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!

Chapman stupid. That Charlton game. Mowbray selection weird shall we say. Then we actually played well and were unlucky/makers of our own misfortune to go behind. Then it went away from us. If I recall the stats were a bit like Rotherham away last season. If you just looked at possession, chances etc you wouldn't know the home side handed out a pasting.

There was a very personally engaging aspect to Ben. I will follow him at the yellow submarine- appropriate as a club currently somewhere between transition and crisis. He is such a confidence player he could just as easily become a cult goal scorer as sink without trace in Spain.

Curious- Anything about Adam Armstrong?

The Portuguese defence had the Polish forwards in their pockets. Struggling to think of a dangerous chance for Poland.

Ft. 2-0. Portugal defence far too strong and street smart. Hugo Felix took their second goal really well but best player on the park was their right back Gocalo Esteves. Biniek is very short in stature but looked a player when he came on. Forced the keeper into conceding a corner and looks pacey with body strength and a good football mind from his 20 minutes playing very wide on the right.

Biniek wins foul in dangerous position. Took 3 defenders to stop him.

Off the ball accidental clash of heads causing a long delay.

Bad looking injury to a Polish defender. I think that is all their subs used so won't see Nsongo. Another Pole down in agony. Back up. Biniek looks useful. Hard to see why he wasn't started.