Greece vs England live updates: Harry Kane benched for UEFA ...
42' Greece 0-1 England
The idiosyncratic officiating continues, as Giorgos Masouras has a tug at the shirt of Curtis Jones.
It earns England a free kick and in those heady few minutes earlier in this first half, it would have also earned a booking.
Masouras is already on a yellow card tonight too. Lucky boy.
41' Greece 0-1 England
They’ve had to ride out a bit of pressure from Greece in the latter stages of this first half, but England have done it — and are now trying to sit on the ball a little.
They’ll know they want a second goal but they are also showing a great deal of patience and composure right now in when they can step on the gas.
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38' Greece 0-1 England
England under a bit of pressure now. Jordan Pickford had to save very well to his right from Kostas Tsimikas.
Greece have probably been on top for the last five or 10 minutes.
They're keeping the ball well and playing round England. Something needs to change.
36' Greece 0-1 England
Greece maybe finding more territory and possession in the last few minutes, but Jude Bellingham breaks free from midfield all the way into the the hosts’ 18-yard box and suddenly England are threatening.
Konstantinos Koulierakis defends it really well and England have to settle for a corner that doesn’t come to much.
But those exchanges show how this game remains in the balance, even though England currently lead from that early Watkins goal.
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33' Greece 0-1 England
A Greece corner requires Pickford to come out and punch clear again, and he does it.
But the dynamic of this game has shifted a bit now. England are having to watch their defensive third and Christos Tzolis — a player I’ve always liked since despite his struggles in the Premier League with Norwich City a few years ago — is starting to cause Kyle Walker some issues with the spaces he’s finding.
This is a fun game right now.
32' Greece 0-1 England
In a healthy counter-balance to the previous 31 minutes, Anthony Gordon shoves his man in the back as he tries to break forward and doesn’t see a card.
Maybe Mr Siebert has made his point already.
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30' Greece 0-1 England
Coming up to the half-hour mark and England sit on 71 per cent possession, while Greece are yet to manage a shot on target or have a touch in the England box…
And just as I type that, Tzolis bursts into the box and cuts back for Tsimikas who stings the hands of Pickford at his near post.
It’s a top save, and a little signal that the momentum could yet shift here.
Greece are finding their feet.
28' Greece 0-1 England
Blimey, this referee must have a tight turnaround after the game — because he does not want ANY delays.
Jordan Pickford takes his time over a goal kick, and despite launching it, Daniel Siebert stops play to book the England goalkeeper for time-wasting.
England lead the game 1-0, and the booking count 3-1 — and we’re still short of 30 minutes playing time.
23' Greece 0-1 England
We’re on three yellows for the game now, but this one goes to Greece as Giorgos Masouras takes a chunk of Curtis Jones’ shirt.
As least this one was for a foul, rather than ill discipline of running your mouth off like Gallagher and Bellingham.
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20' Greece 0-1 England
So far in this first half, England are playing well and 1-0 up.
They're trying to get Noni Madueke in down the right, with some success.
But those two silly yellows for Jude Bellingham and Conor Gallagher within a minute of each other won't have helped.
Makes you think we might get an Angel Gomes or a Morgan Gibbs-White in the second half.
18' Greece 0-1 England
It’s been a promising start from both Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke. Both are getting the ball and running with it, causing Greece’s full-backs to concentrate more on their defensive challenge than supporting the hosts’ attacks.
It does feel like Greece want to be more passive tonight, but with England now leading that won’t be enough on its own for them from here.
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17' Greece 0-1 England
England missed this incisive decision-making at Wembley last month.
The interchange between Jude Bellingham and Noni Madueke was crisp and the Chelsea winger's patience paid off as it gave Ollie Watkins the time to get into the perfect position behind the retreating Greek centre-backs.
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16' Greece 0-1 England
Free kick delivered into the England penalty box, and it needs Jordan Pickford to be strong and punch clear.
He comes out and even though the contact isn’t the best, it gets the job done for the moment.
14' Greece 0-0 England
An early chance for Madueke came from Anthony Gordon fulfilling the simplest task of a winger: attacking his full-back. No slowing the play down, no backwards passes, no lack of ambition.
It's one of the most competitive positions in the country, with Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, James Maddison, Eberechi Eze, even Phil Foden vying for that left-sided attacker slot.
At the moment, Gordon has it pretty much locked down.
12' Greece 0-1 England
Ezri Konsa seemed to encounter a laser pointer twice in the opening few minutes of this game.
It was evident on the TV replays after Vangelis Pavlidis' foul on Jude Bellingham in the third minute.
11' Greece 0-1 England
It’s a silly booking after just 11 minutes for Jude Bellingham, as he argues with German official, Daniel Siebert.
Then Conor Gallagher also gets booked a few seconds later for delaying a Greece free kick.
But those two decisions maybe say more about the official’s feelings at this point in the game than England’s misdemeanours.
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10' Greece 0-1 England
Ollie Watkins — of all people — puts England 1-0 up, turning in from Noni Madueke's low cross from the right.
Good work from Jude Bellingham to find Madueke there, a clever left-footed chipped pass into space.
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7' Greece 0-1 England
It’s a lovely little move this, as Bellingham does wonderfully well to set Madueke away down the right.
He draws in defenders, then gets to the byline and picks out Watkins who has a simple finish in a bucketload of space.
It’s not been the best of build-ups, but that is the best of starts for England right there.
7' Greece 0-1 England
ENGLAND LEAD INSIDE SEVEN MINUTES…
And of course it’s the man who’s come in for Harry Kane.
Goal, Ollie Watkins!
