Football News - England beat World Champions Spain 1 - 0
Last updated 11/21/2011 7:28:28 PM
Football News - England beat World Champions Spain 1 - 0 Frank Lampard goal
England scored a remarkable double in two separate sports over the weekend when the football team beat the reigning World Cup Champions Spain at Wembley while their rugby league counterparts beat their World Champion opponents New Zealand in Hull.
Fabio Capello's mix and match side were given little chance against the brilliant, innovative Spaniards who put on Wembley display their full array of talent.
But by dint of certain British characteristics- character, team spirit, courage and patriotism – the bull beat the matadors.
It took just a single goal from the much maligned Frank Lampard, captaining the side just a few weeks after being written off by the critics, and an heroic defence marshalled by the glorious Scott Parker.
Despite the presence of such outstanding midfield players in opposition, Parker outshone them all with a display of raw character which left him complaining that he felt that he had been hit by a bus. His opponents, therefore, must have felt as though they had been hit by a train.
There is no denying that Spain were the better equipped, the better passers, more able to hold onto the ball than their opponents but the one necessity they forgot was that it is the final scoreline that counts, who scored the most goals and that was England on the day.
Cesc Fabregas, who could only claim a substitutes role, rubbished England afterwards for the quality of their performance when, perhaps, the former Arsenal player should have been looking at his own cameo as he saw goalkeeper Joe Hart make a super save – the only difficult one he was asked to make in the entire 90 minutes – while missing two other chances.
It was, of course, only a friendly and, therefore, cannot be used as a guide to the up coming European Championships.
England were without several of their so called stars through injury, suspension and Capello's desire to experiment.
He is also continuing his process of introducing Stuart Pearce's youngsters into the line up and he expressed immense satisfaction with Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones and he must have felt the same about his central defensive partnership of Phil
Jagielka and Joleon Lescott who, after a nervy start, gave the Spanish superstar strikers only a rare sniff at Hart's goal.
Lescott, in particular, has developed immensely since being introduced as a regular in the Manchester City side and clearly staked his claim for a place in the squad as captain John Terry was left on the bench and Rio Ferdinand back home.
It will be all change for tomorrow's game against Sweden, again at Wembley, but you can be sure that there will be English youngsters on view.
The English rugby league team have an even bigger date on Saturday at Leeds when they face Australia in the Gillette Four Nations final.
The two have already met in the tournament with the Aussies winning through with no little assistance from the officials and England honestly believe they can turn the tables in the final after overturning the rough and rugged Kiwis in some style.
England won 28-6 against the team who beat Australia in the World Cup final and they believe they can build on this success and undermine the cocky Aussies who brushed aside the Welsh at the weekend.
A year ago England succumbed all too easily to both Southern Hemisphere teams, but this is a different, more focussed, stronger England who, although starting as underdogs, know they have a real chance of upsetting the odds.
At least they go into the game knowing that whatever the Australians throw at them it will be no worse than the reigning world champions who plumbed the depths in their bid to beat England.
But, in the end, they were blown away and were left cursing the New Zealand born English scrum half Rangi Chase who stood up to everything his former countrymen could throw at him, both fair and foul and led England to a crushing victory.