League Cup Pitch Invasions / ICC Fifth & Seventh Place Matches / Tuesday Open Thread

Ok, I'm officially ready for this season to start now. Alas, Hull City is still more than 10 days away. I'm getting desperate enough over here that I may actually watch some League Cup First Round action today.

Yesterday, League One Preston North End upset Championship Blackpool to progress to the second round, their 87th minute winner prompting fans to storm the pitch. Things escalated quickly from there, tridents were being thrown, and a steward even got trampled by a police horse. Yes, those Preston fans were desperate for actual football action, too.

Most of the rest of the first round is scheduled to be played today, and the one that got picked for TV (beIN Sport / Sky Sports 1) is Morecambe vs. Wolves. That sounds about as exciting as standing in line at the DMV but when you're desperate, you're desperate. You may remember Wolves - now less Stephen Hunt-y - from the 6-0 thrashing administered to them at Stamford Bridge in last year's edition of the League Cup, while League Two mid-table Morecambe is famous for ... having won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy eleven times? This party starts in 15 minutes.

Several Chelsea loanees may be involved in the Cup ties as well, while the under 21 squad - with Nathaniel Chalobah set to participate - has their final preseason warmup match away at non-league Hendon FC.

Later today, we'll have two of the four matches scheduled to be played at Miami's Sun Life Stadium for the International Champions Cup. That pitch is going be "ah-mazing" by the time we play, no? Everton will duke it out for fifth in the nightcap (9pm EDT), while earlier (6:30pm EDT) Juventus will take on Internazionale to decide that all-important seventh place.

Discuss.