England 0-0 Rep. of Ireland
4. Unsurprisingly, England have taken control of possession early on – and they’re pushing Ireland high up the pitch.
In fact, every player apart from Jordan Pickford is currently operating in the Irish half.
England 0-0 Rep. of Ireland
2. Guehi almost sends Madueke sprinting into space down the right.
The run is good, the pass is decent enough, but the ball skids off of the wet surface and rushes out of play.
Kick-off – England v Rep. of Ireland
1. The Irish players come out of their pre-match huddle and – on Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts’ whistle – get this Nations League contest underway at Wembley.
The colours are exactly as they should be; England are in white and blue, Ireland wear green and white.
Here come the two teams!
The rain is lashing down over Wembley Stadium, but nothing can dampen the enthusiasm of the Irish fans, who have travelled here in their thousands.
Their roar their side on to the pitch, and the ovation for the hosts is just as strong.
Then it’s time for the national anthems – or as I like to call it, a cacophony of booing with some orchestral music playing in the background.
UEFA have tried their best to liven up international friendlies by concocting the Nations League competition, but it turns out all they actually had to do was pit England and the Republic of Ireland together.
It’s fierce. It’s feisty. It’s football – and more. Kick-off comes next.
