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England vs. USA Match Report

Brian Moore, June 13 2010,
England met USA on Saturday in a much anticipated encounter that invoked pre-match comparisons of 1950 in Brazil, the last time the two countries met in World Cup action. USA won that game 60 years ago in what became an upset for the ages. Could they do it again?

Robert Green let in a howler

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Questions lingered before the big Group C match between England and USA. Was USA central defender Oguchi Onyewu fit to play 90 minutes? Would the fragile knees of England central defender Ledley King hold up? Would the USA defense be able to stop Wayne Rooney? Who would start between the sticks for England, the experienced David James, young Joe Hart of Birmingham City, or Robert Green of West Ham?

The latter question was the first answered. England boss Fabio Capello decided on West Ham ‘keeper Robert Green as England’s starting goalie.

It was a decision that Capello may yet rue. Green’s 40th minute howler allowed the USA back into the match when he somehow shoveled Clint Dempsey’s soft shot into his goal.

 

Early Goal for the English

The match had started brightly for England. A fourth minute combination of passes, culminating in a neat through-ball from Emile Heskey, presented Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard with an opportunity to make a difference.

Gerrard skillfully slipped the ball past a diving Tim Howard to give England the lead.

A goal so early in the match might have been expected to shake the confidence of the USA squad. To their credit, however, the Americans refused to be intimidated by the English and although they were often outplayed they showed moments of creativity and purpose that stretched the English.

American Experience

Landon Donovan’s loan spell with English Premier League club Everton earlier his year as well as the English football experience of other Americans including Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Jay Demerit and Tim Howard undoubtedly helped hold the American squad together in the face of the English attack and as the game wore on the Americans seemed to grow in confidence as well as in threat.

Much was made in the pre-match build up of the volatile temperament of England’s brightest star Wayne Rooney. The young Manchester United man’s career has been spiced with angry and sometimes petulant outbursts at players and officials alike. His sending off against Portugal in the last World Cup was an example.

But any notion of the Americans employing a “winding up” tactic against Rooney as had been speculated was rendered moot. No winding up was required since Rooney was largely taken out of the match by the attentions of his marker Jay Demerit.

Early Substitution

A more potent attack might have been expected from the English half an hour into the first half when James Milner, a surprise starter due to illness earlier in the week, was substituted in favor of Shaun Wright-Phillips.

With Wright-Phillips now on the left wing and Aaron Lennon on the right the English were clearly capable of quick and creative play on the flanks.

The change in English personnel led to nothing, however, and it was Dempsey’s equalizer that proved the talking point as the teams left the field tied 1-1 at the half.

The Americans grow in confidence

The second forty five saw a change at the back for England. Ledley King was removed from the match and Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher replaced him in the center of defense.

The English were still dominant, however, and Emile Heskey squandered an opportunity to take the lead in the 52nd minute. Aaron Lennon fed him the ball and the big Aston Villa striker was suddenly through the American defense with only goalie Tim Howard to beat. 

Heskey hit his shot with power but not with the required accuracy. It was straight at Howard. TheUSA 'keeper Tim Howard: Man of the Match American ‘keeper did well to hang on to it, though, and indeed it was just one fine goalkeeping moment among several for Howard who was ultimately named Man of the Match.

The USA gained confidence as the second half progressed and although England ‘keeper Robert Green will undoubtedly be seen as the scapegoat for his 1st half blunder, he kept his team in the game in with a 65th minute save off Jozy Altidore.

It was the tortoise-like pace of Jamie Carragher that nearly doomed the English as Altidore went around the Liverpool man and forced a Green to make a fine save.


The result deserved

Although man-for-man the USA were eclipsed by the England stars, the Americans displayed a team ethic and heart that kept them in the match. With a bit more luck they might even have snatched the three points.

In the end, however, the 1-1 score line was a fair result in a match that really could have gone either way.

The point gained against England was a successful result for the Americans and they’ll approach their next match with added confidence. The English, however, are undoubtedly disappointed and may well be wondering how they’ll handle the really tough competition once they get through the group stage. 


 

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