Italy predictably dirty but Vigato is the best player I have seen in this tournament. Italian first yellow. Nsangou has created a shooting chance. In all fairness the balls forward in his approximate direction have been woeful.

Poland 1-0 after their own goal survived 2 scares. 10 minutes and Nsangou yet to have his first touch.

Nsangou starts. Biniek on bench. Poland have to win to progress. A draw sends Italy through on goals scored.

Automatic promotion. Fits with the three year project. JDT has said he expects us to progress so that is play-offs at least. Ben had a stinker second half of the season while Dack and Ayala were bit part contributors. Morton was better than many give him credit for but is not a loss of something special like Elliott was. Yes we miss them but it is not like the departures of the previous summer when the core of the team virtually had to be replaced. Last year's young squad has become this year's players with 50 games under their belts while Adam Wharton and Ash Phillips are almost certainly not only going to be claiming starting places at Rovers but emerging as stars in the division. No reason why the likes of JRC, Carter, Hyams, Buckley, Dolan and Szmodics shouldn't kick on and the three signings made so far look to have the potential to provide significant progressions.

JDT staying at Ewood despite attempts to lure him away is probably the most significant development this summer. Fantastic news for Rovers!

Oh dear, a Pears howler and we are one down.

Phillips born 26 June 2005 will be first choice by the end of the season with a scrap between the other 4 over who to partner him.

Happy with the two sides picked.

More than ten years ago as sophisticated Asian betting was getting going, a favourite was time of first throw in and the kick off getting "over hit"...

It wasn't me, it was the beer... Should have stuck with Junior. I would be very surprised if either Rovers youngster start against Italy. I wouldn't knock them for their performances here. The Poles look very under coached compared with the Portugese and even Malta had a much better shape and game plan. In both games the Poles seemed to have no sense of where their colleagues were moving to. There was close to no shape or instinctive movement and passing when in the opposition half. Looked terribly ponderous as the player in possession scanned the field for the next pass. Biniek in particular was guilty of under hit passes towards players who instead of looking to receive the simple ball had sprinted away needing a Tugay special to find them. Poland played virtually no triangles all night which is an instant tell that the coaching is not up to scratch.

Pienko got Polish 2nd. Finished 2-0 which means Poland have to beat Italy to progress. Portugal look the strongest outfit here.

Nsangou subbed. He touched the ball once in the second half.

Poland 1-0 after Nsango does enough to impede the keeper from a long throw and it was eventually buried after the ball ricocheted. Malta a straight red after same player made two red cardable offenses in rapid succession.

Malta miss an open goal

Unsurprisingly Biniek subbed at half time.

Ht 0-0

Biniek passing hit and miss. Nsongu no end product.

This is unexpected. The Maltese defenders are physically stronger than the Polish forwards. Biniek had an excellent run with the ball before being knocked off it.

Scrappy game. Polish passing not crisp enough. Poland down to 10. Two yellows for Matyevich. Both deserved. Both Rovers forwards survived the striker sacrifice for a replacement defender. Malta forced an excellent save from a free kick. Theuma for Malta looks a real prospect. Very quick forward with good feet and strength.

Nsonga started as well. Good close control. Fabulous save by Maltese keeper in the first minute. Maltese forwards very mobile.

Biniek starts tonight. Malta lost 4-0 to Italy who lost 5-1 to Portugal this afternoon so a great chance for Poland to get a bag full tonight.

His Spanish is quite good because he has been learning it ever since first selected for Chile. Plus his Mum can teach him but how his Stoke accented Spanish will go down in Valencia... Villareal have been signing non-Spanish players for years so if they don't have an extremely slick reception system for player and family by now, they deserve to be relegated.

Always dread the new shirt release in case it is something truly horrible. Can breathe a sigh of relief again.

Seen the pre game sprinklers over there? More likely to need water wings.

Duncan Ferguson replaced by a woman. That's a kick up the kilt. Come back Cherie Lunghi!