England 1-0 Spain: Sunday Mirror match report
Published 22:01 12/11/11 By Simon Mullock
Almost five years ago, a victory in England was the making of a Spain team that now rules the world.
Perhaps in time, the youngsters Fabio Capello put so much faith in last night will look on this famous victory as being just as momentous.
Capello came in for criticism for asking kids to do a man’s job in the absence of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney.
But they delivered – even if it was the experience of Frank Lampard and Scott Parker that mattered most.
At 33, time is running out for Lampard. But the man asked to lead the country in Terry’s absence was once again England’s match-winner.
On February 7, 2007 at Old Trafford an Andres Iniesta strike gave Spain a win that was to catapult them to European domination a year later. Next they conquered the world.
Yet Spain’s last visit to Wembley saw them defeated on penalties in a Euro 96 quarter-final played in front of the old Twin Towers.
Perhaps that’s why many of Vicente Del Bosque’s world and European champions brought cameras out on to the pitch to take home some snapshots of the ‘new’ £800million Lions den.
The Spaniards were looking to beat England for the fourth successive time – a feat previously only achieved by the brilliant Brazilians, the magnificent Magyars of Hungary and....Scotland.
After a minute’s silence to mark Remembrance Sunday was observed impeccably, Capello’s men knew that if they were to match the best team in the world they would have to win the tactical battle in the midfield no-man’s land just in front of their own back four.
Parker was tasked with marshalling that crucial area, with Lampard and Phil Jones pushed just ahead.
Home fans were encouraged by early raids down each flank by James Milner and Glen Johnson.
An opportunity to test the visitors was wasted when Lampard’s pass gave Phil Jones a clear run at a retreating Spanish defence but Darren Bent strayed blindly into an offside trap.
Yet everything England did seemed full of hope rather than actual belief. While Spain floated like a Flamenco dancer in full flow, Capello’s men floundered like a first-timer on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
Lampard’s long-range drive in to the chest of Iker Casillas was England’s only effort on target in the first half. And while Joe Hart had even less to do at the other end, the England keeper had to be alert as the men in front of him.
Iniesta had a shot deflected wide off Joleon Lescott and another exquisite Alonso pass was matched by Sergio Busquets’ undetected dash... but not by his volleyed finish.
Del Bosque replaced Casillas with Pepe Reina, Xavi with Cesc Fabregas, and Silva with Juan Mata at the break. Stewart Downing for Walcott was England’s only change.
Within four minutes, England were ahead with the kind of goal the nation’s footballers excel at.
James Milner arrowed a free-kick deep into the penalty area and Bent’s downward header beat Reina only for the ball to rebound off the inside of a post. Lampard reacted first to nod home his 23rd England goal.
David Villa could have levelled when he skipped round Hart from Busquets’ pass, but shot into the side-netting.
Capello’s experiment continued with Gareth Barry and Jack Rodwell replacing Lampard and Jones. Then Danny Welbeck came on for the toiling Bent.
Rodwell and Welbeck cut through Spain with an exchange of passes only for Gerard Pique to intervene.
Then Villa’s chest trap and volley beat Hart’s despairing dive but rebounded to safety off a post.
Fabregas should have earned Spain a draw when he received a Villa cut-back but screwed his shot wide. And England held on for a famous victory.
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