Wednesday August 20, 2008 Finished
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Poor England scrape draw
A scrappy injury-time goal by Joe Cole gave England a 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic in a friendly at Wembley. More
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Live Commentary
Time:90'- England
- Czech Republic
90+4 That's the final whistle, England scrape a draw thanks to the substitutes, but in truth they were dreadful. Capello knows he cannot rely on his "stars" and that he cannot play Steven Gerrard on the left. So England learn a bit more about themselves but they must improve fast, or Croatia will wee all over them.- 90+3 England are actually pushing for a winner, the subs really sense that they can fight for a place after the horror-show from the regulars, but the attack breaks down and the Czechs run it into the corner again.
90+2 It's a great corner from Bentley, it bounces off the back of Woodgate I think and Heskey somehow hooks it back across goal and JENAS CAN SCORE BUT HE MISSES IT AND JOE COLE FINISHES! It trickles across the line, a damp squib of an equaliser at the end of a damp squib of a match.- 90+1 Downing with a good centre and Brown flies in, going down and the England fans want a penalty but a corner is all they get.
- 90' Free-kick to the Czechs on the left, they play it short and walk it into the corner, knocking it about slow and short to run time down. Four minutes of hell for England fans as they announce the added-time.
- 89' The ball is swung over by Barry to Heskey far post, he heads it across goal and Downing with the first-time volley but well wide.
- 87' Bentley runs down a blind alley... I just can't help but think he's good, but not as good as he thinks he is.
- 85' There's a bit more energy about England as Ashley Cole wins a throw on the left, now Downing inside goes wide to Brown who crosses but it's cleared...
84' Great play by Joe Cole to dribble into the centre, good ball wide to Downing but the cross is too deep, now it's with Bentley who goes backwards but Heskey whips it in and JENAS CAN SHOOT but inexplicably he passes to Cole, who's in an offside position!- 82' England give away a free-kick on the Czech left. This is poor from Capello's men, really poor. Croatia will be thinking "oh, we thought losing the Clown made England good again". Well, on this showing, there is still some work to do.
- 80' Bentley swings it in, headed over by Ujfalusi. The next delivery is also good but cleared to the half-way line.
- 79' Immediately they get involved, Bentley combining with Jenas and Cole to put a dangerous ball in. Heskey can't shoot, Downing's cross is blocked and it's a corner.
78' DOUBLE ENGLAND SUB: Lampard and Beckham off for Bentley and Jenas. Double Spurs entry then.- 77' Corner to England on the left... good ball from Beckham this time and Woodgate flies in with the header but blocked and Heskey throws himself at it but cleared! Heskey is down injured, as is a Czech defender, so the ref stops it...
- 74' Another poor delivery from Beckham, low and weak and eaily cleared.
- 73' Free-kick to England on the right, Beckham to take...
- 70' Lampard runs into Barry in the middle of the park. Capello is really annoyed, England look like they've never played together before.
- 69' ENGLAND SUB: Downing on for Rooney, Cole to play off Heskey.
- 67' Great play from the Czechs as they send a sweeping counter-attack forward and Sverkos is in on the right but the shot is weak amd at James but he fumbles it and has to dive onto the ball to stop Sverkos scoring! Oh dear oh dear. We love Jamo here, but he's having a 'mare.
- 63' Ashley Cole wins a free-kick on the left... Beckham to deliver but poor, very poor, low and weak and easy to clear.
- 62' Joe Cole with a great run, he hits the box and tries a one-two with Rooney but he puts it behind Cole.
- 60' A ball over the top and England are standing with their hands on their hips as Sverkos runs from his own half and is through and James comes rushing out of his box as he loses the plot, misses the man and he'll score but he puts it into the side-netting! Jamo is smiling but no-one else is...
- 58' ENGLAND SUBS: Gerrard and Ferdinand off for Joe Cole and Woodgate. Hmmm. Why Terry and Lampard staying on the pitch? They've been poor. Punishment?
- 57' Plasil on the left, cuts inside for Jarolim and no-one challenges him and he shoots but over! England look like they don't care and are trying to avoid injury.
- 55' Heskey played through in the box but no power as he turns into the shot, blocked and clear. He probably should have held it up for Rooney.
- 54' Heskey fouled and Beckham takes it quickly. I don't think I've seen Lampard touch the ball yet, oh, there you go, he plays it to Gerrard. Anonymous from Lamps. Again.
- 51' Jarolim on the ball, tries to free Sirl but he's offside.
- 49' England try to bounce back, looking long for Heskey who holds it up for Beckham, good far-post cross but headed away from Rooney and Gerrard stops running instead of going for the loose ball! Probably worried Rafa will have a go at him if he gets injured.
- 48' The Milan man to take left-footed... and he clips it around the wall and into the top left for 2-1! What a goal!
- 47' The Czechs win a free-kick on the edge of the England box, just to the left of the D, Jankulovski to take...
46' Second half underway!- 45+1 Half-time, 1-1 at the break. Fairly entertaining, although England look dodgy at the back.
- 45' Beckham to take the second corner... right onto the penalty spot AND BROWN FLIES IN WITH A POWER HEADER AND IT'S 1-1! Wes Brown gets his first goal for England.
- 44' England get a free-kick on the right, Ferdinand gets forward.... Good delivery and Rooney flies in but deflected off Plasil and another corner...
- 42' Gerrard into Rooney, now Defoe on the edge of the box but Ujfalusi blocks.
- 40' STOP PRESS! Bumbling, McClaren-hiring TV man Brian Barwick "will leave his post as FA chief executive by the end of this calendar year" according to Setanta. Fans of England breathe a collective sigh of relief.
- 39' Great pass by Gerrard releases Beckham, he stands it up and goes wide and it's back in to Gerrard who has a crack but saved again by Cech.
- 38' Gerrard drives forward, slips it to Defoe who hammers a first-time shot that Cech can only parry for a corner. The delivery from Beckham is cleared but Gerrard gets it on the left, surges wide and pings a ball over which is cleared and the Czechs break, ultimately winning a throw near the left corner flag.
- 37' Good stuff by England now as a ball down the left is knocked back by Defoe to Rooney who shoots but saved by Cech, who fumbles but holds on.
- 35' Corner to England on the left, which Czech punches again, good distance this time.
- 34' England with the ball again in the centre, Gerrard comes wide left again, his cross is deflected and the Czechs clear.
- 33' England dominating possession now but not getting enough bodies in the box, everyone's stepping off a bit... patient play though until Beckham whips it in but Ujfalusi clears and Vlcek comes forward, Polak now but his shot is poor.
- 31' Great delivery from Beckham with Rooney flying in, Cech gets a fist on it and clears but Beckham now on his left with a good cross, again punched clear... the ball drops to Defoe who shoots but Cech is equal to it.
- 30' Good play by Beckham surging through the middle to keep it alive and spread to Rooney, but he miscontrols, although Grygera can't clear and England come again... on the right to Brown, but no-one attacks his cross and Ujfalusi puts it out for a corner.
- 29' Cech appears to be struggling with some kind of injury, the Czech bench are warming up the reserve...
- 27' Defoe is played in but his curling shot is weak straight at Cech.
- 24' Good play by Beckham and Rooney, wide to Ashley Cole but he runs it out.
- 22' The Czech Republic really hitting their stride now, worked well wide on the left to Plasil who turns Brown inside out and cuts it in to Baros who holds off a challenge from Terry and puts a shot in which takes a massive hit off Ashley Cole and 1-0 to the Czechs! Rubbish defending from England, Terry let Baros out-muscle him after Brown stood and watched Plasil.
- 20' The Czechs are starting to play the ball around with England bemused spectators...
- 17' Beckham's delivery doesn't even clear the wall, throw in for England. The Czech's break, Polak on the right switches it for Sirl but too long for him and it's out for a throw.
- 16' Gerrard gets the ball on the left and bursts towards the area and Ujfalusi hacks him down just outside the box! Free-kick, Beckham to take...
- 14' Long ball down the left, Ashley Cole is stranded up the field, Baros sprints in and holds off Ferdinand and thrashes a low drive across goal, great save from James but Plasil can finish only for Brown to hack it clear! England all at sea with Cole well out of position.
12' Barry maims Plasil with a late challenge and he's in some pain. Yellow card, a silly tackle.- 10' Heavy tackle on Gerrard but no card.
- 8' Great ball from Rooney switches the play from right to left, he finds Gerrard who cuts inside and drills a superb low shot on goal but palmed away by Cech!
- 7' Plasil on the ball, he goes wide left to Sirl and he swings the cross over, England's defence missed it and Vlcek with the shot but he hits it into the ground and wide.
- 6' Beckham swings the delivery in but too high and Cech gets a big punch on it.
- 5' Rooney is caught late by Kovac as he tries a through ball to Defoe, no card just a word from Terje Hauge.
- 3' England start pretty well, launching a couple of attacks on the left in the opening few minutes.
1' So, John Terry's return as England captain commences! England, in white, kicking from left to right in this first half.- - Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal, Jankulovski, Vlcek, Kovac, Polak, Plasil, Sirl, Baros; Subs: Zitka, Kadlec, Pospech, Jarolim, Rajnoch, Papadopulos, Sverkos
- - England: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A, Cole, Beckham, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Defoe, Rooney; Subs: Robinson, Hart, Johnson, Bridge, Woodgate, Upson, Bentley, Downing, Jenas, J, Cole, Heskey, Walcott
- Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of England v the Czech Republic, Fabio Capello's final dress-rehearsal before qualification - LIVE from 20:00 UK time!
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Summary
- 90+2 It's a great corner from Bentley, it bounces off the back of Woodgate I think and Heskey somehow hooks it back across goal and JENAS CAN SCORE BUT HE MISSES IT AND JOE COLE FINISHES! It trickles across the line, a damp squib of an equaliser at the end of a damp squib of a match.
- 84' Great play by Joe Cole to dribble into the centre, good ball wide to Downing but the cross is too deep, now it's with Bentley who goes backwards but Heskey whips it in and JENAS CAN SHOOT but inexplicably he passes to Cole, who's in an offside position!
- 77' Corner to England on the left... good ball from Beckham this time and Woodgate flies in with the header but blocked and Heskey throws himself at it but cleared! Heskey is down injured, as is a Czech defender, so the ref stops it...
- 67' Great play from the Czechs as they send a sweeping counter-attack forward and Sverkos is in on the right but the shot is weak amd at James but he fumbles it and has to dive onto the ball to stop Sverkos scoring! Oh dear oh dear. We love Jamo here, but he's having a 'mare.
- 60' A ball over the top and England are standing with their hands on their hips as Sverkos runs from his own half and is through and James comes rushing out of his box as he loses the plot, misses the man and he'll score but he puts it into the side-netting! Jamo is smiling but no-one else is...
- 48' The Milan man to take left-footed... and he clips it around the wall and into the top left for 2-1! What a goal!
- 45' Beckham to take the second corner... right onto the penalty spot AND BROWN FLIES IN WITH A POWER HEADER AND IT'S 1-1! Wes Brown gets his first goal for England.
- 38' Gerrard drives forward, slips it to Defoe who hammers a first-time shot that Cech can only parry for a corner. The delivery from Beckham is cleared but Gerrard gets it on the left, surges wide and pings a ball over which is cleared and the Czechs break, ultimately winning a throw near the left corner flag.
- 37' Good stuff by England now as a ball down the left is knocked back by Defoe to Rooney who shoots but saved by Cech, who fumbles but holds on.
- 31' Great delivery from Beckham with Rooney flying in, Cech gets a fist on it and clears but Beckham now on his left with a good cross, again punched clear... the ball drops to Defoe who shoots but Cech is equal to it.
- 22' The Czech Republic really hitting their stride now, worked well wide on the left to Plasil who turns Brown inside out and cuts it in to Baros who holds off a challenge from Terry and puts a shot in which takes a massive hit off Ashley Cole and 1-0 to the Czechs! Rubbish defending from England, Terry let Baros out-muscle him after Brown stood and watched Plasil.
- 14' Long ball down the left, Ashley Cole is stranded up the field, Baros sprints in and holds off Ferdinand and thrashes a low drive across goal, great save from James but Plasil can finish only for Brown to hack it clear! England all at sea with Cole well out of position.
- 8' Great ball from Rooney switches the play from right to left, he finds Gerrard who cuts inside and drills a superb low shot on goal but palmed away by Cech!
- 7' Plasil on the ball, he goes wide left to Sirl and he swings the cross over, England's defence missed it and Vlcek with the shot but he hits it into the ground and wide.
- - Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of England v the Czech Republic, Fabio Capello's final dress-rehearsal before qualification - LIVE from 20:00 UK time!
Live Team Line-Up
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EnglandManager: Fabio Capello
Captain: John Terry
Starting line-up
- D. James
- W. Brown
- J. Terry
- R. Ferdinand
- A. Cole
- D. Beckham
- S. Gerrard
- G. Barry
- J. Cole
- W. Rooney
- J. Defoe
Subs
Injured
- M. Carrick
- D. Ashton
Suspended
None
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Czech RepublicManager: Petr Rada
Captain: Tomas Ujfalusi
Starting line-up
- P. Cech
- Z. Grygera
- T. Ujfalusi
- D. Rozehnal
- M. Jankulovski
- Sirl
- J. Polak
- R. Kovac
- S. Vlcek
- J. Plasil
- M. Baros
Subs
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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