Scott Murray's Blog

Another goal from a corner, another three points for the Premier League leaders

The teams emerge from the Cottage. Fulham in white, Arsenal in second-choice blue. A heady atmosphere down by the river. It won’t be too long now.

Marco Silva talks to Sky. “[To have Raúl Jiménez back] is crucial … we have two strikers who have been scoring more than 20 goals a season together … we miss Rodrigo [Muniz] … it is crucial to have at least one of them.”

England made it to World Cup 26 with two games to spare, after swatting aside Latvia in Riga

2 min: What a start that nearly was. England’s fastest ever goal, incidentally, was a 12-second effort scored by Tommy Lawton in a 5-2 win over Belgium in Brussels in 1947.

England get the ball rolling. And within 37 seconds, they’ve put it into the net. However it won’t count, because Saka was miles offside when found down the right by Anderson, so rolling it across the face of goal for Kane to trundle home was an exercise in futility.

In-form England won the game in a whirlwind first 20 minutes, though Wales had their chances to reduce the arrears in a stop-start second half

1 min: Wales nick the ball off England within ten seconds of the restart, and Brooks drives hard at the England defence. He can’t burst through, but there’s a statement of intent from the visitors.

Both anthems were met with plenty of pantomime boos, too, of course. It’s a derby. But there’s love as well, with captains Declan Rice and Ben Davies embracing, while the coaches Thomas Tuchel and Craig Bellamy also enjoy a pleasant exchange. But let’s see how long that love-in lasts, as England get the ball rolling.

Mohammed Kudus scored the winner and won player of the match as Spurs won their fifth game against Leeds in a row

3 min: A cracking atmosphere at Elland Road, by the way. Like that’s breaking news. One of the great old-school theatres.

2 min: Bogle sends a long pass down the right for Calvert-Lewin, who is skittled to the ground by Van de Ven. You’ve seen free kicks given for much less, but the referee waves play on and the ball sails out for a goal kick. It’s a contact sport, I guess.

Chelsea’s 100-percent start to the season is over, after spoils were shared in an entertaining draw with up-and-coming Manchester United

5 min: That’s a promising start for United, though: two one-on-one opportunities already, albeit neither a particularly easy one. But all good considering United have never beaten Chelsea in the WSL.

4 min: Chelsea respond through Baltimore, who sashays down the left before curling a delicious ball in for Macario. For a second, it looks as though the goal is at her mercy, but she can’t get a shot away because Le Tissier stubbornly stays in the road to block. Then United counter the counter, Toone driving down the middle and slipping Park into the box down the right. Park tries to float a chip over Hampton from a tight angle, but it clears the bar. Looks like there may be goals in this!

Newcastle got off the mark in this year’s league stage with an easy but nevertheless impressive win in Belgium

6 min: USG launch it long down the right. Botman attempts to hook back upfield, but only succeeds in kicking the ball into his own face and out for a corner. The set piece comes in from the right. Leysen, in the centre heads it back to the near post, from where Rodriguez eyebrows over the bar. That was a decent chance, and Newacstle were fortunate the USG striker didn’t get that on target. Had he done so, Pope was most likely picking the ball out of the net.

4 min: Tonali and Elanga combine well down the inside-right channel. The latter works himself a little space to shoot … but not enough so his eventual effort doesn’t get blocked the moment it leaves his boot.

Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty and a late VAR intervention condemned disjointed Liverpool to defeat

1 min: Liverpool have stationed Szoboszlai at right back, with Frimpong up in Salah’s usual position … and the latter wins a corner after 49 seconds. The former to take.

Liverpool huddle, the Gala fans whistle their displeasure, and then the visitors get the ball rolling. Roar! Growl! Bedlam!

Team USA threatened to complete a record-breaking comeback but Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton hauled Europe over the line

… and as for the match itself, Donald adds: “Zero complacency … we know how strong these guys are … they’re very dangerous at singles … the crowd will be behind them … we have to take care of our own matches and try to win the session.”

Luke Donald reports on Viktor Hovland’s injury. “He started stiffening up yesterday morning … tried to go out yesterday afternoon … it got worse and worse … went to get an MRI last night … was really stiff this morning … tried to go through his warm-up but just couldn’t play … he’s devastated … gutted … he wants to go out there and represent Team Europe … it’s very unfortunate.”

Europe won three out of four fourballs matches to put themselves in a commanding position at Bethpage Black

Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young send their drives at 2 down the middle. Ludvig Åberg finds the green with his approach but the ball spins back into the fringe. Bryson should learn something about how receptive the greens are, but doesn’t, spinning America’s second back into the thicker stuff behind the fringe. Slight advantage to Europe here, with the not inconsiderable caveat of the hot-in-form Young taking Team USA’s next shot.

Back on the 1st tee, Rory McIlroy is roundly abused in the pantomime style. He throws back a couple of theatrical kisses to the gallery. A cheeky smile. All good knockabout fun. Everyone enjoying it. He takes the first shot of match two … but with the adrenalin pumping, lashes his drive into the gallery down the left! We’ve not seen anyone over there yet. McIlroy and his partner Tommy Fleetwood were excellent yesterday; their opponents here, Harris English and Collin Morikawa, not so much. But English starts well by finding the semi-rough down the right of the fairway. Advantage USA.

Fleetwood and Rahm stun USA as Europe take three-point lead

Trump’s visit results in fans missing early action due to tight security

Jon Rahm’s left-to-right slider is dead on line … but the early-morning green is slower than he thinks, and the ball stops one turn short. That’s par, but he’s given DeChambeau a good read, and the Americans are ten feet closer. Bryson walks in the birdie putt, and the gallery goes bananas. First blood to the hosts! A long way to go in this Ryder Cup, to be fair.

1UP DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton (1)