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04:25 PM
23 mins
A ball from deep finds Dias at the far post, who leaves Manuel Neuer stranded with a header across the face of goal.
Nobody gets on the end of it, unfortunately. Having made a modest start to the game, Portugal are growing in stature.
04:23 PM
21 mins
Ronaldo lofts a ball to Jota, whose shot is blocked.
Just before that, Ronaldo had beaten Rudiger with a clever flick before moving the ball on with a no-look back heel. Rudiger will be livid.
04:21 PM
17 mins
Gosens gets in behind on the left and unleashes a shot at Patricio from a tight angle, but it’s saved.
Having started so brightly, Germany must be wondering how they are a goal behind. They seem intent on picking up where they left off, moving the ball with purpose, but Portugal have shown just how dangerous they can be.
04:17 PM
GOAL! Portugal 1 Germany 0
With their first chance of the match, Portugal score.
Breaking at a Germany corner, Bernardo Silva sends a raking long ball up to Diogo Jota. He squares to Ronaldo, who scores a tap-in. They made that look ridiculously easy.
04:13 PM
12 mins
Thomas Muller has a speculative effort which is easily saved by Patricio.
04:11 PM
9 mins
Havertz forces Patricio into a diving save from distance, but he can only parry the ball into the path of Gnabry.
Regaining his composure, Patricio does just enough to force the Bayern Munich man wide. Germany have made a strong start here.
04:10 PM
DISALLOWED GOAL!
Matthias Ginter whips the ball into the box and, though it fails to find Serge Gnabry’s outstretched toe, it falls for Robin Gosens at the far post and he rifles into the back of the net.
Portugal protest vociferously and referee Anthony Taylor calls on VAR. Replays show that Gnabry was narrowly offside when Ginter played the ball and, having been in Rui Patricio’s eyeline, the goal is ruled out for offside.
04:04 PM
2 mins
Kai Havertz makes an early foray forward on the left, but his final ball is blocked.
Germany move the ball around nicely, feeling their way into the game. Portugal look perfectly happy to sit back and hold their shape.
04:00 PM
Peep!
We’re underway at the Allianz Arena.
03:58 PM
National anthems
… have been sung solemnly, meaning we’re about to kick off.
03:54 PM
Players in the tunnel
… and it’s all smiles on both sides.
Do those smiles disguise the cold, oppressive anxiety within? Maybe.
03:45 PM
Hot, hot, hot
It’s currently a spicy 31 degrees in Munich and, while the temperature will drop as the game goes on, this could be an energy-sapping affair.
03:30 PM
Portugal fans arriving in numbers
… and they’ve already won when it comes to novelty eyewear.
03:20 PM
Hungary hold France to a draw
… the final whistle has gone at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium, with Attila Fiola’s goal in first-half stoppage time enough to secure Hungary a point against France.
Portugal now know that a draw would take them top of Group F on goal difference. Germany, meanwhile, know that defeat would leave them rock bottom.
03:00 PM
Santos sticks
… rather than twist, also naming an unchanged starting XI.
02:58 PM
Germany unchanged
In answer to the question we posed earlier: yes, Low has indeed stuck with a back three.
Not only that, he’s named an unchanged starting line-up. That’s a brave call but, if Germany lose, he’ll be monstered for it.
02:52 PM
Germany team news
02:52 PM
Portugal team news
02:45 PM
Will Low stick with a back three?
While Low has found his tactics called into question ever since Germany’s disappointing group-stage exit at Russia 2018, his use of a three-man defence going into this tournament has been especially contentious.
Having had so much success with a 4-2-3-1 (or 4-3-3) formation during his World Cup-winning heyday, he made the switch to a back three in response to Germany’s shaky defensive record towards the end of last year.
It has also given him a chance to reintroduce Mats Hummels alongside two younger, faster defenders in Antonio Rudiger and Matthias Ginter, though Hummels still struggled against France and ultimately scored the own goal which decided the game.
There’s a growing clamour among Germany supporters for a return to a back four, so it will be interesting to see whether Low relents or perseveres.
02:35 PM
Meanwhile, in Group F’s other game of the day
… France have equalised against Hungary thanks to a goal from Antoine Griezmann.
If you’d like to keep up with that match as well, our live blog can be found here. Open another tab, go on, treat yourself.
02:25 PM
Germany looking to get back on track
After defeat to France in their opening game of the tournament, this could be make-or-break for Germany.
While losing 1-0 to the world champions might not seem like a cause for panic – even if the scoreline could have been considerably worse were it not for several timely VAR interventions – Die Mannschaft now have little margin for error in Group F.
If they lose to Portugal this afternoon, they will be hanging onto their tournament status by a thread. While a win and three points in their final game against Hungary might be enough for them to squeak through to the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed sides at the group stage, that would be an extremely ill-omened way to reach the last 16.
Even in their 3-0 win against Hungary, Portugal showed that they intend to follow the same solid, defensively compact gameplan which served them so well at Euro 2016. While Raphael Guerreiro’s belated opener and a last-gasp brace from Cristiano Ronaldo gave the scoreline some sparkle, Fernando Santos’ side had been industrious rather than inspired up until the last five minutes.
That means that, having drawn a blank against France, Germany’s attackers will have their work cut out for them. With the indomitable Pepe and Ruben Dias at the heart of their back four, Portugal have one of the most intimidating defences in the competition.
Speaking ahead of the game, Germany coach Joachim Low pledged that his side would find their rhythm going forwards. “Tactically we have to bring something else, more attacking power. We need to bring in more intensity,” he said.
“When we are in the last third of the pitch we have to stay there. Against France, there were situations where we played the ball back out and our opponents have enough men against the ball again.
“We have to play with a different dynamic in the last third of the pitch and take more risks.”
