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Moldova

 
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922 vs. Moldova
Friday, 7 September 2012
2014 FIFA World Cup UEFA Group H qualification match


Moldova 0 England 5 [0-3]
 

Zimbru Stadium, Botanica, Chişinău
Kick-off (EEST): 9.45pm 7.45pm BST.
Attendance: 10,400
.

Moldova kicked-off 92 minutes 45:04 & 46:59
[0-1] Frank Lampard penalty 3 2:57
right-footed placed kick low to his right
(Bulgaru handball 2:23; awarded 2:26)
[0-2] Frank Lampard
header 29 28:08
6-yard header back across to far post from a Johnson cross
[0-3] Jermain Defoe 32 31:15
15-yard right-footed strike into near post from an Oxlade thro' ball
  [0-4] James Milner 74 73:17
right-footed low shot from 18 yards into far post from a Walcott pass

[0-5] Leighton Baines free-kick 83 82:42
20 yard left footed free-kick into top left corner after deflecting off Gaţcan's hand

Simion Bulgaru 3 2:30
Glen Johnson
5 4:25
   
Commentator: Clive Tyldesley with Andy Townsend
 

Match Summary

Officials from Netherlands

Moldova Squad

Type

England Squad
Referee (yellow) - Paulus Hendrikus Martinus van Boekel
36 (19 September 1975), Vierlingsbeek, FIFA listed 2008.

Assistant Referees - Norbertus Josephus C. Simons, 43 (18 January 1969) and Angelo Boonman, 32 (14 September 1979).
Fourth official -
Danny Desmond Makkelie, 29 (28 January 1983), Willemstad, Curaçao, FIFA-listed 2011.

UEFA Observer - Giorgios Bikas, Greece

13 Goal Attempts 28
4 Attempts on Target 11
0 Hit Bar/Post 0
4 Corner Kicks Won 4
2 Offside Calls Against 0
9 Fouls Conceded 6
46% Possession 54%

Moldova Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (5 Sept 2012) 141st
EFO ranking n/a

ELO rating 109th to 110th
Colours: Made by Jako - Blue crew neck jerseys with yellow collared trim/cuffs and hem, blue shorts with yellow pintrim, blue socks.
Capt: Alexandru Epureanu Manager: Ion Stepanovićh Caras, 61 (11 September 1950), appointed Head Coach on 9 January 2012, (also manager 1990-97).
5th match, W 0 - D 2 - L 3 - F 0 - A 11.
Moldova Lineup
1 Namaşco, Stanislav 25
302 days
10 November 1986 G FC Kuban Krasnodar, Russia 31 43ᵍᵃ
2 Armaş, Igor 25
55 days
14 July 1987 RB FC Kuban Krasnodar, Russia 27 1
6 Epureanu, Alexandru 25
346 days
27 September 1986 CD PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara, Russia, on loan from FC Dynamo Moskva, Russia 48 3
13 Bulgaru, Simion 27
104 days
26 May 1985 CD FC Alania Vladikavkaz, Russia 17 1
Bulgaru cautioned in the 3rd minute for handball. He got in the way of a Tom Cleverley shot, using his hand, resulting in the penalty.
3 Golovatenco, Victor 28
132 days
28 April 1984 LB FC Sibir Novosibirsk, Russia 42 3
7 Covalciuc, Serghei S. 30
231 days
20 January 1982 RAM JSC FC Aktobe, Kazakhstan 40 2
8 Gaţcan, Alexandru 28
164 days
27 March 1984 RDM FC Rostov, Russia 25 1
4 Onica, Alexandru 28
40 days
29 July 1984 CM FC Sheriff 12 0
16 Suvorov, Alexandru, off 46th min. 25
218 days
2 February 1987 LDM MKS Cracovia SSA, Poland 37 4
18 Pătraş, Artur 24
241 days
10 January 1988 LAM AZAL PFC, Azerbaijan 8 0
9 Picuşceac, Igor, off 76th min 29
164 days
27 March 1983 CF FC Amkar, Russia 12 2
Moldova Substitutes
scoreline: Moldova 0 England 3
20 Dedov, Alexandru, on 46th min. for Suvorov 25
43 days
26 July 1987 CM FC Sheriff 2 0
scoreline: Moldova 0 England 4
17 Sidorenco, Eugen, on 76th min. (75:58) for Picuşceac, off 85th min. 23
172 days
19 March 1989 CF Hapoel Nazareth Illit, Israel 6 0
scoreline: Moldova 0 England 5
10 Ovseannicov, Gheorghe, on 85th min. for Sidorenco 26
331 days
12 October 1985 CF FC Sunkar, Kazakhstan, on loan from FC Olimpia Bălţi 19 2
result: Moldova 0 England 5

unused substitutes:

5-Petru Racu, 11-Eugeniu Cebotaru, 12-Serghei Pascenco, 14-Vitalie Bordian, 15-Antolie Doros, 19-Alexandru Pascenco, 21-Stanislav Ivanov, 22-Serghei Alexeev, 23-Andrian Negai.

team notes:

Serghei and Alexandru Pașcenco are brothers, both born in Tiraspol.
 
4-5-1 Namaşco -
Armaş, Epureanu, Bulgaru, Golovatenco -
Covalciuc, Gaţcan, Onica, Suvorov
(Dodov), Pătraş -
Picuşceac
(Sidorenco (Ovseannicov)).
Averages (Starting XI): Age 27 years 84 days Appearances/Goals 27.2 1.5

 

England Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (5 September 2012) 3rd
EFO ranking Group 2

ELO rating 4th to 5th
Colours: The 2012 home uniform - White v-neck collared jerseys with red piping on collar, white shorts with red trim, white socks with two-tone red hoop.
Capt: Steven Gerrard
(22nd (38) captaincy (3))
Frank Lampard, second half
Manager: Roy Hodgson, 65 (9 August 1947), appointed 1 May 2012,
8th match, W 6 - D 2 - L 0 - F 14 - A 4.
England Lineup
1 Hart, C. Joseph J. 25
141 days
19 April 1987 G Manchester City FC 23 14ᵍᵃ
2 Johnson, Glen M. 28
15 days
23 August 1984 RB Liverpool FC 41 1
Johnson cautioned in the 5th minute for ungentlemanly conduct. He kicked the ball away, after the referee awarded a free-kick against him.
3 Baines, Leighton J. 27
271 days
11 December 1984 LB Everton FC 10 1
the 26th free-kick to be scored by England
     
4 Gerrard, Steven G., off 46th min. 32
100 days
30 May 1980 DM Liverpool FC 97 19
5 Lescott, Joleon P. 30
22 days
16 August 1982 CD Manchester City FC 22 1
6 Terry, John G., injured off 88th min., NOT REPLACED 31
275 days
7 December 1980 CD Chelsea FC 78 6
final app 2003-12
7 Milner, James P. 26
247 days
4 January 1986 RM Manchester City FC 32 1
8 Lampard, Frank J. 34
79 days
20 June 1978 DM Chelsea FC 92 24
²
100th penalty awarded, 71st scored - top scorer
     
9 Defoe, Jermain C., off 68th min. 29
336 days
7 October 1982 CF Tottenham Hotspur FC 50 17
the 54th player to reach this milestone
10 Cleverley, Thomas W. 23
26 days
12 August 1989 CM Manchester United FC 2 0
11 Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander M.D., off 58th min. 19
23 days
15 August 1993 LM Arsenal FC 6 0
England Substitutes
scoreline: Moldova 0 England 3
16 Carrick, Michael, on 46th min. for Gerrard 31
41 days
28 July 1981 DM Manchester United FC 24 14       0
10
18 Walcott, Theo J. on 58th min. (57:50) for Oxlade-Chamberlain 23
175 days
16 March 1989 LF Arsenal FC 29 19       4
10
20 Welbeck, Daniel N.T.M., on 68th min (67:56) for Defoe 21
286 days
26 November 1990 RF Manchester United FC 10 6       2
4
result: Moldova 0 England 5
unused substitutes: 12-Kyle Walker, 13-John Ruddy, 14-Ryan Bertrand, 15-Gary Cahill, 17-Phil Jagielka, 19-Daniel Sturridge, 21-Jack Butland.
team notes: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's father, Mark Chamberlain, also played for England (1982-84).
records: England have now gone ten qualification matches unbeaten (W7 D3).
 
4-5(2-3)-1 Hart -
Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Baines -
Gerrard
(Carrick), Lampard -
Milner, Cleverley, Oxlade-Chamberlain
(Walcott) -
Defoe
(Welbeck)
Averages (Starting XI): Age 28 years 9 days Appearances/Goals 41.2     6.0

 

    Match Report by Mike Payne

England began their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a comprehensive thrashing of Moldova.  Right from the start England were positive and determined, spending most of the match on the front foot.  Within three minutes they were a goal up as good work by Steven Gerrard and James Milner set up Tom Cleverley with a chance.  The Manchester United player's first-time shot was blocked by Simion Bulgaru, but only with the use of a hand.  The referee had no hesitation and pointed immediately to the penalty spot.  Frank Lampard, as cool as you like, planted the ball wide of the keeper and it was 1-0.

It was great to see the England team all working hard at the same time, and it was soon obvious that there was only going to be one team in this match.  A brilliant burst by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set up Jermaine Defoe but his weak side-foot effort went wide.  Defoe was looking lively though and he soon tested Stanislav Namasco in the home goal with another better effort that needed saving.  On 13 minutes the goalkeeper made another good save after he punched away a Milner cross only for Oxlade-Chamberlain to volley goalwards again.  This time Namasco pushed the ball around a post.  England retained possession well and when they did lose the ball, they quickly won it back from the home players.  Moldova had no real answer to the speed and the workrate of their visitors.  They had to wait until the 17th minute for their first effort on goal, but Artur Patras's harmless shot flew wide of Joe Hart's goal.


England produced lots of good passing movements and Leighton Baines made some excellent runs down the left, whilst Glen Johnson was always a threat going forward on the right.  Gerrard shot just over from a free-kick and then Hart was forced to make his first save following a shot by Alexandru Epureanu.  Back at the other end Johnson then cut inside to hit a good shot which the goalkeeper fumbled.  It seemed only a matter of time before we saw another goal and in the 29th minute it duly arrived.  A superb flighted cross into the area from Johnson found Lampard ghosting in 'Martin Peters like' to score with a header.  It was a fine goal, expertly made and finished.

A pleasing aspect of England's play was that they were not content with 2-0 and they pushed forward relentlessly against an overworked Moldova defence.  The impressive Cleverley shot just wide and then three minutes after the second goal England made it three.  This time Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain combined, and the latter's clever pass set up Defoe for a turn and shot that went under the keeper's despairing dive.  It was a great way for the Tottenham man to celebrate his 50th cap and he could so easily have had a hat-trick in this game.  Twice more he came close to increasing England's lead before half-time, and the total dominance of the visitors was certainly emphasised in the scoreline.  Just before the break Hart, who had been largely a spectator, mis-punched a cross and the ball flew just wide of his own goal.  But that was a rare attack by Moldova and Roy Hodgson must have been delighted by his side's display. 

After the interval Michael Carrick came on for Gerrard, with Lampard taking the captain's armband, and England were soon pushing forward again.  More excellent play by Oxlade-Chamberlain set up Cleverley but again the finish was weak.  For a spell the game then developed into more of an end to end battle but neither side could find the sharpness up front.  Hodgson took off Oxlade-Chamberlain and replaced him with Theo Walcott.  England still had control of the match and Carrick, Milner and Johnson all produced some nice football.  Cleverley shot wide again on 66 minutes and then Defoe was replaced by Danny Welbeck as Hodgson looked to try something new.  After 70 minutes England were so much in control that another goal was the only way to show their superiority, and four minutes later it came.

A passing movement between Walcott, Cleverley and Welbeck seemed to have petered out, but Walcott's final pass was perfectly into the path of the onrushing Milner and the Manchester City player crashed home his first England goal.  It was well deserved because Milner had worked his socks off, as he always does, and it was great to see him score.

Moldova did try for a consolation goal but it was England who added another, seven minutes from the end, when Baines had a free-kick chance just outside the penalty area to the right of goal.  His left-footed shot took a wicked deflection off the defensive wall and he, too, registered his first goal in England colours as the ball looped beyond the flat-footed and frustrated Namasco. 

Other chances were created in the last five minutes of the match but a 5-0 win away from home gave England the perfect start to their latest World Cup campaign. en allowing for the weak opposition it was good to see an England team performing well throughout the side and as I have said many times before, if all the players play well at the same time we are a match for anyone.  Now we move on to Wembley and a visit from Ukraine in our second group match.  This will be a sterner test, of that there is no doubt, but England are certainly not short of confidence at the moment, so bring it on!
 

Source Notes


TheFA.com
BBC Sport
UEFA.com
FMF.md
SkySports.com football

RateTheRef.com

Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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