Key events<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s our report from Portugal 1-0 Wales\u2026<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Is there a clamour in Portugal to get him gone?\u2019\u201d returns Nelson Calvino, seeking to answer my earlier question. \u201cI think the World Cup was the tipping point, but opinion is still very polarised. On one side are those who will support Ronaldo no matter what. On the other, increasingly a lot of people are demanding that, at the very least, he shouldn\u2019t be starting for the national team. Crucially, what changed with the World Cup is that some of the Portuguese media are finally challenging his untouchable status, sometimes in strongly worded terms (the TV commentator for Portugal v Spain was going berserk). That NEVER happened before the World Cup and him getting all chummy with Trump and Musk has also damaged his reputation with a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n The reification is mad, really, people abandoning what they know to be true to believe in a super-human who defeats all laws of nature and time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cGreat win, thanks in no small part to Tzolakis\u2019 reflex save,\u201d writes Chris Paraskevas. \u201cCrazy to think that after the George Clooney (Antonis Nikopolidis) era of Greek goalkeeping that peaked way back in 2004, Greece just hasn\u2019t produced a single top class shot-stopper for two decades. Now we have Tzolakis, Mandas and Vlachodimos. Hard to pick a weak spot in this Greek side. Very balanced, full of energy and youthful exuberance.\u201d<\/p>\n Yup, agree. They might lack a properly world-class spine, but they\u2019re going to be a lot of fun, at worst, but most likely a lot more than that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWith Ruben van Bommel on for Holland,\u201d says Louise Devries in an email I didn\u2019t get to publish before events overtook it, \u201cit\u2019s a third generation playing for Oranje (grandpa Bert van Marwijk, father Mark van Bommel).\u201d<\/p>\n I always found it funny that Van Marwijk managed Van Bommel, so had a first-hand look at the way he went about things, then Van Bommel married his daughter. But yup, some proper naches<\/a> there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FULL TIME: Serbia 1-2 Greece<\/p>\n A great contest, pilfered at the last by the better side.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FULL TIME: Norway 3-2 Denmark<\/p>\n Denmark did well to come back from 2-0 down, but ultimately Norway have Erling Haaland and they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FULL TIME: Netherlands 1-1 Germany<\/p>\n A fun game between two sides who are, let\u2019s be real, way off it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Veerman crosses, Til is there \u2026 AND HEADS WIDE! That should\u2019ve been the winner!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.48 EDT<\/p>\n FULL TIME: Portugal 1-0 Wales<\/p>\n A creditable performance for an under-strength Wales; same old from Portugal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Serbia 1-2 Greece (Douvikas 90+4)<\/p>\n Tsimikas hurtles down the left, crosses superbly, and Douvikas heads in a tremendous winner! These Greece boys are very, very serious.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.48 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Netherlands 1-1 Germany (Gakpo 90+2)<\/p>\n Gnabry gives it away and Van Bommel, on as sub for a debut, drives forward down the left, crosses at an awkward heigh \u2026 and a flying Gakpo makes light of it, hurling himself at it to volley home a terrific equaliser!<\/p>\n Ooof! Cody Gakpo scores a sumptuous equaliser! Photograph: Martin Meissner\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.43 EDT<\/p>\n Greece have been pushing hard for a winer but, in the final minute, Terzic bends low from the D … and hits the post, then Zivkovic crosses back in, Lukic head down \u2026 and Tzolakis saves improbably by kicking out a leg!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Both Xavi and Klopp have a lot of work to do; how do they elevate their teams without players compatible with their visions? Germany are not going to outrun and overpower every team they face, nor do they have elite attackers; Netherlands don\u2019t have the midfield to control games, even when Frenkie de Jong is fit.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Are we seeing the stratification of international football? Spain, France, England and Argentina now seem a fair bit better than Brazil, Germany and Holland with the rate at which they\u2019re developing quality young players likely to maintain that hegemony for the foreseeable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A ball over the top and Johnson chases, chesting down and, almost from the by-line, lifting over Costa \u2026 and on to the top of the bar. But Koumas is there for the rebound, he shoots low \u2026 and Dias blocks! That should\u2019ve been 1-1.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Serbia 1-1 Greece (Tzolis 74)<\/p>\n It\u2019s been coming for well over an hour and finally, it\u2019s arrived, Pavlidis holding up before feeding Tzolis, who measures a low finish across Milinkovic-Savis and into the far corner.<\/p>\n Christos Tzolis equalises for Greece in Belgrade. Photograph: Pedja Milosavljevic\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.25 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Norway 3-2 Denmark (Haaland 74)<\/p>\n A short corner, then a low pass to the near post \u2013 think Anderton for Sheringham, early-to-mid-90s \u2013 and Haaland turns in powerfully. He is rrrridiculous.<\/p>\n Photograph: Ulrik Pedersen\/ZUMA Press Wire\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.26 EDT<\/p>\n Eeesh, Dumfries nudges the ball away from Amiri \u2013 whose nickname, I trust, is Del \u2013 but, already committed to the slide, he tanks in to knock plough through the Inter man, knocking him off his feet. The challenge, though, is with thigh not stud, which is, I imagine, why there\u2019s no red card.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Oh my complete and utter days! Summerville slides Dumfries in behind, he crosses low, missing out the keeper, and Meerdink slides in to finish into the empty net from almost under the bar \u2026 and somehow sends the ball wide! That is remarkable, a miss that defies the laws of physics and makes Adeyemi\u2019s from earlier look like a composed tuck-away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n In Belgrade, Greece are dominating, but still can\u2019t score \u2013 Milinkovic-Savic has just saved from Ionnidis, but he oughtn\u2019t to have smelled it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI wonder does ex-dentist and current Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgr\u00edmsson pack a bit of novocaine in his kitbag when fulfilling his professional duties these days,\u201d asks Justin Kavanagh. \u201cWatching the current squad for 90 minutes must be painful. Especially when you\u2019ve three appointments scheduled within a week.\u201d<\/p>\n Heimir Hallgr\u00edmsson gets ready for training. Possibly. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd\/AlamyShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.18 EDT<\/p>\n Back in Dam, Netherlands are chasing an equaliser, Van Dijk having a header deflected over before the ref ruins an almighty scramble from the ensuing second corner, blowing up before Meerdink fires home.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Norway 2-2 Denmark (Hojlund 60)<\/p>\n Dorgu swings a decent corner in and, though Hjulmand\u2019s header is saved by Nyland, Hojlund pounces from close range. From 2-0 up and cruising, Norway have been pegged back.<\/p>\n Rasmus Hojlund levels it up for Denmark in Oslo. Photograph: NTB\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.13 EDT<\/p>\n NO GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Wales<\/p>\n Yup, you could see that with the naked eye, and Ronaldo can barely believe the effrontery of the system.<\/p>\n No. Photograph: Pedro Nunes\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.07 EDT<\/p>\n But was he offside? I think he was, you know\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Portugal 2-0 Wales (Ronaldo 59)<\/p>\n Bruno disguises a lush ball in behind, striking across it and threading it through the near side of the defence, and Ronaldo slides across Ward and low into the far corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Timber powers through midfield and finds Gakpo \u2026 whose square-pass is poor. Holland\u2019s lack of attacking class is remarkable \u2013 in 2004, say, they had Van Hooijdonk, Van Nistelrooy, Makaay, Overmars, Robben, Kluivert \u2026 and Andy van der Meyde.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.33 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cWhat could go wrong under Jesus?\u201d returns Nelson Calvinho. \u201cExactly what you said, Daniel: he won\u2019t get to develop players in international football. There\u2019s also his hubris and stubbornness. At times his football is too attacking and leaves his teams exposed. He famously didn\u2019t rate Bernardo Silva either, and played him at left-back at Benfica…<\/p>\n On the flip side, one thing that stopped him doing even better in his career is his combustible personality (Mourinho on steroids), which tends to grate on players after a while. That shouldn\u2019t be much of a problem with the national side, as he won\u2019t be with them day in, day out.<\/p>\n I still have high hopes for him as Portugal\u2019s manager, purely because his tactical acumen is up there with the best in the world. All his teams, from Benfica and Sporting to Flamengo, have played incredibly exciting football. And yes, I was hoping Jesus would be the one with big enough cojones to leave Ronaldo out. Sigh…\u201d<\/p>\n Is there a clamour in Portugal to get him gone? In England he\u2019d have been hounded into retirement tiiiiime ago.<\/p>\n Jorge \u2018Jorge\u2019 Jesus Photograph: Joao Gregorio\/ZUMA Press Wire\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.04 EDT<\/p>\n Footballers I\u2019d rather not ruck (but obviously could take if I had to): Uncle Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.<\/p>\n Photograph: Andrej \u010cuki\u0107\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cPortugal v Wales, and a painful reminder that one of the greatest month of my life was 10 (TEN!!!) years ago,\u201d says Matt Dony. \u201cThe inexorable creep of time. Portugal looked so damn beatable in Euro 2016, but you can\u2019t legislate for Ronaldo scoring that header. Of course he\u2019s not the same player now, but the scars remain. Every time he touches the ball, I expect him to suddenly become the CR7 again. He\u2019ll definitely score. Theres not a doubt in This Sullen Welsh Heart. (Thanks, Nicky Wire).\u201d<\/p>\n Well, he\u2019s just made a mess of a diving header for 2-0 but, on the plus side, it gave us a decent look at his yellow highlights.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.55 EDT<\/p>\n We\u2019re away again in Lisbon and Oslo; Belgrade and Dam soon come.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time email: \u201cNot a lot happening in Lisbon,\u201d reports Gareth Rogers. \u201cMy personal highlight was the \u2018You\u2019re just a shit Gareth Bale!!\u2019 chant from the traveling fans after Ronaldo spurned an easy chance to further pad his goal scoring stats against weak teams, threw his arms dramatically in the air and pointed at the imaginary divot. I will so miss him when he\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n An international level, that song is true of almost everyone. At club level, brilliant though he was, in the company he kept I felt Bale lacked a bit of guile and finesse. But I can\u2019t think of many better international footballers than him.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF-TIME: Netherlands 0-1 Germany<\/p>\n There\u2019s a pleasing tetch to this one and a growing sense of injustice in the Dutch ranks. The second half should be decent.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.46 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cFirst half report from Kosovo is that Kosovo are all over Ireland like a duck on a junebug,\u201d says JR in Illinois. \u201cThat they\u2019re not up at least 3-0 is bordering on the miraculous.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ireland are drawing 0-0 in Kosovo at the break.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF-TIME: Norway 2-1 Denmark<\/p>\n Since Denmark halved the deficit, they\u2019ve been the better team \u2013 this is another really fun contest.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF-TIME: Serbia 1-0 Greece<\/p>\n Greece has been excellent since going behind, but Serbia had a great chance to make it 2-0 in what is really enjoyable game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF-TIME: Portugal 1-0 Wales<\/p>\n Portugal are much too good for Wales, but only have a one-goal lead to show for their superiority.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Back to Nelson\u2019s email, you don\u2019t really get to develop players in international football \u2013 it\u2019s more about picking a team that works. I\u2019d like a bit more pace up front, though I suppose not many teams squeeze high, and I\u2019d definitely like Joao Neves in the team \u2013 I\u2019d put Neto up front instead of Ronaldo and work it out that way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Amiri lifts a fine ball over the top for the marauding Brown and, rousting into the box, he might shoot himself, but instead makes sure, squaring for Adeyemi \u2026 who somehow shoots over the top! Klopp can only laugh, before applauding the approach-work. That was some miss.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAs much as I dislike Jorge Jesus as a person,\u201d writes Nelson Calvinho, \u201cthe truth is he\u2019s an elite \u2018teacher\u2019 manager, whose attacking, demanding, micromanaging style dramatically raises the tactical awareness and technical quality of his players. He\u2019s absolutely obsessed about details. UK media just don\u2019t rate him highly enough, or completely ignore him, because he\u2019s never managed in one of your so-called big five leagues.<\/p>\n But when you think of the players he developed or revitalised into elite footballers (Di Maria, David Luiz, Matic, Ramires, Rafael Le\u00e3o, F\u00e1bio Coentr\u00e3o, Oblak, Bruno Fernandes, Enzo Perez, Axel Witsel and more, many of whom have publicly called him the best coach they ever had), it\u2019s hard not to dream about what he\u2019ll make of this Portugal side. If we can\u2019t do it with Jorge Jesus, we probably never will.\u201d<\/p>\n You never know how international football will work, but as long as he\u2019s picking Ronaldo, I can\u2019t see Portugal winning anything.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n PSA: earlier today, Eoin Morgan said that Sri Lanka\u2019s total was \u201cin and around par\u201d. It\u2019s such a buzz to see groundbreaking stuff like that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Brobbey is replaced by Mexx Meerdink who, if nothing else, has a tremendous name. Which of us wouldn\u2019t love a dub-X?<\/p>\n Mexx power. Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.37 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Netherlands 0-1 Germany (Nmecha 32)<\/p>\n With Brobbey down and wanting treatment, having done his hammy running, Germany play on, Kimmich lifts a cross-kick over to the right, Treu crosses low, and though Adeyemi can\u2019t turn in at the near post, Nmecha arrives on the scene to punch in the opener. As youj might imagine, Van Dijk is now even less dignant than previously, and there\u2019s minor argy-bargy before we get going again.<\/p>\n Felix Nmecha scores for Germany! Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.28 EDT<\/p>\n Back in Belgrade, Jovic has just blasted over from close range \u2013 that should\u2019ve been 2-0. And, in Amsterdam, Ebnoutalib hammers a rising shot from a tight angle that Verbruggen has to beat away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Havertz walks off without much limping, but goes straight down the tunnel; Younes Ebnoutalib replaces him.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Timber accidentally treads on Havertz, who doesn\u2019t enjoy it all; I fear that may be his evening done. On the plus side, I also enjoy Germany\u2019s kit.<\/p>\n Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n As promised, those Netherlands tops.<\/p>\n Photograph: Marcel van Dorst\/DeFodi Images\/ShutterstockShare<\/a>GOAL! Norway 2-1 Denmark (Damsgaard 25)<\/p>\n A free-kick 22 yards out goes over the wall and in, but it wasn\u2019t even close to the corner; Nyland doesn\u2019t move never mind dive, and I\u2019ve no idea why.<\/p>\n