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Sports commentary on major events from the timesonline.co.uk

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Full-time: England 2 USA 0

Not a classic, but England dominated a very ordinary USA team. Gerrard was the pick for England with his link up play with Rooney and intelligent running from midfield. Beckham looked lively in the first half and showed that he still has something to offer his country. Once again in an England friendly, too many substitutions have stifled the rhythm of the game. They could have installed a revolving door on the touchline there were so many and Sven isn't even manager anymore.

This Sunday, England visit Trinidad & Tobago for another friendly. Call it a charm offensive towards Jack Warner, the Fifa vice-president. We're looking for his support towards hosting the 2018 World Cup. A shock defeat seems in order.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 10:02 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

87 min: England 2 USA 0

Adu intercepts a Hargreaves pass and runs towards the England goal. He cracks a low right-footed shot but James gets down to make a routine save.

Bizarrely, the England band are playing the Indiana Jones theme music. If you've seen the latest instalment, like this match, it only makes you think of what could have been.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:56 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

85 min: England 2 USA 0

England are content to play on the break. Hargreaves wins possession in the centre circle, swaps passes with Joe Cole and bombs down the right wing before winning a corner. He's got a great engine. The corner kick comes to nothing as Terry commits a foul.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:52 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

80 min: England 2 USA 0

James makes a very good save after Joe Cole is beaten by the wily Eddie Lewis. The Derby winger skips past his marker and loops a dangerous ball into the six-yard area but James is alert in punching the ball to safety.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:49 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

79 min: England 2 USA 0

Unsurprisingly, Rooney is replaced by Joe Cole. It's Cole in the hole behind Crouch. Edu comes on for Clark. That's right, the USA will attack with Adu and Edu.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:46 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

76 min: England 2 USA 0

Rooney is given a yellow card for a foul on Hejduk. He gives the Greek referee his usual hand-waving and cursing package. It's a tiresome routine, especially when he didn't need to commit the offence.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:43 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

72 min: England 2 USA 0

A crowd of 71,000 has been announced for the game and they celebrate with a Mexican wave. Always a sign of boredom.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:39 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

68 min: England 2 USA 0

A flurry of substitutions for both sides. The most notable being Peter Crouch for Defoe and Freddy Adu comes on for Wolff. Adu, you may remember, was touted as the 135th incarnation of Pele when he burst on the scene as a 14-year-old. He's playing for Benfica these days and would no doubt be glad of even a modest career after the early fanfare that surrounded him.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:37 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

62 min: England 2 USA 0

Dempsey shows some of the Fulham fighting spirit to beat Gerrard with neat skill. Wolff bravely meets his cross inside the England penalty area with a diving header but the ball goes wide.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:33 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

62 min: England 2 USA 0

The USA are looking ragged. It's a concern because they have road games against Spain and Argentina coming up next. Rooney nearly gets on the end of a raking diagonal pass from Bentley that splits the visitors' defence but Guzan plucks it from the Manchester United striker's feet.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:30 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

58 min: England 2 USA 0

GOAL! Gareth Barry comes on for Frank Lampard and immediately plays a first-time pass into the path of Gerrard who strides forward and strokes his finish past Guzan to double England's lead.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:26 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

54 min: England 1 USA 0

David James has been immaculate with his handling tonight. He plucked Beasley's corner kick out of the air with ease. The Pompey 'keeper, sporting a fine afro, was reminiscent of a 1970s basketball star rising for a cheap dunk.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:24 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

51 min: England 1 USA 0

Guzan makes a sharp save from Defoe after the Portsmouth striker collects Terry's deep free-kick and rolls his marker easily before unleashing a scissor-kick that is too close to the USA 'keeper.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:20 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

48 min: England 1 USA 0

Half-time substitutions saw David Bentley replace Beckham for England. The Blackburn winger looks to have gone into his local barbers and asked for a "Private Walker". Well, it's unlikely he would have said "greasy comb over".

Bob Bradley, the USA coach, has replaced Cherundolo with Hejduk and Tim Howard swaps his place in goal with Guzan.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:17 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

46 min: England 1 USA 0

England are nearly caught cold as Eddie Johnson connects beautifully with a Beasley cross from the left wing. It flies wide of the England goal.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:13 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

Half-time: England 1 USA 0

It has not been the greatest half of football, but England have had enough set-pieces to have increased their lead especially when you consider the deadball sharpshooters they possess. The USA side are a pale imitation of the teams that have overachieved in recent World Cups. Expect their fans to sing "Bring back Bruce [Arena]" in the second half.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 09:01 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

45+1 min: England 1 USA 0

The last action of the half sees Rooney career into Clark. It's almost wince-inducing, but the USA midfielder gets up and shakes the striker's hand.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:57 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

44 min: England 1 USA 0

Cherundolo commits a foul on Defoe on the edge of the USA area. The defender is booked. Becks is on the case ... and he hits the wall. Next time is Lampard time.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:55 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

41 min: England 1 USA 0

Onyewu trips Defoe on the edge of the box and inexplicably Gerrard is allowed to smash the free-kick into the USA wall. Hello? Beckham is on the pitch. A wasted opportunity.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:51 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

38 min: England 1 USA 0

GOAL! That should make Terry feel a whole lot better. The Chelsea skipper thumps a header home from Beckham's free-kick from the right after Golden Balls was flattened by Ricardo Clark.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:48 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

34 min: England 0 USA 0

A much better move from England as Rooney releases Gerrard down the left wing and his low cross finds Jermain Defoe who puts it wide under pressure from Pearce. He should have done much better.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:45 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

32 min: England 0 USA 0

Fabio Capello doesn't look too concerned despite taking a little stroll in his technical area. Stuart Pearce is sitting on the bench with what looks to be an Ordnance Survey map. Let's hope it is as you have to be suspicious of copious note-takers (where does it get you? Steve McClaren and Steve Coppell spring to mind)

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:43 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

29 min: England 0 USA 0

John Terry seems to be holding it together. I can't criticise him for his Moscow tears. I used to well up listening to the Grandstand theme tune.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:39 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

25 min: England 0 USA 0

USA have their first shot on goal as Johnson and Dempsey combine neatly on the right-hand side of the England penalty area. They'd call it a give-and-go, to us it was the old one-two. Johnson shoots weakly from a wide angle and David James gathers it easily.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:36 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

23 min: England 0 USA 0

Rooney manages to break away from Carlos Bocanegra after the USA defender slips down the right flank. The Manchester United forward cuts the ball back to Gerrard who has broken into the box but it is too far behind him and Clint Dempsey blocks his shot.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:34 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

19 min: England 0 USA 0

Gerrard whacks a square pass across to Beckham who is loitering on the edge of the USA penalty area. The ball pops up for him and he trys to hit it on the up and unfortunately hits it over the bar. It would have qualified as a converted field goal.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:31 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

18 min: England 0 USA 0

Wayne Rooney looks up for the match, but then he looks up for every match. Imagine playing against him in the garden at a family get-together? You'd earn your trifle when called in for tea.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:28 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

15 min: England 0 USA 0

The hue of USA kit seems to have picked from an Airfix colour chart. We'll call it "Battleship grey". Dull like the match so far.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:24 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

12 min: England 0 USA 0

According to plan, Cole puts Gerrard into space, but Clark brings him down for a free-kick. Beckham whips an inswinger that flies through the USA penalty area and into touch. It needed a touch.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:22 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

9 min: England 0 USA 0

Steven Gerrard is playing on the left of England's midfield, but is roaming as Ashley Cole is pushing into that area at every opportunity. They are looking to release the Liverpool captain into the channels beyond the USA defence.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:20 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

7 min: England 0 USA 0

Heath Pearce is fouled by Beckham and the USA have the first dangerous set-piece of the match from the left flank. Rio Ferdinand heads the ball powerfully away.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:17 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

4 min: England 0 USA 0

Beckham's first attempt at a pass goes straight into an opposition player's chest. He does better with a header back to his goalkeeper, David James. Yup, that's right. Not much is happening at the moment.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:15 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

1 min: England 0 USA 0

The home side are in white with blue shorts and the visitors are wearing a dark grey jersey with white shorts.  Remarkably, 1,300 away fans have made the trip over the pond. Great effort.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:10 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

Pre-match banter: England v USA

Sir Bobby Charlton is greeting the teams. He is going to make a presentation to David Beckham in recognition of the LA Galaxy midfielder's century of caps. It's Beckham's 101st start tonight for his country. It wouldn't have the same cachet if David Bentley were in the first XI, poor lad. Beckham gets a brown cap in a huge case. He'll have trouble getting that home, unless he breaks the glass and wears it.

Kelly Rowland, the contemporary recording artist, is singing both anthems. Which one will Becks puff his chest out to? Both, of course. He's transatlantic now.

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 08:07 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

England v USA: the teams

England: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole, Beckham, Hargreaves, Lampard, Gerrard, Defoe, Rooney. Subs: Hart, Lewis, Johnson, Bridge, Warnock, Woodgate, Bentley, Jagielka, Wheater, Huddlestone, Barry, Joe Cole, Downing, Young, Crouch, Ashton, Walcott, Agbonlahor.

USA: Howard, Onyewu, Cherundolo, Pearce, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Bradley, Clark, Beasley, Johnson, Wolff. Subs: Guzan, Califf, Lewis, Jaqua, Adu, Edu, Hejduk.

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)

Posted by Times Online on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 07:51 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

England v United States: live commentary from 2000BST

It's official, Fabio Capello can speak English. The national team should be in no doubt as to what the Italian requires of them after their disappointing defeat against France in their last match.

John Terry has been named England captain and the Chelsea skipper will be looking to put his Champions League disappointment behind him with a commanding display at the heart of defence.

The United States will prove a decent test at Wembley. They are unbeaten in 2008 under the leadership of Bob Bradley and have won two out of the five matches between the sides (England have won the other three).

Follow our live coverage from 8pm. You can also receive our commentary on your mobile phone by texting Times to 86626.

Posted by Times Online on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 05:17 PM in Football | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Email this post

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