Croatia v Spain: Nations League final – live

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90 min Another Croatia change, Majer – who was effective against Holland – replacing Kramaric. We’ll have four additional minutes.

90 min And here they come, Navas teasing a lofted pass in behind for Asensio. But he’s no one up with him so has to go for goal on his weaker right foot, sending an effort across goal and a foot or two wide of the far post.

89 min Croatia look like they’re playing for extra-time, while Spain are seeking a winner.

87 min Another change for Spain, Olmo replacing Gavi.

85 min Looking at that shot again, Perisic wasn’t close to the corner but actually a yard along from the keeper. Fati killed the ball well with his left, but rushed the shot with his right.

84 min OFF THE LINE PERISIC! This is great defending but he oughtn’t to have smelled it, Alba playing a clever pass into Merino who cuts back cleverly for Fati. He takes a touch and, from seven yards out, has space to shoot, but he concentrates on getting the effort away and on target, picking out Perisic who hacks clear. Released from the shackles of Spurs, he’s had a fine match.

83 min Persic escapes down the left again, released by a lush turn and outside-of-the-foot pass from Modric. He nips infield then tries to slide a reverse-pass in behind for Vlasic, but there’s too much on it and it runs behind.

82 min “As with every sporting contest, context is key,” says Kári Tulinius. “There have been major finals I didn’t care who won, but I’m finding myself desperate for Croatia to take this one, just so that this great generation gets the gold medal they deserve.”

Yup, I can see that. It’ll mean much more to them, so we’ll get more joy if they take it.

81 min Modric eases clear of Gavi, who schleps him back and is booked.

80 min Spain had a little period the last five but now it’s Croatia back passing it about. I suppose if they’re to win their first trophy, penalties would be a fitting way of making it happen.

78 min More changes, Croatia trying Vlasic for Ivanusec and Spain Nacho and Merino for Le Normand and Ruiz.

77 min Fati has made a difference, his pace and feet giving Spain a different threat. He burrows into the box, beating one challenge before being crowded out by another, and when the ball breaks to Asensio, he flicks it up for himself then swivels on the half-turn to shoot wide.

76 min Alba slides Fati in behind down the left, forcing Livakovic to slide into a challenge, and while he’s picking himself up, the ball arrives at Ruiz who, from 25 yards, swipes an outswinger that drifts just over the far angle. It’s not much, but it’s something.

75 min “I concur with the idea that the Nations League is worth persisting with,” emails Andy Flintoff, “for the single fact that it gives teams in Leagues C and D genuinely competitive football against teams of similar ability, with the possibility of qualifying for the Euros. It’s not much fun for San Marino (for instance) to get beaten in every match in a qualifying campaign, but they get a good chance to stick one over on Andorra or the Faroe Islands or similar, who they are very unlikely to play in World Cup or Euro Championship qualifying because they are equally low seeds.”

Yup, agreed.

74 min And actually, both teams are now looking long, which tells us they’ve run out of ideas.

73 min It’s been a while since we had any telling action. Spain just aren’t that good, while Croatia lack firepower.

71 min There seems to be a significant striking imbalance in the men’s footballing world currently. England have two forward lines better than those we’re seeing here, Brazil, France and Argentina too.

69 min “With regard to fashion rules,” writes Mary Waltz, “and white trainers with a black suit, there should be few rules. Unless you are in the military or a profession that requires uniforms there should be just a couple. Do your clothes fit your body shape? They must be clean. And men of a certain age and body shape should not wear speedos in public. You know who you are.”

If I wasn’t allowed to laugh at what sportsfolk wear, I’d be struggling for copy, and I’d be confiscating Gundogan’s medals for this rig.

67 min And here come the Spain changes, Fati and Joselu for Pino and Morata.

66 min Meantime Rodri, who’s been quiet tonight, suddenly unleashes a donkey-kick from 25 yards that screeches just wide.

65 min Spain are making changes, but not bringing on the players I suggested – it’ll be Fati and Joselu.

63 min “On all-white kit for keepers,” says Robert Knap, “I think Villa in 83-84 (or thereabouts) had the goalie’s second strip in all white. It’s a bit of a collector’s item I’d imagine - Le Coq Sportif may have done the best 80s kit (Hummels in with a shout too?)“

I love the Villa kits from that period, and I think LCS also made Everton’s 84-85 classic.

62 min Croatia make the first change, Petkovic – who did well off the bench against the Dutch – for Pasalic.

61 min Perisic is running all over Navas and again he sticks a decent ball to the back post, this one curled flat rather than stood up, and Pasalic is up above Alba but can only direct his header into the side-netting.

Jesus Navas of Spain struggles to contain Ivan Perisic of Croatia. Photograph: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock

59 min “Isn’t this match about more than just supporting the international game?” wonders David Wall, “perhaps because it’s a new tournament, but the Nations League seems to me to be unfairly undervalued. After all, this is the one international competition where you can genuinely say that there are no easy games. The winners will have played against only top level opposition, first in the division A group, and then in the semi-final and final. Even in the World Cup and European Championships the level of teams competing is not so consistently high. If it lasts through its first few iterations and becomes established I can see this becoming as highly valued to win as those other tournaments. that said, you’re right about the increasing encroachment into players’ time off. perhaps the answer if for FIFPro to get stronger than on this. a serious threat of industrial action from the players might motivate organisers to sort out the playing calendar.”

As I say in the piece I link below, I think it’s a really good innovation. It’s hard to get too excited about it relative to the bigger competitions, but it’s exponentially better than the friendlies we had previously.

57 min Pino releases Alba down the left and he stands up a cross, but Asensio is a fair way out and yanking beck behind ball to impart power, while behind him Gavi had a much better angle to run onto it and attack it properly.

56 min Again, Perisic blazes past Navas, but this time the man with the eyes comes back at him, Gavi also getting involved in the tussle to avert the potential danger.

55 min It’s been a slow start to the second half, and I’d expect Luis de la Fuente to do something about that because Croatia look the likelier.

54 min I do, though, remember Watford’s Steve Sherwood looking resplendent in red through the mid-80s.

Photograph: Colorsport/REX/Shutterstock

52 min “Shilton in white looks even more all wrong – a nightclub bouncer in a negligée,” asserts Charles Antaki. “Acceptable colours for a goalkeeper are, in increasing aesthetic order: lime green, orange, pink, yellow, green, black (but only if your name is Lev Yashin).”

As I recall, in England they almost all wore green until the start of the Premier League, when refs changed to that from black.

51 min Here comes Perisic down the left, chuckling a lollipop that seems him down the outside of Navas and allowing him to stand up a cross that Unai Simon comes for and misses! But picking up the ball on the right of the box, Juranovic can only drag a shot wide of the far post. That was a chance.

50 min “Two things are ridiculous here,” reckons Paulo Biriani.

“1) Spain’s high line

2) the Spanish manager’s decision to wear white trainers with a black suit.

Good game thus far.”

Yes, I’d agree with that. I’m of the opinion that trainers and flip-flops are the only footwear a person needs, but with a syoot, care needs taking.

48 min Something worth noting: Spain’s bench options are by far the better. I’d expect to see Olmo and Rodrigo if this stays goalless for much longer, especially if Croatia stay in the ascendancy.

47 min At half-time, Emma Hayes noted that Spain “can’t access the central corridor” because Croatia have a narrow three in front of their back four; I guess that’s why they’ve moved Ruiz up.