Down and out: England's players react following Thomas Muller's goal for Germany in their 4-1 defeat in Bloemfontein Photo:
Capello’s players had a good quarter of an hour, but anyone can be famous for 15 minutes. Germany enjoyed a masterful 75, scoring four times and ripping England to little red ribbons on four or five other occasions.
Capello’s defence were a collection of hesitant strangers, his midfield painfully less than the sum of their celebrated parts and the attack anonymous.
England lacked heart, shape and, particularly, a holding midfielder with the expertise of Owen Hargreaves to stand in the way of German breakaways, to pick up Bastian Schweinsteiger when he charged so menacingly upfield, to get tight to Mesut Özil when the No 8 pulled the strings.
Gareth Barry’s attempts to tame Özil resembled an ageing nightwatchman trying to keep pace with an elusive urchin.
England can play 1966 in reverse all they like, lamenting the ball over the line, bemoaning the blind fates and berating the officials. Clearly goal-line technology needs to be brought in now that the second decade of the 21st century is being traversed.
Yet video evidence of most of this game would simply highlight the fact that the contenders for man of the match included Thomas Müller (the sponsors’ winner), Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Özil before an Englishman, probably Lampard for his attacking work, could legitimately be mentioned.
It had begun in familiar fashion, in the sturm und drang of a sporting conflict between England and Germany. Duels broke out all over the park: Philipp Lahm versus Steven Gerrard, Müller against Ashley Cole, Barry versus Özil, and the Germans soon began edging them.
Özil embodied German confidence, demanding an early save from David James. Schweinsteiger underlined their belief with a neat drag-back to whisk the ball around Jermain Defoe. After all the Germans’ oft-expressed fears about Schweinsteiger’s hamstring, here he was in imperious form. They should rename Bloemfontein the City of Ruses. England defiance flowed mainly from the stands, with Rule Britannia drowning out the vuvuzelas.
Briefly. England had been hoping to silence Franz Beckenbauer for his comments about kick and rush. Those who maintain Der Kaiser’s proud tradition conjured up a goal that was more kick and Ian Rush. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hoofed the ball long, Matthew Upson faltered and Klose flicked the ball past the slow-reacting James.
England had some hope, Defoe heading against the crossbar but wrongly judged to be offside, before Germany’s gem of a second. Özil laid the ball right to Klose, who placed it into the path of Müller. Having raced into the box, Müller lifted the ball across to the unmarked Lukas Podolski, who fired an emphatic shot between James’s legs.
Two-nil down, staring at humiliation, England dragged up enough character to respond when Upson made amends by heading in Steven Gerrard’s cross. Controversy then ensued, Lampard’s strike hitting the bar, bouncing over the line and spinning out.
England fans were up on their feet, celebrating. So was a jubilant Capello. Somehow the linesman, Mauricio Espinosa, did not see it. Somehow the referee Jorge Larrionda did not spot it. England were enraged. The Free State Stadium reverberated to chants of “cheat, cheat’’ and “the referee’s a ******’’.
As Larrionda blew for half-time, England players followed the fans’ lead and voiced their fury. Rooney remonstrated with Espinosa. Defoe confronted Larrionda, who walked off to catcalls, and was ambushed by David Beckham near the tunnel.
England stirred briefly at the start of the second period. Lampard drilled one free kick against the bar and another into the wall. As this second effort spilt loose, as England cursed their ill-luck, Germany went through the gears.
Jerome Boateng’s touch was key, the defender quickly transferring the ball to Müller, who whipped it left to Schweinsteiger and took off as if testing a new sports car on the autobahn. Schweinsteiger hurtled down the right, soon sliding the ball back across for Müller to ram the ball in off James’s left fist.
England continued to erect their own scaffold. Joe Cole’s cross was picked off, Özil raced away from Barry and centred for Müller to apply the coup de grace.
England went out in undignified fashion. John Terry screamed invective at the German bench. Joe Cole caught Boateng.
As the final whistle went and the shadows stretched across Bloemfontein, England began another retreat from another World Cup and the years of hurt stretched to 44.
Capello’s defence were a collection of hesitant strangers, his midfield painfully less than the sum of their celebrated parts and the attack anonymous.
England lacked heart, shape and, particularly, a holding midfielder with the expertise of Owen Hargreaves to stand in the way of German breakaways, to pick up Bastian Schweinsteiger when he charged so menacingly upfield, to get tight to Mesut Özil when the No 8 pulled the strings.
Gareth Barry’s attempts to tame Özil resembled an ageing nightwatchman trying to keep pace with an elusive urchin.
England can play 1966 in reverse all they like, lamenting the ball over the line, bemoaning the blind fates and berating the officials. Clearly goal-line technology needs to be brought in now that the second decade of the 21st century is being traversed.
Yet video evidence of most of this game would simply highlight the fact that the contenders for man of the match included Thomas Müller (the sponsors’ winner), Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Özil before an Englishman, probably Lampard for his attacking work, could legitimately be mentioned.
It had begun in familiar fashion, in the sturm und drang of a sporting conflict between England and Germany. Duels broke out all over the park: Philipp Lahm versus Steven Gerrard, Müller against Ashley Cole, Barry versus Özil, and the Germans soon began edging them.
Özil embodied German confidence, demanding an early save from David James. Schweinsteiger underlined their belief with a neat drag-back to whisk the ball around Jermain Defoe. After all the Germans’ oft-expressed fears about Schweinsteiger’s hamstring, here he was in imperious form. They should rename Bloemfontein the City of Ruses. England defiance flowed mainly from the stands, with Rule Britannia drowning out the vuvuzelas.
Briefly. England had been hoping to silence Franz Beckenbauer for his comments about kick and rush. Those who maintain Der Kaiser’s proud tradition conjured up a goal that was more kick and Ian Rush. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hoofed the ball long, Matthew Upson faltered and Klose flicked the ball past the slow-reacting James.
England had some hope, Defoe heading against the crossbar but wrongly judged to be offside, before Germany’s gem of a second. Özil laid the ball right to Klose, who placed it into the path of Müller. Having raced into the box, Müller lifted the ball across to the unmarked Lukas Podolski, who fired an emphatic shot between James’s legs.
Two-nil down, staring at humiliation, England dragged up enough character to respond when Upson made amends by heading in Steven Gerrard’s cross. Controversy then ensued, Lampard’s strike hitting the bar, bouncing over the line and spinning out.
England fans were up on their feet, celebrating. So was a jubilant Capello. Somehow the linesman, Mauricio Espinosa, did not see it. Somehow the referee Jorge Larrionda did not spot it. England were enraged. The Free State Stadium reverberated to chants of “cheat, cheat’’ and “the referee’s a ******’’.
As Larrionda blew for half-time, England players followed the fans’ lead and voiced their fury. Rooney remonstrated with Espinosa. Defoe confronted Larrionda, who walked off to catcalls, and was ambushed by David Beckham near the tunnel.
England stirred briefly at the start of the second period. Lampard drilled one free kick against the bar and another into the wall. As this second effort spilt loose, as England cursed their ill-luck, Germany went through the gears.
Jerome Boateng’s touch was key, the defender quickly transferring the ball to Müller, who whipped it left to Schweinsteiger and took off as if testing a new sports car on the autobahn. Schweinsteiger hurtled down the right, soon sliding the ball back across for Müller to ram the ball in off James’s left fist.
England continued to erect their own scaffold. Joe Cole’s cross was picked off, Özil raced away from Barry and centred for Müller to apply the coup de grace.
England went out in undignified fashion. John Terry screamed invective at the German bench. Joe Cole caught Boateng.
As the final whistle went and the shadows stretched across Bloemfontein, England began another retreat from another World Cup and the years of hurt stretched to 44.
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