KOSOVO CHAOS FOR ENGLAND IN SOUTHAMPTON
I confess I missed the first half of England's bizarre 5-3 Euro 2020 win over Kosovo as I am in South America and ballsed up the kick-off time.
When I managed to get my laptop connected to a stream thanks to a Colombian tech wizard, I blinked to see the score at the break was 5-1 to the Three Lions.
Well this is a turkey shoot I thought to myself and went away to make a sandwich.
"Was Kosovo in the Soviet Union?" my friend asked.
"Former Yugoslavia," I replied.
"What's the population of Kosovo?"
That stumped me.
"About a million," I opined. I was just under half wrong. It is 1.8 million (England's is 55.6).
When I saw the highlights of the first half I felt gutted I had missed it, but more for Kosovo's two moments of excitement - Valon Berisha's first-minute goal brought back memories of San Marino's Davide Gualtieri's opener against England after eight seconds in 1993, while Mergim Vojvoda's own goal was up there with the best.
England were slick and skillful in racking up the goals but it was the visitors' brave or cavalier approach which caught my eye.
Kosovo then went on to 'win' the second half 2-0 and goalkeeper Aro Muric, of Nottingham Forest, saved superbly from Harry Kane too.
England will qualify comfortably for Euro 2020 but let us hope the fearless, open attackers of Kosovo, full FIFA members since only 2016, will be there too.
On the evidence of the fireworks at St Mary's and a hitherto 15-match unbeaten run, they would bring some joy and verve to the finals and as debutants, win a ton of neutral fans too.
(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile