Key occasions
I’m going at hand over to Will Magee for a bit. Ta!
Spain v Argentina (Sunday 19 July) So, the 2026 World Cup ultimate can be contested between the champions of Europe and the champions of South America, who additionally occur to be champions ofthe world. Oh, and there’s this little subplot too.
England sat too deep after going forward, then compounded the error by taking off Anthony Gordon. It meant that they had no tempo in any respect in assault; no risk on the break or easy outball. However possibly Argentina would have gained regardless, as a result of they responded to going behind with a spotlight, depth and high quality that had been fairly superior to observe.
There’s a little bit of aggro after the ultimate whistle. Morgan Rogers is concerned, Ivan Toney as nicely. It’s laborious to see what’s taking place as a result of the TV protection retains slicing away.
England had been tantalisingly near their first males’s World Cup ultimate in 60 years, 1-0 up after 84 minutes. However they had been dwelling so dangerously that their lead didn’t really feel remotely safe. Enzo Fernandez wobbled an outstanding equaliser and Lautaro Martinez’s injury-time winner was nearly inevitable.
Full time: England 1-2 Argentina
Argentina’s mentality monsters have accomplished it once more!
90+9 min Bellingham fouls Messi andf then will get concerned with Otamendi. He’s been too emotional all evening. There’s no hard-luck story for Bellingham or England, who’ve been given a lesson in focussed aggression.
90+8 min Kane drills a crossfield move in direction of Rogers; there’s an excessive amount of on it and it goes straight out of play.
90+7 min Burn wins a few headers, each from lengthy punts by Hans Segers, however Argentina get the ball away every time.
90+7 min Dan Burn is now enjoying as a centre-forward alongside Ivan Toney. Determined instances and all that.
90+6 min: England substitutions Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney come on for John Stones and Djed Spence. England have three minutes to save lots of themselves.
90+4 min England haven’t kicked off but. De Paul has been booked after a row with Bellingham.
Nearly as good as Argentina have been, England have made a proper Horlicks of this.
Moments after Alexis Mac Allister drilled a low shot towards the far put up, Messi beat O’Reilly and curled a devastating right-foot cross in direction of the far put up. Lautaro Martinez obtained between Stones and James to move in emphatically from 5 yards.
Argentina’s response to going a purpose down, to the prospect of surrendering the World Cup, has been superior.
GOAL! England 1-2 Argentina (Lautaro Martinez 90+2)
One other gorgeous comeback from Argentina is full!
90 min Argentina have been irresistible since going behind. There can be 9 minutes of added time.
89 min Stones wants therapy. Nicely, he’s receiving therapy, which suggests England could have 60 seconds to clear their heads.
88 min England simply must get to full time after which implement Plan C, aka anybody with tempo in assault. However I’m undecided they’ll get that far – they’ve been beneath fixed stress since Anthony Gordon put them in entrance.
Enzo Fernandez lashes a deserved equaliser for Argentina. Messi took a brief nook on the correct, obtained it again after which discovered Fernandez in house 25 yards from purpose. He took a fast contact and wobbled an excellent shot into the far nook. The method was just like the outdated Juninho Pernambucano free-kick, nearly placing down on the ball with the instep. It’s a superb purpose!
GOAL! England 1-1 Argentina (Fernandez 85)
England requested for it, and now they’ve obtained it.
82 min: England substitutions Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn come on for Reece James, who appears to be like injured, and Declan Rice, who has been carrying an harm for about 5 months.
O’Reilly has gone into midfield, so it’s a again 5 slightly than a again six.
81 min: Argentina substitution Lautaro Martinez, purpose machine, replaces Nicolas Tagliafico.
80 min The entuire recreation is going down within the England half. Assault and defence, invasion and repulsion. One other depraved cross, this time from Tagliafico on the left, causes chaos till England win a free-kick. I feel Guehi obtained a significant headed contact as he stooped in direction of his personal purpose.
78 min “Pedro Porro scoring final evening, Djed Spence enjoying out of his pores and skin tonight,” writes Matt Dony. “Spurs’ calamitous season feels a very long time in the past!”
In equity to Lads, It’s Tottenham FC, Cristian Romero did choose up a yellow card.
77 min: Likelihood for Argentina? Gonzalez heads this far large from Messi’s insouciant chip excessive. The flag went up for offside as soon as the ball was useless, however it was extraordinarily tight so it might nicely have counted had he scored.
76 min One other De Paul is headed straight at Pickford by Mac Allister. That was a a lot harder probability.
England are taking a giant danger by parking the bus so early. It feels so much like the sport towards Portugal at Euro 2004. Nevertheless it additionally looks like Mexico 2026. That’s the gamble.
76 min: Mac Allister hits the put up!
England are asking for bother right here. De Paul, simply on as a sub, curls a superb cross that’s headed towards the far put up by the stooping Mac Allister. He did so nicely to seek out house in a crowded space; having accomplished so, he most likely ought to have scored.
74 min England at the moment are enjoying 5-3-2, I feel, with Rogers extra central alongside Rice and Anderson. And nonetheless Dan Burn is oiling his thighs.
73 min: Triple substitution for Argentina Nicolas Otamendi, Gonzalo Montiel and Rodrigo De Paul change Lisandro Martinez, Giuliano Simeone and Nahuel Molina.
72 min: England substitution Yikes, it’s Ezri Konsa for Anthony Gordon.
70 min Time for the advert break.
69 min: Excellent save by Pickford!
A nook comes again to Messi on the correct. He flashes a superb cross in direction of the six-yard line, the place Gonzalez will get in entrance of Guehi and powers a downward header in direction of purpose. Pickford reacts brilliantly to plunge to his proper and shovel it out of hazard.
He didn’t should dive too far, however the actually spectacular bit was how rapidly he obtained right down to it. He additionally did very nicely to shovel it away from the posse of gamers ready for a rebound. Great save.
67 min Messi once more finds Gonzalez, this time with a seductive move alongside the bottom. He tries to return it to Messi and Rice lumps behind for a nook.
Messi is beginning to Messi.
66 min Rice doesn’t fairly pay money for a low shot from 20 yards and Martinez is ready to save comfortably to his proper.
65 min Messi clips a typical angled cross past the far put up. Gonzalez nods again in direction of the six-yard field and Stones does fantastically to vary route, beat Mac Allister (I feel) to the ball and head clear.
64 min: Argentina substitution Nico Gonzalez replaces Leandro Paredes.
63 min “I’m wondering if England scored a littel too early?” writes Thad Brown. “Seems like they’re attempting ot turtle up, defenddefenddefend. I don’t suppose that flies towards the Argentina assault, not for half-hour no less than.”
The UK commentators suppose they’re simply enjoying this fashion till the subsequent advert break.
62 min England have barely had a kick for the reason that purpose. I’m undecided whether or not they’ve intentionally goine into Azteca Mode or whether or not they’re simply being pinned again by Argentina.
61 min A protracted spell of Argentina possession ends with Fernandez capturing over from distance. There are not any photos of the England dugout, however I wish to think about Dan Burn is ostentatiously stretching and oiling his thighs in Thomas Tuchel’s eyeline.
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