England
England
Roy Hodgson
14th World cup
FIFA Ranking: 11
Best result: 1
Group D
Costa Rica
England
Italy
Uruguay
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Portugal v England: Euro 2017 – live!
Updates from the Group D game at Koning Willem II StadionScotland v Spain – live with Barry GlendenningEmail jacob.steinberg@theguardian.com. Tweet @JacobSteinberg 8.52pm BST 51 min: As it stands, Spain, not Scotland, are going through. That’s based on a three-team mini-league. Confused? Good. Scotland still need another goal. 8.51pm BST 50 min: Portugal are down to 10 at the moment, Dolores Silva receiving treatment off the pitch. 8.50pm BST Nikita Parris has done absolutely nothing. Until now. Christiansen lobs a ball forward to the striker, who uses strength and speed to bustle into the area, past the Portugal defenders, before prodding the ball underneath Morais to restore England’s lead. 8.46pm BST 46 min: Portugal get the second half underway. 8.33pm BST A messy half draws to a close. England led early, but their defence was finally punctured by Neto, whose goal means Portugal are sitting in second place now. 8.29pm BST 43 min: Scotland have taken the lead against Spain. As it stands, England and Portugal are going through. Related: Scotland v Spain: Euro 2017 – live! 8.28pm BST 42 min: The cameraman’s focusing a lot on the dugouts and fans in the stands, which tells you much about the quality of this game. 8.25pm BST 39 min: Morais charges off her line to boot a ball into the stands. If only she’d done that in the seventh minute, eh? 8.22pm BST 36 min: This is very scrappy. England don’t mind too much. Portugal’s need is greater. 8.18pm BST 32 min: A free-kick to England on the left. Greenwood swings it in and Potter glances well wide. 8.17pm BST 30 min: It’s still 0-0 in the other game. As it stands England and Spain are going through. 8.13pm BST 27 min: Christiansen’s booked. This isn’t working for England at the moment. 8.12pm BST 25 min: Now Mendes breaks down the right. Bassett cuts out her cross. 8.09pm BST 22 min: England could do with waking up. Diana Silva causes more problems on the right and her cross is just too far in front of the unmarked Mendes in the middle. 8.08pm BST 21 min: “You gotta love the curse of the MBMer, don’t you?” says JR in Illinois. “Well done. Not quite McClaren on Iceland v England but it made me chuckle nonetheless.” 8.07pm BST 20 min: Replays suggest that there was a foul on Christiansen in the build-up to Portugal’s goal. They can’t do anything about it now. 8.06pm BST 19 min: England look for an immediate response, Carney charging into space down the right. Her low cross is collected by Christiansen, who goes down on the edge of the area. Was there contact? The referee doesn’t think so. Play continues and Potter sees her shot blocked. 8.05pm BST 18 min: I’m happy to claim the assist/accept the blame for that goal. 8.04pm BST Game on! Portugal slice England open on the right, Diana Silva scampering in behind. Her initial cutback’s blocked by Bassett, but the ball rebounds to the winger and she smartly tees up Mendes, who taps in from close range. 8.02pm BST 16 min: Portugal are enjoying some possession now, but it’s largely of the sterile variety. England are well organised. 8.00pm BST 13 min: This tune’s blaring around the stadium. 7.57pm BST 11 min: There’s a sense that England’s second 11 could have some fun with Portugal here. The underdogs look extremely shaky at the back. 7.55pm BST 9 min: That was really rubbish. 7.54pm BST What a calamity at the back for Portugal! Under little pressure, Morais scuffs a dismal clearance against Toni Duggan, who was minding her own business nearby. With Portugal’s goalkeeper completely stranded, Duggan turns quickly and chips the ball into the vacant net from 20 yards. 7.51pm BST 5 min: Fara Williams reacts slowly to a loose ball in England’s half and sends Diana Silva flying on the left. She’s booked. 7.49pm BST 2 min: There are plenty of England flags in the stand opposite the camera. And one that just says LAURA. 7.47pm BST And we’re off! England, in white shirts, get the ball rolling from right to left. Portugal are in their red shirts. Mark Sampson’s looking stern on the touchline. 7.41pm BST The teams are out in Tilburg. Time for the anthems. Then, the football. England have a sizeable presence in the stands. 7.33pm BST A farcical start to proceedings on Channel 4! “Momentum is key in major tournaments,” Jermaine Jenas pundits, before being cut short when water’s suddenly hosed in his face! “The sprinklers have come on!” Clare Balding says. “It’s a rogue sprinkler!” Jermaine’s okay, though. He’s just a bit of wet. 7.08pm BST While England are all but assured of a quarter-final spot - a point will be enough and they’ll probably still top the group even if they lose here - Group D is still nicely poised. Spain and Portugal are level on three points, while Scotland still have a chance despite losing their first two matches. Scotland must beat Spain by at least two goals tonight and hope England can do them a favour by beating Portugal. That’s a tall order. Spain are talented. However they’re still vulnerable - only one goal separates them and Portugal, who could go through with a big win. Related: Scotland v Spain: Euro 2017 – live! 7.03pm BST Portugal make two changes from the win over Scotland. Vanessa Marques and Amanda da Costa are out. Suzane Pires and Melissa Antunes are in.Mark Sampson has made a Hodgson-esque 10 changes from the team that Spain, Millie Bright the only one to keep her place. It’s an understandable decision from the England manager, though. A likely quarter-final against France or Austria awaits on Sunday, so England need to keep their best players fresh. 7.00pm BST Portugal: Morais; Borges, Rebelo, Costa, Dolores Silva; Pinto, Antunes, Pires; Mendes, Neto, Diana Silva.England: Chamberlain; Scott, Bright, Bassett, Greenwood; Potter, Williams; Carney, Duggan, Christiansen; Parris. 4.51pm BST Hello. Famous last words: this should be a straightforward evening for England. After starting this tournament with a 6-0 thrashing of Scotland and a resolute 2-0 win over Spain, they’ve probably got it in them to avoid a 10-0 defeat against Portugal here. Barring a disaster, they could become the first senior England side to emerge from the group stage of a major tournament with a 100% record since 1982. Hear the Lionesses roar, Europe! Tremble at their might!Mark Sampson isn’t taking anything for granted, mind you, even if the manager is hopeful of another clean sheet. Portugal are below Spain on goal difference, but their win over Scotland means that they have a chance of reaching the last eight, and Sampson’s wary of them locating their tournament savvy. “This is a nation that found a way to win the men’s European Championship finals last summer having won only one game – very sadly for me, as a Welshman – over 90 minutes,” cautioned Sampson. “It’s an opportunity for Portugal’s women, at their first European Championship, to qualify for the knockout rounds.” Continue reading...
Euro 2017: Mark Sampson’s England enjoy benefits of thorough homework
• Lionesses top Group D with two wins from two matches• Victory over Spain was based on meticulous preparationMark Sampson’s England are arguably football’s equivalent of the ‘Straight A’ students whose assiduous revision camouflages the reality that they are not necessarily the most naturally brilliant pupils.The Lionesses have done so much homework, so meticulously, that they feel confident of answering any tactical or stylistic question thrown at them during Euro 2017. Related: England Lionesses dream of landing first major trophy at Euro 2017 Related: Euro 2017: team-by-team guide to the tournament in the Netherlands Continue reading...
Defoe targeting England World Cup call
Although he will be 35 by the time the 2018 competitions rolls around, the experienced striker is hopeful that he will be involved
Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier hoping to steal Kyle Walker’s England shirt
• Spurs full-back believes he has been handed a chance by Walker exit• ‘My dream is always to play for England’Kieran Trippier is undaunted at the prospect of battling his friend Kyle Walker for England’s right-back position at next summer’s World Cup having spent two years in his shadow at Tottenham Hotspur. While Walker begins life at Manchester City following his £50m move last week, Trippier knows this is his moment to shine.With Russia 2018 on the horizon, the timing could not have been better for the 26-year-old who made his full international debut against France in June. Trippier signed a new five-year deal following Walker’s departure and is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Mauricio Pochettino by excelling for club and country. “For the past two years I’ve been waiting patiently for my opportunity,” he said before Spurs’ friendly match with Paris Saint-Germain in Orlando on Sunday. Related: Daniel Levy’s iron fist controls Tottenham’s transfer balancing act | David Hytner Continue reading...
Jodie Taylor’s hat-trick gives England a flying start to Euro 2017
• England 6-0 Scotland• Mark Sampson’s side underline status as one of the favouritesJodie Taylor simultaneously ruined Scotland’s European Championship debut and sent English optimism levels soaring courtesy of a master class in intelligent movement and perfectly weighted finishing. Related: England v Scotland: Euro 2017 – as it happened Continue reading...
Euro 2017 is a chance to showcase how far women’s football has come | Suzanne Wrack
As the women’s game grows and professionalism increases, so does that technical ability and pace – which we will be able to see in the Netherlands The Women’s European Championship finals got under way on Sunday. Holland beat Norway 1-0 after a beautiful swerving cross from Barcelona’s newly signed Lieke Martens was powered in by the stooping head of Liverpool’s Shanice van de Sanden. And it always promised to be an exciting match. Norway possess some of the most exciting attacking talent in Europe, which was excellently nullified by the Dutch, while the rapid growth of women’s football in the Netherlands is showing on the pitch. The Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht was rocking with 21,732 fans, a record crowd for women’s football in the Netherlands, the Oranje Leeuwinnen feeling the love in their home tournament.Yet despite this, and while there were three Arsenal players, a Liverpool goalscorer and an international captain who plays her club football with Reading on the pitch, there was little fanfare in the UK about this showpiece opener. Related: Euro 2017 fixtures and results: interactive wallchart Related: Euro 2017: Russia upset Italy with the help of Shcherbak’s wonder save Continue reading...
England win European Under-19 Championship as youth shines again
• U19s beat Portugal 2-1 in final to end successful summer• Suliman and Nmecha on target for Keith Downing’s teamGori is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin but it was the sense of revolution around England’s youth teams that hung in the Georgian air on Saturday night. A 2-1 win over Portugal, courtesy of goals from Easah Suliman and Lukas Nmecha, brought a first Uefa Under-19 Championship title and – in a summer that had already yielded two trophies, a final and a semi-final for other age groups– added to the impression that nothing about this unprecedented run of achievement is a mere happy accident.Keith Downing has overseen a well-drilled side with more than a healthy dose of imagination; it was a balance that managed to absorb a sliced own goal by Dujon Sterling and a late red card for Tayo Edun and one that, critically, has paid rich dividends for the teams coached by Downing’s Football Association colleagues too. Related: England seal Under-20 World Cup glory as Dominic Calvert-Lewin strikes Continue reading...
England Under-19s chase European Championship glory against Portugal | David Hytner
Keith Downing’s young lions hope to become the latest under-age side to shine on the international stage in Saturday night’s final in GeorgiaIt is a question that has been asked many times in England about the footballing powerhouses of mainland Europe. Whether it be France, Spain or Germany – what are they doing with their work at youth level? Related: England Under-19s aiming to make a splash to offer more hope for the future | Jamie Jackson Related: England seal Under-20 World Cup glory as Dominic Calvert-Lewin strikes Continue reading...
Everton signing Rooney reveals reason he chose Goodison Park return over China move
Following his return to the Toffees, the former Three Lions skipper wants to win back his place in Gareth Southgate's squad
'Defoe part of dying breed as Lukaku more fashionable' - Owen sees change in striker circles
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United forward thinks that Bournemouth’s newest recruit has bucked the trend in the modern market
England Under-19s aiming to make a splash to offer more hope for the future
England play their first game at the under-19 European Championship on Monday and, even without a full-strength squad, are setting their sights high after the success of Under-20 and Under-21 teamsThe challenge for England Under-19s at Euro 2017 is to be the latest age group offering real hope for the senior side’s future. On Monday Keith Downing’s team face Bulgaria at Tbilisi’s Mikheil Meskhi Stadium as they attempt to follow Paul Simpson’s Under-20 world champions and Aidy Boothroyd’s Under-21s, who last week lost a semi-final shootout to the eventual European champions, Germany.Downing, who has been at the Football Association since 2015 and has also coached the Under-20s, says: “Hopefully the success has given a bit of optimism to people. There are players in our system who are more than capable of playing against the elite players across Europe and the world – as with the World Cup with Paul Simpson’s team.” Related: England’s Under-21s now need Premier League games or it will count for nothing | Ed Aarons Continue reading...
England v Germany: European Under-21 Championship semi-final – live!
Euro U-21 updates as Aidy Boothroyd’s side aim to make finalBoothroyd shakes off Hoofroyd taunts to find England vindicationAnd email paul.doyle@theguardian.com. Tweet @Paul_Doyle 11.11am BST Hello and welcome to the latest check point on English football’s uncertain road towards glory. After the U-20s won the World Cup and the U-17s reached the final of the European Championship, beating Germany today to reach the final of the U-21 European Championship would provide yet more evidence that English kids are alright and the senior team may soon benefit from an influx of young players with good skills, no complexes and a record of unprecedented success. Whatever happens, just don’t call it a golden generation.Aidy Boothroyd’s team have reason to be confident today. They have improved radically as this tournament has gone on, having been on the brink of elimination in their second match before an excellent turn-around against a strong Slovakian side, a victory that the young lions followed up with a comprehensive dismissal of an admittedly feeble Poland team. Germany should prove altogether tougher even if they, unlike England, did not win their group, having finished second behind Italy. Continue reading...
Aidy Boothroyd shakes off Hoofroyd taunts to find England vindication | Barney Ronay
Boothroyd has proved his critics wrong and crafted an effective England Under-21 team preparing for a European Championship semi-final with GermanyThere is a good Aidy Boothroyd story in Living On The Volcano, Michael Calvin’s book about the febrile world of Football League management. With half-time approaching Boothroyd takes his Colchester United assistant Joe Dunne to one side. Dunne, Boothroyd explains, should make sure he is not standing near the tactics board during the break. Boothroyd has been thinking about it; he is planning to kick the tactics board across the room as he walks through the door in an explosion of spontaneous rage. He has already put the board in a specific position just for that purpose. “Sure enough, he did,” Dunne says. “It helped him get a point across.”Boothroyd puts great store in moments of catharsis and inspiration. There was another, more vital one of these at half‑time against Slovakia in Kielce last week, with England’s Under-21s smoking and juddering on the launchpad and in danger of failing to get off the ground at all in this Uefa Championship. Related: Paul Simpson on top of the world and tips England Under-21s for glory Continue reading...
Spain Under-21s reap benefit of experience England can only dream of
La Liga clubs seem to find room for their young players to actually play, and the advantages look clear given the strength of the Spanish squad at the European Under-21 ChampionshipIñaki Williams knew he did not have long to make his mark. He had lost his place in the starting lineup to Málaga’s Sandro Ramírez just before the tournament but, with 15 minutes to play and Spain leading Portugal 2-0 in their group game at the European Under-21 Championship on Tuesday, the striker was handed his opportunity by the coach, Albert Celades.Within seconds, a brilliant volley from the new RB Leipzig signing Bruma had reduced the deficit to just one goal to set up a frantic finale between the two Iberian rivals in Gdynia. Both sides had their chances but, in the end, a supreme illustration of pace, power and skill from Williams, the boy from the Basque country with a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother, settled the argument as Spain became the first team to reach the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory. Related: Swansea City to sign Tammy Abraham on season-long loan from Chelsea Related: Nathan Redmond winner completes England comeback against Slovakia Continue reading...
Transfer talk, managerial moves, and England's Under-20s – Football Weekly
The podders return for a post-season meet-up to discuss England’s youngsters showing up their senior counterparts. Plus, all the latest transfer news, managerial moves and a look ahead to the Confederations Cup in RussiaIn the first of six post-season podcasts, AC Jimbo is joined by James Horncastle, Sasha Goryunov and Paul MacInnes to catch up on what’s been going on in the wide world of football.We begin with England winning the U20 World Cup – and then the senior team being significantly less impressive against Scotland and France. Continue reading...
Gareth Southgate: ‘There is no magic wand for England, that’s the reality’
• England manager angered by defeat against 10 men in Paris• Southgate: ‘Our game without the ball has to improve in all areas’Gareth Southgate has given a bleak assessment of England’s status on the back of their demoralising defeat by France and made it clear “there is no magic wand” to help the national team back to a position where they can cope against elite opponents.Southgate, reflecting on only three wins from eight games in charge, said every part of the team needed improvement and admitted the 3-2 defeat at the Stade de France, against a side who had to play with 10 men for virtually the entire second half was the first time since taking the job he had been angry with his players in the dressing room. Related: Harry Kane says England ‘not good enough’ after loss to France’s 10 men Related: France 3-2 England: five talking points from the Stade de France | Simon Burnton Continue reading...
England's Gareth Southgate: 'We saw the things that have to get better' – video
The England manager Gareth Southgate and the France manager Didier Deschamps spoke following their friendly international meeting in Paris. France ran out 3-2 winners, despite playing most of the second half with 10 men, as Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembélé grabbed the late winnerHarry Kane says England ‘not good enough’ after loss to 10 men Continue reading...
France 3-2 England: five talking points from the Stade de France | Simon Burnton
Debutant Kieran Trippier was one of few England players to emerge with credit, France’s young guns thrilled, but the video assistant referee did not excelAmong six changes from the side that drew with Scotland England gave one player his debut from the start, with Kieran Trippier ceremonially presented with his shirt by Lee Dixon pre-match. It was a suitable choice: Dixon was a right-back who had to wait until the age of 26, two years after he swapped a relatively unfashionable provincial side in Stoke City for one of the London giants in Arsenal, before he made the first of his 22 international appearances (and his final cap came in a friendly against France). Trippier, meanwhile, is a right-back who has had to wait until the age of 26, two years after he swapped a relatively unfashionable provincial side in Burnley for one of the London giants in Tottenham, before he got the nod. He came out of his first game in credit, with one particularly fine first-time pass creating a chance for Raheem Sterling. Related: Ousmane Démbéle gives 10-man France 3-2 win despite Kane’s England double Related: France 3-2 England: international friendly – as it happened Continue reading...
Harry Kane says England ‘not good enough’ after loss to France’s 10 men
• Raphaël Varane dismissed for foul that led to England penalty• Italian officials used video assistant referees system in decisionHarry Kane claimed England’s performance was “not good enough” as they succumbed to France, with the manager Gareth Southgate critical of his team’s game management after playing almost all the second period against 10 men. Related: Ousmane Dembélé gives 10-man France 3-2 win despite Kane’s England double Related: Kylian Mbappé’s rapid rise highlights the youthful promise of Les Bleus | Dominic Fifield Continue reading...
Kylian Mbappé’s rapid rise highlights the youthful promise of Les Bleus | Dominic Fifield
Only a first France goal was missing from the 18-year-old Monaco striker’s electrifying display as his pace and poise tormented the England defendersThere was actually a hint of a wince from Kylian Mbappé as the Italian referee blew the final whistle and finally brought a halt to his football season. That disappointment faded almost immediately, of course, as the France players conducted something akin to a lap of appreciation, yet as he left the pitch the teenager could not resist one glance up at the big screen, replaying his chance in stoppage time. Even a comforting arm round the shoulder from Antoine Griezmann, with some advice whispered in his ear, did not seem to improve his mood. Related: Ousmane Dembélé gives 10-man France 3-2 win despite Kane’s England double Related: France 3-2 England: international friendly – as it happened Related: Kylian Mbappé: the teenage Monaco striker taking Europe by storm Continue reading...
Ousmane Démbéle gives 10-man France 3-2 win despite Kane’s England double
The problem for England, as Gareth Southgate acknowledged before this match, is that if they continue choosing difficult opponents there is always the risk that it will expose their own shortcomings. There were plenty of them here and the cold, harsh reality for Southgate at the end of a punishing night is that his first eight matches in charge have now yielded only three victories. Related: France v England: international friendly – live! Continue reading...
France and England fans unite to sing Don’t Look Back in Anger before friendly – video
French and English football fans join together for a rendition of Don’t Look Back in Anger at the Stade de France on Tuesday before the international friendly between the two nations. The tribute, led by a gendarme with an electric guitar, was in honour of the victims of the recent attacks in Manchester and LondonOusmane Démbéle gives 10-man France 3-2 win despite Kane’s England doubleVideo courtesy of ITV Sport Continue reading...
France v England: international friendly – live!
International friendly updates from the 8pm BST game in ParisDavid Squires on … England after winning the (U-20) World CupAnd feel free to email paul.doyle@theguardian.com 10.15am BST Hello and welcome to a last tango in Paris before the players of England and France get off on their holidays. End-of-season friendlies tend not to set the pulses racing but this one has the potential to be interesting, at least. That’s not a guarantee, mind. But look at it this way: in almost exactly one year both of these countries will probably head to Russia with high hopes of winning the World Cup so it’s about time they started getting their acts together, right?Neither has been in encouraging form lately. France, indeed, are coming off the back of last Friday’s silly defeat in Sweden, which has jeopardised their World Cup qualification plans and raised the stakes of their next qualifier, against Holland at the end of August. They’ve made things difficult for themselves and Didier Deschamps is a manager under fire. He’s been in charge for five years without ever really giving the impression that he has what it takes to get the best out of an exceptional array of attacking players, even if he did take them bumbling to the final of Euro 2016. France have often looked clunky and unbalanced and the manager is expected to use today’s game to look for answers. Whether he can recognise answers when he sees them is another matter. Continue reading...
David Squires on … England's future after winning the (U-20) World Cup
Our cartoonist looks back at a famous triumph for England’s Under-20s and the senior side’s draw in Scotland, and then ahead to the futureDavid Squires on … Real Madrid, champions of Europe againView all of David Squires’ cartoons in his archive here Continue reading...
Alexandre Lacazette: lethal, in demand and hungry to prove worth for France | Sachin Nakrani
The prolific Lyon striker is wanted by a host of Europe’s top clubs yet has had to be patient on the international stage and is desperate to show he is the real dealIt is early March and time is running out for Lyon in their Europa League last‑16 first leg with Roma at Stade des Lumières. The hosts lead 3-2 but are desperate to extend their advantage before the return in Italy. They drive forward and, two minutes into stoppage time, Mathieu Valbuena plays a sideways pass to Alexandre Lacazette who, lurking in a central position just outside the visitors’ area, takes a touch before hitting a swerving drive into the top corner of the net.Nothing unusual there – the goal was Lacazette’s 27th of the season – but his celebration raised eyebrows. The striker stood still, steely faced, and waited for his team-mates to come to him. Asked afterwards if what he did had been a tribute to Eric Cantona’s famous celebration after he scored for Manchester United against Sunderland in 1996, Lacazette replied that it had not. Instead, he was too exhausted to do anything else. Related: Kylian Mbappé in poll position as France urges change after World Cup loss Related: Gareth Southgate sees John Stones as future defensive midfield option Continue reading...
Gareth Southgate wants no let-up in England games in quest to improve
• England play France in Paris, having lost to Germany and drawn with Spain• Manager says the way to learn and get stronger is to play the bestIt was at the end of a long question-and-answer session in the early-afternoon sunshine of Croissy-sur-Seine, the affluent town west of Paris where England are preparing for their final assignment of the season, that someone asked Gareth Southgate if he was ever tempted to find easier opposition.On Tuesday night it is the Stade de France to meet the finalists of Euro 2016. England’s last foreign excursion was to play in Germany and they will meet the world champions again at Wembley in November. Southgate’s team have already taken on Spain and, continuing the theme, there is the possibility of a game against Holland in Amsterdam next March. England, Southgate freely admitted, are deliberately making life hard for themselves. Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Related: Lukas Podolski’s farewell stunner for Germany sinks new-look England Continue reading...
England Under-20s World Cup win offers players hope but no guarantees at clubs | Andy Hunter
Paul Simpson’s side won the Under-20s World Cup but they will have to work even harder to earn regular places in their Premier League teamsIt rains on a ticker-tape parade to remind England’s Under-20s that it will be easier to conquer the world than the obstacles that litter their path to regular Premier League football, but they can take comfort from the roots of their triumph in South Korea. Sunday’s World Cup success, England’s best return on the international stage since 1966, repaid a willingness of the Football Association and Premier League to act on concerns over youth development in this country. A change in attitude at Premier League clubs could bring further reward.Lewis Cook, the England captain, had only just hoisted aloft the Under‑20s World Cup following victory against Venezuela in Suwon when the debate began over the future prospects for Paul Simpson’s players. With a tone of inevitable, understandable foreboding. Related: England seal Under-20 World Cup glory as Dominic Calvert-Lewin strikes Related: England U-20s goal threat Solanke ready for the final and Premier League | Nick Ames Continue reading...
England to give Tom Heaton and Jack Butland chance to shine against France
• Goalkeepers to get one half each as Joe Hart stands aside for friendly• Gareth Southgate says Harry Kane will continue as England captain in ParisGareth Southgate has revealed Tom Heaton and Jack Butland will share goalkeeping duties in England’s friendly against France on Tuesday.Burnley’s Heaton will take over from Joe Hart at the start in Paris before making way for Stoke City’s Butland. Related: Don’t Look Back in Anger to be played before England friendly in Paris Continue reading...
Don’t Look Back in Anger to be played before England friendly in Paris
• Both teams to pay respects to those killed in London and Manchester attacks• Oasis song to be played just before players emerge at Stade de FranceOasis’s Don’t Look Back in Anger will echo around the Stade de France ahead of Tuesday’s friendly with England as the French pay respect to those killed in the London and Manchester attacks.Just over a week ago eight people were killed in the capital by terrorists and on May 22 a bomb rocked Manchester Arena, leaving 22 people dead and injuring many more. Related: Football stands together for France before England win on poignant night Continue reading...
Joe Hart confident Manchester City won’t price him out of transfer market
• England No1’s departure from Etihad certain after Ederson’s arrival• Hart wants permanent move but admits he has ‘nothing at the moment’Joe Hart has admitted he has no idea where he will be playing his club football next season with no firm offers having been lodged for his services, but is confident Manchester City will not price him out of the market as he seeks a fresh start this summer. Related: Manchester City confirm signing of Benfica goalkeeper Ederson for £34.7m Continue reading...
Harry Kane proud of scoring key goal for England while being captain
• Equaliser against Scotland ‘probably most special moment of my career so far’• Kane waiting to discover who wears captain’s armband on permanent basisHarry Kane has spoken of his pride at captaining his country but insists England boast “plenty of leaders” in their ranks as Gareth Southgate contemplates who will wear the armband on a permanent basis.The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who does not captain his club side, became the fifth captain of Southgate’s seven‑game tenure after Wayne Rooney, Gary Cahill, Joe Hart and Jordan Henderson at Hampden Park on Saturday and seized his opportunity by scoring the team’s 93rd‑minute equaliser. That timely intervention, just moments after two free-kicks by Leigh Griffiths had taken Scotland to the verge of a first win in this fixture in 17 years, maintained England’s unbeaten qualifying campaign at the top of Group F. Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Continue reading...
Scotland’s Gordon Strachan shattered by ‘most emotional’ England game
• Late Harry Kane equaliser and Slovakia win hit World Cup qualification hopes• ‘We all know there are faults but that’s not their fault, that’s the Scottish game’Harry Kane’s late, late intervention was not to prove the final weekend blow landed on Gordon Strachan even if it was the most shuddering one. “I am absolutely shattered,” Strachan said. “That is probably the most emotional I have ever been after a game.” Related: England’s wide gamble misses but Strachan’s throw of the dice comes off | Michael Cox Related: Scotland 2-2 England: five talking points from Hampden Park | Andy Hunter Continue reading...
Joe Hart defiant but Scotland goals undermine his England No1 status
The England goalkeeper Joe Hart defended his performance in the 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw with Scotland but acknowledged: ‘This shirt’s not mine’It was difficult, listening to Joe Hart’s version of events, not to suspect he was putting on a front at a time when there has to be a legitimate debate about whether someone in his position – no future at Manchester City, no idea where he might end up next and, perhaps understandably, little of the old assuredness – still warrants his place in the England team.Hart had just been through the videos of the two free-kicks Leigh Griffiths had put either side of him during that wild finish to England’s 2-2 draw in Scotland and there was no indication that a goalkeeper with 71 caps, nine years at this level and more clean sheets than anyone in that position other than Peter Shilton and David Seaman, considered himself to be at fault. Related: Scotland 2-2 England: five talking points from Hampden Park | Andy Hunter Continue reading...
England Under-20s’ World Cup win can boost English game, says Paul Simpson
• Manager hails his team for England’s first global tournament win since 1966• ‘This is the reward for some incredible work, some incredible sacrifices’Paul Simpson has said he hopes his side’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea will pave the way for future England teams to achieve success at senior tournaments. England defeated Venezuela in Suwon on Sunday to record the nation’s first victory at a major global tournament since 1966, with Simpson insisting being crowned world champions “means everything” to his young group. Related: England win Under-20 World Cup final after 1-0 victory over Venezuela – as it happened Continue reading...
Under-20 England team win World Cup by beating Venezuela 1-0 – video
England became world Champions for the first time since 1966 when their Under–20 side beat Venezuela 1-0 in a frantic World Cup final in South Korea. Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave England the lead in the first half before Freddie Woodman produced an impressive save to deny Adalberto Peñaranda from the penalty spot in the 74th minute. Calvert-Lewin is only the third England player to score in a World Cup final Continue reading...
England win U20 World Cup, securing first final success since 1966
Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin got the only goal of the game against Venezuela, with Newcastle's Freddie Woodman saving a second-half penalty
England seal Under-20 World Cup glory as Dominic Calvert-Lewin strikes
• England defeat Venezeula 1-0 in the final in South Korea• Freddie Woodman saves a penalty from Adalberto PeñarandaEngland Under-20s entered the history books after beating Venezuela in a frenetic World Cup final in South Korea to ensure the nation became world champions for the first time since 1966.Lewis Cook held the trophy aloft after becoming the first England captain to lead his country to victory in a major global final since Sir Bobby Moore. A white sea of confetti slowly filled the pitch, with each England player taking hold of the trophy on the stage swiftly erected in Suwon to kick-start the celebrations. Related: England win Under-20 World Cup final after 1-0 victory over Venezuela – live! Continue reading...
England’s wide gamble misses but Strachan’s throw of the dice comes off | Michael Cox
Gareth Southgate found natural width replacing Marcus Rashford with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but substitute Chris Martin nearly won Scotland the gameAfter a Premier League season in which three-man defences have experienced a sudden resurgence, Gordon Strachan surprised England by using that system in an attempt to provide extra defensive security – and succeeded in frustrating Gareth Southgate’s side for long periods. Related: Scotland 2-2 England: five talking points from Hampden Park | Andy Hunter Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Continue reading...
Gareth Southgate: 'We've got to be pleased in the end to take the point' – video
Manager Gareth Southgate praises England’s attitude as a stoppage time goal from Harry Kane saw them secure a 2-2 draw in their World Cup qualifier against Scotland at Hampden Park. The side had been easing towards a 1-0 win before two late goals from Leigh Griffiths put the Scots in sight of inflicting England’s first defeat in a qualifying fixture since October 2009. Kane’s goal allowed England to snatch a point and remain top of their qualification group for the 2018 World Cup Continue reading...
Venezuela v England: Under-20 World Cup final – live!
Can England claim the U20 title in the 11am kick-offSimpson urges England Under-20s to make historyEmail daniel.harris.casual@theguardian.com And feel free to tweet @DanielHarris 11.26am BST 23 min Over comes the corner, and it flicks off a head, arriving on the laces of Calvert-Lewin at the far post, eight yards out ... it’s a really difficult chance, and he slices wide. “Saw the headlines” says Mills, which seems unlikely given the fraction of a second he had to pick the line of the ball and shoot on instinct. 11.25am BST 22 min Nice from Solanke, holding onto the ball just outside the box until Lookman arrived alongside him. At precisely the right moment, he squares, and his man does very well to hold off the challenge of Herrera before unloading a drive from 20 yards that Farinez pushes around the post. 11.23am BST 21 min “I think it is more learning about being away together and learning how to cope in that environment than the on-pitch stuff,” reckons Alex Sergeant. “Lions tour are a prime example of where this can go well or badly. Also, all the quotes about Rooney in SA during the World Cup being incapable of sitting still. Maybe if he’d been away with the juniors more he would have learnt how to cope.”As someone who can’t sit still, as 38 years old I can tell you that practice makes no difference. And by that World Cup, Rooney had done three tournaments. 11.21am BST 19 min Venezuala creep forward and Pena finds himself with possession 25 yards out; with defenders drawing in, he manages to generate Allan Clarke-style power with minimal backlift, but the ball sails a few feet over the bar. 11.20am BST 18 min Calvert-Lewin finds himself on the ball down the left so attacks the space and reaches close to the line. He then tries to clip back a cross for Dowell, but Farinez snatches it away. 11.18am BST 16 min Cordoba finds Hernandez down the right, and he slings a high cross into the middle. But i’s far too close to Woodman, who comes out confidently to catch. 11.17am BST 15 min “Les Sealey, John Burridge, Dave Lawson” says Dan on Twitter - he’s talking small goalies, I imagine - as Onomah moves forward with the ball and nudges right to Solanke. He scuffs a drive, but again, good positive play from England. 11.15am BST 14 min England look really composed, building play from the back. Ballplaying defenders get a bad press these days, but surely this is a coaching issue more than anything else? It’s not that they’re dribbling into trouble, more that they’re caught out of position. 11.14am BST 12 min I shouldn’t really, but well, y’know: apparently, if Venezuela succeed, “these players will playing in all four corners of the globe”. I like this image. 11.12am BST 10 min Lovely from England, and Solanke should score! A lovely exchange, Kenny into Dowell, sees the latter’s flick send Solanke in. He’s right of centre, perhaps eight yards out, and has a look, but can only drag his shot into the ground and against the keeper. Poor effort, promising movement. 11.10am BST 9 min Penaranda makes tracks down the left and crosses, but the ball ends up behind and England start again. Both sides are looking to attack, but haven’t yet put together anything threatening. 11.08am BST 7 min Lovely from Lookman, bursting away from a tackle and using his arms to right himself as he topples. Walker-Peters is outside him, so he’s found, and eventually the ball ends up with Kenny on the opposite flank. His cross, though, is overhit and flies behind. 11.07am BST 5 min Solanke finds himself in possession and inside-left and bundles his way through three challenges. Eventually, Velasquez blocks him off, so he flings himself to the floor beseechingly, but the ref is having no such thing. 11.05am BST 4 min Lookman blocks off Hernandez on halfway and looks to move forward, but ends up checking and going square. It’s been a pretty sedate start so far. 11.04am BST 2 min Farinez, the Venezuelan goalkeeper, is 5”9. Apparently he’s very athletic and acrobatic, as were Chris Turner and Fabian Barthez, both still too small. Any more for any more? 11.03am BST 1 min I’m confused by something. We’re being told that it’s important for young players to get tournament experience, but surely they just get that in the first one they play at full level? Are we really saying they need to learn “how to survive being away from home for a long time”? 11.02am BST 1 min Off we go! 11.01am BST While you’re here, do this: Related: The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian's sport coverage 10.59am BST There’s nothing like a camera close enough to hear how bad voices are. The Venezuelans tear up their anthem anyway; England are more sedate. 10.58am BST Trevor Sinclair has taken roughly four minutes to reference “a giant club like Manchester City”. Herrera Venezuela’s central-midfielder, is at the club; will he get a go? The problem for him is the demand for instant success - if Guardiola fails again this season, that may be it for him, and even if he doesn’t, how much longer will he stay? Of it’s also possible he just won’t be good enough which, for all the gassing, is what holds back most young players who don’t make it. 10.55am BST The players are coming out... 10.55am BST The excellent Tim Vickery was on the wireless the other day talking about a potential Venezuelan golden generation. So we can all look forward to some hilarious failures, then. 10.53am BST Anyway, back to the teams, Josh Onomah returns to the England midfield after his semi-final suspension for beating a man too aggressively; he replaces Ainsley Maitland-Niles. And for Venezuela, Velasquez and Hernandez are back from their games off, with Queor and Meijas dropping out. 10.45am BST No messing about here. Related: The forgotten story of… England's class of '93 | Rob Smyth 10.43am BST Venezuela (4-4-2): Farinez; Hernandez, Ferraresi, Velasquez, Hernandez; Cordova, Lucena, Herrera, Penaranda; Pena, Chacon.England (4-3-3): Woodman, Kenny, Clarke-Salter, Tomoki, Walker-Peters; Cook, Onomah, Dowell; Calvert-Lewin, Solanke, Lookman. 10.41am BST Read Rob Smyth on England’s 1993 Uefa under-21 champions. Related: The forgotten story of… England's class of '93 | Rob Smyth 10.39am BST The reaction of the Venezuela U-17 women’s team as they watched @VinotintoSub20 progress to the #U20WC final pic.twitter.com/UfyP1TFQSL 10.34am BST May you grow up to be righteousMay you grow up to be trueMay you always know the truthAnd see the lights surrounding youMay you always be courageousStand upright and be strongAnd may you stayForever young Continue reading...
Scotland 2-2 England: five talking points from Hampden Park | Andy Hunter
Kieran Tierney, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling impress, and Gordon Strachan does enough to warrant more time despite a shattering finaleThe England support drew unfavourable comparisons between their oldest rival in international football and San Marino, suggesting, impolitely, that Scotland were inferior to Europe’s whipping boys. Below the belt, but given their team’s problems against a committed but limited side it was not an occasion when England were in a position to revel in supremacy despite extending their unbeaten qualifying record to 35 games courtesy of Harry Kane’s injury‑time equaliser. The visitors were passive in the face of a ferocious Scotland start and, despite improving to take a degree of control, another illustration of Joe Hart’s weakness on his left-hand side, when failing to get close to Leigh Griffiths’ first free-kick, and a subdued display in the final third showed the strides England still need to make. It needed the introduction of Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling to finally stretch a shattered home side. Related: Scotland 2-2 England: World Cup 2018 qualifier – as it happened Continue reading...
Harry Kane underlines England captaincy credentials against Scotland | Dominic Fifield
Gareth Southgate’s search for a permanent England captain may be over after Harry Kane’s pedigree shone through in denying Scotland victoryIn the end, Harry Kane did almost everything Gareth Southgate had hoped he might. This game had gone, the visitors apparently broken by Leigh Griffiths’ pair of free-kicks, when Raheem Sterling cut inside and flung over one last desperate cross from the left and there, opening up his body in mid-air to meet the delivery as sweetly as he could, was England’s captain to guide home a first international goal in 13 months. The manager leapt into the air, his manic celebrations born as much of relief as delight. He had been at pains to point out that talent, eventually, will out. There was evidence of Kane’s pedigree in his timing.Plucking that point from the dregs of a furious contest left the English buoyed, for all that the shortcomings of the team’s display in Glasgow will surely trouble Southgate over his summer. For Kane, the plunder was more personal. This had in effect been his audition, the fifth captain of Southgate’s tenure to date making his influence felt just as embarrassment – and a first loss to bitter rivals in more than 17 years – had beckoned. “It has ended as a special day,” he said. “To be 2-1 down in stoppage time from nowhere, getting that goal is special. We found another gear, and it feels like a good point.” Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Continue reading...
Manchester City’s John Stones disappointed with trophy-less season
The most expensive defender in English history looks forward to locking horns with Kylian Mbappé once more when England play France in ParisParis on Tuesday is the final stop in John Stones’s inaugural season as the most expensive English defender in history and a reunion with Kylian Mbappé would represent a fitting end to it. The campaign has vindicated his move to Manchester City, the England international insists, but there is also regret over what the Monaco forward and others denied him under Pep Guardiola: the first silverware of a fiercely scrutinised career.“Very disappointed,” is Stones’s blunt assessment of his first season at the Etihad Stadium. “Purely because we had such a great team and we set the bar high. Disappointed on a personal note too as we all believe we can do better and in games I should have done better, which is what I want to improve on for the future. Related: Monaco’s Tiemoué Bakayoko condemns Manchester City to away-goal defeat Related: John Stones: ‘I feel like there is a weight off my shoulders’ Continue reading...
'It was like a middleweight boxer versus a heavyweight' - Strachan proud despite late Scotland lapse
A late Harry Kane levellr cruelly denied the hosts victory at Hampden Park, with Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths having netted two stunning free-kicks
Southgate calls for more clinical England after late Scotland drama
A disappointed coach admitted after a dramatic draw with Scotland in 2018 World Cup qualifying that his side have to start taking their chances
Gordon Strachan’s battlers show art and graft before Scotland joy is cruelly curbed | Ewan Murray
Leigh Griffiths’ majestic brace had Hampden Park daring to dream, but despite a rousing display the lasting impression is of yet more glorious Scottish failureIt probably should not be a shock that new chapters in the extensive back catalogue of glorious Scottish sporting failures are still being written in 2017. How familiar this was; how painfully familiar.Cold analysis should surround Scotland’s concession of two horrendous goals, the kind that undermine international campaigns and cost managers their job. The goals scored by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harry Kane were horribly reminiscent of the type Scotland have continually shipped in recent times. Another blunt truth is that a point against England probably is not going to be much use in this World Cup quest, the Scots having been trounced in Slovakia and failed to beat Lithuania at home. They need so much more, plus favours, between now and the campaign’s conclusion. Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Related: Gareth Southgate praises Kane while Gordon Strachan sees draw as a defeat Continue reading...
Gareth Southgate praises Kane while Gordon Strachan sees draw as a defeat
• ‘It was a huge moment,’ says England manager, who spares Joe Hart criticism• ‘That could have been my best result as a manager,’ says Scotland managerGareth Southgate described Harry Kane’s 93rd-minute equaliser against Scotland as a huge and significant show of character from England, one he believes will propel the team on the “enormous journey” needed to deliver on a World Cup stage.England were facing the end of a 34-game unbeaten run in international qualifiers and a first defeat at Hampden Park since 1985 when Kane, Southgate’s captain for the day, salvaged a draw in stoppage time. The substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had given England the lead only for two stunning free-kicks in the final three minutes of normal time from Leigh Griffiths to transform the contest. Related: Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish Related: Scotland 2-2 England: World Cup 2018 qualifier – as it happened Continue reading...
Scotland 2 England 2: Kane rescues point amid late drama
Late drama ensued at Hampden Park as Scotland were denied a famous victory by Harry Kane's late show in World Cup qualifying.
Harry Kane denies Scotland win over England after Griffiths sparks frantic finish
The only word to describe it is bedlam. It was certainly difficult to make sense of that extraordinary finale other than to say that, ultimately, Harry Kane showed everyone right at the end why Gareth Southgate had made him captain for the day. It was the 93rd minute when Kane denied Scotland their “football, bloody hell” moment and, in the process, that feat of escapology might have helped to secure him the armband on a longer basis.That, however, tells only part of the story on a day when both sides experienced the exhilarating joys and excruciating disappointments of football, all in the space of a few minutes. For Scotland, in particular, it was an agonising way to finish a wild and eccentric encounter. Yet England will have their own frustrations bearing in mind they had been drifting towards a relatively prosaic 1-0 win before all that late drama when Leigh Griffiths brought the home crowd to a point of rare euphoria. Related: Gareth Southgate praises Kane while Gordon Strachan sees draw as a defeat Related: Scotland 2-2 England: World Cup 2018 qualifier – as it happened Continue reading...
Scotland 2-2 England: World Cup 2018 qualifier – live updates!
Harry Kane grabs point after Griffiths’ late double rocks HampdenLive scores: the goals as they go in around EuropeSend your thoughts to scott.murray@theguardian.com 6.56pm BST Phew! That’s your lot. Scotland would have probably taken a draw at the start of the day; they’d have gladly taken one with 86 minutes on the clock. And they’ve ended up with one. But the manner of it will feel like a defeat. Poor Leigh Griffiths, whose two superlative free kicks looked like going into instant legend. They’ll remain unforgettable, of course, but that dramatic finale will be rather bittersweet for Scottish fans now. Scotland were so close to their first win over the auld enemy since 1999; their first at Hampden since 1985. And in more prosaic terms for Gordon Strachan’s side, that’s two precious World Cup points up in smoke. Still, that Harry Kane’s some player, huh? England’s long unbeaten record in qualification matches goes on! 6.55pm BST Well, no, not in the first instance. Dier hammers one towards the top right. Gordon parries. Scotland clear, and threaten to break upfield. But England reclaim possession. Sterling curls a cross in from the left. Kane ghosts in, contorts his body in mid air, and steers the ball past Gordon! What a saver from the England captain! And Hampden falls silent again. 6.53pm BST 90 min +2: On the edge of the Scotland area, Smalling goes down under not much pressure from Martin. A free kick, just to the right of the D. England couldn’t, could they? 6.51pm BST 90 min: Erm. Wow. There will be four added minutes. There were two minutes and 50 seconds between those two Griffiths pearlers, so anything could happen. 6.51pm BST This is sensational! Griffiths skelps this one into the top left! Up and over the wall again, Hart with no chance again! Stick your head out of the window. You’ll be able to hear Hampden from where you are. Wherever you are! 6.49pm BST 88 min: And now another direct Scotland ball down the middle. Livermore bundles Martin over. It’s another free kick, in exactly the same spot! They couldn’t, could they? 6.48pm BST But it’s worth the wait! Griffiths whips the ball up and over the wall, and into the top right. Simple as that! Hart can’t get across quick enough. That was in all the way! Sheer brilliance by the Celtic striker! You’ll not see a better free kick than that. Hampden erupts. Hampden roars. 6.47pm BST 86 min: The free kick takes a while. 6.46pm BST 85 min: Scotland launch a high ball down the middle. Cahill battles first with Martin, then crumps a high foot upside Fraser’s noggin. A free kick, 30 yards out. Scotland need something special. Can Griffiths deliver? 6.45pm BST 84 min: Raheem Sterling comes on for Dele Alli, who departs in the casual, professional, clock-bothering style. 6.44pm BST 83 min: Tierney, out on the right, feeds Griffiths on the edge of the England box. Griffiths has a chance to turn and send a curler towards the top left; he gets the turn right but the curl all wrong. 6.43pm BST 82 min: Lallana has a dig from 25 yards. It rolls in the style of a pea towards Gordon, who snaffles. 6.42pm BST 81 min: Anya, who has been suffering from cramp, is replaced by Chris Martin. He came on to jeers against Slovenia before scoring the winner; a polite cheer greets him this time. Can he pull something out of the hat again? 6.39pm BST 79 min: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” The England fans serenading Gordon Strachan there. 6.39pm BST 77 min: Armstrong busies himself 30 yards from the England goal. He manages to squirt the ball to Griffiths, just to the right of the D. Griffiths, his back to goal, swivels and sends a snap shot inches wide of the top right. Hart makes out like he had it covered all the way, but it would have been interesting had the ball been on target. 6.37pm BST 76 min: The resulting free kick is met by Kane, 12 yards out, but there’s no danger in his header. Then Scotland, clearly rocked by falling behind, allow Oxlade-Chamberlain to tear it up down the right. He dinks a cross into the centre. Lallana should at least work Gordon, but his header, in a clear position ten yards out, flies harmlessly over the bar. 6.35pm BST 74 min: Alli takes up possession out on the right. Brown, the head gone, comes clattering into him at speed and without regard for basic manners. It’s a clear booking. It should be his second yellow, and an early bath. But the referee is extremely lenient. 6.34pm BST 73 min: Scotland try to come straight back at England, Fraser zipping down the left and chipping a dangerous cross into the area. Cahill does very well to rise above everyone and bash a header clear. 6.33pm BST Gordon fails to deal with a simple Tierney backpass. Alli nearly steals the ball from him. Gordon is forced to hack out for a throw on the right in a panic. Following soon after, Oxlade-Chamberlain dribbles inside from the wing, enters the box, drops a shoulder and batters a shot goalwards through a thicket of players. Gordon may have been unsighted, but he lets the shot fly straight over him and into the net. Hampden falls quiet for the first time this afternoon. 6.30pm BST 69 min: A free kick for Scotland out on the right, and a chance for the hosts to load the box. Armstrong curls it in, but it’s easily cleared by Smalling. A rare chance to work Hart squandered. 6.29pm BST 67 min: Bertrand whips in a high cross from the left. Kane flashes a wonderful header towards the top right. Gordon is equal to it, a magnificent close-range parry, and the loose ball is mopped up. 6.28pm BST 66 min: And now Scotland make their second swap. Snodgrass, uncharacteristically quiet and out of sorts today, is replaced by debutant Ryan Fraser of Bournemouth. Liverpool fans may remember him with a shudder. 6.26pm BST 65 min: England respond to the Scottish upturn by making their first change. Rashford is hooked, Oxlade-Chamberlain taking his place. 6.25pm BST 63 min: Dier eases Griffiths to the floor in the midfield. It’s not much of a challenge, but the England midfielder has just been booked and therefore wants to watch himself. He’s already missing the Malta game as things stand. 6.24pm BST 61 min: Scotland continue to press forward, sensing that England aren’t the force they were in the first half. Anya loops a ball in from the right; it very nearly finds Robertson on the other side of the park. Not quite. Hampden responds, though; what a glorious noise. 6.22pm BST 60 min: Dier is booked for clattering into McArthur at the start of the move that led to the Armstrong shot. A good advantage played by the referee, then, who has had a very decent few minutes. 6.21pm BST 59 min: But Scotland are beginning to show in attack at long last. Griffiths romps down the right and sets up a colleague again with another roll inside. This time it’s Armstrong, who shapes a curler towards the top left. It’s not the worst effort, but it’s high and wide as well. 6.19pm BST 58 min: Scotland’s best chance of the match, as Griffiths dances in from the right and rolls a pass across the face of the box for Robertson, who has space and time. He looks for the top left, and gets it all wrong, hoicking the ball wide and high. 6.18pm BST 57 min: Lallana slides in late on McArthur, who wants the referee to flash yellow. Lallana gets away with it, having come in from the side. In other refereeing news, the Griffiths-Walker penalty thing looks like a great decision, Griffiths running into Walker rather than the other way around. 6.17pm BST 55 min: England go straight up the other end, Kane chasing a long 1980s hoof. Gordon comes out of his box, caring not a jot that his first-half walkabout nearly led to a goal. This time he opts to juggle the ball over Kane’s head. Success, but the sort of success that does nothing for Hampden’s collective blood pressure. 6.16pm BST 54 min: Armstrong slips Griffiths away down the inside-left channel. Griffiths enters the box, and goes to ground under a clumsy challenge from behind by Walker, who had got on the wrong side. The referee’s having none of it. Griffiths batters the ground in anger and impotent frustration. I’d need to see that one again. Who’d be a referee? Then again, the referee’s not trying to type, so cut your old MBM pal some slack, will you. 6.14pm BST 53 min: Rashford threatens to cause trouble with a power run down the middle, but is stopped in his tracks by a glorious slide tackle from Tierney. The young Celtic defender really is a top prospect. 6.12pm BST 51 min: The ball’s worked to Livermore, to the right of the D. He shoots. The ball takes a huge deflection off Robertson’s ankle, and clanks off the bottom of the right-hand post. There follows a game of pinball, but neither Kane nor Alli can get a shot on target in a crowded box from close range. The ball squirms out of play for a corner on the left. Gordon punches that one clear with purpose. Scotland were all over the shop there, but they’ve escaped. 6.11pm BST 50 min: Griffiths has a chance to set Scotland away on a break, but his ball wide to Robertson is loose, allowing Walker to nip in and earn a throw, which leads to a corner on the right. From which... 6.09pm BST 48 min: It’s another fast start by Scotland. Armstrong plays a cute reverse ball down the inside-left channel. He’d have released Robertson, too, had the full back read his intentions. Walker is able to guide the ball out of play for a goal kick, Robertson unable to make up the ground lost by his misreading of the situation. But very nearly a lovely move that would have split England open. 6.08pm BST 47 min: England stroke it around the back awhile, perhaps with the idea of silencing the crowd. Well, that hasn’t worked. Bedlam, bedlam, bedlam. Rashford is muscled out of it by Griffiths, whose ball forward is hooked clear by Cahill. 6.06pm BST And we’re off again! Scotland make a change: James Morrison, who took a sore one on his ankle early on, is sacrificed for James McArthur. For England, it’s as you were. The Scots get the ball rolling for the second half. The atmosphere at Hampden is still belting. 5.51pm BST Half-time reading: In lieu of significant action, a few blasts from the past. Related: The Joy of Six: Scotland World Cup qualifiers | Scott Murray 5.49pm BST And that’s that for the first half. England have been the better team, so Scotland will be happier with the scoreline. “Respect to all concerned, of course,” begins Charles Antaki, so you know what’s coming next, “but this is shaping up to be the expected not-very-good side being comfortably out-played by the slightly-better-but-still-no-world-beaters side, and without even the historical niggle of times past. Even the sunshine looks bland.” 5.48pm BST 45 min: Snodgrass tries to launch a Scotland break, turning neatly in the centre circle. He’s upended cynically by Livermore, who goes into the book. 5.47pm BST 43 min: Kane, just to the right of the Scottish box, pulls the ball across for Livermore, who shoots from 20 yards. Gordon has it covered, but makes a hash of trying to punch it clear, the ball pinging off the top of his fists and over the bar in a hysterical manner. That could have easily flown into the net. The corner comes to nothing. 5.45pm BST 42 min: That increasingly rare thing: a Scottish attack. Robertson makes good down the left, and his low cross is decent enough, but the in-rushing Snodgrass can’t get on the end of it. Cahill clears calmly. 5.44pm BST 40 min: Kane, tight on the left touchline, flicks a superb ball inside for Lallana, standing on the corner of the box. Lallana drops a shoulder to send Mulgrew off to the wrong fire, strides into the area, and lashes a fine shot towards the top left. Gordon tips it round the post, and the corner is cleared. So close to a glorious opening goal from England’s chief creative threat so far this afternoon. 5.42pm BST 38 min: Something of a lull, which Scotland will take. After a bright opening, they’ve been on the back foot for the larger proportion of this half. 5.41pm BST 36 min: Alli, on the edge of the Scotland D, slips Rashford in to his right. Rashford makes to shoot, but the very promising Tierney closes him down, then slides in to concede a corner before a cross from the byline can be dispatched. Or it would be, had Rashford not followed through after the tackle, clattering into the Celtic full-back in the reckless style. Not the best challenge, but it’s nothing more than a free kick for Scotland. 5.38pm BST 35 min: Walker jets along the right and then, from a deep position, nearly releases Alli with a sliderule pass down the channel. Not quite. But Scotland need to get their act together and quick. We’re approaching matter-of-time territory. 5.37pm BST 33 min: Lallana appears to be in the mood. He nips down the left, checks back, and very nearly finds the head of Alli at the far post with a looping cross. Just a little too much on it. Goal kick. England are in total charge; Scotland keep giving the ball back. 5.35pm BST 32 min: This is attack versus defence now. Bertrand glides in from the left and slips the ball to Lallana, who jigs about in the light-footed style for a second or two before flicking a pass further infield. Rashford is the intended recipient, but Berra steps in to save the day. 5.34pm BST 31 min: The corner leads to another. And at the second one, Smalling accidentally boots Mulgrew in the coupon. Ooyah! Totally accidental, but it allows Scotland to hammer clear at the dropped-ball restart. Mulgrew took one for the team there; Scotland were rocking a wee bit. 5.33pm BST 29 min: Gordon comes out of his area to head a long ball clear. But his header only falls to Kane, who dispatches it goalwards from 35 yards! Luckily for the keeper, away on walkabout, Robertson rushes back to head off the line. Rashford tries to zip the ball back into the bottom right from the edge of the box. Robertson deflects it out for a corner. From which... 5.32pm BST 28 min: Alli very nearly sashays his way clear, a glorious run down the inside right. He’s stopped in his tracks by Morrison and Mulgrew, and the ball is blootered clear. Probably a good thing that came to nothing, as there had been shades of handball when he initially took up possession. 5.29pm BST 26 min: Scotland can’t get a sniff right now. An awful lot of England probing going on. Walker threatens to break into the box down the right but loses control. 5.27pm BST 24 min: Walker bursts down the right and earns a corner off Tierney. Rashford takes a corner that eludes everyone. England are beginning to boss this game now. 5.26pm BST 22 min: Lallana turns on the jets, exchanging passes with Bertrand down the left and reaching the byline. He’s got the Scottish back line on the run! He flicks the ball into the middle. Gordon, having tried to close down the angle, is out of the game. All Kane has to do is flick it home from six yards! But he can’t sort his feet out, and Robertson is on hand to hoick clear. So close to the opening goal! 5.24pm BST 21 min: England continue to hog the ball. A lot of pantomime booing. This is a marvellous atmosphere, like that’s breaking news. 5.22pm BST 19 min: England are suddenly looking threatening. Alli nearly manufactures time and space on the edge of the Scottish D to shoot, but is closed down unceremoniously by Mulgrew. 5.21pm BST 18 min: England enjoy a period of prolonged possession for the first time in the match. Suddenly, Dier wedges a delicious chipped pass down the inside-right channel. Kane, just inside the Scotland box, brings it down, and flicks it inside, foxing Robertson. Here’s half a chance! He tries to scoop the ball across Gordon and into the top right, but gets way too much on it. Scotland breathe out. That was a lovely move, out of absolutely nothing. 5.19pm BST 16 min: There’s a lovely open feel to this game. England haven’t done much with the ball so far, though Rashford is buzzing around in the relentless style, offering his midfield options. Alli bangs a ball down the right, and the striker nearly gets onto it, but Robertson covers well to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick. 5.17pm BST 14 min: Scotland are playing three at the back. One of those men, Berra, allows a long ball to bounce and very nearly lets Rashford skitter free down the left. The big defender recovers in time and pokes the ball back to Gordon, who skelps clear. 5.15pm BST 12 min: Anya, out on the right, crosses slightly aimlessly, but Walker’s not sure of what’s going on and concedes another corner on the left. England make a meal of clearing the set piece, but manage it in the end. Scotland are in charge right now, in a good old-fashioned kind of way. 5.14pm BST 10 min: Robertson earns a corner down the left off Walker. Smalling is hassled and forced to concede another. Scotland do nothing with it. But they’ve started well, their high-tempo style pressing England back and forcing them into a few basic errors. 5.12pm BST 8 min: Lallana glides down the left and slips the ball inside for Rashford, who nearly manufactures space to shoot from the edge of the box, toes twinkling at speed. Not quite, but that was the first sign of England in attack. Scotland attempt a quick break, but Brown loses possession with an aimless hoof forward. It’s not been the best start for the Scotland captain. 5.10pm BST 6 min: More Scottish pressing, Anya forcing Bertrand into the concession of a corner. From the set piece, the ball’s rolled back to Griffiths, 20 yards out down the inside-right channel. He sends a low scuttler towards the bottom right. Hart is behind it all the way, and snaffles. 5.08pm BST 4 min: Bertrand is panicked by Snodgrass, just to the left of his own box. He’s forced into a hectic slice, the ball disappearing into the crowd. The resulting Scotland throw leads to nothing, but the home side aren’t giving the visitors an inch. 5.06pm BST 3 min: Brown comes straight through the back of Alli, who was going nowhere in the middle of the park. That’s a preposterous challenge, and the stupidest of bookings. Scotland’s main enforcer now has to play 88 minutes, his studs crumping into eggshells. Great news for England. 5.05pm BST 2 min: Walker leaves the boot on Morrison, a sore one on the Scotland man’s ankle. It’s accidental, though that doesn’t mean much to Morrison as he rolls about a bit. 5.04pm BST England get the ball rolling! And immediately Griffiths charges down a Dier clearance. A sign that Scotland intend to get on the front foot and go for it. In truth, they’ve little option. The crowd enjoyed that one, anyway. This could be a lot of high-tempo fun. 5.02pm BST But before kick-off, a minute of remembrance for the victims of the recent atrocities in Manchester and London. Glasgow observes an emotional, pin-drop silence; bittersweet perfection. And then the whistle blows, and Hampden roars. Here we go... 5.00pm BST The teams are out! And a rare old roar rings around Hampden! They’re giving it laldie. Scotland are in their famous blue shirts with slightly less traditional Arsenal-style white sleeves. England are playing in second-choice red, a colour which has seen them right in the past. God Save the Queen goes down pretty much as you’d expect; the lone piper’s blast of Flower of Scotland is deemed a much more acceptable ditty. What an atmosphere! We’ll be off pretty soon. In the meantime, it’s only fair we give the last pre-match word to our regular Saturday afternoon contributor Simon McMahon. “I’ll cut to the chase. COME ON SCOTLAND!!!” And I’m sure he speaks for everyone. Eh y’what? 4.47pm BST Gareth Southgate speaks! “We’re focusing on us, what we’re good at. We know the environment we’re coming into. We know the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. We’re clear on how we want to play, and how to react in certain moments of the game to get the win. Harry Kane has super leadership qualities, a strong mentality. He wants to be one of the best players in the world and you can’t have too many players like that in your team.” 4.46pm BST Gordon Strachan speaks! “This is a wonderful occasion, but I’ve not spoken too much about that. They’ll feel that atmosphere when they get out. I don’t think I can describe it to them until they get out there, they’ll have to discover that for themselves. The lads have made me feel confident that we can do something today and put in a performance. They will show that to the fans today.” 4.26pm BST Some pre-match reading. Here’s our main man Daniel Taylor on the new England captain ... Related: Harry Kane is ready to justify Gareth Southgate’s confidence and lead England Related: Gordon Strachan dismisses speculation and insists Scotland can beat England | Ewan Murray 4.18pm BST Gordon Strachan has made two changes to the Scotland side that scraped past Slovenia in the last qualifier. Christophe Berra and Ikechi Anya are in; Russell Martin and James Forrest drop to the bench. The fit-again Leigh Griffiths is up front. Scott Brown captains.Harry Kane will lead out England for the first time. Marcus Rashford makes his second start, while West Bromwich Albion’s Jake Livermore is called into the midfield. Those aforementioned stars are three of five changes to the XI sent out against Lithuania last time round. Also stepping up: Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Jermain Defoe drop to the bench; Michael Keane is out altogether. 3.58pm BST Scotland: Gordon, Berra, Mulgrew, Robertson, Tierney, Brown, Armstrong, Anya, Snodgrass, Griffiths, Morrison.Subs: Marshall, McArthur, Naismith, Bannan, Darren Fletcher, Forrest, Russell Martin, Chris Martin, Fraser, Cairney, Reynolds, Hamilton. England: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Bertrand, Rashford, Lallana, Dier, Alli, Livermore, Kane.Subs: Forster, Trippier, Lingard, Gibson, Stones, Jones, Defoe, Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cresswell, Heaton, Butland. 2.24pm BST So with the major leagues decided, the cups lifted, and the champions of Europe crowned, we’re all played out for the summer, right? Ah no, not quite. Just before we hit the run-out groove, there’s a bonus track, the Her Majesty to 2016-17’s Abbey Road: Scotland welcome the auld enemy England to Hampden Park for a crucial World Cup qualifier! Well, it’s crucial for one of the teams at least. England are well clear at the top of Uefa Group F, a section they’re odds-on favourites to win. And no wonder: they haven’t lost a tournament qualification match for nearly eight years, for goodness sake! Top place should be a shoo-in, whatever happens today. Continue reading...
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