Benfica 0-0 Arsenal An excellent chance for Arsenal. Bukayo Saka surges thrillingly into the area, only to drag a tame shot wide of the near post.
“There seems to be no VAR debates when the midweek Euro games are on,” says Ian Copestake. “Is that a) because they are not using it, b) they are but the refereeing is far better or c) because of Brexit?”
Obviously you’re not a golfer you haven’t been following the Rangers game. I suspect Steven Gerrard will have plenty to say about the penalty not being overturned.
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Benfica have made a lively start to the second half, with the captain Pizzi forcing an admittedly comfortable save from Bernd Leno.
“Not really relevant to the football, but that was a wonderful song you linked to earlier,” says Matt Dony. “I’ve never heard of Lael Neale, but the Sub Pop logo was more than enough to tempt me. Until I was about 13, I desperately wanted to be Liverpool’s striker. Then I discovered music, and all I could dream of was signing a contract with Sub Pop. I have thus far conspicuously failed to realise either dream. Ah well. Still time, I guess.”
Especially with the way Firmino’s playing roflcopter.
Peep peep! The second halves are under way. Most of them, anyway: Rangers are a bit behind due to the four hours of added time in the first half.
Right, these are the half-time scores. Study them, digest them, embrace them while I get a drink.
Antwerp 2-1 Rangers
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal
Granada 2-0 Napoli
Lille 0-0 Ajax
Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim
Salzburg 0-1 Villarreal
Half time: Antwerp 2-1 Rangers How did that happen? Rangers were good for most of the first half yet they find themselves 2-1 down. Their frustration will be compounded by the fact the penalty was such a soft one, with Davis barely touching Refaelov.
Rangers have also lost two players to injury: James Tavernier early on and now Kemar Roofe, who was replaced by Ryan Kent just before the penalty.
Refaelov curls he penalty over McGregor, who went the right way but couldn’t reach it.
PENALTY TO ANTWERP! Steven Davis has been penalised - harshly, I think - for a challenge on Refaelov. We’re in the seventh of four added minutes.
GOAL! Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim (Baumgartner 45+3)
Half time: Benfica 0-0 Arsenal A low-key first half in Rome. Arsenal were the dominant side, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed an absolute sitter, but the pace of play has been very slow.
Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
Antwerp have equalised out of nothing! A free-kick on the right was curled towards the edge of the Rangers area, where Felipe Avenatti strained his neck muscles to loop a superb header over McGregor and into the corner. That’s a brilliant finish.
Photograph: Francisco Seco/AP
“‘Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea’,” says Ed Rostron of the Granada goalscorer. “Do you think it’ll say that on his gravestone?”
GOAL! Salzburg 0-1 Villarreal (Alcacer 41) Paco Alcacer has put Villarreal in front in Austria.
GOAL! Molde 1-2 Hoffenheim (Ellingsen 41) Martin Ellingsen gets one back for Molde.
Rangers take the lead! The keeper Alireza Beiranvand came a long way off his line to dive at the feet of Roofe, but the ball slithered out of his grasp towards Morelos. He laid it back to Joe Aribo, who curled the ball calmly into the empty net from 25 yards. After a slow start, Rangers have been the better team and deserve to be in front.
Joe Aribo celebrates the opener in Antwerp. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
“Naples calling,” says Colum Fordham. “A bit of a nightmare start for Napoli with manager Rino Gattuso under pressure. Napoli just edged The Arch Enemy Juventus on Saturday 1-0 but this doesn’t bode well for their Europa League hopes. Hope local heartthrob Insigne comes up with a bit of magic.”
Imagine telling Rino Gattuso he’s fired. I’d probably do it via WhatsApp and then change the locks.
Gattuso. Not happy. Photograph: Álex Cámara/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
GOAL! Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (Patrick 31) And it’s in there from Alan Patrick!
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal A good Benfica attack ends with a low shot from Darwin Nunez that is saved at the second attempt by Leno.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers An excellent chance for Morelos, who goes through one on one but hammers his shot straight at Alireza Beiranvand.
Photograph: Francisco Seco/AP
GOAL! Molde 0-2 Hoffenheim (Dabbur 28) A second goal for Munas Dabbur.
Wolfsberger 1-4 Spurs
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Every time I look at this game, Arsenal have the ball. Charles Antaki will be thrilled to hear that Benfica don’t look up to much.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers Tavernier is replaced by Leon Balogun.
GOAL! Granada 2-0 Napoli (Kenedy 21) Two in three minutes for Granada! Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, has got the second.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers The Rangers captain Jame Tavernier is struggling after injuring his knee during a block tackle on the edge of the Antwerp area. I don’t think he’ll be able to continue.
GOAL! Granada 1-0 Napoli (Herrera 19) Yangel Herrera has put Granada ahead in - where’s this being played - Granada.
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has missed a rare old sitter, sliding Bellerin’s low cross past the post from eight yards. That was a shocking miss for a player of his class.
There isn’t a huge amount going on. These are the latest scores:
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal
Granada 0-0 Napoli
Lille 0-0 Ajax
Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Molde 0-1 Hoffenheim
Salzburg 0-0 Villarreal
“Lovely Arsenal v Benfica video you shared, and super nice to see Yuran and Kulkov combining to score,” says Philip Bickerstaffe. “Not something we saw much of five years later when they both came to the Den to join Millwall.”
That’s the year you were relegated after being top early in the season, isn’t it? Or was that 1989-90?
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Sterile domination so far from Arsenal, though I suppose that’s better than being 4-0 down. They have looked confident in possession, if slightly one-paced.
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