Match Summary

England Team

Australia Team

Sven's bright new era got off to a rather average start at Upton Park, as Frank Farina's Australian side overwhelmed the hosts with a forceful performance that will have brought joy to Socceroos fans all over the world. It was night a night of joy for Three Lions fans, though the seeds that Sven planted may yet blossom in years to come.

It had actually started pretty well. England were into their stride swiftly from the whistle, with Owen in particular seeming to relish the challenge of international football during a sticky period for him and for Liverpool in the Premiership. His combination with James Beattie looked promising too and Owen only just failed to latch onto the Southampton man's audacious back-heel on six minutes. 

The early sparring saw both teams go near. No sooner had Becks and Campbell nearly re-created the World Cup goal against Sweden, than Kewell marched straight down the other end to strike a viciously swerving effort that James finger-tipped away.

In the event it was the visitors, to the delight of their sizeable and boisterous band of supporters, who found the net first. Lazaridis swung in a deep free-kick from the right and Crystal Palace centre-back Popovic rose at the far post to head home. It was a serious setback from England responded quickly.

After Owen had frightened the life out of Schwarzer by dispossessing him and firing into the side netting on 20 minutes, it was Scholes who then created a clear-cut opportunity for himself, swivelling on the edge of the box before snapping a shot across the goal.

Australia were impressive, both for their resistance and their attacking style. Kewell's dancing feet soon created enough space for a Viduka header which brought a fabulous tip-over from James on his home patch. That came in the 28th minute and from that moment until half-time the visitors claimed the ascendancy - and a second goal. Kewell won a physical battle with Rio Ferdinand, his former Leeds team-mate, before lazily drifting around James to fire the ball in.

England's future took the stage for the second half and, irrespective of the Upton Park result, where there is Wayne Rooney, Jermaine Jenas and Francis Jeffers, there is also hope. Two minutes after his arrival Rooney spun out to the left and delivered an inch perfect ball to Darius Vassell at the far post. The Villa striker's angled strike forced Schwarzer to drop to his left to keep the ball out. Now it was definitely "game on".

Rooney, now England's youngest debutant at 17 years 111 days, had cracked in his first shot at goal when Jenas wriggled free on the right and provided a Beckhamesque centre which Jeffers flicked past Schwarzer with his head on 70 minutes. The prolific Jeffers had already managed 12 goals in 12 games for the Under-21s - this was his first for the Seniors.

An equaliser failed to materialise and Emerton's 84th minute effort made the game safe for the Aussies. Aloisi, substituting for Kewell, took the ball deep into England territory and, when it rebounded to the Feyenoord player, he opened up his body to slide the ball in left-footed under Paul Robinson. - The Football Association Yearbook 2003-04, pp43, 45

Source Notes

BBC Sport
TheFA.com
Official Teamsheet
FA Library
Football Association Yearbook 2003-04
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CG