Sat 10 Jun 06
Game 1 Wrap-Up
The Lads of Albion ground out three points in a so-so affair with a few flashes of brilliance:
Becks:
While I have no regrets over taking the mickey out of him for his penalty kicks, he displayed his traditional brilliant form in his free kicks and corners.
Lamps:
Though no goals flowed, his shots on target were powerful thumps. Better sense of aim than Steven Gerrard, who clearly muffed his GSCE in physics.
Paul Robinson:
Mister Lonely for the first half but masterful in the face of Paraguayan attacks. Beautiful moment when a high-arcing goal kick bounced off a rafter in the newly-roofed stadium.
Lurch:
How could the Frankfurt Zoo not notice that one of its agitated giraffes got loose onto a football pitch?
Stewart Downing:
“Fancy seeing you here, mate! Did you know there’s a match today?”
The current wisdom is that Rooney will keep to the benches until the second round. Crikey, we need striking power up front, the sooner the better. And young Walcott had better be practising his lobs instead of memorizing Westlife lyrics!
Other match reactions at the Beeb, Sky Sports and the Telly.
Paul Canniff
Yeah, that was pretty much the story - Becks and Lamps looking good. Sleepy second half. Valdez was unlucky not to score at some point really. Thought Parades earned himself a yellow.
Didn’t Lurchy at one point head a Robinson ball forward … to no one?
That Stadium was pissing me off - the shadows; and wasn’t the camera panned out too far throughout the game?
3 points, but some offensive and defensive weaknesses that they’ll have to work on.