COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!!!! (England vs Argentina)

Member Name: geordieger

Product:	England vs Argentina
Date:	08/06/02 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good reason to have a bevvy, revenge from the last world cup, The Auld enemy beat the life out of the Argies

Disadvantages: Wish it had been Scotland instead of England

Picture the scene, a living room in Glasgow, 4 paid up members of the Tartan Army supping beers and (shock horror) supporting the Auld Enemy. Until yesterday I never thought I would see myself cheering on England, but it WAS the Argies wasn't it.

The pre-match hype was brilliant, creating an atmosphere that hasn't been seen in 4 years when England have been playing. Nothing seems to better the occasion of England lining up against the Foe that is Argentina. (Well, until they bring back the regular Scotland/England matches). The BBC showed scenes from around England where crowds were watching the game.

The game kicked off, and immediately the England fans raised the noise level by at least a few decibels.

Within 3 muinutes Kily Gonzales tried a cross but Seaman had it well covered and it was never a threat.

Then almost immediately Owen Hargreaves injured himself tackling Pochettino, and underwent a lengthy spell of treatment before returning to the pitch.

Zanetti then tried a long drive that again seaman had covered and another sigh of relief from the England camp.

Nicky Butt, playing the game of his life forced Gonzalez to strike his shot just yards wide when he struck in the 7th minute.

The argentinians looked the stronger side a this point.

A certain red card was dismissed when Gabriel Batistuta fouled Ashley Cole, when he tackled hours late. Arguabley the best Referee in the world, Pierluigi Collina, only flashed the yellow at the lucky Argie.

Owen Hargreaves had been limping around the pitch for 15 mins when the decision was made to take him off and replace him with Trevor Sinclair, who had flown back to the Far East after flying home to London, claiming he..."was not quite up to the pressure of the world cup." Immediately the pacy winger moves to the left side while Scholes moves into a more central position.

On 23 minutes Michael Owen, who regula
rly outpaced any Argie who tried to mark him, raced past Walter Samuel, only to see his terrifically placed shot come back out of the post. Back in Glasgow heads were in hands.

Seaman showed his class once again when Gonzalez's cross found the head of Batistuta, but the Arsenal keeper had no problems with the header.

Ashley Cole ended up in the book after Ariel Ortega(isn't that the name of a washing powder????), tricked him into a tackle.

On 42 minutes Michael Owen flies past Pochettino, and the Argintinian brought the young Liverpool player down. Immediately the crowd went wild as Collina didn't hesitate to give a penalty.

Despite tactics by the Argies to put off Beckham, the England captain cooly slotted the ball down the centre to score. The roof came off the indoor pitch at this time as England fans went wild. Back in glasgow beer
was spilt, big hairy scotsmen hugged and kissed each other and the shouts of "Well done Goldenballs could be heard".

After half time Juan Sebastian Veron decides he can take no more and so is substituted for Pablo Aimar, who immediately screams forward, but again Seaman is on hand to save comfortably.

Michael Owen again shoots just inches wide of the goal after turning Diego Placente, and then the Argie Goalkeeper, Pablo Cavallero saves a magnificent 25-yard shot from Scholes, who is playing out of his skin.

In another wave of England attack Beckham misses the goal by yards. It seems as if the Argies have just given up by this point as England command the game.

On 55 minutes Heskey is substituted, but the boy done good, as he ran back and tackled constantly and then had the pace to charge forward into the front line. Teddy Sheringham came on and made an instant impact. With a build up that must have consisted of 30 passes Sherringham volleys the ball, which Cavallero just manages to fingertip over.

The ineffective Batistuta
is substituted for Hernan Crespo, the 35 million pounds man and shortly after Claudio Lopez comes on for Gonzalez.

Sinclair makes another pacy run down the left before shooting but Cavallero manages to control the ball.

Sheringham again shows his worth when he heads a cross from Beckham just wide.

The Argies get a corner and Seaman makes a beauty of a save from the head of Ponchettino.

Michael Owen is substitued with 10 minutes left for Wayne Bridge who comes in to bolster the midfield. Pressure is mounting from the Argentinians but it seems as if the England lads can handle anything thrown at them.

The final whistle goes and England errupt from landsend to Berwick, with a few wellwishers from my livingroom in Glasgow also celebrating.

This is the first time England had beaten the Argies in any tournament since 1966, and the thing that glowed from the performance was teamwork. The whole team played magnificent, passing football. The boys done good.

Summary: