England 1-0 Spain
Lampard 49
Lampard 49
Frank Lampard heads England ahead against Spain at Wembley. Photograph: Tom Jenkins
At least Fabio Capello can stick out his chin and look his family in the eye. Missing his son's wedding because a misunderstanding over dates left him in charge of a ragbag of England reserves getting a footballing lesson from Spain would have been one thing, but this was nothing of the sort. When Capello belatedly joins the celebrations in Italy, he can take pride in explaining that the delay was due to defeating the world champions.
Perhaps that does not make England better than Spain, or even as good, but it was an outcome much improved on the grotesque mismatch many predicted. England defended well throughout, played the game at the slower tempo Spain prefer and prospered through the time-honoured old trick of putting away one of the very few chances that came their way. Just because putting crosses into the box has fallen out of favour in Spain does not mean the rest of the world must follow suit, and though Darren Bent may not be the silkiest of footballers – and had to play most of this match in virtual isolation from his attacking colleagues – there was nothing wrong with his reaction once he got a sniff near goal.
"When you lose the ball it is important to try and win it back within five seconds," Theo Walcott had helpfully explained in the match programme. Especially against Spain, who often seem capable of holding on to the ball for spells closer to five minutes. The opening stages of this game illustrated the difficulty England were facing so vividly that it was tempting to wonder whether they had heard Walcott's injunction all wrong. At first, the home side appeared incapable of keeping hold of the ball for five seconds, let alone winning it back in that time.
First Joleon Lescott coughed up possession by attempting to dribble his way out of defence, then, after Spain had linked about a dozen passes together, Ashley Cole intercepted and gave the ball away with almost the same touch. Phil Jones recovered possession on the other wing only to pass straight into touch, and though Scott Parker and Frank Lampard showed more poise and control in working the ball forward through the middle, they were only operating in the safe area of their own half. As soon as they attempted to cross halfway, the ball was lost.
Spain were not at their most urgent and incisive, however, and England survived these early mistakes, indeed, midway through the first half, Cole dispossessed a surprised Xavi with one of the cleanest challenges from behind you will see. No contact was involved, Cole just walked his opponent off the ball with the sort of precision and elegance we have come to expect from Spanish players, and in terms of playing the world champions at their own game that is definitely the way to go. The only problem is that England still cannot quite match the rest of Spain's game and, within another minute, David Villa was holding up the ball on the edge of the area, waiting for Jordi Alba to arrive on the overlap, and had the full-back's cut back from the by-line found David Silva a fraction more tidily, Joe Hart would at least have had a save to make.
The first shot of the game that actually required stopping came from Frank Lampard after 31 minutes, though it was an effort from distance that said more about the lack of options available to him than any real confidence in beating Iker Casillas. Spain's best chance of the first half followed shortly afterwards when, with more time than he probably realised, Sergio Busquets went for a first-time volley from Xabi Alonso's lofted diagonal pass and spooned the ball over the bar as well as over Hart. Tellingly, England had been opened up following a corner played not only short but initially away from the penalty area. Just like Barcelona against Manchester United here in May, Spain do not do anything as primitive as using their corners to bang crosses into the box.
Still, England could congratulate themselves on reaching half-time without conceding, even if there was a strong suspicion Spain were keeping plenty in reserve. Glen Johnson wrapped up the first period with a strong run into the area, gamely staying on his feet when he might have hit the floor in search of a penalty, though Sergio Ramos had actually pulled out of the tackle and had made no contact.
Capello sent on Stewart Downing for the second half, in place of the lively yet limited Walcott, while Spain withdrew Silva and Xavi for Juan Mata and Cesc Fàbregas. Silva had not looked in his best Manchester City form in the first half, his legitimate tag of best player in England appearing to weigh him down in the company of compatriots, though the most significant Spanish substitution was arguably allowing Pepe Reina to take over from Casillas in goal.
The Liverpool goalkeeper had still not touched the ball when England took the lead, four minutes after the restart, and was slightly slow to react when Bent headed downwards from a James Milner free-kick and struck Reina's left-hand upright. The ball bounced back across goal, where Lampard was able to touch it over the line for a gift score to celebrate his temporary elevation to the captaincy, though the most significant irony was that Spain had been undone by a form of the game they eschew. Milner had thought of nothing else but whipping over a cross from a free-kick awarded near the touchline and, once Bent's athleticism enabled him to beat Gerard Piqué in the air, the masters of possession football were at the mercy of a team willing to pump the ball into the area and take their chances.
Inevitably Spain had chances to equalise, Villa finding the side netting with one and, even more unluckily, striking the post with another, Fàbregas bringing a late save from Hart and missing the target with his next chance, and some of England's defending in the closing stages bordering on the desperate. Yet, still giving the ball away far too often for their own good, England survived, with Lescott, Parker and Phil Jagielka all outstanding at the back. Capello even found time to bring youngsters such as Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck and Kyle Walker into the action, and but for a timely intervention by Alba the first two might have produced a second goal. That really would have been flattering, but after all the fuss about poppies it was fitting England used the occasion to recover their pride.
Perhaps that does not make England better than Spain, or even as good, but it was an outcome much improved on the grotesque mismatch many predicted. England defended well throughout, played the game at the slower tempo Spain prefer and prospered through the time-honoured old trick of putting away one of the very few chances that came their way. Just because putting crosses into the box has fallen out of favour in Spain does not mean the rest of the world must follow suit, and though Darren Bent may not be the silkiest of footballers – and had to play most of this match in virtual isolation from his attacking colleagues – there was nothing wrong with his reaction once he got a sniff near goal.
"When you lose the ball it is important to try and win it back within five seconds," Theo Walcott had helpfully explained in the match programme. Especially against Spain, who often seem capable of holding on to the ball for spells closer to five minutes. The opening stages of this game illustrated the difficulty England were facing so vividly that it was tempting to wonder whether they had heard Walcott's injunction all wrong. At first, the home side appeared incapable of keeping hold of the ball for five seconds, let alone winning it back in that time.
First Joleon Lescott coughed up possession by attempting to dribble his way out of defence, then, after Spain had linked about a dozen passes together, Ashley Cole intercepted and gave the ball away with almost the same touch. Phil Jones recovered possession on the other wing only to pass straight into touch, and though Scott Parker and Frank Lampard showed more poise and control in working the ball forward through the middle, they were only operating in the safe area of their own half. As soon as they attempted to cross halfway, the ball was lost.
Spain were not at their most urgent and incisive, however, and England survived these early mistakes, indeed, midway through the first half, Cole dispossessed a surprised Xavi with one of the cleanest challenges from behind you will see. No contact was involved, Cole just walked his opponent off the ball with the sort of precision and elegance we have come to expect from Spanish players, and in terms of playing the world champions at their own game that is definitely the way to go. The only problem is that England still cannot quite match the rest of Spain's game and, within another minute, David Villa was holding up the ball on the edge of the area, waiting for Jordi Alba to arrive on the overlap, and had the full-back's cut back from the by-line found David Silva a fraction more tidily, Joe Hart would at least have had a save to make.
The first shot of the game that actually required stopping came from Frank Lampard after 31 minutes, though it was an effort from distance that said more about the lack of options available to him than any real confidence in beating Iker Casillas. Spain's best chance of the first half followed shortly afterwards when, with more time than he probably realised, Sergio Busquets went for a first-time volley from Xabi Alonso's lofted diagonal pass and spooned the ball over the bar as well as over Hart. Tellingly, England had been opened up following a corner played not only short but initially away from the penalty area. Just like Barcelona against Manchester United here in May, Spain do not do anything as primitive as using their corners to bang crosses into the box.
Still, England could congratulate themselves on reaching half-time without conceding, even if there was a strong suspicion Spain were keeping plenty in reserve. Glen Johnson wrapped up the first period with a strong run into the area, gamely staying on his feet when he might have hit the floor in search of a penalty, though Sergio Ramos had actually pulled out of the tackle and had made no contact.
Capello sent on Stewart Downing for the second half, in place of the lively yet limited Walcott, while Spain withdrew Silva and Xavi for Juan Mata and Cesc Fàbregas. Silva had not looked in his best Manchester City form in the first half, his legitimate tag of best player in England appearing to weigh him down in the company of compatriots, though the most significant Spanish substitution was arguably allowing Pepe Reina to take over from Casillas in goal.
The Liverpool goalkeeper had still not touched the ball when England took the lead, four minutes after the restart, and was slightly slow to react when Bent headed downwards from a James Milner free-kick and struck Reina's left-hand upright. The ball bounced back across goal, where Lampard was able to touch it over the line for a gift score to celebrate his temporary elevation to the captaincy, though the most significant irony was that Spain had been undone by a form of the game they eschew. Milner had thought of nothing else but whipping over a cross from a free-kick awarded near the touchline and, once Bent's athleticism enabled him to beat Gerard Piqué in the air, the masters of possession football were at the mercy of a team willing to pump the ball into the area and take their chances.
Inevitably Spain had chances to equalise, Villa finding the side netting with one and, even more unluckily, striking the post with another, Fàbregas bringing a late save from Hart and missing the target with his next chance, and some of England's defending in the closing stages bordering on the desperate. Yet, still giving the ball away far too often for their own good, England survived, with Lescott, Parker and Phil Jagielka all outstanding at the back. Capello even found time to bring youngsters such as Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck and Kyle Walker into the action, and but for a timely intervention by Alba the first two might have produced a second goal. That really would have been flattering, but after all the fuss about poppies it was fitting England used the occasion to recover their pride.
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