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44 min: Livramento sashays in from the right flank, and for a second things open up ahead of him. But they soon close down again, with nobody in red offering an option.
42 min: The match reverts to type, as Garner chips a free kick down the middle of the park, and Ronald Araujo heads clear. As a result of the limp fare, Wembley isn’t exactly a cauldron right now. A bain-marie, maybe.
40 min: … so having said that, of course the match springs into life at last. Valverde has a shot blocked on the edge of the England box. England counter through Rashford, who tears down the left flank spectacularly, creaming an inviting cross through the Uruguay box. Solanke is the only England player who has been able to stay with Rashford, and even he can’t quite make it to the ball. Much better from England, though.
39 min: Spence gives the ball away with a clunker of a pass upfield. De Arrascaeta picks up possession and passes it into the stand. That just about sums up this match so far.
38 min: Bowen comes on to replace Madueke.
37 min: Ah no, Madueke isn’t able to continue. He goes down again, then wanders off. Not sure whether that’s a concussion issue, or he’s hurt his jaw.
35 min: Thankfully Madueke, who landed awkwardly, is fine to continue after the physio runs through his checks. “Eschewing my usual gutter humour for once, please allow me to be the 1,057th person to hope out loud that Canobbio’s nickname is ‘Obi Wan’.” Mac Millings with that particular comedic tour de Force.
33 min: Madueke and Aguirre fall over in an accidental tangle. Madueke stays down. On ITV, Lee Dixon resists the temptation to encourage the ref to hoof him off the pitch like an old sock. So things can improve. We can learn.
31 min: Solanke is putting himself about, and now he chases a speculative ball down the inside-right channel. He catches Ronald Araujo in his attempt to swivel a shot goalwards. Free kick.
30 min: Solanke nearly closes down Muslera. Not quite. Uruguay clear.
29 min: Rashford, in a tight spot out on the left touchline, flicks cutely infield for Spence, who feeds Garner on the overlap. A deep cross. Solanke wins a header at the far stick, but can only float the header into Muslera’s arms.
27 min: Tomori miscues a header on the halfway line, allowing Canobbio to stride forward with the ball. A lot of space down the middle, which he eats into. He’s got team-mates either side, but opts to shoot himself from 25 yards. The ball flies a similar distance over the bar.
26 min: Maguire again, this time winning a header on halfway that bounds out for a goal kick like an eager puppy.
24 min: Maguire gets a bit casual in playing the ball out from the back, and is fortunate De Arrascaeta’s first touch is heavy. England reclaim possession. They’d have otherwise been dealing with a counter while light on men.
22 min: Canobbio tries a one-two with Aguirre down the right. No good. Uruguay have spent very little time in England’s half.
20 min: Garner’s deliveries have caused Uruguay all sorts of bother, and this corner’s no different. Muslera just about manages to flap the ball away under intense six-yard-box pressure. “If I were Danny Welbeck, I’d deeply resent Solanke being called up ahead of me,” opines Sam. “Welbeck is the top scoring English Premier League striker whereas Solanke missed half the season and only has three goals, not even top scorer for his club! And I say that as a Spurs fan.”
19 min: Solanke has a whack from distance. Easy for Muslera. But the hosts are well on top … and to further illustrate that, Spence spins Canobbio out on the left and wins another England corner.
18 min: Play restarts. Valverde has given Gimenez the captain’s armband.
16 min: God speed, Piquerez. Get well soon. He’s replaced by Gimenez.
14 min: When Piquerez shuffled himself back onto the pitch, ITV co-commentator Lee Dixon suggested the referee should immediately shovel him back off it. With the player being carefully loaded onto a stretcher, and being given a tube of gas, that patter hasn’t aged well at all.
12 min: Piquerez’s ankle buckled horribly there, and he’s not going to be able to continue. The physio calls for a stretcher.
11 min: Madueke dribbles hard down the right and wins a corner off Piquerez, who goes over his ankle as he topples off the pitch. He then drags himself back on it, to ensure England can’t take their corner while facing ten men. On comes the physio.
9 min: A bit of space for Solanke on the edge of the Uruguay D. His shot is deflected wide left for another England corner. Garner hits this one long too, and Maguire again wins a header. He can’t get it on target, though.
8 min: Madueke advances down the England right but is stopped without ceremony by Valverde. Soon after, the Uruguay captain pops up on the Uruguayan right. He’s everywhere at the moment.
7 min: “Whenever I think of the two managers on the hot seat today,” begins Peter Oh, “I picture Marcelo Bielsa on an upturned bucket and Thomas Tuchel on a box cooler (in the first year of the pandemic, after he broke his foot and was in a boot). All I want to see in this match is some top-shelf bucket and cooler sitting. I’m not interested in thinking outside the box.” That being the case, you’ll either be delighted or bamboozled to hear that Bielsa is sitting pitchside on a box cooler. Worlds are colliding.
5 min: … so having said that, Uruguay launch their first attack of the evening. Aguirre makes good down the right. His cross takes a deflection and loops into Trafford’s arms.
4 min: Garner sends the corner long from the left. Maguire meets it with a header, but he’s leaning back and the ball sails harmlessly over the bar. A strong start by England.
3 min: A free kick out on the England left. Foden curls it long for Tomori, who heads back across goal. Henderson helps it on. Madueke prepares to lash a boot through the dropping ball, only for Piquerez to poke out for a corner, just in time.
2 min: Despite that, England start well. Garner swings a cross in from the left, forcing Muslera to punch clear.
England get the ball rolling. They look like Scotland away during the early to mid 80s. Just saying.
The teams are out! England in that aforementioned red, Uruguay in their sky blue. Time for the anthems. God Save the King we all know about; the Uruguayan one really gets the juices flowing, though. And while we’re on the subject of Jonathan Wilson, which we kind of were, he tells a wonderful anecdote about that anthem during today’s edition of Football Weekly Extra. Just before the 45-minute mark should get you there; enjoy, enjoy. We’ll be off in a couple of seconds.
Uruguay are not heading into this match in the finest of fettle. Jonathan Wilson reports on that 5-1 shellacking by the USA and some Luis Suárez-infused rancour.
Thomas Tuchel speaks to ITV, who ask: are we heading into the unknown? “Yeah, a little bit! … it’s good … we had a good training week and we are ready to go … [players need to] buy into it, buy into the ideas, put the effort in … intensity in your effort … support each other … these are the main headlines … I always want the perfect match … but I am long enough a coach to know things can become difficult because we face a strong opponent … some players are new, they have heard my voice for the first time, the ideas for the first time … stick together.”
This is a proper summit meeting between two of the World Cup’s most successful nations. Uruguay being twice as successful as their hosts. And that’s before factoring in population size. But let’s not pull at threads: everyone’s done well, so let’s celebrate those greatest triumphs. (Too early for World Cup fever? Nah, it’s never too early.)
England will be playing in their new away shirt tonight. It’s red, which “marks a historic shift in England’s visual identity”, it says here, and before anyone mentions the 1966 final, that’s because they’re pairing it this time with navy shorts. “This bold combination signals a future-facing England, willing to challenge convention while remaining rooted in tradition,” continues the marketing blurb, which just about gets away with wanting it both ways. And while we’re on the subject of new clobber, here’s Justin Kavanagh: “For those who fear another sleep-inducing friendly, the sight of the England team warming up in their pajamas is not encouraging.” Hmm, it does look a bit like Nike have gone into partnership with JoJo Maman Bébé, doesn’t it. Veering dangerously close to sleep-suit territory. Get ready for some gegentoddling.
Harry Maguire, back at the centre of England’s defence, speaks to ITV. “It’s a great feeling to play at this beautiful stadium … it’s been a long time since I’ve done it, so a great feeling to be back … the form of [Manchester United] also the form of myself has improved [since Michael Carrick took over at Old Trafford] … it’s big credit to him, and big credit to myself to make sure I’m in this squad, and now I’m looking forward to playing … tonight’s a good occasion to go out there and produce a performance … bring the intensity … talent will come through.”
There are a few familiar names in Marcelo Bielsa’s starting XI. Federico Valverde, who led Manchester City a merry dance earlier this month in the Champions League with that first-half hat-trick, captains the side. Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte anchors the midfield, while the defence revolves around Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo. Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez, who isn’t getting much game-time at Al-Hilal, is on the bench. Wolves defender Santiago Bueno misses out altogether.
The first England starting XI of this World Cup year has a resolutely experimental feel. Manchester City keeper James Trafford makes his debut for the Three Lions. Everton’s James Garner also debuts, with captain-for-the-evening Jordan Henderson alongside him to lend the sort of experience only 88 caps can bring. John Stones is injured, so Fikayo Tomori will earn his sixth cap at centre back, while Phil Foden gets the nod at No10 ahead of Cole Palmer. Dominic Solanke is favoured up front instead of his namesake Calvert-Lewin.
The teams
England: Trafford, Livramento, Tomori, Maguire, Spence, Garner, Henderson, Madueke, Foden, Rashford, Solanke.
Subs: Pickford, Hall, Wharton, Stones, Palmer, White, Mainoo, Calvert-Lewin, Barnes, Bowen, Ramsdale, Steele.
Uruguay: Muslera, Varela, Olivera, Ronald Araujo, Piquerez, Valverde, Ugarte, de Arrascaeta, Canobbio, Aguirre, Maximiliano Araujo.
Subs: Rochet, Gimenez, Caceres, Sanabria, de la Cruz, Martinez, Nunez, Pellistri, Vina, Rodriguez, Vinas, Torres, Luis Rodriguez, Fonseca, Mele.
Referee: Sven Jablonski (Germany).
Preamble
England’s World Cup prep starts here. They’re in good nick, having won 12 of their last 13 matches to the cumulative tune of 37-4. They’ve kept a clean sheet in 11 of their last 12 games, including all of the last six. Meanwhile Uruguay lost their last game 5-1 to the USA. Hopes are high.
But some expectation management. There are only two teams against whom England have a lower win ratio than the 27 percent (P11 W3) they’ve managed against Uruguay: Brazil and Romania. And the last time England faced La Celeste, this happened …
Oh Mr Roy! So nobody will be taking anything for granted. Kick-off is at 7.45pm GMT. It’s on!
