A red card, a brace from a set-piece specialist and two sides cancelling each other out at St Andrew's: the Championship's Saturday programme has already delivered drama before the afternoon fixtures reach the hour mark.

Millwall 2-0 Norwich City (The Den)

Tairyk Arconte did the damage twice at The Den, heading home from a Jake Cooper knockdown at a set-piece to double Millwall's lead and move the hosts into an emphatic position. Norwich's afternoon then collapsed entirely when centre-back Jose Cordoba collected his second booking of the game and trudged off down the tunnel, leaving the visitors to see out the remaining minutes with ten men.

It is two defeats from two league games for Norwich, who look short of the defensive composure they will need over a long second-tier season. Millwall, by contrast, look well-organised from set-pieces under their current structure, with Cooper acting as the focal point that Arconte has exploited twice this afternoon.

Lincoln City 1-2 Portsmouth (Sincil Bank)

Portsmouth arrived at Sincil Bank with a point to prove after pre-match talk centred on their lack of summer signings, and they have so far backed up their manager's confidence. Chelsea loanee Ryan Kavuma-McQueen opened the scoring for Pompey before Adrian Segecic curled a free-kick that deflected past the Lincoln goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

Lincoln reduced the deficit through a Reeco Hackett penalty, awarded for handball, and the Imps will take encouragement from the fight they have shown. Portsmouth, though, lead at the break and the extra quality of Kavuma-McQueen in the final third has already justified his inclusion in the starting eleven.

Birmingham City 1-1 Bristol City (St Andrew's)

St Andrew's produced a goal apiece in the first half of what promises to be a competitive Midlands-versus-West fixture. Scott Twine scrambled Bristol City ahead before Birmingham levelled in farcical fashion: a Carlos Vicente effort struck the post and rebounded off visiting goalkeeper Sam Tickle's back and into the net.

Both sides will feel they left something on the table before the break. Bristol City had controlled large parts of the half and will be frustrated to have allowed Birmingham back in so cheaply, while the hosts will be keen to find a second goal before the visitors reorganise.

The wider picture

Elsewhere across the Championship this afternoon, Blackburn host Middlesbrough, Derby County welcome Cardiff City, Preston face Wolves, QPR take on Bolton Wanderers, Southampton host Stoke City, Swansea City meet Sheffield United, West Ham face Charlton Athletic, and Wrexham welcome Watford. Those fixtures are either in progress or yet to kick off as the early games approach their conclusions.

The afternoon has already underlined one of the Championship's defining characteristics: no lead is safe, no lineup is settled, and a single referee's decision can reshape the entire contest. Norwich's Cordoba sending-off is the starkest illustration of that on an engrossing opening Saturday.

Frequently asked

What is the Millwall vs Norwich score today?
Millwall lead Norwich City 2-0 at The Den, with Tairyk Arconte scoring twice from set-pieces. Norwich also had Jose Cordoba sent off during the second half.
What is the Portsmouth vs Lincoln City score?
Portsmouth lead Lincoln City 2-1 at Sincil Bank at half-time. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Adrian Segecic scored for Pompey, with Reeco Hackett pulling one back from the penalty spot for Lincoln.
What happened in the Birmingham City vs Bristol City game?
Birmingham City and Bristol City are level at 1-1 at half-time. Scott Twine put Bristol City ahead before a Carlos Vicente shot rebounded off the post and then off goalkeeper Sam Tickle's back to level for Birmingham.