Match Summary

England Team

United States Team

Match Report by Mike Payne

Well, we never said it was going to be easy did we?  The tournament begins for England and begins in a familiar way for the fans in the stadium, and those up and down the country.  At the end of a fairly even match we can look back on quite a few positives and also a few negatives.

The match started superbly with England looking sharp and confident and Emile Heskey looking dangerous.  It was his brilliant pass from Frank Lampard's touch inside in the fourth minute that sent the whole of England wild with delight.  The pass found Steven Gerrard, rampaging into the box in his best Liverpool mode, and tucking the ball past Tim Howard.  Liverpool 1 Everton 0!!  It was just the start England wanted and fittingly it was their new skipper who provided the moment.  For a while it rattled the Americans and the omens looked good for England.  They were keeping possession well and created other chances.  But the Americans are no pushovers these days and the well-organised and hard working players shut the England players down very well and gradually they clawed their way back into the match.  On a narrow pitch, it suited them and Aaron Lennon was struggling to find any width and room to use his speed.  Wayne Rooney was tightly marked and it was Heskey who gave the U.S.A. defenders their most difficult challenge.  All credit to the Aston Villa player, who has taken plenty of criticism of late.  Nobody could fault his play on this night.

As the game progressed it was noticeable that James Milner was struggling with his fitness and a booking for a late tackle showed up his lack of match sharpness.  It came as no real surprise when Milner was substituted after 30 minutes by Shaun Wright-Phillips.  By this time too, the Americans were pushing England back too deep for Fabio Capello's liking and they looked particularly dangerous from set pieces or when crosses came into the box.  They should have had an equaliser when Altidore met Landon Donovan's cross, only to head wide when he should have scored.  It was a warning that England didn't really heed and several times the USA threatened from crosses and many hearts were in mouths.  At the other end England also created chances, most notably when Glen Johnson broke through to fire a shot that Howard saved down to his left.

Then, in the 40^th minute came a moment that England, and particularly Robert Green, will quickly want to forget.  England's midfield was sloppy in allowing Clint Dempsey the time and space to turn several times before firing in a low speculative shot from around 25 yards.  It was surely an easy save, but no, Green allowed the ball to evade his attempted two-handed block and it crept over the line for an awful goal.  Fulham 1 West Ham 0!!  The England fans have certainly had to endure their fair share of these calamitous goalkeeping moments over the years, that's for sure, and always it would seem in crucial games.  As the England players trooped off at half-time there were more than a few heads down.

Worryingly Jamie Carragher had to come on for the injury prone Ledley King at half-time as Capello's problems mounted, but to be fair, after the restart England looked bright again and pushed forward more positively.  Gerrard and Lampard were both playing well and the skipper was trying hard to drive his team on.  In the 52^nd minute England should have taken the lead.  The ball broke to Lennon and his early pass sent Heskey in on goal.  The one overriding criticism of Heskey as an England player is that he doesn't score enough goals, and sadly he endorsed that criticism by shooting straight at Howard who made an easy save.  It was a shame for Heskey as he had certainly been one of England's better players on the night.

The Americans did not seem to be troubling England at this stage of the game but then on 64 minutes Altidore made a strong run down the left, powering past the labouring Carragher.  For a split second it looked as though Carragher, who had just been booked, was going to hold the USA forward back.  Luckily for the Liverpool player Altidore was too quick and strong for him.  Altidore bore down on goal and fired at Green's near post.  Luck was on the keeper's side this time however as his strong hand managed to push the ball on to a post and away from danger.  Phew!

That was the Americans last clear chance but at the other end England looked as though they could snatch a winner.  Rooney, who had a poor game by his standards, suddenly whipped in a cracking long range shot that just swerved away from Howard's left-hand post.  The Manchester United player then teed up Wright-Phillips with another golden chance as the winger came in from the left.  Sadly his shot was weak and straight at Howard, who was again able to make an easy save.

Both sides seemed content with a draw as the final five minutes ticked away, although if anything the USA looked a little stronger in those latter stages.  Peter Crouch had come on as a late substitute for Heskey and Lennon put in a dangerous low ball to Rooney when Crouch was at the far post unmarked.  That was just one of several wrong decisions on a night of extreme frustration for England fans. 

Do you think we should be used to it by now?  It certainly doesn't get any easier as the years roll by.  Never mind, a win over Algeria next Friday will cheer everyone up again.  As Dr Livingstone might have said, 'Algeria Stanley, who are they?'.

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
ITV.com/football
FIFA.com
US Soccer
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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CG