Friendly

May 31, 2005
  • FTFT
     
    France
    Hungary
    2
    1
    2
    1
    1
  • FTFT
     
    Colombia
    England
    2
    3
    2
    3
    2

Full-time

Colombia

2 - 3

England

Friendly

20:02 +00:00, May 31, 2005

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, United States

Referee: B Hall

  • 90'

    Sven Goran Eriksson that only one of his first choice rearguard was playing night. England looked hesitant at the back, but can begin their summer holiday with a double victory over the pond

  • 90'

    It was a highly entertaining friendly - very rare these days - with good performances from Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and, of course, Michael Owen

  • 90'

    And there's the final whistle, victory for England

  • 90'

    Corner to Colombia right at the death, but it's dealt with well by the defence (for once)

  • 90'

    Edixon Perea suddenly finds acres in the box, played onside by Richardson on the flank. He turns to face Green and drags a shot agonisingly wide of the far post. He should at least have hit the target - it was a dismal effort

  • 90'

    Colombia again opt for the spectacular long-range shot, this time Vargas takes his turn to find row Z

  • 90'

    Johnson looks for Richardson over the top, up goes the flag for offside

  • 90'

    Three minutes to be added on

  • 89'

    Colombia look to have run out of steam now, and out of time

  • 88'

    England are happy to sit behind the ball, looking for back to back wins in the United States

  • 87'

    Colombia work it around patiently until Rey catches out Knight, he gets a shot in but Green is grateful it's straight at him

  • 86'

    England look to play the ball around a little now and prevent those surging breaks from Colombia

  • 85'

    Luke Young comes on for his second England cap, Joe Cole the man to make way

  • 84'

    Jenas brings Soto to the floor a little over 20-yards out. A real chance here. Five Colombia players stand over the free-kick, and it's Mendoza who smashes the ball into orbit. An awful effort

  • 83'

    Vargas delivers from the left, Johnson is there to head away as Colombia probe for a leveller

  • 82'

    Jenas goes down, taking a knock in a collision with Smith after both went for a high ball. Looks like an arm in the face from a team-mate! A bit of treatment and he's okay

  • 81'

    Ashley Cole is felled and it's a free-kick on the left. Richardson stands over it and and produces a bizarre delivery - floating it way over the top of the England attackers and behind for a goal-kick

  • 80'

    Colombia make another change as they look for the draw, Mario Yepes replaced by Humberto Mendoza

  • 79'

    Chaos in the England box leads to an opening for the sub Ramirez, and this time there's nothing Green can do about it as the ball is slipped underneath him

  • 79'

    GOAL!!!!!

  • 79'

    Edixon Perea again shows great skill in the box and wins a corner off Knight. It's played short to Soto, worked to Benitez and he lofts it into the box...

  • 78'

    This time Rey leaves it to Benitez, and his left-footed shot crashes back off the wall - in the form of Smith

  • 77'

    Ashley Cole and Diaz clash in almost the same place, and it will be another dangerous free-kick for the men in yellow

  • 76'

    Joe Cole fouls Vargas. It's a free-kick around 25 yards out in a central position. Colombia are sure to shoot on the evidence of today - and Rey fires into the gloves of Green again

  • 75'

    Edixon Perea has it in the box on the left again, he cuts back and selfishly opts to shoot himself and it's straight at Green

  • 74'

    Straightaway Jenas gets to the byline and looks to float it to the unmarked Richardson at the back stick - there's too much on it and the Man Utd man loses his footing

  • 73'

    England take off three: Peter Crouch, David Beckham and hat-trick hero Michael Owen are replaced by Alan Smith, Jermain Defoe and Saturday's hero against the USA - Kieran Richardson

  • 72'

    Time for a plethora of changes. For Colombia first: Oscar Diaz and A Ramirez are coming on for Hayder Palacio and John Restrepo

  • 71'

    Rey shows good skill again on the left, unleashing another powerful shot after moving inside the box. Green again gets down to make the save, Anchico looks poised to score but Ashley Cole throws himself at the ball inside the six yard box to clear

  • 70'

    The resultant corner is cleared, it's then threaded through to Edixon Perea who moves in on Green - but the flag is up for offside

  • 69'

    It's all Colombia now, maybe tiredness in the England ranks. Anchico finds space on the right and picks out fellow sub Edixon Perea free at the back stick - his powerful header is clawed around the post by Green

  • 68'

    Anchico almost breaks into the box, Johnson doing expertly to win the ball

  • 67'

    Just when England looked to be confident, this energetic Colombian side have found more in the locker. It's been entertaining, that's for sure

  • 66'

    Now Benitez benefits from slack play from Owen to get away down the left, he crosses into the near post towards Edixon Perea - and Green has to take at the second attempt after almost spilling it

  • 65'

    ...Green just manages to grasp the ball as it rolls onto the line, inches away from a second for Colombia. What a strike from Rey!

  • 64'

    Out of nothing Rey produces a thunderous curling drive from the edge of the box, it comes crashing back off the underside of the bar and hits the diving Green...

  • 63'

    England are playing the ball around with great confidence now, looking to add to Michael Owen's fine hat-trick

  • 62'

    Crouch and Ashley Cole link up well on the left, the Arsenal man lifts a fine ball over the top to find Owen in space on the box - this time his first time strike lacks power and Mondragon collects down low

  • 61'

    Colombia respond with two changes. Edixon Perea and Yulian Anchico come on for John Viafara and Juan Pablo Angel

  • 60'

    Superb goal from England. Beckham's cross was sublime, the run from Owen intelligent and the powerful finish left Mondragon flat-footed.

  • 59'

    GOAL!!!!!

  • 58'

    Great header from Crouch enables the ball to be worked out wide to Beckham, he works it towards the byline and produces a superb curling ball to the near post...

  • 57'

    Perea shows great skill to get past three white shirts, but his eagerness gets the better of him after over-running the ball and he trips Owen

  • 56'

    Owen is tripped in a similar area, but on the left side of the Colombia box. Beckham goes for the drilled low ball, Carrick gets a head on it at the near pace but there's too much pace on the Spurs player to get direction and it goes over

  • 55'

    Handball against Ashley Cole and it's going to be a free-kick two yards outside the box on the right wing. Benitez opts to blast at goal - and straight into the gloves of Green

  • 54'

    Viafara takes a shot which is deflected. It's simple for Neville to deal with but he misses his kick! It lets Rey in one the right, Green closes down the angle and another deflection allows Johnson to clear from inside the six-yard box

  • 53'

    Corner to Colombia, taken from the left - this time Knight is there ahead of the goalscorer Yepes to head away

  • 52'

    As if on cue, Carrick looks for Beckham down the right with a first time ball - Yepes has to get across to tidy up

  • 51'

    Carrick is happy to sit in the centre and allow Cole, Jenas and Beckham to move forward. Sometimes it's a case that these players are most impressive when you barely notice them, a la tonight

  • 50'

    Joe Cole tries to thread through Owen - his pass through the centre is way too strong and only finds Mondragon

  • 49'

    Green's first act is a miskick - but he luckily finds a white shirt

  • 48'

    The corner comes in from Beckham, Mondragon is there first to fist away from the onrushing Crouch

  • 47'

    England win a free-kick with Joe Cole pulled back by Perea. It's a free-kick in a good area for Beckham, around 23 yards out - and Mondragon pushes it behind for a corner going down low to his right

  • 46'

    And England get us away for the second 45

  • 45'

    Colombia also make a change, Fabian Vargas on for Hector Hurtado

  • 45'

    Robert Green comes on for his debut a half-time replacing David James

  • 45'

    It's been a strange game, but we've had three goals so can't exactly complain. And I have the Colombia squad numbers!

  • 45'

    Beckham is stll furious about an alleged elbow by Respreto in the build up to the second. And Yepes is still in a rage about the first England goal and continues his protests with the ref

  • 45'

    And, after a late flurry of madness, that's half-time!

  • 45'

    Yepes' header should have been dealt with by either goalkeeper or the defender on the line. Both stood looking at the ball and it nestled into the corner!

  • 45'

    GOAL!!!!!

  • 45'

    It's played in from the right, Yepes gets up to win the header and James and Ashley Cole seem to get mixed up on the line...

  • 45'

    Back up the other end now, Viafara gets in a shot which James acrobatically palms away and it's put behind for a corner

  • 44'

    Owen raced clear of static Colombia defence and slid the ball underneath Mondrangon. Two for England

  • 44'

    GOAL!!!!!

  • 44'

    Beckham finds Crouch and he slips in Owen on the right with a fine through ball, he's through for a second...

  • 43'

    Lucas Higuera you are a legend and a life saver. Email me your address and you've won a Soccernet prize! You see, sometimes comedy is misplaced

  • 42'

    Rey tries a speculative effort from the right corner of the box... and it goes for a throw-in on the opposite side. Colombia must have a shoot-on-site policy tonight

  • 41'

    Yepes was booked for his protests following the goal, folks

  • 40'

    Joe Cole again does well on the left, he gets past his man and looks for Crouch at the back post - but it's just behind the Saints striker and he cannot direct the header

  • 40'

    It's worked short and over to Restrepo in a central position - again the shot comes in from distance and again it's way over

  • 39'

    Free-kick to Colombia 25 yards out. Soto goes for the shot and it deflects off the wall and behind for a corner

  • 38'

    Colombia are fuming about the lack of an offside flag. Owen and co were coming out - but Yepes had stayed in and may have played Owen on - it stands

  • 37'

    ...Owen lifts it expertly over the onrushing Mondragon and into the back of the net. It's his 30th goal for England and, somewhat out of nowhere, they are in front

  • 36'

    GOAL!!!!!

  • 35'

    Joe Cole gets the ball brings it forward. He gets a bit too much on the dribble but improves by dinking it through to Owen...

  • 34'

    Angel gets the ball on the right and opts to take the shot on early. It's a stupid effort and James watches the ball bouce harmless across the box and behind

  • 33'

    Viafara is looking very dangerous on the right, he has pace and always looking for something to run on to

  • 32'

    Hurtado tries to feed in Viafara into the box - James is alive to the danger and comes rushing out to collect

  • 31'

    Joel Bitters is working wonders with the squad numbers.

  • 30'

    Owen looks for the overlapping run of Jenas in the box, but his sliding pass hits the gangly legs of Crouch and Colombia can come out

  • 29'

    Angel produces a great cross from the right flank and it's Rey who rises ahead of Neville, but he heads over the bar

  • 28'

    It's all a bit scrappy now - somewhat predictable I guess

  • 27'

    Jair Benitez is No.5, fact fans.

  • 26'

    Jenas is on the deck after being tripped by No.14. Beckham can curl this in from the left flank - but he gets too much on it and Mondragon collects

  • 25'

    Sending me the Colombia squad details on Soccernet is, by the way, of no help whatsoever

  • 24'

    Owen is caught in the middle by No.21. Free-kick in the centre of the park which is worked short

  • 23'

    Hello, Les Bell. Ever thought of taking up comedy? "I think David James may be No. 1". Thanks a lot

  • 22'

    It's floated in high from the right, Yepes is first with the header but there's no direction on it

  • 21'

    Johnson is caught on the ball by Rey and he breaks to the edge of the box, and finds space for the shot which James gets a fingertip to and it's a corner

  • 20'

    England have struggled to get their passing together. Joe Cole had looked eager, little else in the middle

  • 19'

    Viafara tries an ambitous shot from 25 yards but it's always rising. Never any danger there for DJ

  • 18'

    Thanks to Will and Jay for those England shirt numbers. It's not the England boys who are the problem - it's Colombia! newsdesk@soccernet.com

  • 17'

    Soccernet's five-a-side team made a winning debut in the League tonight, by the way. Superb slide rule pass by myself for the opener. I hope you're pleased for us

  • 16'

    I don't think young Mr Crouch has had a touch yet. Not even a high ball to walk on to!

  • 15'

    Owen looks to break through the middle but the flag goes up for offside

  • 14'

    Colombia works a corner into the box, Angel gets a head to it but can only knock it on and Beckham brings it away

  • 13'

    Still no shirt numbers. newsdesk@soccernet.com Come on

  • 12'

    Now Beckham brings down Hurtado - free-kick again

  • 11'

    Neville catches Benitez when trying to nip down the line - free-kick

  • 10'

    Now Benitez wins a corner over on the left. It's taken short and worked to Restrepo on the edge of the box - he finds the gloves of James

  • 9'

    Soto's cross from the left is a good one and Cole has to head behind ahead of the onrushing Viafara. Carrick heads the corner kick clear

  • 8'

    A mistake by Soto almost lets in Owen, but Yepes does well with the covering tackle. Beckham picks up the loose ball and wins a corner - but there's an infringement in the box from the kick

  • 7'

    The corner comes in from the right and Rey gets there first at the near post, but can only head wide

  • 6'

    Angel works it wide for Viafara, and he wins a corner off Johnson

  • 5'

    This will be interesting. We have a team sheet with no squad numbers. If anyone can help out, drop them to newsdesk@soccernet.com!

  • 4'

    Now it's Palacio who finds space on the right, but his curling effort is wide and no probably for the England goalkeeper

  • 3'

    Good start to the game, both teams getting a shot in

  • 2'

    Humberto gets a shot in, but finds the hands of James

  • 1'

    Jenas finds Cole over the top. He cuts inside and shoots over the bar, good work and England almost in front inside 45 seconds

  • 1'

    It's Colombia who get the game underway

  •  

    Sven is boosted by the availability of skipper David Beckham and striker Michael Owen, who flew in on Sunday after completing commitments with Real Madrid. As expected, Peter Crouch is handed his his debut after recovering from the ankle problem which had kept him out of the weekend victory over the United States in Chicago.

  •  

    Zat Knight and Glen Johnson find themselves paired together because of injuries to Sol Campbell and Wes Brown although, bizarrely, both are named amongst the substitutes. Sven-Goran Eriksson is restricted to only three fit outfield players as substitutes in Alan Smith, Jermain Defoe and Kieran Richardson.

  •  

    England rely on a centre-back pairing with only four caps between them to combat the threat of the Colombian strike force of Juan Pablo Angel and Luis Gabriel Rey in the Giants Stadium.

  •  

    England bring their season to a close in New Jersey against Columbia at the bizarre time of 21.02 BST. Join us!