as if you’re too cool to stay close to Ukraine v Saudi Arabia and the other gifts we have for you tonight. Joking aside it pays to be interested in the March games, and not only for the fact that some of them seem to have been dreamed up by some sort of alternative-reality fixture generator: most international squads haven’t been together for four months and it’s now, with the big prize in sight, that coaches can get some serious work done and maybe even try one or two new things. Swot up now and impress your mates in June!
We do have some nice games for you. These include Germany v Spain, Argentina v Italy, Portugal v Egypt, France v Colombia, Holland v England, Costa Rica v Scotland and Poland v Nigeria. And we’ll be keeping on top of those, plus all the others, as we go for the next three hours or so.
But do write to me. Are you looking forward to the World Cup? If not, why not? And what does *your* nation need to achieve from this international break? Email, tweet, carrier pigeon – do whatever’s needed. And let’s enjoy.
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