Match Summary

Wales Team

England Team

England went to the top of their group with this win against Wales in Cardiff.  All the pre-match hype, building up a Welsh team that against anyone else would not even be rated, was left floundering as England showed their class and brushed away what was in the end a weak challenge.  Because of the exclusivity the match could not be seen on terrestrial television, which is annoying, especially as England produced some excellent play during the match, worthy of a larger audience.

Wales, like Scotland, in any sport, only ever seem to want to raise their game when they play the English, and this football match was in that category.  But on this occasion, despite the passionate home crowd, it proved an easy win for the visitors.  Right from the start England stamped their authority on the match and with Fabio Capello opting for a 4-3-3 formation it meant England began on the front foot.  They were also playing at a high tempo, and the passing and movement was excellent. The young Wales team hardly had any possession in the early stages and, as it turned out, the game was effectively over after just 14 minutes.

A good move in the seventh minute led to the opening goal.  'New' skipper John Terry combined with Ashley Cole and then released the lively Ashley Young.  The winger immediately attacked the box and when his Aston Villa teammate James Collins made a rash challenge to send Young sprawling in the area the referee had an easy decision to give a penalty.  Up stepped Frank Lampard to send Wayne Hennessey the wrong way and England's bright start was confirmed.

England were already in complete control and Wales could hardly find a way to move out of their own half.  Joe Hart in the England goal was largely just a spectator, and in the 14^th minute England's dominance was rewarded with a second goal.  Glen Johnson fed Young down the right and he confidently sent in a centre to the middle where Darren Bent met the ball perfectly to side-foot home.  The crowd were stunned, and better still for England, silenced!  So much for the pre-match building up of Gary Speed's team as England completely outclassed their opponents.

Scott Parker, showing his typical club form, busily protected the back four, Jack Wilshere showed all his blossoming passing skills and all round talent, and Young reiterated how his England pedigree was growing in stature with every game. en allowing for how poor Wales were, England's first half performance gave their fans every encouragement and it was good to see.  One blot on the half was a needless booking for Wayne Rooney, which means he now misses the next game, against Switzerland.  The Manchester United player had a quiet game in Cardiff.

The rest of the first half saw England totally in control and pushing forward continually.  A lack of urgency was probably the only reason England didn't add to their goals, that and some alert goalkeeping by Hennessey.

It is very rare these days to have any easy international match, especially in a tournament, but this one was probably the easiest match England have experienced since some of those big wins in the 1970's and 80's.  To their credit Wales were a little brighter after the interval but over 70 minutes of the match had gone before they gave Hart his first save.  The much-hyped Craig Bellamy never received a pass worthy of the name and even with the absent Gareth Bale it would have been a struggle for the powder puff red dragons.  The match was an ideal scenario for Terry as the skipper was able to snuff out anything Wales had to offer with ease, and the captain did his job with his usual authority and strength.  There really should now be no argument as to his selection for the armband.  Alongside him Michael Dawson was equally strong and with Johnson and Cole playing to their strengths too, it was all too easy for the England defence.

The nearest England came to adding to their score was late on, after Stewart Downing had replaced Wilshere, the Villa winger hit a rasping drive that flew just wide.  Bent also went close to his second goal as man-of-the-match Young almost set him up again.  Those attempts, had they gone in would have given the scoreline a much more realistic look, such was the England team's dominance.

So, an easy win in a hostile atmosphere, and a good performance from some of Capello's blossoming youngsters.  It was a very good day for England.

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
SkySports.com/football
WorldReferee.com
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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CG