Aston Villa recovered from two goals down to reach the final at the expense of 10-man Blackburn in an astonishing game

Preamble

Martin O’Neill can take the Villans to their first cup final in 10 years if they draw or win at Villa Park tonight. They take a 1-0 advantage into the match, courtesy of James Milner’s prod home from a couple of yards out at Ewood Park, and should be expected to see out the job in front of an expectant crowd.

In fact so expectant have the Villa faithful been of late that O’Neill had to endure abuse from a small section of supporters after the 0-0 draw at home to West Ham on Sunday. You would hope a Carling Cup final at Wembley will finally sate the ungrateful few’s hunger for success, but the modern-day football fan is a strange, often overweight and quite lonely, beast so O’Neill shouldn’t expect an apology anytime soon despite continued steady progress in Aston over the past three and a half years.

As for Blackburn, it was refreshing to see Sam Allardyce state that Rovers’ season rests on reaching Wembley, not finishing 16th in the Premier League. It’s a bugbear of mine that often managers and chairmen suppose that fans will be perfectly happy to see their team finish in mid-table obscurity while ignoring the chances of success on offer in the Carling, FA and Uefa (Europa League) Cups. I’m sure at least trying in one of those competitions won’t scupper a relegation battle and give supporters something tangible to cheer. See you shortly.

Tonight’s teams cut and pasted off the wires

Aston Villa
Guzan, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Petrov, Milner, Downing, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Heskey.
Subs: Friedel, Luke Young, Sidwell, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Delph, Beye.
Blackburn: Robinson, Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Emerton, Nzonzi, Pedersen, Olsson, Dunn, Kalinic.
Subs: Brown, McCarthy, Reid, Andrews, Hoilett, Di Santo, Salgado.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

7.29pm: Football on terrestrial TV allows for a much more leisurely approach to a minute-by-minute report. As I tap away I’m being treated to a brief biography of the late, great jazz singer George Melly. He was a flirt, a surrealist, a writer and a bad jockey aboard a moped. I can also tell you that Adrian Chiles looks thinner and is sporting three-day stubble. Oh yes ladies, he’s single.

7.34pm: “‘The modern-day football fan is a strange, often overweight and quite lonely …’ I missed the first half of the sentence Gregg and thought you were talking about Benni McCarthy,” writes Richard Simpson. “Quality player though and I’d expect him to play well tonight, seeing as we’re looking to get rid of him for the less skilled, former player James Beattie. A bit like the guy who cheats on his gorgeous, high-maintenance girlfriend, with the local slapper he had a brief fumble with back in the 90s.” James Beattie is many things but a local slapper? He’s privately educated don’t you know. Unfortunately, your high-maintenance Benni McCarthy can only make the bench Richard.

7.39pm: “Regarding the last paragraph of your hastily prepared preamble,” writes the prolific Mac Millings, “you really are a sweetheart, and I’m sure Big Sam’s bosses will look at it in precisely the same light if Blackburn are relegated, but win the Carling Cup.” I know, I know, Mac, but I’m the kind of guy who cries watching very average American Indie films. Big Sam’s bosses can go swivel. Rovers won’t be relegated on the back of a decent Carling Cup run.

7.40pm: Has a trophy ever had a stranger name than when the League Cup was called the Milk Cup between 1981 and 1986? The Milk Marketing Board jumped at the opportunity. Imagine The Cheese Shield, The Bread Cup, The Beef Trophy …

Pre-match build-up: There’s a raucous atmosphere at Villa Park and a real sense of occasion. The club have even given the Villa fans mini claret and blue flags to wave around.

1 min: We’re off. Villa are kicking from left to right on my TV so you can visualise it. “Nervous Villa fan here,” writes the curiously-named Silver Fox. “Current form is a worry, one goal in four games and missing chances left right and centre. Plus Blackburn did create several clearcut chances last week and in some ways were unlucky not to come away with a draw. Just hope we play like we do away from home and don’t feel like we have to force the issue too much. We are better at soaking up pressure than countering quickly. Let’s just hope it’s half as good as last night’s fare. And by the way, Adrian Chiles is the biggest See You Next Tuesday going and not just because he is a Baggie. He has one of those faces that you really want to hit, you know the ones.” Indeed I do Mr Fox. I sincerely hope I don’t have one of them.

3 min: Villa probe down the left flank with Ashley Young. His first cross is blocked but he manages to find Agbonlahor at the far post with his second attempt. Agbonlahor tries to cut the ball back across goal but it slices off his foot and goes out for a goal-kick.

5 min: David Dunn, who by all accounts has been Rovers’ best player this season, does a double stepover and crosses from the left into the box, but it is deflected and then cleared. Rovers win back possession and the ball squirts back out to Dunn who has a pot-shot at goal which is deflected for a corner. The ball is swung in right underneath Brad Guzan’s crossbar. The Villa reserve stopper claws at it unconvincingly and watches the ball run away before being cleared upfield.

7 min: Downing skips past his marker on the left but his final ball is disappointing. He can only loft it into Robinson’s grateful arms.

Goal! Aston Villa 0-1 Blackburn (Kalinic, 9 min)

10 min: Rovers win a corner as Collins nicks the ball off Olsson’s toe as he looks to turn and get a shot on goal. Dunn swings the corner in from the left. With Guzan stuck on his line Kalinic leaps high above Warnock (who’s inches shorter than him) and heads it in off the former Rovers full-back to set this match up nicely – 1-1 on aggregate.

12 min: Samba looks hesitant at the back as Villa try to launch an attack via more direct measures. Emerton cleans up the mess and sends Olsson scampering up the left wing, but this time Cuellar sticks to his task and nullifies the threat.

14 min: Richard Dunne makes a fantastic last ditch tackle to block an Emerton drive from 18 yards after some nifty footwork from Rovers’ Dunn. The ball runs free to Downing who is stopped in his tracks by everyone’s journeyman, Pascal Chimbonda. The match is being played at a rare old pace. Great stuff.

17 min: Another Rovers corner after Kalinic tries to jink past Dunne and get a shot away, which the big defender does well to deflect away. Dunn whips it in towards Nelsen, but this time it clears him and runs out for a throw-in.

19 min: “Interesting point Gregg re PL survival or a Cup run,” writes Gary Naylor. “I enjoyed Everton’s two days out at Wembley last season, and I’d happily trade fourth for 14th for that. But the greatest game I ever saw was the infamous 3-2 v Wimbledon in 1994. More rested on that one game than any other and I never want to feel like that again (until Barry Horne’s thunderbolt went in anyway). Don’t believe me? Ask a Wednesdayite.” There’s another point of debate. What provides the better feeling? Staying up, or winning a cup/league? Meanwhile at Villa Park, Rovers have sat back and allowed Villa to dominate possession. It’s Petrov’s job to try to pick the lock in Blackburn’s defence which is holding strong.

21 min: There’s a picture of Blackburn’s goal – as you can see, Guzan is nowhere. Downing has adopted a more central role, allowing Warnock to overlap and get a handy cross in towards Heskey, but Samba beats him in the jump and clears. Villa are beginning to pile on the pressure, aided by a boisterous crowd who are continuing to roar their team on.

Goal! Aston Villa 0-2 Blackburn (Kalinic 26)

27 min: Blackburn score on the break after some brilliant short exchanges on the left hand side. Kalinic plays a reverse pass to Pedersen on the edge of the 18-yard box then races into the box where a pin-point cross goes straight to Olsson’s noggin. He heads it directly at Guzan who paws it into the path of Kalinic who strokes it home – 2-0 and well deserved. Sam Allardyce does a kind of Happy Mondays pillhead dance on the touchline in celebration. I wonder if he ever frequented the Hacienda?

Goal! Aston Villa 1-2 Blackburn (Warnock, 29)

30 min: Crikey! It’s all happening. Young races down the right hand side and plays a delicious curling ball into the far post where Warnock sidefoots it home against his former club. There are some protests from Blackburn, who think Agbonlahor tripped Nelsen in the box, but the referee Martin Atkinson, waves them away.

33 min: This has been a cracking tie so far. Blackburn looked to be half asleep when Villa attacked. Where they already dreaming of Wembley? Probably not, but Emerton was absent on the left.

35 min: Re. The Milk Cup being so named. “Yeah, but Liverpool more or less owned the cup in that period if memory serves,” writes Robin Hazlehurst, “and we all know that Ian Rush drank milk, that’s why he didn’t play for Accrington Stanley. It all fits. Exactly.” No Robin, I think you’ll find it’s egzaaaackly!

38 min: Penalty! Agbonlahor races clear of Samba after a long ball over the top. The big man wraps his left leg around but misses the ball and the ref has no option but to send the big man off. Shame that!

Goal! Aston Villa 2-2 Blackburn (Milner, 39) Milner, hands on hips awaits Atkinson’s whistle. Peep! He strides up and curls a delicious penalty past Robinson’s despairing fingers with pace and precision into the left hand corner.

41 min: The balance of power has shifted wickedly within the space of 10 minutes. Samba was clearly going for the ball, but missed after attempting a legitimate tackle. In such situations it’s a shame the team conceding the penalty can’t choose to give the opposing side a goal and keep hold of their player.

44 min: Blackburn are just lumping the ball forwards whenever they can get hold of possession, which is rare. With only the inexperienced, yet talented Kalinic up front on his own they cannot keep hold of possession. Villa play a short corner and work it out to Petrov 25 yards from goal. He prepares to shoot and unleashes a drive with right to left swerve which Robinson palms away for a corner. It’s Arsenal 1-2 Bolton and Liverpool 1-0 Spurs in the Prem in case you’re interested.

Half-time: Blackburn do well to keep hold of the ball with a series of short passes up the right wing and win a throw-in. Villa soon hurry Rovers off the ball and the referee blows his whistle to bring to an end a breathless first half. Your emails to follow.

Half-time emails

‘In such situations it’s a shame the team conceding the penalty can’t choose to give the opposing side a goal and keep hold of their player.‘

“The player himself is able to make this choice,” writes Graham Sherriff, picking a huge hole in my logic. “Either risk the red card and prevent a definite goal (assuming a penalty isn’t definite) or let the attacking player have a one-on-one with the keeper. Why give the defending team the benefit of making this choice a second time, just because they made the wrong choice the first time?” Understood Graham. I’m a hopeless romantic however and just feel that if a player makes a genuine attempt for the ball (not a professional clipping of the heels like in the days of yor) and gets it wrong it seems awfully unfair. I realise I’m wrong, mind.

“That photo of Blackburn’s opening goal is blatantly anti-American,” yee-hahs Bobby Otter. “In the name of John Harkes, I demand that you take it down.” America may be able to influence our foreign policy, but you can’t influence my MBM John, nosiree.

“You cry watching very average American Indie films?” writes Mac Millings. “I have been known to cry at adverts. Beat that, Roughley – and before you try, you can’t. I am more pathetic than you can possibly imagine.” Blimey Mac, which advert was that and had you just necked a bottle of gin first? That Bombay Sapphire is devilish stuff. Isn’t it known as Mother’s Ruin?

“George Melly was indeed a great Englishman,” writes Gary Naylor. “If you get a chance, watch the BBC Four doc on his last Alzheimer’s blighted days. Incredibly, it’s hilarious – but that’s the man and the men and women who loved him. I wish I hadn’t been so drunk at Ronnie Scott’s so I could
remember more of his notorious Christmas shows.” Alas I missed out on the chance to see him at Ronnie Scott’s and regret it terribly.

47 min: Apologies. A technical glitch has just stolen my first post but I can tell you that Collins gave a free-kick away. Blackburn lumped it into the Villa box but Cuellar cleared and Villa have got possession on the right.

48 min: David Dunn has picked up a knock. Just how injury prone is he? Salgado looks primed on the touchline to replace him. Nelsen makes a last ditch tackle for Rovers to prevent Milner getting a shot away from 18 yards.

50 min: Chimbonda does very well to block two shots from 20 yards out by Downing. Corner …

Goal! Aston Villa 3-2 Blackburn (Nzonzi og, 52)

53 min: Downing trots over to take the corner. He swings it into the six-yard box, where Givet tries to clear with his chest before Dunne gets a foot onto the ball and watches it clatter off the leg of Nzonzi into the net. It was an ugly goal and I imagine Allardyce will be fuming with the failings in defence.

56 min: The perma-knacked Dunn is replaced by Benni McCarthy.

Goal! Aston Villa 4-2 Blackburn (Milner, 57) The referee plays a great advantage as Chimbonda goes through the back of Agbonlahor. The ball rolls out to Milner who drives it with his left foot towards the top left hand corner but watches it deflect off Agbonlahor’s hands and into the goal. Surely that must be Milner’s goal as otherwise it’s handball. Hmmm. Anyway, the tie is a mere procession for Villa now.

59 min: Villa stroke the ball around to the delight of the home fans. Milner, Petrov and Downing exchange passes before the ball is worked up to Heskey, who, funnily enough, loses possession.

60 min: Nzonzi is replaced by another perma-knacked player, Steven Reid.

Goal! Aston Villa 5-2 Blackburn (Heskey, 61) Did I say this tie was dead? It’s now DEAD! in capital letters with an exclamation mark. Heskey takes a delightful chipped Milner pass on his chest, rounds Robinson and drives home with his left foot.

Goal! Aston Villa 5-3 Blackburn (Olsson, 62) Did I say this tie was DEAD!? Well it’s only dead again now. Olsson plays a one-two with Pedersen and races into the box to get on the end of the cross and finish with the goal of the game – an exquisite scissor-kick from 10 yards into the corner. MBMer takes deep breath …

66 min: There’s not been a goal in three minutes. What’s going on? Arsenal have come behind to lead Bolton 3-2 in the Prem while Liverpool are still 1-0 up against Spurs.

69 min: It’s all gone quiet at Villa Park. “I’m sure you’ve taken stick about your name in the past, and so I apologise, but when Mac Millings followed his admission of crying easily with ‘beat that roughley’, my eyes missed the capital letter and wondered if Mac was informing us about more than we really need to know.” Ooh, you are rude Mr Robin Hazlehurst. Heskey almost makes it 6-2 as he beats Nelsen to a header for the first time tonight off a Milner cross. Great save from Robinson.

70 min: The Beeb’s Jonathan Pearce: “Robinson for England perhaps in the summer?” Maybe if his main task is collecting the balls after training Jonathan.

73 min: Kalinic is replaced by Di Santo. Robinson hoofs a free-kick deep into the Villa box, where Guzan does well to collect among a crowd of players. Villa gain possession and begin another slow, patient passing move. I’ll dig out an email shall I?

76 min: You may have noticed Samba’s name crop up a couple of times depsite his sending off in the first half. Just testing to see that you’re still there … and you are. It’s always good to know. Meanwhile Benni McCarthy, who hasn’t been sent off, latches onto a long ball and from 20 yards out cracks his shot wide of the post when he should have done a whole lot better. McCarthy has been linked with West Ham today, but after that effort, Gold and Sullivan may decide to spend their spare change on someone else.

80 min: “Spot on Gregg,” says Tony in St Ives. “I’m with you. When a player makes a genuine attempt at a tackle and misses by a fraction a sending-off and a penalty is absurd. If a goalscoring opportunity is denied this is returned to the attacking side with the penalty award, and nine times out of 10 this is a better opportunity than the one denied. To ask the defender to be 100% perfect is something we don’t ask of any other player. If the foul is deliberate and cynical then fair enough but as it stands this is the worst rule in football.” Thanks Tony. Blackburn are having a little go now. They still need three goals in 10 minutes with a man less than Villa, but hey we all love a trier.

82 min: Great save by Robinson. Milner, who is developing into a fine central midfielder, chips a little ball through to Agbonlahor. He tries to nick it past Robinson on his nearpost, but the goalie does well to deflect it away with his feet.

Goal! Aston Villa 5-4 Blackburn (Emerton, 83)

84 min: What a bizarre game. A corner is cleared by Villa, but only as far as Emerton, who helps the ball back into the box only to see Heskey swipe and miss his clearance, which wrongfoots Guzan to allow the ball to run into the goal.

85 min: Blackburn hoof another ball into the box which causes mayhem among Villa’s defenders. The ball bounces free a yard from the goal-line, but Martin Atkinson awards a free-kick to Villa for some pushing. Did I say the game is dead? Well, it still is really – I think …

89 min: Big Sam can be chuffed to bits with the effort from his players. Nelsen has been brilliant in Samba’s absence, very often outnumbered but giving it his all no matter. There’ll be four minutes’ injury time.

90+1 min: “‘This is not football, it is hockey’ is how Mourinho would react to this game,” writes Silver Fox, a committed Villan I believe. ” There has only been 14 or 15 shots on target. We’re (just about) going to Wembley.” Yup, you are indeed, another goal!

Goal! Aston Villa 6-4 Blackburn (Young, 90+3) Ashley Young uses Heskey as a decoy as he scurries up the left wing before cutting inside twice and curling the ball around Robinson’s fingertips with his right foot. Ten goals! Brilliant fun.

Full-time

What a rollicking night’s entertainment. The Villa faithful invade the pitch to celebrate their return to Wembley after nearly 10 years. Heskey will play in his fifth League Cup final, equalling a record set by Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush. It was a balmy night and Rovers made it thus by fighting Villa all the way despite Christopher Samba’s red card. Thanks very much for all your emails. You can continue to follow live football with Liverpool v Spurs and Barry Glendenning. Goodnight.

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• Rigorous checks foiled smuggling of potential weapons
• Eighteen arrests made after trouble at Eastlands

Police believe they may have saved a player from being seriously injured after darts and golf balls were confiscated from Manchester United supporters before their club’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Manchester City on Tuesday.

A number of missiles were thrown on to the pitch during the game but officers from Greater Manchester police’s ­football unit believe the situation could have been worse had security officials not adopted stringent checks at the turnstiles.

Information had reached the police that United supporters planned to smuggle red flares into the ground, in order to ­interrupt a pre-match routine at Eastlands in which the lights are turned off and a giant image of a blue moon is flashed into the stadium. Two flares were lit but several ­others were discovered during rigorous body checks that stopped a large number of fans ­getting into the stadium before kick-off. More seriously, several supporters were caught trying to smuggle darts, golf balls and other weapons into the ground.

Eighteen people were arrested – six home supporters, 11 United fans and one neutral – before, during and after a 2-1 win for City, courtesy of two goals from Carlos Tevez.

There were other flashpoints during the match, including the United left-back, Patrice Evra, being struck by a cigarette lighter as he went to take a throw-in. The Football Association’s disciplinary department intends to write to City to see if they are confident of catching whoever was responsible and to determine whether there was anything more that could have been done to prevent the incident.

The FA has promised to monitor the return leg at Old Trafford next Wednesday, a match that could feature the return of Emmanuel Adebayor from compassionate leave. The striker is in Togo, following the machine-gun attack on the national team’s bus in which three people were killed, before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations. City’s manager, Roberto ­Mancini, has said his player “will be back in the next few days”.

Adebayor, who has described the incident as “one of the worst experiences of my life”, said last week that he could not contemplate when he would be able to play football again.

City are deciding whether to increase their interest in another former Arsenal player, Mathieu Flamini, after making ­contact with his current club, Milan, about a possible loan. Mancini is an admirer of the 25-year-old holding midfielder and has identified him among his possible transfer targets. Manchester City already have an abundance of players who can operate in that role, in front of the back four, ­including Patrick Vieira, Nigel de Jong, ­Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Gareth Barry.

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Press F5 for the latest posts or trust that our auto-update button will do the job for you. Send your witty words the way of barry.glendenning@guardian.co.uk, look in on Aston Villa v Blackburn and check all of tonight’s latest scores here

55 min: The experts on Sky have finally decided that Jermain Defoe’s goal should have stood. It took them 10 minutes to figure it out, while the linesman had to make his decision in a second. Well, about 30 seconds.

53 min: “Never mind the Brits or the MTV awards,” writes Alison Jeeves, everyone’s favourite box office manager. “Its all about the National TV Awards live here at the O2, where Jedward have just performed with special guest Vanilla Ice.”

50 min: Things that happened while I was waiting three minutes for my computer to upload that last piece of info: Riera hit the Tottenham bar with a header, Wilson Palacios got booked and Arsenal went 3-2 up against Bolton at the Emirates.

47 min: Just to be clear, Defoe wasn’t offside when Kyrgiakos passed the ball to Reina, but had been running back up the field from an offside position before the ball came to Kyrgiakos. This confusion over the offside rule and phases of play needs to be cleared up, because Defoe is entitled to feel aggrieved at being ruled offside there, while Liverpool would have been entitled to feel aggrieved if he hadn’t been.

46 min: Defoe gets the ball into the Liverpool net after Reina is far too casual over a backpass from Kyrgiakos. Defoe robs him of possession and slots the ball into the empty net, but the linesman finally flags him for being offside when the original long ball was played out from the Liverpool defence.

Second half: And we’re off, as Tottenham attempt to put an end to their dismal on the road record against Big Four teams. Or is that on the road and at home too. They haven’t beaten anyone from the Big Four in 16 years in one or both categories.

“Enough of Aquilani!” snaps Scott Connolly. “Degen should be a hero to every luckless, one-footed, nearsighted semi-athlete to stagger out onto a football pitch. He shows there’s a place in football for everyone. And that place happens to be out on the wing. When half your team is injured. And no-one has to pass you the ball.”

At the Emirates it is now Arsenal 2-2 Bolton Wanderers. That’s quite a comeback by Arsenal.

“Didn’t Nick Cave make that comment about being nominated for a Brit award?” asks Nathan Smith. “If so, is this an opportune moment to point to the Brits shortlist for the best album of the last 30 years? Jesus, almost certainly, wept.” Eh, I thihnk it was the MTV Awards Nick was telling to eff off, Nathan, but it’s all corporate bollox, innit?

Half-time analysis: Nick Cave also drove a Trashcan and stuck a 6 inch gold blade into the head of a girl, so he’s not the best reference,” writes Julian Menz. “Plus, he murdered beloved Neighbours actress Kylie Minogue in cold blood. I have video evidence.”

Half-time

45+4 min: Jenas and Defoe link up beautifully to set up Modric, who can’t get enough toe on the through-ball to test Reina properly.

45+2 min: Corner for Liverpool, the ball is arrowed right across the face of goal, where it’s cleared only as far as Kuyt, who heads into a thicket of bodies from 10 yards. The ball ricochets as far as Skrtel, who shoots high and wide from a narrow angle.

45 min: There’ll be a minimum of four minutes of injury time.

44 min: Riera whips another dangerous cross into the Tottenham penalty area. Kyrgiakos tries to get on the end of it, but the ball is cleared again.

42 min: Liverpool win a free-kick in the Tottenham left-back position. It’s floated into the mixer and Liverpool win a corner, which Riera swings in. Gomes punches clear, but only as far as Riera, who picks out Degen. Crouch clears.

40 min: Bale floats the ball in towards the far post, where Crouch tries to leap for the ball with Kyrgiakos holding two fist-fulls of his shirt. Ledley King gets on the end of the free-kick and brings a smart save out of Reina, but even if he’d scored, the goal wouldn’t have counted, as the linesman had flagged for a foul against Crouch. That’s ridiculous officiating.

39 min: Except, of course, for Javier Mascherano’s obligatory booking, which he picks up for a foul on Crouch. Free-kick for Tottenham, about 30 yards out on the right hand side.

37 min: The goal apart, this is pretty turgid stuff. It’s quite attritional in midfield, Spurs are creating nothing and both teams are defending quite stoutly. The balls pinging around between boxes, but apart from that there’s nothing much to report.

35 min: There’s a break in play as Degen and Bale clash heads and get treatment, then Benitez and Redknapp discuss whose fault it was.

33 min: But as Nick Cave said: “My muse is not a horse and I am in no horse race and if indeed she was, still I would not harness her to this tumbrel – this bloody cart of severed heads and glittering prizes. My muse may spook! May bolt! May abandon me completely.” Look, just vote for anyone from the Guardian, please.

31 min: Arsenal have pulled one back against Bolton at the Emirates, with lesbian lookalike Tomas Rosicky doing the honours. Meanwhile, you can cast your votes in the Best Podcast and Best Writer and anything else we’re involved with here.

27 min: Jermain Defoe gets a good talking-to for a late lunge on Degen that looked a lot worse than the challenge that earned Jenas a booking moments previously.

25 min: Spours attack down the right, courtesy of Gareth Bale. Between them, Philipp Degen and Albert Riera dispossess him and the latter sets off on a counter-attack that comes to an abrupt end when Jermain Jenas slides in with a tackle. He gets booked for his troubles, which seems a bit harsh.

24 min: Palacios gets unfairly penalised for a challenge on Aquilani about 50 yards out from the Tottenham goal. Riera shoots it straight into the arms of Gomes, when he should probably have worked it wide.

22 min: Here’s an extract from an email John Lally sent at 7.26pm: “If I were a betting man, I’d put money on Liverpool scoring
inside 10 minutes just based on this.”

21 min: Free-kick for Tottenham, way, way out, near the left touchline. Gareth Bale pumps it towards the goal, Liverpool clear.

19 min: Tottenham corner. Kranjcar sends an outswinger into the mixer, where Kuyt beats Dawson in the air, but only clears as far as Bale. He clips the ball back into the edge of the six-yard box, where Reina gathers.

17 min: Jermain Defoe gets penalised for being offside after sprinting back to claim a wayward Philipp Degen clearance on the edge of the final third.

17 min: At the Emirates, Bolton have just gone 2-0 up against Arsenal.

14 min: With a lazy pass under pressure from Defoe, Pepe Reina concedes a throw-in deep in his own half. Halfway through finishing that sentence, the throw had been taken and all danger had been averted, but I decided it was easier to finish it than find something new goings-on to describe.

12 min: “Next,” writes Mac Millings. “Intellectual Property Protection racketeers Net Result will be banning Christmas on the basis that there’s no Santa, gluing small children’s teeth back onto their gums to stop them believing in the Tooth Fairy and shutting down Guardian MBMs lest we think that there really is a Gary Naylor.”

10 min: An attempted Michael Dawson clearance from inside his own area rebounds off Wilson Palacios and suddenly the sprint to the breaking ball is on between Gomes and Kuyt. The goalkeeper wins.

9 min: Michael Dawson should probably have broken up the link-up play between Aquilani and Kuyt that led to Liverpool’s goal, but didn’t. He will, as they say, be disappointed with that.

7 min: Just before Liverpool scored, Spurs went close as Gareth Bale sent a sweeping cross into the corridor of uncertainty between goalkeeper and cetnre-backs. Reina could only parry it, the ball looked to be rolling towards Defoe, but Kyrgiakos cleared before Defoe could shoot into the empty goal.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Spurs (Kuyt 6) Great play from Aquilani, who chests down a punt from Reina, holds the ball up as Kuyt makes a run past him towards the Spurs penalty area. The Italian prods the ball towards Kuyt, who shoots past Gomes into the bottom right-hand corner.

3 min: Not much going on at the moment. The usual probing, passing and ball giving-away. Oh hold on, it’s all happening now because Spurs have won a … throw-in.

2 min: If you backed Javier Mascherano to concede the free-kick, you can go and collect. He clatters somebody in the centre circle, the ball is lumped towards Peter Crouch and he heads it down towards Jermain Defoe. Sotiros Kyrgiakos clears.

1 min: Liverpool kick off, shortly after the camera has finished panning around assorted banners in support of Rafael Benitez.

8pm: Not long now. The teams are out, with both sets of players lining up in their usual strips. Liverpool will play into the Kop in the first half. At the Emirates, Bolton are one up against Arsenal.

A chippy email: “Aquilani ‘showed a few nice touches but ultimately struggled’ against Stoke,” writes Alan Brady. “He came on in the 88th minute. Let’s not get the facts in the way of anything, eh?” Apologies Alan. I wasn’t aware that the three nice passes he played before giving the ball away for the equaliser were discounted because he was only on the field for five or six minutes. I obviously missed that meeting.

More on that Aquilani interview: “I watched that interview with Alberto on sky sports,” writes Anthony ‘Anto’ O’Connell. “I reckon the lad doing the translation was taking the piss. It seemed like Alberto was talking a lot but the translation was very very short.”

A rant: “Is it just me,” asks Justin Kavanagh, “Or do others get utterly disillusioned with football and modern life when they read about sour Scouse Steven Gerrard? He’s hugely talented, a great competitor, and he earns a banker’s bonus in a season. And yet he conducts his life under a great big cloud of victimhood and privilege – when he’s not contemplating leaving for Chelsea because he’s not loved enough, he’s demanding to know why he can’t inflict [Snip! Snip! Snip! – Guardian Lawyers]. I opened up a magazine the other day and he’s telling the world that he wants to be on a beach next year with a League and World Cup winner’s medal. I bet if that happened he’d be complaining that they’re weren’t waterproof or that they fade too easily in the sun!”

Pre-match waffle: They’ve showed an interview with Alberto Aquilani on the goggler, which I missed, but it seems he’s been explaining that he’s not Xabi Alonso, he doesn’t want to be compared to him and is looking forward to playing tucked in behind Dirk Kuyt tonight in a far less deep-lying role from the one in which he showed a few nice touches, but ultimately struggled against Stoke last weekend.

Aquilani’s shipped a lot of abuse since his arrival at Liverpool, which I think is unfair. He’s a good player who, between injuries to himself and others, hasn’t been given a decent chance to show what he can do in his favourite position. Tonight could be the night he makes a name for himself on Merseyside.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Degen, Mascherano, Lucas, Riera, Aquilani, Kuyt. Subs: Cavalieri, Maxi, Babel, Ngog, Spearing, Darby, Pacheco.

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, King, Bale, Modric, Jenas, Palacios, Kranjcar, Crouch, Defoe. Subs: Alnwick, Hutton, Pavlyuchenko, Keane, Giovani, Bassong, Rose.

Referee: Howard Webb (England)

Blah, blah, blah … Steven Gerrard, Yossi Benayoun and Fernando Torres … while in the ongoing absence of Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher lines up at right-back, with Sotirios Kyrigiakos getting another start in the centre of defence covering for Daniel Agger. Alberto Aquilani starts in midfield, but Maxi Rodriguez has to settle for a place amongst the replacements.

For Spurs, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe get the nod up front, Ledley King has hobbled out of the treatment room for one of his rare appearances and Robbie Keane will be kicking his heels among the substitutes. The Irishman can at least be grateful that there’s very little chance of him getting lost on his way to the bench at Anfield.

Anyway, tonight’s ding-dong. Tottenham currently sit in fourth place in the table, four points and three places clear of Liverpool, with the world and his wife waiting with interest to see when they’ll begin the inevitable slide down the table towards ninth place, which all right-thinking people know they’re going to occupy come season’s end. Indeed they may have started it already – only time will tell if Saturday’s 0-0 defeat at the hands of a Boaz Myhill-inspired Hull City will go down in the White Hart Lane annals as The Day It All Started To Go Wrong, Again.

Good evening everybody. You don’t need me to tell you that Liverpool are in all sorts of bother, the well-documented nitty-gritty of which you can read about here. And here. And here. And here. And here. And here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here.

But not for much longer here, because the squares at at the Fun Police are trying to railroad the proprieter of the (one-page) website into removing it on the grounds that “the site is mis-leading and likely to cause confusion to the public due to the association with LFC and the offer of an event that does not actually exist.”

No, really. That’s how little the good folks at Intellectual Property Protection racketeers Net Result think of us, the public.

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• ‘He is absolutely part of our future plans,’ says manager
• Australian striker McDonald could be on his way out

Celtic have reacted furiously to the ­suggestion that they will attempt to sell the influential midfielder Scott Brown in the current transfer window. A report this morning claimed that Brown had been told by Tony Mowbray in a ­meeting shortly before Christmas that he had no future at the club. The £4.5m signing from Hibernian, who is close to a return from an ankle injury, has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur.

“The story is absolute nonsense,” Mowbray, the Celtic manager, said. “I never told Scott Brown that I want him to leave the club. Scott is a huge player for Celtic and absolutely part of the future plans of this club. It’s disappointing that people are able to write things which are so inaccurate.”

Brown, who also played under ­Mowbray at Hibernian, said: “Obviously I am very disappointed with this article as there is no foundation to it. I have worked with the manager for some time and have a very good relationship with him.”

Celtic, who say they are ­considering legal action over the report, said in a ­statement that they would not allow ­”outside interference” to disrupt their attempts to reclaim the Scottish Premier League title from Rangers.

The Norwegian teenager Thomas Rogne has joined Celtic on a three and a half-year contract, from Stabaek. ­Mowbray is keen to sign at least three more players this month with Scott McDonald, the striker who has failed to command a starting place this season, likely to leave Parkhead.

Another player who could be leaving Glasgow is Rangers’ Pedro Mendes. The former Portsmouth midfielder is wanted by Sporting Lisbon and he could be willing to take a cut in his £25,000-a-week salary in order for the move to his native Portugal to happen.

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• Six players arrested over incident in Gosforth
• All unnamed players available for selection

Nathan Brown, the Huddersfield Giants coach, will be able to select the six ­players who were arrested yesterday on ­allegations of rape while the investigation is ongoing. The unnamed players have been released on bail until 18 March, while the police continue inquiries into the alleged incident in Gosforth, Newcastle in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The players continued to train today at the Giants’ current base in the north-east, and could be selected in the club’s two remaining pre-season friendlies. Huddersfield play Barrow on Sunday and Castleford two days later, and the club confirmed tonight that the players involved would be available for selection. Huddersfield’s first game of the Super League ­season is at home to Bradford on Friday 5 February.

Northumbria police have confirmed that a 22-year-old woman made an allegation of rape after an incident in Gosforth, Newcastle, but will not reveal the name of any player unless charges are laid. “Six men have been arrested and are currently helping with inquiries,” a statement said. “The investigation is in the very early stages and inquiries are ongoing.”

The Giants are conducting their own investigation into the matter while ­continuing to assist the police.

“Six of our players were detained by Northumbria police investigating a serious allegation,” the club’s managing director, ­Richard Thewliss, said. “All have been bailed whilst the police continue to ­conduct their inquiries. The club appreciate that the police have a duty to thoroughly investigate all allegations of this nature. We will assist them in any way requested. The police will now gather the facts and reach their conclusions.

“Any speculation is frivolous and risks damaging the reputation of innocent ­parties. So the full Giants squad will continue to train in Newcastle. Once the investigation has been concluded the club will make a further statement. Until then no further comment will be made by any of our players or staff in relation to this matter.”

The team were staying at the Gosforth Marriott Hotel after arriving on Monday for a team-building exercise and training.

Steve McNamara, the Bradford coach, will wait to give his major close-season signing, Matt Orford, his debut after leaving him out of the squad to face Dewsbury in a friendly on Friday night. Stuart Reardon and Glenn Hall, two other signings, have been named in a predominantly youthful side. The Australian Orford is likely to figure in the Bulls’ final pre-­season game, at Hull Kingston Rovers next Thursday.

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• World No4 keen to win third Order of Merit
• Eight of world’s top 14 in 126-man field

Lee Westwood is intending to pick up where he left off at the Abu Dhabi ­Championship, which starts , ­having won the Dubai World Championship in ­November to land a second European Tour Order of Merit.

The world No4 and European No1 spent Christmas in Barbados and then endured the cold snap in the UK. “I don’t think I have ever felt more eager for a new ­season,” he said. “Although I enjoyed the time off it was a long six weeks, especially with the snow at home. It makes you feel even keener to get out in the sun and start practising again.”

Westwood, who is now 36, is also keen to draw on the confidence he gained from winning the money list the way he did, with a course-record 64 to push Rory ­McIlroy into second place overall.

“It was a fantastic year last year, but at some point you have to stick it in a box and move on. I would feel disappointed if I didn’t achieve the same as last year, but the majors are where I can improve because I haven’t won one and that’s everybody’s goal.”

Westwood leads a field which includes eight of the world’s top 14 although the No8, Paul Casey, is feeling “only 95%” after returning from the rib injury which ruined last season. Casey leapt to No3 in the world after winning the BMW PGA Championship and by claiming a maiden US PGA Tour title, but suffered the injury at the Open and was ruled out for the remainder of the season apart from a brief but aborted comeback at the end of the year.

He claimed 10th on his return at the SBS Championship in Hawaii at the start of the year, but heads to Abu Dhabi cautious after a prolonged lay-off.

“There’s no pain in the ribs where I tore the muscles. I don’t quite have the full range of motion that I would like,” he said. “I’m still trying to get the range of motion. I am unable to swing the golf club like I was this time last year, but it’s still good enough to get it airborne.

“The goal is to stay healthy for 12 months and replicate the golf that I played last year. It was fantastic in the beginning and maybe there is a little bit of unfinished business.”

Ian Poulter had a five-week break over Christmas and is another who is keen to get started. “I like the golf course,” said the world No12, who had top-10 finishes in 2006 and 2008.

“Obviously there is going to be a difference with the new wedges in the bag. I’ve been practising and there is definitely a difference, the ball is definitely releasing out in chip shots.”

Geoff Ogilvy (9), a winner in Hawaii this month, ­McIlroy (10), Henrik Stenson (7), Ian Poulter (12), Sergio Garcia (13) and the 2008 winner, Martin Kaymer (14) are also in the 126-man field.

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Hit refesh for the latest entries, or set your browser to update automatically using the button below. Email questions, observations or gags over to paul.doyle@guardian.co.uk

Full-time: Nigeria are through to the last eight. Fleetingly they showed the quality that could make them a threat in this tournament – Odemwingie was especially bright – but for much of the game they were ponderous and if Mozambique had possessed a little more quality around the box it could have been a very different result. The Super Eagles and Egypt, 2-0 conquerors of Benin, will learn their quarter-final opponents tomorrow, and you will be msot welcome if you decide to follow that right here. Bye.

90 mins: Any chance of a consolation goal for Mozambique evaporates when, with team-mates awaiting a cross, Samuel blazes into the sidenetting from an absurd angle.

89 mins: Nigeria stroke the ball around, Mozambique scuff ineffectively in their wake. Only Rafael prevents further embarassment, thwarting Nsofor with a solid block after Martins had put his striker partner through with a neat pass.

GOAL! Nigeria 3-0 Mozambique (Martins 86′) Paito, impressive going forward but apparently not so clever defensively, was robbed by Mikel at the edge of the area. The Chelsea player\s shot was beaten away by Rafael, but the keeper was helpless to prevent Martins slamming in the rebound. “I didn’t write it while earning enough money, no,” protests Peter Wahlberg quite a lot. “Though continuing education is always encouraged, so in a sense I’m working, as I’m now the only American who knows what ‘wibble’ means.”

83 mins: Mozambique substitution: Danito on, Dario off. Nigeria decide to make a change too, bringing off Odemwingie and throwing on Nsofor, he of the above photo. “The Black Mambas are not Mambas anymore merely minhocas, which means earthworms rather than big chuffing Mambas!” So can I say that the early birds, in the form of Super Eagles, have eaten the worms?

81 mins: Martins scurries after a long ball and Rafael hurtles off his line to collect. He pounces on it but then careers out of the box with the ball still in his hands! That’s a yellow card for him, and a freekick in a dangerous location for Nigeria. Mikel rolls it to Odemwingie, who curls it over the bar.

79 mins: Much half-hearted faffing. “At the risk of being ‘one of the smart-aleky’ respondents, I would suggest that in terms of looking for somewhere to make a difference and achieve something in life, Scott W asking those who spend their working hours following a text version of Nigeria v Mozambique may not quite be the best people to ask,” lectures Michael Hunt, who is presumably well aware of the fact that his name can be abbreivated to somethign bart Simpson might use when calling Moe’s Tavern.

76 mins: Paito lofts another centre towards the, well, centre. But Shittu clears. “I have two words for Scott W: civil service,” wibbles Peter Wahlberg. “As both a philosophy graduate and government drone I can personally attest that he can take that big bucket of motivation and become one of the 10% who actually earn their money. Otherwise, might I suggest a move to Mozambique?” Presumably you did not write that email while earning your money, Peter?

74 mins: A dainty dummy by Odemwingie was the highlight of that little bout of possession play from Nigeria, and they were not terribly bothered when they eventually lost the ball deep in Mozambican territory.

71 mins: Another Nigeria change: Etuhu off, Ayila on.

69 mins: That match perks up! Top-class football all round – Dominguez controlled the ball wonderfully on the right, then spun and crossed to Dario, who’s strong header was acrobatically turned away by Enyeama. And with that, the standard of counsel for Scott W is also raised, slightly. “As one philosophy graduate to another, my advice is this,” intones Andew T. “Retrain in seriously weird physics, invent a time machine, go back in time, talk your younger self out of philosophy and into seriously weird physics,
then your younger self will invent the time machine sooner and so be able to spend all the time you’ve wasted in this philosophical low ebb travelling through time and impressing historical ladies with your predictive acumen. And visit the races a lot.”

66 mins: Nigeria change: Martins comes on for Yakubu. Mozambique change: Josemar is introduced for Bila.

65 mins: On the sideline Obafemi Martins has his hand down the front of his shorts, suggesting he’s either preparing to enter the fray, or he has an idea of how Scott W might make better use of his time.

63 mins: It’s all gone a bit scrappy. Nigeria aren’t particuarly bothered about seeking another goal, and Mozambique’s belief has died. The game seems to be petering out. “Tell Scott W to go back to uni and get a proper degree!” bellows a sympathetic correspondent, who’s named Kirsty and proudly adds that she is a highly-valued bachelor of arts.

60 mins: During a break in play the camera cuts to the erstwhile buccaneering Paito, who’s now gazing forlornly at the ground, as if he believes all hope is lost. Either he’s convinced the Black Mambas’ deficit is insurmountable, or he’s deliberately impersonating our friend, Scott W.

58 mins: Miro clatters into Kaita well late, and is deservedly booked. Meanwhile, no enlightenment for Scott W is forthcoming from our seemingly equally nonplussed readers.

56 mins: With the prospects of Mozambique storming back to win their first match in this tournament receidign faster than Prince William’s hairline, Nigeria are entertaining themselves by knocking the ball around leisurely at mid-way.

54 mins: A snappy interchange of passes culminates with Mikel threading a perceptive ball through to Odemwingie … but the linesman nullifies it all by wrongly raising his flag for offside.

51 mins: Samuel smashes a freekick over the bar from 23.35 metres. “I have a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and a big bucket full of motivation, but very little cash and zero job satisfaction,” whinges Scott W. “I am, you might say, at a low ebb. But with the darkest hour coming before the dawn, I was hoping that you could ask your readers – the nice ones, not the smart-alecky ones – to suggest things to do with myself. I would oh so love to make a difference. Or, at least, to enjoy myself.” Who amongst ye has the wherewithal to give meaning to this philosophy graduate’s life?

49 mins: Mozambique seem crestfallen since the second goal, and Pelembe seemed to have serious difficulty mustering the enthusiasm to chase after an aimless punt forward from Yusuf. Eventually he did decide to stretch out a leg and divert it to safety, a nanosecond before Yakubu collected it. The Nigerian would have been through on goal otherwise.

GOAL! Nigeria 2-0 Mozambique (Odemwingie 47′) That surely ensures Nigeria’s presence in the next round. Mozambique’s offside trap was embarassingly wonky, allowing Yakubu to skip free down the left and slide the ball across the face of goal to Odemwingie, who dutifully slotted it into the net. Too easy.

46 mins: Nigeria resume the game, and if the first few seodns of this half are anything to go by they will play with greater zip than in the first period.

Still half-time: The Nigeria players have taken to the pitch early, and are currently engrossed in a manly huddle in the centre-circle. Enyeama, for some reason, has changed jersey, switching from a bright yellow number into an all black one.

Half-time: Nigeria are on course for the knock-out stages, though have certainly not shown enough to suggest they will beat whoever they meet there (most likely either Cameroon or Gabon). Indeed, a Mozambique comeback here is by no means out of the question, as they were the more vibrant team for much of that first period.

GOAL! Nigeria 1-0 Mozambique (Odemwingie 44′) After all the decent efforts from distance by the Black Mambas, it’s a Super Eagles show produces the best one: Odemwingie picked the ball up some 22 metres out and then sent a low left-footer past Rafael, who beaten by the power and swirl.

42 mins: Paito is having a terriffic game, continually bombing forward from left-back. This time he elected to cross rather than shoot, but it was fratctionally too high for Dario.

40 mins: Yet another fine long shot from the Black Mambas – this time Enyeama tips Miro’s shot behind via the post. The keeper roars at his defenders for their repeated refusal to deny space for such shots, but is becalmed by the ensuing corner, which is feeble.

39 mins: Bila booked for backchat or some such.

37 mins: Awful defending presents Yakubu with a one-on-one chance, but in keeping with the sluggishness of the Nigerian team, the Everton striker hesitates long enough for Pelembe to get back and dispossess him. It is only cleared as far as Odemwingie, however, and then his blocked shot rebounds to Obasi, who sends a rasper fractionally wide from the edge of the box.

35 mins: Dominguez booked for felling Mikel – it actually wasn’t him but Simao who committed the foul, which suggests the referee has made a mistake of identity -I can’t mock him for that, however, because it is becoming apparent to me that the team sheet I have published bears little relation to the actual line-ups, at least not when it comes to Mozambique. This was one from our official suppliers, but it contains a couple of inaccuracies. I’ve changed it now though.

33 mins: Paito races down the left, looks up, and then sends a superb effort goalward from a good 25 yards out. Enyeama parries it again.

30 mins: When Tico Tico wound up a shot from 35 yards, ridicule seemed the most likely outcome … but in fact the 36-year-old hit a splendid effort, despite being off-balance, and forced a good save from Enyeama.

28 mins: Freekick to the Black Mambas. From 25 yards Lobo finds the target, but Enyeama deals with it comfortably.

26 mins: Odemwingie receives the ball some 15 yards out, swivels sharply and lets fire with a fine low shot. Kampango gets down well to thwart everyone’s favourite Uzbekistan-born Nigerian international.

24 mins: Yakubu waddles after an intended through-ball, but Pelembe beats him to it and wallops the ball out for a throw-in.

21 mins: About a dozen dozen of you have pointed out that the Egypt-Benin match is on Eurosport 2, which, I guess, means it’s about time I admitted I do not have access to Eurosport 2. Over there, it seems, Egypt are now 2-0 to the good. Here, meanwhile, Obasi has just perpetrated the miss of the tournament! After a freekick was nodded back across the goal by Shittu, Obasi headed into the supine keeper’s arm from one yard! Unbelievable! “it was too easy,” suggests Efan Ekoku from the gantry.

19 mins: That last break by Mozambique underlined the sluggishness of the Super Eagles. They have been ponderous and predictable in possession, so much so that their opponents appear lifted and now seem convinced their suprioer dynamism could be enough to give them the upperhand …

18 mins: A sudden shift of pace and Mozambique thrust through the Nigerian midfield and find themselves in a promising position. Tico Tico laid the ball off to Paito, who had torn up from the back … in time to spank the ball over the bar from 24 metres. Or thereabouts.

16 mins: Here, at last, are the line-ups:
Nigeria: Enyeama, Shittu, Obasi Ogbuke, Yakubu, Mikel,
Odemwingie, Kaita, Mohammed, Etuhu, Echiejile, Apam.
Subs:Ejide, Aiyenugbu, Yobo, Kanu, Nwaneri, Martins, Yussuf,
Olofinjana, Obinna, Odiah, Uche, Taiwo.

Mozambique: Kampango; Campira Samuel, Khan, Fanuel, Paito; Simao, Elias Pelembe, Miro Lobo, Genito; Dario.
Subs: Cossa, Lama, Hagy, Goncalves, Helder Pelembe, Parruque, Francisco Massinga, Vaz, Zinedine, Josemar, Sitoe.

13 mins: Mozambique attempt to familiarise themselves with the ball via some gentle passing in their own half, but once they cross half-way, Nigeria win it back. “Given your comment about the referee, it’s ironic that the match has morphed into Mozambique v Nigeria,” chuckles Chris Brock, who’s clearly playing to the gallery.

9 mins: See that change of photo? Performed with Okocha-esque skill. You can thank Gregg Roughley for that. It might be the last piece of Okocha-esque skill we see thius afternoon, alas, because the Super Eagles, for all their crispness and solidity in midfield, continue to lack creativity.

8 mins: Obasi profits from slack defending before cutting into the box and unleashing a swirling shot from a 16 yards that the keeper pushes away. It wasn’t a particularly tough save – the shooter’s angle was quite tight – but in a tournament in which the standard of keeping has been of the abyss (even by the usually accomplised Carlos Kameni, though not in fairness, by Didier Ovono) it deserves a mention. “In response to your question,” begins Tom Maxted. “no, it is not a pity that Egypt are not at the World Cup. Otherwise England would have to face them.” On the bright side, a Pharoahs’ victory there might have increased Shehata’s chances of being headhunted by a Premier League club.

5 mins: Mozambique venture towards the Nigerian box for the first time, only for Shittu to unceremoniously boot the ball back up the other end.

2 mins: Egypt are already a goal up against Benin thanks to El Mohamady, which means (a) victory here will put Mozambique through (b) my preamble is still sort of relevant.

1 min: Ah, there I was lavishing praise on the camerafolks (whom I rather unforgivaly assumed were male) when it turns out they are not even pointing at the match we were expecting: contrary to their advertised schedule, Eurosport have decided to show us Nigeria v Mozambique …

4pm: Ah, that was pleasantly abrupt: with not so much as a pointless montage to a soft rock soundtrack, Eurosport have veered from the Monte Carlo rally to Benguela, just in time to show the pretty woman that the camerman have picked out amid the sparse crowd – all over the world, it seems, the blokes who cover football have similar briefs. By which I mean ‘assignments’, of course – I’ve no idea what manner of underwear the Angolan cameraman is wearing, and rather hope he doesn’t deign to reveal it …

3:58pm: I’m getting a little anxious: with only moments till kick-off, there is no sign of an end to the car race that Eurosport are currently showing …

Preamble:
So then, anyone out there not agree that Egypt are the best team we’ve seen in the tournament so far? Ivory Coast have intermittently harnessed their undoubted offensive power, Angola’s front pair are nifty too, Gabon have been as well-drilled as we’ve come to expect under Alain Giresse, while by recovering from the brink of humiliation Cameroon have shown they retain their famed resilience, but no side has looked as consistently fluid and cutting as Hassan Shehata’s crew – and all that despite injuries to key players. All of which begs several questions, such as: isn’t it a shame they’re not going to be at the World Cup? Wouldn’t it be intriguing to see how Shehata – on course to equal CK Gyamfi’s Nations Cup record of three victories – would fare as coach of, for example, a Premier League club? And do Benin have any chance of winning today?

The answer to the last question is probably no, of course: not only because Egypt have only a rested a few players, and in previous competitions have proved fearsome oponents even when already qualified, but also because Benin are deprived of their best palyer, artful PSG schemer Stephane Sessegnon, though at least his absence is enforced this time (he’s suspended) unlike two years ago, when the German manager who took over the Squirrels just before the tournament inexplicably omitted him from the starting line-up in their most important game.

And another question: isn’t the identity of today’s referee an agreeable surprise? I’ve long wondered what he’s been up to since the demise of Take Hart …

Egypt: 1-Essam El Hadari; 2-Mahmoud Fathallah, 3-Ahmed Al Muhammadi, 19-Mohamed Abdelshafi, 4-Moatasem Salem, 5-Abdelzaher Al Saqqa; 8-Hosni Abd Rabou, 17-Ahmed Hassan, 12-Hossam Ghali, 21-Ahmed Raouf; 10-Emad Motaeb.

Benin: 1-Yoann Djidonou; 3-Khaled Adenon, 7-Romuald Boco, 5-Damien Chrysostome, 12-Felicien Singbo; 13-Pascal Angan, 18-Seidath Tchomogo, 4-Djiman Koukou, 20-Arnaud Seka, 11-Mouri Ogonbiyi; 8-Razak Omotoyossi.

Referee: Mr Bennett

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• Saracens director of rugby gets four-match suspended ban
• South African also ordered to apologise and pay costs

Saracens’ director of rugby, Brendan Venter, has been found guilty of “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Union” for comments he made about the Premiership referee David Rose.

Venter went before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel last night and was handed a suspended four-match ban from match day coaching which runs until 31 December 2010.

He was alleged to have questioned the integrity of Rose following Saracens’ 22-15 Premiership defeat to Leicester at Vicarage Road on 2 January. The former South Africa centre will also have to make a public apology to Rose and pay costs of £250.

The RFU decision read: “Brendan Venter was found guilty of an amended charge in relation to his post-match comments on January 2, 2010 after Saracens had lost against Leicester Tigers. He was guilty of conduct which was prejudicial to the interests of the Union in that he, whilst taking part in a BBC interview, implied criticism of the match referee by stating that he believed the referee had been influenced at half-time without any further explanation so that a listener might conclude the influence had been improper.”

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• FA ‘looking into’ one-fingered gesture in United’s 2-1 defeat
• Neville reacted after Tevez celebrated goal in front of dugouts

The Football Association has confirmed it is “looking into” Gary Neville’s one-fingered gesture towards Carlos Tevez in last night’s Carling Cup semi-final at Eastlands.

Neville was warming up on the touchline as Tevez celebrated scoring by running to the touchline and cupping his ears in front of the two dugouts, in response to the Manchester United captain’s comments that Sir Alex Ferguson was correct to let the Argentina forward leave Old Trafford last summer.

Neville’s reaction, captured on camera, triggered more taunts from Tevez. The FA, who wrote to Neville to warn him about his provocative celebration after Michael Owen had scored the winner when the two sides met in September, have now confirmed they will look at photographs of the latest incident.

• Paul Wilson: Will City ever be bigger than United?
• Daniel Taylor: Tevez makes Ferguson squirm
• Kevin McCarra’s match report: Man City 2-1 Man Utd
• In pictures: Tom Jenkins’s best pictures from Eastlands

City’s Pablo Zabaleta said Tevez had been determined to prove a point to Neville following the comments.

Zabaleta said: “One Manchester United player talked about Carlos before the game so he showed he is top class, a top player. He is amazing, everyone knows Carlos is a great player. Everyone loves him. This was a special game for him, one he has been dreaming about.

“I am aware of his qualities and think he can give a repeat performance against United next week.”

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BBC sports commentator and ‘the voice of rugby union’ for nearly 50 years

It was said that Bill McLaren, who has died aged 86, was the voice of rugby. Of course, it was never said quite like he would have said it himself, in his honeyed, Borders burr, tinged with the impishness that suggested that none of this was to be taken too seriously. He would never have said anything about himself in such a way, for he was famously modest, a son of Hawick for whom a day away from his home town was a day wasted. But in truth, he was much more than rugby’s voice, more its full-blown orchestra, devoted to the works of the Romantic movement, and only the Romantic.

For a year short of a full half-century, first on radio and from 1962 on BBC television, Bill’s voice washed over rugby union, soothing and harmonious. He saw no evil and spoke no evil. If there was violence, it was never anything more than “brief shenanigans”, and nobody ever kicked a ball badly, but merely made it look a bit like one of Bill’s own “scruffy nine irons”.

He played golf every day, come hail or shine, with his wife, Bette, whom he met at a local hop in 1947. When his body – never his voice – began to show signs of age and the second finger of his right hand curled down permanently into his palm, he was told that a simple operation might restore it to the vertical. He decided to leave well alone, since it seemed to improve his grip on his clubs.

As a rugby player, he was, to borrow one of his phrases, a “tearaway flanker”, a forward with the Hawick first XV, hugely promising by all accounts and fanatical from the day his father took him to see the New Zealand All Blacks at Mansfield Park, Hawick. I remember interviewing him once about his early influences, and he mentioned being impressed by the great Jack Manchester, captain of the All Blacks, in 1935. We searched and searched for images of the player and came up with a few grainy, jerky frames that stood in stark contrast to Bill’s sharp recollections.

The son of a knitwear salesman, during the second world war Bill found himself in Italy, a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. He was a forward spotter deep in hostile territory, often on his own, identifying enemy targets and relaying the information back to his unit. One day, drawn by the smell of decay to a village cemetery, he rounded a corner and was confronted by a mound of 1,500 corpses. The image would haunt him for the rest of his days.

In 1947 he was back in Hawick and playing in a Scottish trial. But in that same year he contracted tuberculosis, and so began the second fight for his life. At the East Fortune sanatorium in East Lothian, he was selected as one of five patients to take part in trials for a new antibiotic, streptomycin. Three of the five died. Bill survived.

While he convalesced, he began to commentate on table tennis for hospital radio. When he was discharged, he supplemented his work as a PE teacher with rugby reports for the Hawick Express, and was recommended from there to the BBC, joining the corporation in 1953.

He had some tests along the way, especially when his son-in-law, the scrum-half Alan Lawson, or later his grandson in the same position, Rory Lawson, were playing for Scotland. Or when some of his former pupils, such as Jim Renwick, Colin Deans or Tony Stanger, scored for Scotland. But his impartiality was never questioned. The Welsh golden age of the 1970s would not have been so gilded without the soundtrack of Bill to the exploits of Gareth Edwards.

Bill’s preparation was meticulous and involved a lot of card-play. He would shuffle a deck and flash through the cards, matching a player with a number. Having memorised the names, he then liked to watch the players in training, listening to them. It hurt him just before his retirement in 2002 that he was once denied access to an Australian training session. Professional rugby has not always been kind to the romantics.

In 2000 Bill and Bette lost their daughter Janie to cancer. It troubled him that he was not by her side when she died, but Janie had ordered him to the commentary box.

It was there that Bill became music. I worked with him for a decade, one of his many “second voices”. He would offer us that curled hand in a two-finger shake and a bag of Hawick balls, round brown sweets boiled in peppermint oil. He would then resume his consultation of his match chart, a mass of tiny notes in many colours, before, at kick-off, turning his back on us. It was nothing personal. It was just that Bill, given the choice of two television monitors, liked to hunch over the one closer to him. “Give me a wee tug on the sleeve, son, if you want to come in.” Sometimes you had to tug away for a wee while.

It simply did not matter. I suppose somebody had to be alongside him, to offer the odd jarring note, but once the game and Bill were in full flow, they were best left to themselves. Rugby for orchestra and full voice, and nobody made a sound quite like Bill McLaren.

Appointed CBE in 2003, he is survived by Bette and his daughter Linda.

• William Pollock McLaren, teacher and rugby commentator, born 16 October 1923; died 19 January 2010

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