Match Summary

England Team

USA Team

Match Report by Mike Payne

Some international football matches can be memorable for all sorts of reasons, this one will primarily be remembered for the salvation it offered England captain John Terry.  After missing the crucial penalty in the Champions League final for Chelsea against Manchester United in Moscow a week earlier, and looking absolutely distraught at the end of that match, Terry was due an upturn in his luck.  It came in the 38^th minute of a poor game against a determined USA team.  David Beckham’s free-kick invited somebody to meet the ball and it was Terry with immense power and determination that rocketed a header into the net from 14 yards.  The cheer woke up a sleepy Wembley and even the Manchester United fans were pleased for the Chelsea man.

Earlier England had the better of the game but looked ponderous at times, although it must be said that this was a big improvement on Fabio Capello’s previous two games in charge.  Jermain Defoe had the best chance when he connected with Steven Gerrard’s cross but failed to convert.

The visitors were solid enough but they were prone to giving away some dangerous free-kicks and in the end it was one of those that paved the way for Terry’s opening goal.  Owen Hargreaves looked in good form and was the pick of the midfield in the first half.  He worked his socks off for the team and was always available with a timely interception, sharp tackle and good pass.

At half-time Gareth Barry came on for the exhausted Frank Lampard and this enabled Gerrard to have a little more freedom.  For a while Barry went to the left and Gerrard played through the middle.  In the 59^th minute the new partnership carved a second and deciding goal.  Barry hit a superb pass through to Gerrard after spotting the Liverpool man’s run and Gerrard finish was of the highest quality as he tucked the ball past substitute goalkeeper Brad Guzan.  England continued to be the better side and after Peter Crouch came on as a substitute they should have had more goals.  Crouch himself should have had at least two, but missed both times.  Wayne Rooney ended a disappointing night for him by being booked, indeed it could have been worse such was the nature of his challenge on Frankie Hejduk.  In the end it was a comfortable win for England and they now move on to a match in Trinidad, which is not universally wanted by the players.  Almost certainly many of this team will not be travelling to the sunshine of the Caribbean, which judging by the tiredness shown in this game is probably just as well.

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
SkySports.com
ESPN Soccernet
Robert Owens, Scarborough
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor

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CG