England vs Uruguay, International Friendly

· International Friendly

England

75': Peter Crouch
90'+3': Joe Cole

FT
2 - 1

Uruguay

26': Omar Pouso

About

England are hosting Uruguay at Anfield, Liverpool, England, starting on . The match is a part of the International Friendly.

Match Timeline

0': Hello. Welcome to ESPNSoccernet's coverage of England's friendly against Uruguay at Anfield.
0': Gary Neville is back in an England shirt for the first time in seven months, while Michael Carrick is looking to press his claims for a World Cup spot.
0': The two teams are out on the pitch and awaiting the national anthems.
0': The Anfield fans sing along to God Save The Queen. Singers on the England team: Beckham, Robinson, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole, Carrick, Gerrard and Bent; almost a full compliment! Well done, boys!
1': Uruguay kick off. They are wearing a delightful blue kit, with black shorts, and look terribly excited.
2': There is a full house inside Anfield this evening; the Liverpool fans are an enthusiastic bunch of scamps. We love those guys.
3': England are playing in their brand new away kit; a bold, daring red with a gold trim. Dazzling.
3': Sven-Goran is wearing a long, thick black jacket; he's also jumped heartily on the accessory train with a delightful blue scarf. It's a very cold evening in Liverpool tonight; those Artic winds aren't pleasant.
3': SHOT! Forlan fires in the first shot of the evening, a woeful effort from 25 yards that dribbles lamely wide of Robinson's post.
4': YOU BIG GIRL'S BLOUSE! Beckham slices a beautiful ball over the top for Bent to chase, but the young Charlton striker rather bottles his challenge with the goalkeeper inside the penalty area.
5': There is a good atmosphere inside this famous old ground tonight, although Gary Neville might not agree; the Manchester United skipper is being booed at every touch.
6': OOOH! Neville curls in a good cross from the right, but Carini comes out to claim, under pressure from Bent. It has been a reasonable start from England.
7': FORLAN! The Villarreal striker turns and fires in another shot from distance; this time he makes Robinson make a save, collecting the ball in front of his face.
8': Uruguay missed out on qualification for the World Cup, after finishing outside the top four in the South American qualifying table.
9': SAVE! Beckham's cross is too long for Bent, though Cole picks it up on the far side of the penalty area. He fires in a low, right-foot shot, but Carini saves.
10': A soft, pleasant Liverpudlian voice comes over the Tannoy system to ask supporters to keep seated during the match, "in the interests of safety".
11': SHAKEY! Ferdinand tries to dribble out of defence but is tackled by Forlan; the United defender manages to get back to block the shot, but it hasn't been a good start from Rio.
12': Carrick fires in a shot from the edge of the area; it skids a yard or so wide of the post. Good effort.
13': Carrick is seeing a lot of the ball in the early stages, and is using it very intelligently. I like him; he's a class act.
14': RUBBISH! Regueiro collects Forlan's pass and begins a run at goal, though his shot from distance is dreadful.
15': Carini comes to the edge of his area to catch Carrick's long pass over the top, searching for the run of one-time West Ham team-mate Cole.
16': Beckham is fouled by Regueiro, on the right. A good chance to deliver a dangerous cross in to the penalty area. The England skipper stands over the ball...
16': ...but his swerving cross in to the middle is just a yard away from the head of Terry's surging late run.
17': England have had much more of the ball in the opening minutes, but the South American defence looks to be well disciplined and organised.
18': Uruguay seem content to soak up pressure and play on the break, and England will have to work hard to penetrate their opponents.
19': Rooney goes on a surging run down the left wing, but Lima comes across to cut out the danger.
20': WIDE! Cole curls a shot wide from the edge of the penalty area after showing quick feet to collect a pass from Carrick in his stride.
21': A sloppy pass from Neville gifts possession back to Uruguay.
22': NO FLAG! OVER! Cole brilliantly picks out Beckham's run in behind the Uruguay defence; the skipper's control lets him down a little and, under pressure from Carini, he chips a left-foot shot over the bar.
23': England are moving up through the gears now; a nice passing move gets the ball in to Rooney, but Godin comes across to cut out his cross in to the six-yard box.
24': England coach Steve McClaren is spotted furiously jotting something down on a notepad; "Pick up dry cleaning," perhaps.
25': Rooney gets back to lend his support to the England defence, tackling Regueiro as he tried to cut in to the box. Corner.
26': WHAT A GOAL! The corner is cleared by the head of Terry, but Puoso comes steaming in to smash a stunning volley in to the top corner from 30 yards. Breathtaking!
27': WIDE! Beckham whips a superb free-kick in to a crowded penalty area, but Terry can't direct his header goalwards. The referee rules Godin got the final touch. Corner.
28': CHAOS! Bridge and Robinson collide as they try to cut out the danger from Perez, cutting inside from the right. Both England players lie postrate as the ball bobbles around, though the referee eventually stops play for treatment.
29': There is some concern among the England players as Bridge takes some treatment from the England medical team. He is eventually taken from the field on a stretcher, carried by four men dressed in green jump suits. The look like Bond villans.
30': ENGLAND SUB: Carragher replaces Bridge; the Liverpool defender is roared on to the turf by his home fans as he trots over to the left-back position.
31': England have something of a left-back crisis at the moment; Ashley Cole seems permanently crocked, and now Bridge seems to have suffered another ankle injury.
32': ROONEY! The young Lion intercepts a mis-placed pass in midfield; he ignores the run of Cole to his left and opts to shoot from distance, but his low shot is well saved by Carini.
33': The coaches are only permitted six substitutions this evening, so there won't be any repeat of the ludicrous scenes of previous friendlies when an entirely different side comes out for the second half.
34': England had been playing quite well until the Uruguay goal; they were building up patiently from the back and through the midfield, and getting players in good, advanced positions. But the goal has rather put them back a little.
35': Darren Bent is really struggling to get in to the game. He looks very isolated up front; with Rooney dropping off to come looking for the ball, he is often left completely on his own.
36': Some chirpy chap in the Anfield crowd beats out the rhythm to "Rule Brittannia" on a drum. His musical endeavours are received with almost complete apathy from his fellow fans.
37': Gerrard attempts a shot from distance, but it is blocked on the edge of the penalty area. The ball falls to Beckham, but his chipped cross is cut out by Carini.
38': WHAT? Terry barges his way through four Uruguayan challenges as he charges towards goal, and only a brave save at his feet by Carini prevents an England equaliser.
39': It really was a barnstorming run from the England centre-back, and only a good save from Carini stopped him registering his first international goal.
40': Gerrard tries to pick out Bent with a pass over the top, but it is struck much too fiercely and Carini claims easily. Gerrard isn't playing well.
41': "There's only one Gary Neville," a section of the England fans sing, in an attempt to raise the spirits of the beleaguered full-back. That's nice of them.
42': Bent manages his first shot at goal, a sna-shot from eight yards out that bobbles a couple of yards wide of the far post.
43': England win a free-kick, 40 yards out. Terry and Ferdinand pound forward, looking menacing and determined...
43': ...England take the set-piece short, and earn themselves a corner when Lima is forced to head behind a dangerous centre.
44': Beckham is booked for hunting down Regueiro and chopping him down from the behind. He looks angry, but it was a nailed-on booking. He chats over the decision in Spanish with Vareira.
45': England win a late corner when Lugano heads Rooney's cross from the left out for a corner.
46': Beckham chips the corner to the edge of the area, spotting Gerrard in some space, but the Liverpool skipper smashes his first-time volley high and wide.
47': HALF-TIME: England don't deserve to go in at the break a goal-down. They have played okay, but have been hit by a stunning sucker-punch from Puoso.
45': ENGLAND SUBS: King and Jenas replace Terry and Gerrard.
45': URUGUAY SUB: Viera replaces Carini.
46': England dominate the possession at the start of the second half, but their visitors are working hard to close down space.
47': England win a corner when Carrick's lob to the back post is headed behind by Lima.
48': Beckham fires the corner low in to the near post, but it is easily cleared by a Uruguayan man.
48': SAVE! Rooney fires in a low shot from 25 yards, but Viera makes a smart low save, palming the ball around the post.
49': Bent is making some good runs up front, but he has rarely been found by his England colleagues; it's been a tough night for the Charlton youngster.
50': England have only three substitutions left after Eriksson's changes at half-time, and there are a number of players who are still involved in European competitions that won't want to play a full game.
51': I'm told that Wayne Bridge has suffered damage to his ankle ligaments; how seriously, we're not sure at this stage.
52': Rooney is getting through a lot of work, dropping deep in to midfield to try and help out his team-mates. He has been England's best player so far this evening.
53': Jenas and Carrick combine to bring down Diogo in midfield. Uruguay enjoy a rare spell with the ball, but England keep their discipline.
54': England break quickly after a Uruguay attack, but Bent is ruled off-side as he tried to get on to the end of Cole's cute reverse pass out to the left channel.
55': Cole tries to create something for England with a jinking run, cutting in from the left flank, but Diogo tracks him well and puts in a good sliding tackle.
56': The referee plays a good advantage as Rooney is fouled; Cole picks up the ball on the left wing, but his cross is too high for Bent, and he is the only England man in the box.
57': GOOD BALL! Varela curls a great set-piece in to the penalty area, but Robinson comes off his line to collect.
58': KEEP GOING, SON! Forlan blasts another long-range shot high and wide of Robinson's crossbar. If at once you don't succeed...
59': Ferdinand is robbed of the ball in his own half, but the United defender recovers himself to get possession back for his country.
60': This is England's final friendly before Eriksson has to name his squad for the World Cup. What lessons will he have learned? 1. Bent shouldn't go to Germany. Unless it's for a short city break. I hear Berlin is a very interesting city.
61': Lesson number 2: England would be rubbish without Rooney.
62': England prepare a couple more substitutions, with Crouch and SWP warming-up on the sidelines.
63': Some fancy footwork from Cole draws a free-kick. 25 yards out, dead-centre. Beckham licks his lips...
64': WIDE! Beckham fires in a shot, but it curls wide of the far post. Not the best effort.
65': ENGLAND SUBS: Beckham and Rooney are replaced by Crouch and SWP. Intriguing changes from Sven as Little and Large trot on to the lush green Angfield turf.
66': SWP makes an immediate impact as he skips past his marker and feeds a good ball in to the run of Jenas, out on the right. His cross is aimed towards Crouch, but is cut out before it reaches him.
67': WIDE! Bent heads wide as he gets on the end of a deflected cross from SWP, who has made a great start since replacing Beckham on the right.
68': Uruguay force a rare corner. They take their time over the set-piece, much to the annoyance of the England fans.
69': Bent is caught off-side again as he tries to get on Cole's through-ball as England broke following a Uruguay corner.
69': Logano is booked for a late challenge from behind on Cole, out on the left wing. The England winger stays down for a minute or two, gurning in agony, but is soon back on his feet.
70': Neville almost feeds SWP with a nice pass in to the penalty area, but Godin cuts it out. The South American side have defended very well, in general, this evening.
71': SWp gets to the by-line and sends over a flighted cross, but amazingly, it's too high even for Crouch.
72': England have been trying to find Bent all game, but haven't once managed to use his pace and get him behind the Uruguay defence.
73': England again have a long spell with the ball, but without Rooney there is a palpable lack of creativity and vision going forward.
74': Viera comes out and claims a cross aimed towards Crouch.
74': GOAL! Cole sends over a good cross from the left, and Crouch nods past Viera at the back post.
75': It's Crouch's first goal for England, and is nothing less than the home side deserve.
76': Crouch shows some silky skills as he dances past a couple of players and feeds a nice pass in to the feet of Cole, though his left-foot shot is well saved by Viera.
77': URUGUAY SUB: Vargas is replaced by Pereira.
77': Crouch really gave England a boost when he came on against Argentina in their last friendly, and he has done the same tonight; he has shaken up the visitors with his height and wonderful skills.
78': England are upset when the referee stops play in the middle of a very promising counter-attack after spotting Regueiro on his back on the turf.
79': Uruguay are down to ten men for a moment or two as Regeuiro goes off for treatment on an ankle injury.
80': England are flying now; Neville makes a lung-bursting run down the right, and Diogo is forced to make a crucial interception at the near post as Bent looked to get on the end of his low cross.
81': The referee is forced to come across and have a word with the Uruguayan coach, who has worked himself in to a delightful lather over something.
82': ENGLAND SUB: Defoe replaces Bent. Defoe becomes the fifth Spurs player to come on as he replaces the hard-working debutant Bent.
83': SWP is hacked down on the right wing, giving England the chance to throw another high ball in to the area for Crouch to get on the end of.
84': Forlan is booked for dissent after a minute-long rant at the referee.
84': URUGUAY SUB: Regeuiro is replaced by Salgueiro.
84': England win a free-kick, 30 yards out, dead-centre. With Beckham off the pitch, several players show great interest in the set-piece...
85': ...The ball is worked wide to Cole, but his cross from the left is cleared.
86': SWP turns Lima with ease and chips a good pass in to the run of Jenas, but Godin comes flying across to intercept. Corner.
87': URUGUAY SUB: Medina replaces Forlan.
87': Carragher is booked for something. He seemed to block off Perez, but it certainly wasn't worthy of a booking.
88': URUGUAY SUB: Perez off, Martinez on.
89': The referee has lost control of this game in the last few minutes. There is a scuffle between SWP and Godin; Crouch and Lima decide to get involved, so does the referee; it all simmers nicely for a few moments, before the players realise the silliness of their actions and run away.
90': URUGUAY SUB: Varela off, Valdez on.
91': There will be four minutes of added time.
92': Carrick has had a good game, so has Cole; they'd be my two real stand-outs from the evening.
93': GOAL! SWP sends over a good cross from the right, and Cole steals in at the near post to tuck home a superb finish past the keeper.
94': FULL-TIME: Cole wins it for England. They deserve it, I guess. A fairly impressive performance from the home side, and they finish their preparations for the World Cup with a satisifying win.

Statistics

URU		ENG
0	Fouls	0
3	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
0	Offsides	0
0	Corner Kicks	0
0	Saves	0
35	Possession	65
0	SHOTS	0
0	ON GOAL	0
0.0	On Target %	0.0
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
0	Accurate Passes	0
0	Passes	0
0.0	Pass Completion %	0.0
0	Accurate Crosses	0
0	Crosses	0
0.0	Cross %	0.0
0	Long Balls	0
0	Accurate Long Balls	0
0.0	Long Balls %	0.0
0	Blocked Shots	0
0	Effective Tackles	0
0	Tackles	0
0.0	Tackle %	0.0
0	Interceptions	0
0	Effective Clearances	0
0	Clearances	0

Game Information

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: Anfield
Location: Liverpool, England
Attendance: 40,013

Line-Ups

England

No.	Name
1	Paul Robinson (GK)
2	Gary Neville
5	Rio Ferdinand
6	John Terry
3	Wayne Bridge
7	David Beckham
4	Steven Gerrard
8	Michael Carrick
11	Joe Cole
9	Wayne Rooney
10	Darren Bent

England Substitutes:

David James, Robert Green, Luke Young, Jamie Carragher, Ledley King, Wes Brown, Kieran Richardson, Jermaine Jenas, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch.

Uruguay

No.	Name
1	Fabian Carini (GK)
17	Carlos Diogo
2	Diego Lugano
3	Diego Godín
6	Pablo Lima
15	Diego Perez
5	Omar Pouso
7	Gustavo Varela
11	Mario Regueiro
9	Gonzalo Abella Vargas
21	Diego Forlán

Uruguay Substitutes:

Sebastian Viera, Carlos Suárez, Maxi Pereira, Jorge Andres Barrios Martinez, Adrian Carlos Balerio Sarkissian, Alexander Medina, Juan Manuel Salgueiro, Ignacio Maria Gatti Gonzalez.

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