That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Nick Ames’ report on a pretty strange football match. Thanks for your company and emails – gooddnight.

Tomorrow’s games

• England v Iran (1pm GMT)

• Senegal v Netherlands (4pm)

• USA v Wales (7pm)

Statgasm There were 11 shots in the entire game, which is apparently the joint lowest since folk started recording such things in 1966.

Here’s Jim Waterson on the opening ceremony

“Under Tim Howard, the USMNT was a shining example of how with a crappy team, an awesome goalkeeper can save you from severe national embarrassment (to the maximum extent possible, i.e. not qualifying for Russia 2018 can never be forgotten), while also serving as a source of fierce pride,” writes Liisa Sletzinger. “I feel for Alsheeb. In other news, we’ll see how tomorrow goes without Howard.”

Brad Friedel is still going strong though, right? I still have nightmares about his performance against Manchester United in 2004, and 2005, and 2006, and 2007, and 2008.

A bit of England news, because that’s what we’re here for. Fifa have apparently banned Harry Kane from wearing a OneLove armband, and the FA are trying to find out what punishment they will face if he does so.

Chris Morris is really excelling himself here.

Who needs a drink? That was a forgettable and slightly weird opening game, won emphatically by Ecuador. Enner Valencia scored both goals in the first half, the second a memorable header, and Qatar rarely looked like getting back in the game. Almoez Ali missed their only clear chance in first-half injury time.

Ecuador didn’t need to score any more goals, so they didn’t bother (although they might regret that if the group is decided by goal difference). Qatar become the first host team to lose the opening game of a World Cup, and the whole experience seems to have driven Jonathan Wilson to madness. Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny!

90+5 min The substitute Rodriguez misses a half chance, heading Estupinan’s corner well wide. I think he saw it late.

90+1 min There will be 12 years of added time.

90 min: Ecuador substitution Alan Franco and Kevin Rodriguez, replace Estrada and the ever excellent Caicedo.

87 min “What sort of punishment should Qatari leaders receive for hosting a tournament for which they didn’t had a proper team?” wonders Yash Gupta. “VIP seat in the next World Cup draw and maybe hosting a Champions League final looks plausible.”

86 min: Just over from Muntari! That almost got things going. The substitute Muntari made a superb run onto a long, straight pass down the inside-right channel. The ball bounced up nicely on the edge of the area, and he struck a booming shot on the run that rippled the roof of the net.

86 min Ecuador break four on three, but Sarmiento overhits his through pass to Estrada.

85 min There’s very little urgency from Qatar, who look happy with the relative dignity of a 2-0 defeat. In truth, the second half has been dreadful.

82 min Mendez goes down after a slight touch in the face from Waad. Plata curls the free-kick straight out of play.

82 min Sanchez throws his hands in disgust when Alsheeb hoofs the ball straight out of play. Qatar have been so disappointing.

79 min Sarmiento misses a great chance, wafting over from 10 yards, though it wouldn’t have counted because somebody, Estupinan I think, was offside in the build up.

78 min Afif is booked for a poor tackle on Plata.

77 min “Since half-time, Qatar’s fullbacks have pushed further up the field, which has kept Ecuador’s wingers from surging up the flanks,” writes Kári Tulinius. “I think that’s the main tactical reason for the differences between the two halves.”

76 min: Ecuador substitution Enner Valencia, who scored both goals in the first half, is replaced by Jhon Cifuente.

76 min Enner Valencia is down again, holding his right knee. This time I’m confident it’s a genuine injury.

75 min Afif has a bit of time to line up a drive from 25 yards, but he swishes it high over the bar. He’s been really disappointing.

74 min The Qatar coach Felix Sanchez has hand over his mouth, his eyes focussing on a point roughly 1,000 yards in the distance.

73 min Sarmieno is fouled on the left edge of the area by Miguel. Estupinan curls the free-kick towards the near post, Hatem heads clear.

71 min: Qatar substitution Mohammed Waad and Mohammed Muntari replace the captain Hassan Alhaydos and Almoez Ali, who missed Qatar’s best chance on the stroke of half-time.

69 min There are two ways of looking at this non-event of a second half. One, that Qatar have restricted Ecuador to half chances; two, that Ecuador don’t need any more goals and have played within themselves.

68 min: Ecuador substitution Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento replaces the excellent Romario Ibarra in midfield.

66 min Nothing is happening on the field. Off it, on the other hand…

64 min “Imagine having Infantino’s confidence though,” dreams Ian Copestake. “I would definitely have landed that teaching job in Aberystwyth.”

63 min Preciado is back on the field.

62 min Hassan drives an angled cross towards the far post, where Pedro Miguel gets in front of Estupinan and slams a good header back across goal that goes a few yards out. He was a long way out, almost Steve Nicol territory, so that was a decent effort.

61 min Preciado is off the field receiving treatment. He seemed to pull something when he booted the ball downfield.

60 min “I am starting to feel sorry for the players of Qatar,” says Mary Waltz. “They look shell shocked, as if their limbs are frozen.”

Yes, I suspect they are better than this. And they will be against Senegal when, after a minor change to Fifa’s eligibility rules, Erling Haaland, Andy Robertson and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia make their World Cup debuts.

59 min Hatem is fortunate not to be booked for a hack at the impressive Plata.

57 min According to the Fifa possession stats, Ecuador lead 44-42.

56 min Mendez is booked for scraping his studs down Afif’s shin.

55 min: Good save from Alsheeb! Ibarra cuts inside Bassam on the edge of the area and whips a curling shot that is pushed away by Alsheeb, diving to his left. It was a relatively comfortable stop.

53 min Plata shuffles past two players, keeps his balance despite being fouled and curls in a good cross that just evades both Estrada and Valencia in the middle.

53 min “TV has just shown a close up of the most vocal Qatar fans,” says Colin Stevens. “on’t think I could see one woman amongst them.”

52 min The right-back Preciado shoots from 30 yards, and blooters it into the crowd.

51 min Ibarra moves into the penalty box from the left but then underhits a relatively simple pass to someone (nope, not a clue) on the edge of the area.

50 min Nothing much is happening at the moment. These sides play again on Friday – Qatar against Senegal, Ecuador against Louis van Gaal’s army.

49 min Qatar are having more of the ball at the start of the second half, though so far it’s all been in front of the Ecuador defence.

47 min “I rather like the ‘in contest’ possession stat, assuming it accounts for 50/50 balls and such,” says Tracy Mohr. “However, what on earth is ‘offers to receive’?”

A foreign language?

46 min Peep peep! Ecuador begin the second half.

The players are back out on the field, including Enner Valencia, whose knee injury mustn’t be too bad.

“Changing the fixtures and insisting on featuring in the showpiece opening game probably seemed a much better idea when the Qataris thought they wouldn’t be played off the park,” says David Wall.