Match Summary

England Team

FYR Macedonia Team

After the heroics in Bratislava there was a degree of deflation at St Mary's four nights later, as Macedonia stunned England with two goals in the first 25 minutes to take a priceless point back home.

The Three Lions again showed fight and character to equalise twice but, just when they needed to go up that final gear at the end, there was not quite enough left in the tank to get them to their desired destination of another three qualifying points.

And it had all started so well...before the game began that is, The news that home hero Bridge had been included in the starting line-up ensured that the atmosphere in this splendid new stadium was truly inspiring. 

Unfortunately, it also inspired Macedonia as much as England. Not only did they successfully smother the hosts with a very composed start, but they even had the temerity to take the lead - direct from a corner. Sakiri stunned the whole stadium when his 10th-minute effort curled and swirled its way into the top corner of England's goal. Seaman could not react in time and suddenly the home side were playing catch-up. Not for long though. 

Sven's men responded wonderfully well, levelling almost immediately. Scholes, who proved in Slovakia that he is too valuable in the centre to be sacrificed out wide, chipped forward to find Beckham's incisive dash through the centre. Becks controlled the ball expertly with his chest and had the composure to let the ball settle before chipping it over the advancing Milosevski.

On 25 minutes a fairly innocuous low ball was played into the England penalty area, and though Sol Campbell was first there, he did not make good contact with his clearance, shuffling the ball out to the lurking Trajanov. The midfielder found the perfect finish to curl the ball round Seaman and once again silence St Mary's.

 When Scholes blazed over after Becks had set him up, having won the ball brilliantly on the touchline, we were beginning to think that it might be "one of those nights". Then Gerrard stepped forward. Scholes picked out his captain with a high looper to the left and his header came out to Gerrard on the edge of the box. He took one touch before walloping the ball home for 2-2. It almost tore the net open.

Back on level terms, England were expected to go on and secure victory, but the opening few minutes of the second had showed that the Macedonians had no intention of surrendering the points. When Sakiri burst through on 51 minutes, it took a solid Seaman save to prevent the underdogs from going in front for a third time.

A minute later Gerrad saw jis lob go agonisingly just over the bar. More agonising still was the injury that he picked up stretching for a loose ball. England got a free-kick in Beckham range with a few minutes left on the clock and the crowd thaought that their prayers had been answered. But not even Becks has a divine right to score every time. The unlucky Smith then received a second yellow card in injury time. - The Football Association Yearbook 2003-04, pp42-43

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
ESPN
Football Association Yearbook 2003-04
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CG