Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia was held up for almost two hours after starting in farcical conditions following a heavy downpour in the hour before kick-off at Hampden.
The game was suspended immediately after Callum McGregor fired Scotland into a sixth-minute lead but it eventually resumed following several pitch inspections.
It was immediately clear the game was in doubt following the 7.45pm start. Simple passes were getting stuck, water was splashing up with every step and a well-struck shot from the visitors almost stopped in the goalmouth, although it was going wide anyway.
McGregor netted after John McGinn’s sixth-minute corner ricocheted back to the midfielder, before the referee went off to have discussions with an official on the sidelines.
The Georgia players remonstrated over the conditions and Hungarian referee Istvan Vad signalled for both teams to leave the pitch several minutes later.
It was soon announced there would be a reassessment of the pitch in 20 minutes’ time, and fans were then told there would be another 10-minute delay.
The rain began to ease but a large volume of water was still being swept off the surface by ground staff, ball boys and other officials as the referee carried out his inspection.
The inspection was being carried out to the strains of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and Garbage’s I’m Only Happy When It Rains on the public address system.
Every successful bounce of the ball and pass was cheered by the Hampden crowd before the referee went back off and down the tunnel.
The announcement was then made that the players would be back out at 8.45pm for a 10-minute warm-up and the game would then restart with Scotland 1-0 up.
Vad continued to test the roll and bounce of the ball as the players warmed up amid a light drizzle before the referee disappeared back down the tunnel yet again.
About half a dozen stewards joined the attempts to sweep water out of the Scotland penalty box as the players warmed up and waited for the referee to emerge.
There was further confusion as both teams again left the park before it was then announced to the crowd that the game was scheduled to resume at 9.15pm, with further emphasis placed on the word scheduled.
The Scotland players came back out again with several minutes to spare, with the pitch looking much improved, although still not ideal. Crucially, the rain had stopped. There was no sign of the visiting team or the referee though.
Vad appeared at 9.17pm to take another look at the surface and disappeared back down the tunnel two minutes later amid claims the Georgians were refusing to leave their dressing room.
It was then announced that the game would resume at 9.30pm.
Georgia returned to the pitch to loud jeers, Scotland went off and back on again, and the match eventually restarted at 9.33pm with the visitors taking centre following McGregor’s goal.
Poland 1-3 Austria: Baumgartner and Arnautovic get Rangnick's men up and running
Austria got off the mark at Euro 2024 with a 3-1 victory over Poland, with second-half goals from Christoph Baumgartner and Marko Arnautovic deciding an entertaining contest.
Austria flew out of the traps in Berlin as Poland struggled to get an early foothold, and Ralf Rangnick's team led within nine minutes. Phillipp Mwene delivered a pinpoint cross from the left, and Gernot Trauner powered his header home at the near post.
Poland should have levelled within nine further minutes, only for Nicola Zalewski to lift a wild effort over the crossbar. However, they did get their equaliser on the half-hour mark.
A fortunate deflection off Trauner saw the ball fall to Krzysztof Piatek, who kept his composure to slot into the bottom-right corner and reward Poland's improvement.
Having missed last week's defeat to the Netherlands with a thigh injury, Poland talisman Robert Lewandowski was introduced from the bench on the hour mark, but it was Austria who regained the lead seven minutes later through Baumgartner.
Arnautovic dummied Alexander Prass' ball infield, allowing Baumgartner to send Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way with a composed finish from the edge of the box.
Arnautovic then made the points safe from the penalty spot with 12 minutes remaining, converting into the bottom-right corner after Marcel Sabitzer had raced clear and been felled by Szczesny.
Austria should have had a fourth late on as Konrad Laimer shot across the face of goal after rounding Szczesny, but their victory means avoiding defeat against the Netherlands next Tuesday would likely send them through to the last 16.
Data Debrief: Arnautovic on the spot
At the age of 35 years and 63 days, Arnautovic became the third-oldest player to score a penalty at the Euros, after Ivica Vastic (38 years, 257 days) and Cristiano Ronaldo (three penalties scored at the age of 36).
A surprise inclusion after being benched for Austria's 1-0 loss to France, the Inter man led the line impressively, winning seven of his nine total duels and drawing three fouls.
Garwin Tulloch, USG on board as Portmore United announce new leadership, board of directors
Many-time Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Portmore United have added United Sports Group (USG) and Garwin Tulloch to its ownership group, as the club continues to chart a course towards reclaiming its glory days at the pinnacle of the nation’s top-flight league.
USG is a consortium comprising Tina Matalon, Ryan Reid, Khary Robinson, Duncan Stewart and Jackie Lechler, all prominent and successful Jamaican business leaders across various sectors, while Tulloch is a director of Kemtek Development & Construction Company Limited.
Kemtek, a family business, and one of Jamaica’s leading home construction companies, boasts major investments in the development of commercial and residential properties across various Jamaican communities including the sprawling metropolitan Portmore community.
For Portmore United, the addition of these new investors will strengthen the operational and financial capacity of the club, which is one of Jamaica’s marquee clubs and the most successful in the JPL, having won seven titles –the first two as Hazard United in 1993 and 2003.
The JPL has increased in popularity over the years and even more so in the post pandemic period, under the Chris Williams-led Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL). During this time, the PFJL has seen tremendous growth in the League’s commercial viability and the economic prospects of the Clubs.
This expansion of an increasingly sophisticated investor pool facilitates the collective vision of the PFJL and the JPL clubs, which is to enhance the financial and operational capacity of the Clubs. The path to achieve that includes leveraging existing revenue streams like sponsorships, player sales, broadcasting, digital media, merchandizing and increased gate receipts, through additional investments in infrastructure, something that USG’s Khary Robinson is pleased to be a part of.
“United Sports Group believes that this strategic investment will further empower Portmore United Football Club to achieve even greater football success and become a catalyst for positive community development. Our leadership group is committed to delivering the time, strategic support and capital to enable the PUFC brand to maximize its potential in the sporting industry commercial space,” Robinson said.
Tulloch echoed similar sentiments.
“Football has remained one of my great passions and the desire to give back to the community through the sport has always been a driving force for me personally. My association with the JPL through Kemtek sponsorship of the League, led me to an association with the principals of Portmore United Football Club,” Tulloch shared.
“From the onset I was impressed with the vision and professionalism across the organization and the decision to invest was a no brainer for me. It is an association that I’m confident will yield great benefits to the various stakeholders of the Club,” he added.
Consequent on the additional ownership compliment, Portmore United’s new Board of Directors, will see Tulloch serving as chairman, with Garfield Sinclair, Peter Baker, Khary Robinson, Clinton Brooks and Garth Pearce, the memebers.
Switzerland v Germany: Nagelsmann sets sight on top spot in Group A
Julian Nagelsmann wants his Germany team to stay perfect as they aim to top Group A at Euro 2024.
The hosts secured qualification for the last 16 by dispatching Hungary 2-0 last time out, following on from their 5-1 demolition of Scotland.
Their final group match sees them take on Switzerland, who are two points behind in second place, meaning a defeat for Germany on Sunday would see the Swiss top the group.
That is a scenario that Nagelsmann is desperate to avoid, as he confirmed there will be few changes to his line-up, despite Germany's progress having been assured.
"Top spot is important. We want to win all our matches," Nagelsmann said.
"I do think it is important to have as many players from the starting 11 on the pitch so that we stay in the rhythm.
"Do not expect to have seven changes to the team. I can rule that out now."
Germany's match with the Swiss will take place in Frankfurt, where England and Denmark played on Thursday, with both sides struggling with how the pitch chopped up.
Deniz Undav, however, says teams simply have to adapt to the surfaces.
"There a still a few days left, so maybe the pitch will improve until then," said the forward.
"But you have to be able to adapt to the conditions. We want to win on Sunday. So, whether we play on grass or stones, we have to win."
Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri, meanwhile, knows his team must expect the sternest of challenges.
"We know we are now up against a team that is of a different calibre with their super attack and the euphoria [as hosts]," he said.
"But we are going into the game with confidence and look forward to it. Obviously, we want to trouble the Germans."
Opta's supercomputer makes Germany favourites to win the group, with a 77% likelihood the hosts finish top.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Switzerland - Xherdan Shaqiri
Only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in more major international tournaments than Switzerland forward Shaqiri, who has now netted at each of the last six such tournaments since and including the 2014 World Cup.
In fact, Shaqiri is the only European player to have scored at the last six major tournaments.
Germany - Jamal Musiala
Musiala is aiming to become the first Germany player to score in each of his nation's opening three games at a major tournament since Miroslav Klose at the 2002 World Cup, and the first ever to do so at the European Championship.
Aged 21 years and 118 days when this game is played, he would be the second-youngest player ever to do so for any nation, behind only Peru's Teofilo Cubillas (21y 94d) at the 1970 World Cup.
MATCH PREDICTION: GERMANY WIN
This will be Switzerland and Germany's first encounter at a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup; West Germany beat Switzerland 5-0 in the group stages. They also met in the 1938 and 1962 World Cups.
Germany have won each of their last three games at major international tournaments by 2+ goals (4-2 v Costa Rica, 5-1 v Scotland, 2-0 v Hungary) with the Netherlands at the 1974 World Cup the last nation to record four such victories in a row.
They are aiming to become the third host nation to win all three of their group stage games at a single edition of the European Championship after the Netherlands in 2000 and France in 1984.
Meanwhile, they would be the first host team to do so at a major international tournament since the Germans themselves at the 2006 World Cup (Excluding Euro 2020 - 11 host nations).
However, Switzerland are unbeaten in their last three matches against Germany (W1 D2), with those three matches producing 16 goals, an average of 5.3 per game. The Swiss had lost 16 of their previous 18 matches against the Germans (D2), so they should certainly not be discounted.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Switzerland - 23.5%
Germany - 52.3%
Draw - 24.2%
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