Team GB v Brazil: London 2012 warm-up as it happened

Six days, 23 hours, 56 minutes and zero seconds.

Oh, that old thing? That's just the time left until the Olympics officially starts. I'll leave you with that thought. I'll see thee.

Be sure to read the reports and reaction from today's games on the BBC Sport website, where you can also catch up on all the latest Olympic news.

"It's difficult because you want all 18 players to be fit, but you can't kill everybody in training. It's a difficult balancing act but this game will bring us on and we have six days to get ready for Senegal. We have a lot of talent in the dressing room, everyone is comfortable on the ball and we will get better, I've seen it in training. It's disappointing to lose but we will take the positives out of it."

If there is one big positive for Team GB tonight (and there weren't many) it is the performance of second-half goalkeeper Jack Butland, who looked class, making a string of good saves. Let's cling to that from tonight. Forget the rest. It never happened. So, to clarify, Butland good... that's it.

"I'm very proud to be the captain. It was a good game to be involved in and it's always special to play against Brazil. We knew it would be tough. They are ahead of us fitness wise and we have only been together two weeks and we are getting better and better and we will improve as the tournament goes on. It was a good benchmark for us."

"Next week is the most important one for us. We played against one of the most outstanding Olympics sides and they are one of the teams to knock over in this tournament if you are going to win. They are a very good side and well ahead of us in terms of games together and fitness. We have to take positives; we passed well up until the final third but we gave a couple of sloppy goals away."

Looking forward, Great Britain's Olympic campaign starts on Thursday 26 July with their first Group A game against Senegal at Old Trafford. They then face UAE on Sunday 29 July at Wembley and then Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday 1 August.

Great Britain's first game since 1960 sees them beaten. But they can have no complaints. They were beaten by a much better side, who have fully justified their tag as tournament favourites.

"Well, nobody could accuse Team GB of choosing an easy opponent with which to find out what they're made of - and coach Stuart Pearce will arguably have learnt more from this than against some easy, walkover opponent. Pearce has to pick the lessons out of this one very quickly. And someone needs to come up with some Team GB chants. Any ideas?"

Jack Butland again called into action. And again he doesn't let his side down. He saves a shot from Lucas, after the winger had darted into the box, and then superbly tips over an Alexandre Pato header from close range. Class.

Three minutes of added time to go.

We're into the final minute. Brazil come forward and again Neymar fires low at goal, but Jack Butland makes another excellent save to deny the ball finding the net with a strong left hand. You can see why Butland is so highly rated.

Brazil not putting the same level of effort into their attacks now. They know this game is won, they know they've been the better side and they also know it'll take a very good side to stop them claiming gold at London 2012.

Brazil are playing keep ball now. Great Britain are starved of possession and demoralised.

Neymar is dripping in confidence. He has a shot from an angle on the rigth, just inside the box and is a yard away from finding the far corner of the goal. He has some bad qualities, but he is clearly very good at football.

Neymar has a chance to wrap the game up for Brazil. He receives the ball on the edge of the area following a mazy run from Lucas, but his shot is low and easily saved by Jack Butland.

15 minutes to go. Have Team GB got a late rally in them? It doesn't look likely, but stranger things have happened.

No offence to Craig Dawson, but have two substitutions ever summed up the difference in quality between two sides?

Aaron Ramsey looks to create something on the edge of the area but his chipped pass forward - which was aimed for Scott Sinclair - goes straight through to Brazil keeper Rafael Cabral.

Lucas brings a fair reputation with him. Manchester United reportedly bid for him. To quote Jonathan Pearce on BBC One, "he is a flier". Ganso is apparently being watched by Arsenal.

Well played Neil Taylor! He has just saved his side there. Neymar is released by Hulk in the box but the Swansea defender slides in to block the Brazilian's goalbound shot from 10 yards.

There is some fighting spirit in this Great Britain side. They are refusing to lie down, despite the gulf in class between them and Brazil. It is great to see.

Suddenly, Great Britain have sprung into life. Danny Rose again does well to find space on the right before crossing, but just too high for Ryan Giggs. Much more promising from the home side.

What a save! Danny Rose accelerates and crosses for Craig Bellamy, who is just a few yards out and right in front of goal. Bellamy's first time shot is goalbound but does not find the net as Brazil keeper Rafael Cabral gets down to block superbly. It wouldn't have counted anyway as Bellamy was offside but the keeper didn't know that and it takes nothing away from a stunning piece of work.

Stuart Pearce is stood on the touchline barking instructions. It is difficult to see what he can do to get his side back into this game. Brazil have plenty of gears in reserve if they need them.

Brazil's movement is something else. They fashion another opening with ease as Leandro Damiao launches a shot at goal from an angle on the right. Jack Butland again does well to palm away from a standing position. It is only a matter of time before this becomes 3-0.

Brazil again come forward and Neymar sets up Oscar, who shoots low on target from the edge of the area. Jack Butland's first act is to palm the effort away from goal.

"Into the second half and we are back into pin-drop territory at the Riverside. Possibly people are trying to work out the upshot of Team GB's triple HT substitution. No such headaches for the Brazil fans. Unchanged, unflustered."

Brazil force the first corner of the second half and it is met by Sandro deep in the box. He is off balance, though, and heads wide of goal.

"It's fantastic to bring football to the north-east of England and get this region involved in the Games. And it's also great experience for the women's and men's GB teams, a tough match [against Brazil], but great for what they are going to experience in the Games. It's a very historic moment tonight, it's the first time a GB women's team has competed in this country."

As BBC One are showing the highlights (what little there were) from the earlier game between Great Britain's women and Sweden, I will point you in the direction of our report of that very game., in which the highlights are available via a video clip. The game finished 0-0, which I realise isn't the biggest incentive to have a look.

Oh well, this isn't the biggest boost to our hopes of Team GB men's football gold. Brazil are simply a class above. Just keep saying to yourself, "It's only a warm-up, it's only a warm-up..." You wait til the tournament starts, then watch us go. Right? Anyone?

Great Britain end the half with a half-chance as Daniel Sturridge's shot from the edge of the area deflects through and just past the boot of Ryan Giggs, who was onside and would have had a clear sight of goal had he been able to control.

Hulk, a man who defines the word "unit", is free on the left and looks to be lining up a cross but instead shoots low and just past the near post. Soon after, Neymar's shot from the edge of the area is deflected over the bar by Micah Richards. The corner eventually comes to nothing after another block and some desperate scrambling from Great Britain.

Five minutes to go until half-time and Great Britain are doing more chasing than Wile E. Coyote at the moment. Maybe they should buy a giant Acme catapult?

"Say what you like about Neymar, he has brought the crowd to life after first going down and staying down - was he really that badly injured? - and then scoring a penalty after Hulk was fouled by Richards. A first class pantomime baddy, who approached his spot kick like a high jumper with a long, curving run."

Neymar goes from the ridiculous to the sublime and back to the ridiculous again. He initially slips on the left edge of the area but gets up to gather possession and show a bit of slick skill before throwing himself to the floor far too easily. No need son. He looks to have injured his neck in his dramatic tumble and requires a bit of treatment before he can continue.

Great Britain are giving Brazil far too much space. Danny Rose is particularly guilty as he leaves Rafael with all the time in the world to swing over a cross from the right. His delivery is just behind Leandro Damiao, though, and his header goes tamely over the bar.

There is a fluidity to the Brazilian play that Great Britain simply cannot match. You can see that they are used to playing with each other. It is not only that, though, they also have a host of class footballers who know how to control and keep hold of a football.

Team GB are at least putting a bit of a shift in. Craig Bellamy earns his side a corner and Micah Richards meets Ryan Giggs' delivery with a header, but it goes well wide of goal.

Neymar looks to make a fool of Tom Cleverley with some neat trickery on the touchline. He almost manages it as well before the Englishman's grit wins out with a solid tackle. Two contrasting styles going head to head.

Much like the women's game earlier, this is living up to the warm-up game tag. The atmosphere in The Riverside is flat, the play littered with errors and lacking in blood and thunder.

Team GB almost respond immediately after falling behind. Ryan Giggs swings a free-kick to the back post from the right and Micah Richards nods the ball back in front of goal, but no fellow Brit can capitalise befoe Brazil clear.

Leandro Damiao heads wide for Brazil from inside the box. Even if he had put that in it wouldn't have counted. The flag was up.

It is eerily quiet at times at the Riverside. As my colleague Paul Fletcher pointed out earlier, the crowd have no established chants to fall back on. We need some creativity in the stands.

First opening for Neymar. He should have scored as well. He is away from James Tomkins and with only the keeper to beat but he puts his shot high and wide.

Daniel Sturridge has a crack from way out. It's a decent effort but always rising and clears the bar by a few yards. Positive stuff from Great Britain.

"First impressions - the match started and it all went very quiet. Almost like nobody quite knows what to chant. Somebody get something started........."

First corner of the game goes to Team GB. Ryan Giggs swings it in but Brazil clear with ease.

Brazil get us under way with Neymar getting his first touch. Believe it or not his mullety, alice band-flattened hair is quite conservative for him. He looks like a trendy hobo.

Anthems and handshakes done. All that remains is to get this Team GB show on the road...

"This really is a marker ahead of the Senegal game. The main objective is to get the whole squad fit and ready for that game. Daniel Sturridge will be fine. He has shown in training he is at it and on the back of that we have given him a start up front in his favourite position. How he is tomorrow morning will be important. This game is the biggest test we could have. Brazil are favourites and rightly so judging by the squad. We will come out of this game the better for it, no matter what happens."

If you want a crash course on this Brazil side and what their aims are with regard to this tournament and the 2014 World Cup on home turf I highly recommend you read Tim Vickery's blog. You've got time before kick-off. Go on.

Every single one of Brazil's squad have a senior cap. One of Team GB's players was collecting glasses in his local pub five years ago. Just saying.

"The Samba band has finished and we're now listening to an interview with a veteran of the Team GB men's team in 1960. The teams are back in the dressing room and the Swedish women's squad have just taken their place in the stands. This game is clearly too good to miss. The Team GB women's team are watching as well. Apparently earlier this week they gave their male counterparts a good hiding at pool."

The first issue is more complicated and not one I can solve here. However, I think most people in Britain are glad that we have a Team GB football side to support in the home games, regardless of how low the ticket sales may be.

Beyond England, only Wales of the other home nations have representatives in the squad. The Welsh national manager Chris Coleman did not want his players to participate but says there is "no drama" that some have gone against this.

The second of these is probably easiest to clear up. Stuart Pearce has selected what he thinks is his strongest squad. He doesn't think Beckham is good enough to earn a place on ability alone.

There have been two major talking points in the build-up to the men's involvement in the football at the Olympics (the first time they have competed since 1960): the hostility of the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish FAs to the idea and David Beckham's exclusion from the squad.

If you need any more info about the Team GB squad, why not check out our profiles. Along with all the facts and figures you'll need to get in the know, you'll also get the views of Match of the Day commentator Jonathan Pearce.

Stuart Pearce was not helped by being refused the chance to select players who had featured at Euro 2012, something he was greatly frustrated by. Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would all have strengthened this Team GB side.

"At another time after the tournament has finished when I'm expected to debrief my employers, I'll make that clear that maybe there are one or two individuals not here that should have been here," said Pearce. "I'll continually send the same message out that we have to take our best to every tournament we possibly can."

Even the most optimistic of Team GB fans will have to admit the squad looks significantly weaker than that selected by Brazil and Spain. Daniel Sturridge and Craig Bellamy are talented forwards but they are not Neymar or Hulk. Only seven of the Team GB squad have made more than 20 starts in the Premier League, while neither goalkeeper has made a single top-flight appearance.

In case you've missed it, here is the Team GB squad for the Games: J Allen (Swansea), C Bellamy (Liverpool), R Bertrand (Chelsea), J Butland (Birmingham), S Caulker (Tottenham), T Cleverley (Manchester United), J Cork (Southampton), C Dawson (West Brom), R Giggs (Manchester United), A Ramsey (Arsenal), M Richards (Manchester City), D Rose (Tottenham), S Sinclair (Swansea), M Sordell (Bolton), J Steele (Middlesbrough), D Sturridge (Chelsea), N Taylor (Swansea), J Tomkins (West Ham).

Beginning less than a month after the end of Euro 2012 and ending a week before the start of the new Premier League season, the Olympics men's football tournament is a 16-side event, with teams split into four four-team groups. Winners and runners-up progress to the quarters and on from there.

Argentina currently hold the gold medal/s, but are not in London to defend their crown, leaving Brazil and Spain the favourites to succeed them.

"Lots of positive talk from Team GB coach Hope Powell, although she said she thought her team looked nervous. The men's team have arrived, as have the Brazil side. Their video analyst is sat immediately to my right and if the quality of his recording equipment is matched by the standard of the selecao's play then we are in for quite a spectacle."

Now I'm back in the seat, I need you to get your Twitter finger moving and sling over your wit and wisdom and Team GB's chances not just tonight but in the Games themselves. You can tweet us using the hashtag #bbc2012 or text us on 81111 (UK). Make sure you put your name on the texts, though.

And we are back, ready to take on part two of this dual-gender, Riverside-based Team GB football warm-up extravaganza. The women have already done their bit with a 0-0 draw with Sweden and now it is the turn of the men, who face the sternest of pre-Games tests: Brazil.

Don't you worry, though, Pearce's boys have some talent too and will be desperate to make up for 52 years of Olympic absence on home soil.

We're just going to take a short break before returning at 19:00 BST with the build-up and then action from the Riverside. Speak to you in a bit...

And so we switch our attention to Stuart Pearce's men's Team GB side, who tonight face one of the Olympic tournament favourites Brazil. I'll give you three reasons why Brazil are one of the favourites: Neymar, Hulk and Oscar. You need more? OK then, how about Alexandre Pato, Thiago Silva and Lucas? Look, they're just really good alright!

"It was a very good contest. We were a bit nervous in the first half and played some good stuff, while in the second half the changes disrupted it a little bit but it was an even contest and we've learned some lessons. Ifeoma Dieke did well alongside Casey Stoney and Kim Little's contribution was good but she could offer a little bit more. Everybody has put themselves in a good position to start [against New Zealand], we just have to see if everyone is ok, there is a depth to the squad which is a good problem for me."

"You could tell at times that the players were not going into things fully but they are playing the Olympics in a few days' time so they didn't want to get injured and that competitive edge was missing."

As I've just mentioned, Team GB start their Olympic campaign on 25 July against New Zealand at Millennium Stadium. They then play Cameroon at the same venue on 28 July and Brazil at Wembley on 31 July.

"Team GB players wave to the crowd and can take encouragement from their first outing - however, there is clearly lots of room for improvement. The crowd has been slowly swelling throughout the afternoon and the sun is shining. It is less than two hours until the men's Team GB side take on Brazil - and there is a lot of the yellow and green of the visiting side on show already. Boro is going Samba for the evening."

Warm-up by name, warm-up by nature. It has been a useful run-out for Hope Powell's side, who will look for more of a cutting edge when the tournament gets under way on 25 July with a game against New Zealand.

That is just about it...

That was a great chance for Sweden. It falls to Emma Berglund from a rare corner, but her header near the back post is over the bar. Slack defending from Team GB late in the game, but they get away with it.

The 90 minutes are up. We're going to have three minutes of added time. Any goal now would surely be a winner.

"Scot Ifeoma Dieke has played very well and has fitted into the team despite not usually playing with most of them, so she gets my player of the match."

This might come as a big surprise, but we've got some sunshine at the Riverside Stadium. Team GB try to honour it with a winner but Fara Williams' attempted lob is poor and drifts wide.

That is an absolutely glorious chance for Sweden! Caroline Seger simply should have scored. A cross from the right lands right at her feet just five yards out, but instead of slamming it into the net she pokes it awkwardly over the bar. That'll be one she'll dwell on.

Last 10 minutes. Can either of these sides find a winner? Team GB are having a decent little spell. Rachel Yankey has the ball in the box and turns inside but she is off balance for the shot and it drifts wide of the far post.

Karen Carney tries to replicate the lobbed Beckham-esque effort of her team-mate Kelly Smith with an effort from way out. She does a good job, right up to missing the target as it floats over the bar. That illustrates Carney's confidence.

Nilla Fischer with a chance for Sweden. Team GB are partly culpable with a poor headed clearance from a defender but Fischer can't capitalise as her shot from the edge of the area is sliced horribly over the bar.

I'll be honest, barring that Rachel Yankey chance this game has gone extremely flat. There still aren't many people in the crowd, but they are desperate for something to get animated about.

"That was a great pass by Karen Carney but Rachel Yankey almost hit it too truly."

"Five changes now for Team GB - is Sven-Goran Eriksson in charge of this team? Sweden have now made four themselves and some of the sting has gone out of this contest. Worth noting that Sweden are without star forward Lotta Schelin today. The Lyon player has a slight calf strain."

Twenty-five minutes to go and this is really starting to feel every inch a warm-up game now. The substitutions haven't helped maintain any momentum the game had but it is a very broken, error-strewn affair now. Sweden are trying to forge something but only shots from distance that Rachel Brown is having no problems with.

There is very little to tell you about at the moment. Play is largely congested in the middle of the pitch with neither side able to impose themselves on proceedings. Alex Scott does have a chance to cross for Team GB, but her effort is easily claimed by Hedvig Lindahl in the Sweden goal.

"Space really seems to be opening up here - and Sweden appear to be doing a superior job of using it to their advantage. Team GB haven't really bedded down after their half-time triple substitution and it's a bit of a hands crossed and watch from the edge of the touchline job for coach Hope Powell at the moment."

Sofia Jakobsson looks a very useful player for Sweden. She has been their most dangerous individual in this game. She almost gives them the lead as well, running through to reach a long ball forward and skipping past Rachel Brown before just chipping wide from a narrow angle.

Sweden are looking strong now. They have another shot from distance, this time through Nilla Fischer, but once again Rachel Brown is there to claim the ball.

That's a decent effort from Sweden's Lisa Dahlkvist. The midfielder drives an effort on goal from 20 yards but replacement keeper Rachel Brown is well behind it. Soon after, Ifeoma Dieke does really well to get back and head away from danger after Caroline Seger had headed on goal with Brown felled.

Team GB's Kim Little has a pop from distance - about 25 yards to be precise. It isn't great, though, and drifts well, well wide of goal.

"Jill Scott has got regular England partner and Everton team-mate Fara Williams back alongside her now in the centre of midfield. Fara will be looking to make an impression as there is real competition for places in the squad."

Open feel to the second half as play switches from end to end. Rachel Yankey is heavily involved for Team GB but is dealt with well firstly by a Swedish defender and then keeper Hedvig Lindahl, who comes out to claim her left-wing cross.

"Being involved in it [the Olympics] and being able to see it all for myself has really opened my eyes. It's been special - I've tried to embrace it and I'm cherishing every moment of it."

"I don't think Kelly Smith will last the whole game but it's a friendly so it's about seeing what the other players can do when they are introduced. Maybe in midfield and up front we have players that can come on."

The Olympic spirit continues to spread far and wide in the build-up to the Games, as the BBC School Report illustrates...

School Reporters Trib, Jordan and Harriet from local school Macmillan Academy - which is also the old school of BBC Breakfast's Steph McGovern - got the inside track on Team GB when they reported from the pre-match press conference on Thursday, putting questions to coach Hope Powell and players Kim Little and Eniola Akulo.

"Hope Powell will be quite pleased with the possession that GB have had. Ifeoma Dieke and Casey Stoney have been solid at the back in their first game together but Kim Little needs to get in the game a bit more. Sweden are looking to sit back and play on counter and it's more our mistakes that have let them in. Caroline Seger should have scored with that one chance."

Team GB's women are warming up slowly at the Riverside. It has been a pretty even first half, with both sides having chances to score. There is enough on show, though, to suggest Hope Powell's team have the ability to do well at London 2012 if they click.

"A slightly frustrating half? But for some hesitancy in promising positions and poor finishing in front of goal their could have been some goals from both sides to discuss at half-time. Certainly, the gentleman in a very official looking Team GB outfit sat just a few yards to my left has been busy scribbling notes and letting forth the occasional and imploring burst of 'shoot', 'that should be ours' and 'give it'."

Team GB have the ball in the net! It won't count, though. The flag is up. Kim Little's ball is threaded through for Kelly Smith in the box, but the forward is past the last defender and rightly her neat finish is ruled out for offside. That should be the last act of the half.

More fine work from Karen Bardsley keeps the scores level as the first half reaches its 43rd minute. Sofia Jakobsson breaks the offside trap and runs in on goal and, despite good work from Casey Stoney to get back, gets a shot away. Bardsley drops to her left to get her body behind the effort, though.

"Sweden obviously do a lot of work on countering quickly because they have done that four or five times now, but they have had no end result. Caroline Seger has been their most effective player so far and has linked well with Sofia Jakobsson."

Sweden threaten late in the half. Kosovare Asllani evades a couple of challenges as she cuts in down the right to create a shooting chance from a tight angle. It is just too tight as Karen Bardsley gets down to block her effort from eight yards. Bardsley also does well to come off her line and claim the resulting corner.

Good keeping from Swedish keeper Hedvig Lindahl denies Team GB a potentially golden chance. Alex Scott digs out a cross from the right, which is aimed at Kelly Smith in the box, but before she can plant a head on it, Lindahl leaps to claim the ball with authority.

Sweden's Marie Hammarstrom has Karen Bardsley scrambling with a curling shot from 20 yards. The diving Team GB keeper is very happy to see is swing past the far post.

That is a cracking shot from Stephanie Houghton. Ellen White sets her up from 20 yards and she cracks it with her laces, but it just goes over the bar. Moments later, Kelly Smith provides a moment of class with an attempt to lob Hedvig Lindahl from way, way out. It just drifts wide, though. David Beckham might not be competing at these Games but Smith is doing her best impression of him.

"You would have expected Caroline Seger to have tested Karen Bardsley with that effort. It was a tired and lazy hit."

How are Sweden not ahead?! A bad mistake from Casey Stoney gifts possession to Sofia Jakobsson, who despite Stoney's attempts to get back, finds Seger in the box and with a clear shooting opportunity from 10 yards. She makes an absolute hash of it, though, and it tamely bobbles wide. Big let-off for Team GB.

The game is much more even now, although the shot count still favours Team GB. A few needless errors creeping in as well with both sides relinquishing possession in midfield under little pressure. Britain's Eniola Aluko is narrowly caught offside as she looks to latch on to a long ball. That was close.

"Kim Little is a bit frustrated that she cannot get on the ball, that's why you can see her roaming. The two Swedish holding midfielders are so far stifling the Scot."

Sweden are looking to counter in numbers. They have been caught offside a number of times in the last few minutes and all of them were tight. Team GB need to be careful or the likes of Caroline Seger could find themselves clear on goal.

"Hope Powell prowling the touchline as the Team GB coach watches her side's first fixture. She is witnessing a fairly even game as well, with both teams enjoying spells in possession. A few Brazilian journalists are killing time before their team play by having their photos taken with the match as the backdrop. This is the former home of Juninho after all."

That is the closest we have come to a goal. Eniola Aluko drives into the box down the left and cuts back for Ellen White, but her shot on the turn just curls wide of the far post.

First shot in anger from Sweden. They attack in numbers and Sofia Jakobsson is allowed to shoot from distance, but she scuffs it badly and it presents absolutely no problem for Karen Bardsley in the Team GB goal.

"The Swedes are set up with two screening midfielders in front of the back four with one of them being Nilla Fischer, who has conceded a couple of fouls already. They are trying not to concede, while Team GB's central midfield have Anita Asante sitting with Jill Scott trying to get forward more."

Good tackle from Casey Stoney denies Caroline Seger a clear sight of goal. The English defender smelt danger and reacted well to dive in and slam the ball against her opponent and behind for a goal-kick.

"It's probably a tactic of Sweden's to look after Kelly Smith carefully. She is one of Team GB's most dangerous players."

Big chance for Team GB as Stephanie Houghton curls a free-kick goalwards from 25 yards. It is well struck but not well enough that it causes the Swedish keeper any problems. Team GB have an early grip on this game, though.

It is Team GB again as the ball is fed in to Ellen White in the box on the right, but the angle is tight and she can only plant a tame shot into the arms of the Swedish goalkeeper. Looks like Dame Kelly's words have had a positive effect, because Britain are looking confident.

Team GB have started pretty well here. A good break from Alex Scott sees her dart down the right before cutting back to Ellen White, but her sliced shot drifts well wide. Promising stuff, though.

Swedish dangerwoman Caroline Seger looks to fashion something for her side from halfway in the Team GB half but Eniola Aluko does well to intercept and clear to safety.

The game is under way. Shame that there is going to be such little atmosphere in a near-empty stadium. Kelly Smith has the first effort from range for Team GB but if drifts wide. That drew some audible noise from the meagre crowd.

Former England captain Faye White on Kelly Smith's return from injury: "I spoke to her earlier, and she's been feeling really good in training and cannot wait for this. Since she was injured she has played 45 minutes for Team GB against South Africa and has played for Arsenal and it will be interesting to see how she links up with Kim Little, although they have not played too much together for their club yet."

Team GB boss Hope Powell: "Experienced players like Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey and Karen Carney are not starting, but the depth of the squad is there and those that are starting have earned the right. We will probably make changes at half time. Sweden provide the right calibre of opposition at this stage to test ourselves."

Hope Powell's side got some useful advice this week in their quest for Olympic gold. They received a motivational speech from Dame Kelly Holmes - a double gold medallist at the 2004 Games. We're about to find out how effective that was. The teams are out, and judging by the shouts of "Come on Great Britain" are raring to go.

"Kick-off fast approaching for Team GB V Sweden. Not too many fans inside the stadium just yet but that will change dramatically over the next few hours ahead of the men's match against Brazil at 19:45BST. A crowd in the region of 25,000 is expected as numerous global stars strut their stuff in Boro."

Today, the women take on Sweden, who should provide a fittingly stern test. The Swedes are pretty level with England (the team who provide the vast majority of Team GB). England beat Sweden 2-0 last time they played, which was a World Cup warm up match at Oxford, with Jill Scott and Karen Carney scoring.

One Swedish player to look out for is Lotta Schelin, a talented 28-year-old forward who plays for Lyon.

For the Games, the women have been drawn alongside New Zealand, Cameroon and Brazil in one of the competition's three four-team groups. The South American side, ranked fifth in the world by Fifa, undoubtedly present the biggest obstacle to Britain sealing the sole qualification spot to reach the quarter-finals.

Despite never having won a World Cup or Olympic title (although they have come mighty close, reaching at least the semis in all four women's Games events to date), Brazil have five-time Fifa world player of the year Marta in their ranks, and she alone makes them a potent foe.

Coverage of today's Team GB football action is about to start on BBC One. If you hurry you may even catch the end of Bargain Hunt. We've also stuck a video player in the top of this live text. A refresh of the page will bring you up to speed.

Many of you will already know that age restrictions apply to men's Olympic football, with squads made up of under-23s, barring three over-age players. However, no such age stipulations apply to women's football, so what you see today is the cream of the crop of British female football talent. The likes of Jill Scott, Rachel Yankey, Karen Carney and Kelly Smith will all be strutting their stuff this afternoon and at the Games.

Hope Powell's team is predominantly English - which is no surprise considering she is England coach and they are far and away the strongest side of the home nations. The only non-English players in the 18 are Scottish duo Ifeoma Dieke and Kim Little.

"At the Riverside ahead of the double header. The first thing I saw was a father and his two sons looking truly magnificent in top-to-bottom Team GB gear. Patriotism knows no bounds. In fact, there is lots of Team GB branding around the place and, most unusually this summer, it is not raining. Having said that, there are some heavy clouds hanging up above."

It has not been without controversy but Team GB Olympic football is finally a reality. Of course, the men have been here before, but not for 52 years, with Rome 1960 the last time a British side competed in the Games. For the women, this is uncharted territory as Hope Powell's side become the first Brit ladies to kick an Olympic football in anger.

Powell's team also have the honour of being the first athletes to compete at London 2012, with the women's football tournament starting two days before the opening ceremony. So this afternoon represents a pretty significant dress rehearsal.

To use Olympic parlance, we have turned the final bend and are eyeing up the home stretch as regards the build-up to London 2012. How are your excitement levels doing? Passions burning or has the rotten weather dampened them a touch? And what about Team GB football? Can you see our men and women claiming gold this summer? Have the right players being picked? And how is David Beckham going to fill his time this summer? Lots of questions, no answers yet. That is where you come in. You can tweet us using the hashtag #bbcfootball and text us on 81111 (UK). Make sure you put your name on the texts, though.

There is no getting away from the fact that sport is going to be coming at your face thick and fast come the Games, so we thought we'd ease you in gently with some lovely football warm-up matches from Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, featuring the women and men of Team GB.

First up, kicking off at 16:00 BST, we have the women taking on Sweden before the men take to the field against Brazil from 19:45. Two Team GBs for the price of one. You cannot say fairer than that.

Seven days, six hours, 30 minutes and zero seconds.

No, that's not the amount of time since we last saw the sun. It is in fact the amount of time remaining until this little thing called the Olympic Games officially gets under way. You may have seen the torch on the news.

Actually, having now read that sentence it is now seven days, six hours, 29 minutes and 51 seconds until the start of London 2012. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?