England scrape through to second round

Posted: Jun 23 2010

England are through to the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup after beating Slovenia 1-0 in their crucial Group C clash in Port Elizabeth.

The first chance of the game went the way of Slovenia through their best player of the World Cup so far, Birsa. The tricky winger cut inside past Upson from the right and was left with too much time to shoot at goal, but fortunately for England, he was unable to recreate his wonderful goal against the USA as the ball flew into James’ arms.

Lampard was given licence to get forward by Capello early on and he had two chances to take the lead in a matter of minutes. His free-kick from 30 yards went wide, before he made a late run into the area to latch onto Rooney’s reverse pass, but he failed to get on the end of it.

Rooney then won a corner after his powerful strike from just inside the area was pushed wide of the post by Samir Handanovic, before Terry headed just wide of the goal from close range. Johnson then had a chance from 25 yards out and opted to shoot instead of passing, but could only fire straight at the goalkeeper.

Defoe was a surprise selection ahead of the game for England and he gave Fabio Capello’s men the lead. Milner received a pass on the right wing and curled a superb cross into the six-yard box and Defoe managed to steal a yard in front of Suler to stab the ball home from close range.

Just five minutes after providing the assist for Defoe, Milner was at it again. He delivered another great cross into the area and Samir Handanovic crept just in front of Defoe to palm the ball away to Lampard, who, from the edge of the area, could only fire over.

Defoe was causing havoc again moments later, spinning past his marker on the edge of the area before forcing another save out of Samir Handanovic. The ball then fell to Gerrard, who played a neat one-two with Rooney, before striking towards the bottom right-hand corner, but the goalkeeper saved his side once again.

Defoe was England’s main attacking threat in the first half and came close to grabbing his second just a minute into the second. Rooney’s quickly-taken corner almost caught Handanovic out at his near post, and he could only palm the ball straight to Lampard on the edge of the area, who drilled the ball into the path of Defoe, but he flicked the ball wide of the post from close range.

Ashley Cole and Lampard were involved in some neat passing on the left before the latter played a clever pass into the area to Rooney, who squared the ball to Defoe to pass the ball into an open goal, but Rooney was correctly ruled offside by the referee.

Terry had an opportunity from a corner in the first half and came close to scoring with another header in the second. The Chelsea captain was there at the far post to power a header towards the bottom right-hand corner, but Samir Handanovic pulled off a good save by pushing the ball around the post.

Rooney looked a different player from the display he put in against Algeria on Friday and he would have doubled England’s lead had it not been for the Slovenian goalkeeper once again. Samir Handanovic was on hand to pull off another save by tipping the ball just onto the post after Rooney had scuffed his shot when found one-on-one with him.

England were still the better team, but were almost caught out at the back after Gareth Barry gave the ball away in attack. Kirm clipped a cross into Novakovic from the left wing and it took a courageous block from Terry to clear the ball before Dedic’s follow up struck the ankle of Johnson and cannoned wide of James’ left-hand post.

Frustration grew for England in the closing stages as they knew conceding a goal was knock them out of the World Cup, and Upson put in a match-winning block in stoppage time to save the game for Capello’s men and see them through to the last 16.

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Nkosia : 2010-06-23 18:25

Sluggish and sleep inducing display from the English a far cry into what we initially expected of them.I dont see them progressing any further cause now its real men on show not boys.