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Slovenija

 

 
876 vs. Netherlands

877
878 vs. Croatia
Saturday, 5 September 2009
A Nationwide International Friendly Match

England 2 Slovenia 1 [1-0]
 

The National Stadium, Wembley, Brent, Greater London
Attendance
: 67,232; Kick-off: 5.30pm BST; 
Live on ITV One (UK) - commentator: Peter Drury

England - Frank Lampard (penalty 31 30:26), Jermain Defoe (twenty-yard shot 63 62:25).
Slovenia - Zlatan Ljubijankič (two-yard header 84 84:00).
Match Summary
England Squad

Slovenia Squad
Results 2005-2010 Slovenia - Andraz Kirm (18), Boztjan Cesar (30), Mišo Brečko (72).

Slovenia kicked-off. 94 minutes (46 & 48).

 

Match Summary

Officials from Sweden

England

Type

Slovenia

Referee (red) - Jonas Eriksson
35 (28 March 1974), Sigtuna, FIFA-listed 2002.

Assistant Referees - Mathias Klasenius, 34 (25 April 1975) and Peter Martinsson, 38 (20 June 1971).

Fourth official - Mark Clattenburg, 34 (13 March 1975), Consett, England

Teams presented to the presidents of the FA and Slovenian Associations.

12 Goal Attempts 4
3 Attempts on Target 1
2 Hit Bar/Post 0
8 Corner Kicks Won 0
3 Offside Calls Against 2
10 Fouls Conceded 9
61.6% Possession 38.4%

England Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (2nd Sept 2009) 7th
EFO ranking Group 2

ELO rating 4th
Colours: The 2009 home uniform - Plain white collared jerseys, plain white shorts, plain white socks.
Capt: John Terry, 25th captaincy Manager: Fabio Capello, 63 (18 June 1946), appointed 14 December 2007, effective 7 January 2008, 
17th match, W 13 - D 2 - L 2 - F 45 - A 14.
England Lineup
1 Green, Robert P. 29 18 January 1980 G West Ham United FC 6 5ᵍᵃ
2 Johnson, Glen M. 25 23 August 1984 RB Liverpool FC 17 0
3 Cole, Ashley 28 20 December 1980 LB Chelsea FC 75 0
4 Gerrard, Steven G., off 46th min. 29 30 May 1980 LM Liverpool FC 75 14
5 Upson, Matthew J., off 64th min. 30 18 April 1979 CD West Ham United FC 16 1
6 Terry, John G. 28 7 December 1980 CD Chelsea FC 55 6
7 Wright-Phillips, Shaun C., off 46th min. 27 25 October 1981 RM Manchester City FC 27 4
8 Lampard, Frank J., off 46th min. 31 20 June 1978 CM Chelsea FC 73 17 (4)
the 67th penalty kick scored
9 Heskey, Emile W.I., off 46th min. 31 11 January 1978 CF Aston Villa FC 55 7
10 Rooney, Wayne M., off 80th min. 23 24 October 1985 AM Manchester United FC 54 23
11 Barry, Gareth 28 23 February 1981 CM Manchester City FC 32 2
England Substitutes
scoreline: England 1 Slovenia 0
16 Carrick, Michael, on 46th min for Lampard 28 28 July 1981 CM Manchester United FC 19 0
20 Lennon, Aaron J., on 46th min for Wright-Phillips 22 16 April 1987 RM Tottenham Hotspur FC 12 0
21 Milner, James P., on 46th min. for Gerrard 23 4 January 1986 LM Aston Villa FC 2 0
23 Defoe, Jermain C., on 46th min. for Heskey 26 7 October 1982 F Tottenham Hotspur FC 36 11
scoreline: England 2 Slovenia 0
13 Lescott, Joleon P., on 64th min. for Upson 27 16 August 1982 CD Manchester City FC 8 0
25 Cole, Carlton M.G., on 80th min. for Rooney 25 12 November 1983 F West Ham United FC 4 0
result: England 2 Slovenia 1
unused substitutes: 12-Ben Foster, 14-Wes Brown, 15-Wayne Bridge, 17-David Beckham, 18-Gary Cahill, 19-Ashley Young, 22-Paul Robinson, 24-Peter Crouch.
team notes: The eighteenth goal scored by a substitute in qualification history.
The sixth substitute goal at the new National Stadium.
Jermain Defoe's record sixth goal as a substitute. The eighteenth goal scored by a substitute in qualification history.
Steven Gerrard has now played in a record thirteen of the fourteen home matches at the new National Stadium. One ahead of Gareth Barry's twelve. Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole have eleven appearances each.
Coach Fabio Capello played for Italy against England in June (scoring one) and November 1973 (scoring another), and in May and November 1976.
 
4-4-1-1 Green -
Johnson, Upson
(Lescott), Terry, A.Cole -
Wright-Phillips
(Lennon), Lampard (Carrick), Barry, Gerrard (Milner) -
Rooney
(C.Cole) -
Heskey
(Defoe).

Averages (Starting XI):

Age 28.1 Appearances/Goals 44.1 6.9

 

Slovenia Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (2nd Sept 2009) 54th
EFO ranking n/a

ELO rating 72nd
Colours: Made by Nike - Green v-necked jerseys with white/green collar, white lower side trim, green shorts, green socks with white vertical stripe.
Capt:  Robert Koren Manager: Matjaz Kek, 47 (9 September 1961), appointed 3 January 2007, 
25th match, W 7 - D 5 - L 13 - F 25 - A 18.
Slovenia Lineup
1 Handanovič, Samir 24 14 July 1984 G Udinese Calcio, Italy 32 0
2 Brečko, Mišo 25 1 May 1984 RB 1.FC Köln 01/07, Germany 24 0
Brečko cautioned in the 72nd minute for Unsporting Behaviour, for a foul.
13 Jokić, Bojan 23 17 May 1986 LB FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, France 27 0
4 Šuler, Marko 26 9 March 1983 CD KAA Gent, Belgium 10 1
5 Cesar, Boztjan, injured off 34th min. 27 9 July 1982 CD Grenoble Foot 38, France 36 2
Cesar cautioned in the 30th minute for Unsporting Behaviour, for an apparent foul on Rooney, leading to the penalty.
18 Radosavljevič, Aleksander, off 77th min. 30 25 April 1979 CM FC Tom Tomsk, Russia 8 1
17 Kirm, Andraz, off 77th min. 24 6 September 1984 LM Wisła Kraków SA, Poland 19 1
Kirm cautioned in the 18th minute for Unsporting Behaviour, for a foul on Heskey.
8 Koren, Robert 28 20 September 1980 CM West Bromwich Albion FC, England 40 4
14 Dedič, Zlatko, off 71st min. 24 5 October 1984 F VfL Bochum 1848 F, Germany 16 1
10 Birsa, Valter, off 65th min. 23 7 August 1986 RM AJ Auxerroise, France 27 0
11 Novakovič, Milivoje, off 55th min. 30 18 May 1979 F 1.FC Köln 01/07, Germany 31 11
Slovenia Substitutes
scoreline: England 1 Slovenia 0
6 Mavrič, Matej, on 34th min. for Cesar 30 29 January 1979 D TuS Koblenz 1911, Germany 31 1
9 Ljubijankič, Zlatan, on 55th min. for Novakovič 25 15 December 1983 F KAA Gent, Belgium 12 4
scoreline: England 2 Slovenia 0
3 Komac, Andrej, on 65th min. for Birsa 29 4 December 1979 M Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, Israel 39 0
19 Pečnik, Nejc, on 71st min. for Dedič 23 3 January 1986 F CD Nacional, Portugal 3 0
15 Krhin, Rene, on 77th min. for Radosavljevič 19 21 May 1990 M FC Internazionale Milano, Italy 1 0
7 Stevanovič, Dalibor, on 77th min. for Kirm 24 27 September 1984 M SBV Vitesse, Netherlands 11 0
result: England 2 Slovenia 1
unused substitutes: none
 
4-4-2 Handanović -
Brecko, Suler, Cesar
(Mavrič), Jokic -
Birsa
(Komac), Koren, Radosavljević (Khrin), Kirm (Stevanovič) -
Novaković
(Ljubijankič), Dedic (Pečnik).

Averages (Starting XI):

Age 25.8 Appearances/Goals 24.5 1.9

 

    Match Report by Mike Payne

England's warm up friendly before the much more important clash with Croatia in four days time proved to be a useful exercise and gave them their fifth Wembley win in a row.  It was a mixed performance with some good possession and chances created, but always with the nagging errors that might be punished by a stronger side.  Having said that Slovenia were a well-organised team that worked hard and provided a good test.

Fabio Capello brought in Robert Green, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Matthew Upson as his three changes to the side that drew in Holland.  He resisted the clamour to start with Jermain Defoe and instead continued with the Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey partnership.  But the first chance of the match went to the visitors as Robert Koren sent a terrific pass through for Milivoje Novaković to get behind the England defence.  Green came out and managed to get the slightest touch as he dived at the Slovenian's feet.  Novaković evaded the keeper though and really should have done better than shoot over with defenders scrambling back.  It was a let-off for England and a wake up call for some sloppy defending.

After ten minutes of scrappy play England began to string their passing together and possession wise they dominated the half.  Worryingly, after twenty minutes England had yet to carve out a clear chance, but their passing improved as the half wore on and eventually the chances began to arrive.  Rooney met a cross from Glen Johnson but shot wide and then on 21 minutes Heskey flicked the ball on and Rooney won possession, cut back inside and seemed certain to score.  But full-back Miso Brecko, who was impressive throughout, recovered brilliantly to deflect the ball over the bar.  From the resultant corner by Steven Gerrard, John Terry leaped high to power in a header, which crashed back off the crossbar.  It was Terry himself who then tried an overhead kick from the rebound but to no avail.

Under Capello one thing is very noticeable, and that is how hard the players work, and all round the team England chased, harried and made themselves available for teammates, it was good to see.

On 28 minutes England deservedly took the lead, although in a somewhat fortuitous manner.  Gerrard won the ball on the left and centred with the outside of his right boot, Rooney went for it under a challenge from Bostjan Cesar.  Both players went to ground and Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson decided Cesar had fouled Rooney and gave a penalty.  It was one of those challenges you see many times and for England to gain a penalty from it was debatable to say the least.  However, after Slovenia's arguments died down and Cesar was taken off injured, Frank Lampard calmly slotted home the spot-kick.  The goal was timed as 31 minutes, three minutes after the penalty was given.

England were now on top and they should have added to their lead three minutes later.  Lampard's corner was headed on by Upson, and Rooney, stood on his own at the far post, struck his left-foot shot against the post from just two yards out.  It was an amazing miss from this talented player.  Gerrard also went close with a 20 yard shot that curled agonisingly just wide of Samir Handanović's goal, and then Rooney's early cross was met by Heskey but the Aston Villa striker headed wide.

The second half began with Defoe on for Heskey, Aaron Lennon on for the ineffective Wright-Phillips, and James Milner and Michael Carrick on for the rested Gerrard and Lampard.  England were soon pressing forward, again showing good build up play and some sharp passing.  Johnson's cross found Defoe, but the ball was deflected for a corner, and then Milner's good cross evaded everyone.  At the other end Green made a good punched clearance from a dangerous Koren cross before England added their second goal.

It came in the 63rd minute as Lennon and Defoe combined.  When Lennon's pass inside found the Spurs striker just outside the box Defoe had just one thing on his mind and that was to fire in a shot, and what a strike it was.  Straight into the far corner with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.  It did take a slight deflection but the ball was hit hard and went just where Defoe aimed it.

England were now in complete control and sent on Joleon Lescott for Upson.  Lescott looked a little less than fully fit, not surprising after his last few weeks, but it did not affect England's dominance.  On 71 minutes great work by the lively Lennon set up Rooney for another simple chance, but once again a defender, this time Mavric, managed to clear from the goalline.  In the final fifteen minutes England's dominance annoyingly turned into some sloppy and careless play.  Carrick's passing was poor and Johnson's defensive shortcomings were again exposed.  In the 85th minute Nejc Pečnik too easily turned Johnson before crossing for Zlatan Ljubijankic to get in front of Lescott and guide an excellent header past Green.  Yet again England had failed to keep a clean sheet and that is something that would be very useful against Croatia.

Source Notes

BBC Sport
NZS.si (official Slovenian FA website)
TheFA.com
ITV Sport
SkySports.com
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
Clive Tyldesley
Marcel Hoefsmit

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CG