Slovenia 0-1 England: Energetic England Progess Into Knockout Stages

Now that’s more like it.  Once more, when the chips are down, England pull out a performance full of blood, sweat and determination.  A tense, but thoroughly deserved 1-0 win over Slovenia at the Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth sees Fabio Capello’s men edge into the knockout stages, with a performance that will make the nation belief again.

It was a match that England had to deliver, after two stuttering and abject displays against the USA and Algeria.  Capello made three alterations to his line-up, with Matthew Upson replacing Jamie Carragher at the heart of the defence, due to Carragher’s suspension.  James Milner, fully fit after a virus took over from Aaron Lennon on the right-side of midfield and Jermain Defoe was drafted in for the inadequate Emile Heskey upfront.  All three made significant contributions to the winning performance.

Upson made a last-ditch challenge in the dying stages to deny Slovenia their best chance, but it was Milner and Defoe who were the main men, becoming English folklore heroes in the process.  The moment came on 23 minutes, when Milner, who combined well on the right-hand side with Glen Johnson all day, swung in a wicked ball into the penalty area.  Defoe, who had barely had a touch upto that point, stole half a yard on his marker, and powered a rasping drive past the despairing Slovenian goalkeeper, Samir Handonovic, despite him getting both hands onto the effort.  The relief in the celebration could be seen, as could the cheers in Port Elizabeth and back home in many houses, pubs, offices and schools across the UK.

After that, England should have had more goals, and were unlucky to not win by more than the final 1-0 margin.  Defoe missed a glaring chance moments after the interval, with Handonovic increasing his price tag at Serie A side Udinese, by producing a string of top-class saves to keep Captain Steven Gerrard frustrated.  His best save, was when a hard-working and committed Wayne Rooney escaped the offside trap, but scuffed his shot when in a glorious position.  Handonovic did enough to get a fingertip onto the shot, and diverted it onto the post.  Slovenian chances were few and far between and when they came, either John Terry would throw some body part at it, or David James would comfortably hold onto the controversial Jambalaya ball, which would have made Robert Green squirm on the dugout, after his glaring error in Rustenberg eleven days ago.

Despite the major positives, there are the usual negatives.  Rooney limped off with twenty minutes to go, with an ankle problem and the doctors will be hoping it is only a knock, and nothing more severe.  Also, Landon Donovan’s 91^st minute winner in Pretoria for the USA not only broke Slovenia hearts and sent them tumbling out of the competition, but booted England out of top spot in Group C.  It means a trip to Bloemfontein awaits on Sunday afternoon, with the old enemy Germany the possible opposition, should they get the three points they require against Ghana in Soccer City tonight.

For now though, England won’t worry about that.  Pride, confidence and belief is restored; the criticism and lack of team harmony can be forgotten now.  The job has been done, although via the hard route and the knockout stages begin at the weekend, with England still in business and very much alive and kicking in the World Cup.

Phew!

World Cup Report - Day 7-9

The second round of group games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup is well and truly underway.  In the past three days, we’ve seen tensions rise in camps; some players show a lack of team unity and the first side to be well and truly eliminated from the competition.  Here is a brief round-up of the past three days, excluding the England match yesterday.

Thursday 17^th June: Argentina 4-1 South Korea

Diego Maradona’s Argentina became firm favourites to land the World Cup, after an impressive 4-1 victory over South Korea in Soccer City that all but virtually booked their place in the last sixteen.  Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain was in fabulous form, hitting a hat-trick, after an own goal from Park Chu-Young.  Despite an error by Martin Demichellis, which allowed Lee Chun-Soo in to score for the Koreans with the last kick of the first half, Argentina weren’t in any major danger and raised the standards for the other favourites in the process.

Thursday 17^th June: Greece 2-1 Nigeria

Sani Kaita’s daft dismissal after 33 minutes left Nigeria on the verge of elimination and helped Greece on the way to a first-ever World Cup win.  Nigeria dominated the early exchanges, took an early lead through Kala Uche’s free-kick.  A deflected strike from Dimitrios Salpingidis drew the Greeks level, before Vasiledios Torosidis capitalised on a spill by Vincent Enyeama to thrash the Euro 2004 winners to an essential victory.

Thursday 17^th June: France 0-2 Mexico

Mexico took full advantage of a French team lacking any spirit and cohesion, to virtually book their place in the knockout stages and send the 2006 finalists packing home.  Javier Rodriguez, Manchester United’s new striker put the North Americans infront, making the most of a horrific French onside trap, to slot the ball past a despairing Hugo Lloris.  A France team that looked lazy, old and lethargic conceded a dreadful penalty by Eric Abidal, converted by 37-year old Cuathmatic Blanco, which sealed an impressive win for the Mexicans.

Friday 18^th June: Germany 0-1 Serbia

Serbia blew Group D wide open, with an unexpected victory over pre-game favourites Germany in Port Elizabeth.  A fussy and poor referee didn’t help the Germans cause, with Miroslav Klose unluckily sent off for two clumsy, if not malicious challenges.  Lukas Podolski had a shocker, and became the first German to miss a penalty at the World Cup in 28 years in the process.  Serbia’s winner came five minutes from half-time from Liverpool bound striker, Milan Jovanovic. 

Friday 18^th June: Slovenia 2-2 USA

In a pulsating encounter at Ellis Park, the United States stormed back from two goals down, to record a hard-fought draw with Slovenia.  The Europeans were coasting at half-time, 2-0 up, through efforts from Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic.  However, the US recovered well, helped by an early second half response by Landon Donovan.  Michael Bradley’s dramatic leveller eight minutes from time ensured a share of the spoils and a very dubious refereeing decision saw Maurice Edu and the Americans have a goal wrongly chalked off in the dying stages.

Saturday 19^th June: Holland 1-0 Japan

A hard-fought victory in Durban over a spirited Japan side sealed Holland’s birth in the last sixteen.  The only goal came in the 51^st minute, through a swerving shot from Inter Milan playmaker, Wesley Snejider. 

Saturday 19^th June: Ghana 1-1 Australia

It was a missed opportunity for Ghana, as Australia earned a hard-fought draw in Rustenberg.  Another goalkeeping gaffe, this time from Richard Kingston allowed the Socceroos a 11^th minute lead, through Brett Holman.  However, Galatasaray winger Harry Kewell was dismissed for a deliberate handball on the goal-line, with the resulting penalty converted by Asamoah Gyan.  Despite Ghanaian pressure, the Aussies held on to ensure that all four teams in Group D still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Saturday 19^th June: Cameroon 1-2 Denmark

Morten Olsen’s Denmark produced a stirring comeback in Pretoria, which eliminated Cameroon from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  A horrendous error from Christian Poulsen allowed Samuel Eto’o in to put the Africans infront.  However, two brilliant team goals won the night for the Scandinavians, courtesy of Arsenal misfit Niklas Bendtner and star of the show, Dennis Rommedahl.  As a result, Cameroon becomes the first side to be eliminated from the tournament.  

England 0-0 Algeria - Shocking Performance Leaves England On The Brink

England’s over-paid footballers produced a shocking performance in Cape Town tonight that pretty much leaves their 2010 World Cup dreams in tatters.  Their limp display in the 0-0 draw with African outsiders Algeria leaves Fabio Capello’s side needing a win against Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday to even escape Group C.

Following Saturday’s average 1-1 performance with the USA, Capello decided to drop Robert Green, following his horrific clanger in Rustenberg and bring in the experienced David James.  Gareth Barry returned from injury, in place of James Milner, which pushed Captain Steven Gerrard onto the left-side of midfield.  This tactic, on Capello 64^th birthday was a massive mistake.  Gerrard produced an error-strewn display, and once the captain produces this, then it will hurt the confidence of the other players.

Capello must take some of the flack from tomorrow’s damming newspaper headlines, especially for taking off the only player who looked like a serious threat, Aaron Lennon for Shaun Wright-Phillips, who failed to get into the game.  His persistence to stick with the ailing Emile Heskey is beyond belief.  Heskey scored only three Premiership goals throughout last season and by the end of it, was in the reserves at Aston Villa.  He is not England material, and Darren Bent must be wondering back at home, what he had to do to get in the squad.  Whenever Heskey gets the ball, he dithers, sloppily gives away possession or falls over like a flat pancake.  Technically, it means we only play with ten players.

It wasn’t even England’s lack of goals that frightens the fans; it was the lack of courage in the final third and even the lack of attempts in goal.  England looked nervous and frightened all over the park, especially in the final third, where are finishing looked more like a Sunday League side.  The players need to take courage and responsibility for their failings, and if they don’t, an early flight back to Luton next Thursday beckons.

Slovenia’s 2-2 stalemate with the USA earlier today leaves the group wide open, but Fabio Capello will be scratching his head and wondering where the qualifying form has gone.  England end up on the brink of a humiliating embarrassment, and an indigenous exit from the FIFA World Cup, if things don’t change ASAP. 

This was a miserable 64^th birthday to forget for Fabio Capello.