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Match No. 804 vs. Slovakia Match No. 806 vs. FYR Macedonia Match Results


England National Football Team Match No. 805

England 3 Croatia 1 [1-0]

Wednesday, 20 August 2003

Match Summary and Report

Match Summary and Report Team Records England Pre-Match Croatia Pre-Match

 

Match Summary
Status: Friendly match.
Venue: Portman Road, Ipswich, capacity 30,300.
Attendance: 28,700.
Goals: England - David Beckham, 9th min. penalty. Beckham gets a cross, nine-iron style chip. Target is Owen but a Croatian defender - Simic - handles it...penalty....
England - Michael Owen, 51st min.
Croatia - Ivica Mornar, 77th min.
England - Frank Lampard, 80th min.
Cautions: Croatia - Niko Kovac, 11th min., unsporting behaviour Nicky Butt is clattered by Niko Kovac..
Croatia - Robert Kovac, 63rd min., unsporting behaviour.
England - Steven Gerrard, 67th min., unsporting behaviour.
Expulsions: None.
Officials: Referee - Claus Bo Larsen, 38, (28-Oct-1965), Odense, Denmark, FIFA-listed 1996.
Assistant Referees- Finn Erik Rasmussen, and Ole Hansen, 40 (27-Jun-1963), Denmark.
Fourth Official - Barry Knight, England.
Conditions: Kickoff at 8:00 p.m. BST.
Miscellany: Guest of honour is Sir Bobby Robson, former Ipswich Town and England manager.
A minute's silence is observed before the match in honour of Ray Harford, a former England U21 manager, and Jimmy Davis, a England youth player, they both died earlier this month.  England also wore black armbands as a tribute.
Statistics:

Type

England

Croatia
Goal Attempts - -
Attempts on Target - -
Hit Bar/Post - -
Corner Kicks Won - -
Offside Calls Against - -
Fouls Conceded - -
Time of Possession - -
Statistics:

-

England Team
Ranking:

10th in FIFA ranking of 30 July 2003; 5th in Elo world ranking before this match and 5th after this match.

Colours: White shirts with red trim, white shorts, white socks.  The 2003 "home" uniform.
Coach: Sven-Göran Eriksson, 55, appointed 31 October 2000, took post 12 January 2001, 
30th match, W 17 - D 9 - L 4 - F 58 - A 28.
Captain: David Beckham, 25th captaincy.

England Lineup
Player Birthdate Age Pos Club App G Career
1-James, David B., sub off 46th min. 01-Aug-1970 33 G

West Ham United FC

 17 11 ga 1997-active
2-Neville, Phillip J., sub off 81st min. 21-Jan-1977 26 D Manchester United FC 41 0 1996-active
3-Cole, Ashley,  sub off 60th min. 20-Dec-1980 22 D Arsenal FC 20 0 2001-active
4-Gerrard, Steven G., sub off 81st min. 30-May-1980 23 M Liverpool FC 19 3 2000-active
5-Ferdinand, Rio G., sub off 60th min. 07-Nov-1978 24 D Manchester United FC 33 0 1997-active
6-Terry, John G. 07-Dec-1980 22 D Chelsea FC 2 0 2003-active
7- Beckham, David R.J., sub off 60th min.  02-May-1975 28 M Real Madrid CF, Spain 61 12 1996-active
8-Scholes, Paul, sub off 60th min. 16-Nov-1974 28 M Manchester United FC 58 13 1997-2004
9-Heskey, Emile W.I., sub off 76th min. 11-Jan-1978 25 F Liverpool FC 35 5 1999-active
10- Owen, Michael J., sub off 60th min. 14-Dec-1979 23 F Liverpool FC 51 23 1998-active
11-Butt, Nicholas, sub off 27th min. substituted after a late Leko tackle 21-Jan-1975 28 M Manchester United FC 28 0 1997-active

England Substitutes
Player Birthdate Age Pos Club App G Career
16- Lampard, Frank J., sub on 27th min. for Butt 20-Jun-1978 25 M

Chelsea FC

 12 1 1999-active
13-Robinson, Paul W., sub on 46th min. for James 15-Oct-1979 23 G Leeds United AFC 3 2 GA 2003-active
18-Dyer, Kieron C., sub on 60th min. for Owen 29-Dec-1978 24 M Newcastle United FC 17 0 1999-active
19-Cole, Joseph J., sub on 60th min. for Scholes 08-Nov-1981 21 M Chelsea FC 11 1 2001-active
15-Upson, Matthew J., sub on 60th min. for Ferdinand 18-Apr-1979 24 D Birmingham City FC 4 0 2003-active
14-Bridge, Wayne M., sub on 60th min. for A Cole 05-Aug-1980 23 D Chelsea FC 13 0 2002-active
21-Sinclair, Trevor L., sub on 60th min. for Beckham 02-Mar-1973 30 M Manchester City FC 12 0 2001-2003
20-Beattie, James S., sub on 76th min. for Heskey 27-Feb-1978 25 F Southampton FC 3 0 2003
12-Mills, Daniel J., sub on 81st min. for Neville 18-May-1977 26 D Leeds United AFC 18 0 2001-2004
17-Murphy, Daniel B., sub on 81st min. for Gerrard 18-Mar-1977 26 M Liverpool FC 8 1 2001-2003
Formation:

4-4-2

James (Robinson) -
Neville (Mills), Terry, Ferdinand (Upson), A Cole (Bridge) -
Beckham (Sinclair), Butt (Lampard), Scholes (J Cole), Gerrard (Murphy) -
Owen (Dyer), Heskey (Beattie).
Substitutes
Not Used:		 22-Chris Kirkland.

Croatia Team
Ranking:

25th in FIFA ranking of 30 July 2003; 19th in Elo world ranking before this match and 18th after this match.

Colours: Blue shirts with red and white chequered sleeves,  blue shorts, blue socks; made by Nike.
Coach: Otto Baric, 71, appointed July 2002, 
11th match, W 5 - D 4 - L 2 - F 14 - A 9.
Captain: Boris Zivkovic.

Croatia Lineup
Player Birthdate Age Pos Club App G Career
1-Pletikosa, Stipe, sub off 70th min. 08-Jan-1979 23 G

HNK Hajduk Split

 32 0 1999-active
2-Šimić, Dario, sub off 46th min. 12-Nov-1975 27 M AC Milan, Italy 58 1 1996-active
3-Šimunić, Josep, sub off 72nd min. 18-Feb-1978 25 D Hertha BSC Berlin, Germany 16 0 2001-active
4-Kovač, Robert 06-Apr-1974 29 D FC Bayern München AG, Germany 29 0 1999-active
5-Živković, Boris, sub off 72nd min. 15-Nov-1975 27 M Portsmouth FC, England 27 2 1999-active
6-Tomas, Stjepan 06-Mar-1975 28 M Como Calcio, Italy, loaned to Fenerbahçe SK, Turkey 28 1 1998-active
7-Rapaić, Milan, sub off 46th min. 16-Aug-1973 29 F HNK Hajduk Split 34 5 1994-active
8-Leko, Jerko, sub off 59th min. 09-Apr-1980 23 M FC Dinamo Kyiv, Ukraine 10 1 2002-active
9-Kovač, Niko 15-Oct-1971 31 M Hertha BSC Berlin, Germany 29 3 1996-active
10-Marić, Marijo, sub off 46th min. 12-Jan-1977 26 F Kärnten, Austria 5 1 2002-active
11-Olić, Ivica 14-Sep-1979 23 F PFC CSKA Moskva, Russia 14 3 2002-active

Croatia Substitutes
Player Birthdate Age Pos Club App G Career
14-Babić, Marko, sub on 46th min. for Marić 28-Jan-1981 22 M Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Germany 9 0 2002-active
15-Srna, Dario, sub on 46th min. for Šimić 01-May-1982 21 M

FC Shaktar Donetsk, Ukraine

 8 1 2002-active
18- Mornar, Ivica, sub on 46th min. for Rapaić 12-Jan-1974 29 M RSC Anderlecht, Belgium 10 1 1995-active
17-Rosso, Giovanni, sub on 59th min. for Leko 17-Nov-1972 30 M Maccabi Haifa, Israel 6 0 2002-active
12-Butina, Tomislav,  sub on 70th min. for Pletikosa 30-Mar-1974 29 G Club Brugge KV, Belgium 10 0 2003-active
16-Agić, Jasmin, sub on 72nd min. for Živković 26-Dec-1974 28 M FK Dinamo Zagreb 12 0 1999-active
13-Šerić, Anthony, sub on 72nd min. for Šimunić 15-Jan-1979 24 D AC Parma, Italy 11 0 1998-active
Formation:

3-5-2

Pletikosa (Butina) -
Tomas, R Kovač, Šimunić (Šerić) - 
Šimić (Babic), Leko (Rosso), Rapaić (Srna), N Kovač, Živković (Agić) -
Marić (Mornar), Olić.
Substitutes
Not Used:		 None.

Match Report

 

David Beckham marked his return to England duty after moving to Real Madrid by inspiring Sven-Göran Eriksson's side to victory against Croatia.  Captain Beckham gave England an early lead from the penalty spot and set up Michael Owen's header for the second before being substituted to a standing ovation at Portman Road.  But England coach Eriksson will not have been totally satisfied by another uncertain defensive display on a night when the over-reliance on Beckham and Owen was emphasised once more.  Croatia had a succession of opportunities to punish England in the first half, only to be denied by goalkeeper David James.  Ivica Mornar pulled a goal back for Croatia late on, only for substitute Lampard to wrap up England's win with a spectacular long-range strike.  But Eriksson has much to work on defensively before England embark on their crucial Euro 2004 qualifiers in the coming months.

Beckham crowned his return to international service by putting England ahead from the penalty spot after only eight minutes.  It was a nightmare moment for Croatia defender Josip Simunic, who inexplicably handled Beckham's cross under little pressure from the lurking Owen.  Beckham dispatched the penalty with customary expertise - but it was the high spot of a dismal first 45 minutes for England.  England's defence, with John Terry making his first start, was constantly exposed by Croatia, particularly on the left flank as Ashley Cole was left constantly isolated.

The cause was not helped by an injury to Nicky Butt, which saw him replaced by Lampard after only 26 minutes.  And it was only an excellent display from goalkeeper James that kept England on level terms at the interval.  Ivica Olic's cross was headed over by Milan Rapaic, and James was forced to plunge bravely at Olic's feet as Croatia threatened again.

England had a double escape nine minutes before the break as Croatia exerted almost total supremacy.  James saved brilliantly from Marijo Maric's header, and then reacted to save well from Olic after Beckham's attempted back-pass fell desperately short.  Eriksson's concern was reflected in only a single half-time change, with the over-worked James being replaced by Leeds United's Paul Robinson.  England responded by doubling their advantage after 50 minutes - when their dependence on world class duo Beckham and Owen was demonstrated again.  Beckham delivered the perfect cross from the right flank and Owen arrived unmarked at the far post to bury a decisive header.

It was the signal for Eriksson to make his usual wholesale changes as he introduced five substitutes, with goalscorers Beckham and Owen among those taken off.  Southampton's James Beattie got his chance with 15 minutes left when Emile Heskey ended another scoreless international night by limping off injured.  Croatia deservedly got on the scoresheet three minutes later when Mornar scored from close range.  But England bounced back in style to wrap things up after 80 minutes minutes left, Lampard sending a 25-yard drive into the top corner.

 

Source Notes

Sources

  BBC Sport

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CG/PY