Smith guides England into the last eight

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/womensfo ... 88,00.html

England 6-1 Argentina

Anna Kessel in Chengdu
Monday September 17, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

They say a good side always gets the rub of the luck, and England certainly made the most of theirs in Chengdu today. Against a team 17 places below them in the world rankings, who had already conceded 12 goals in two games, it always looked like it would be a walkover, but anyone who has ever followed England - in the men's or women's competition - knows there is no such thing as an England World Cup shoo-in.

A 6-1 scoreline made it look easy, and in truth England should have had even more, Argentina once again capitulating on the world stage. England's star midfielder Kelly Smith bagged two to send her joint top of the goalscorers' table with last year's World Player of the Year, Brazil's Marta, and Germany's iconic striker Birgid Printz.

Ahead of the match at the Chengdu Sports Centre stadium, in the city of the giant panda, bamboo gardens, temples and teahouses - not that the England players saw a jot of it - the St George's flags in the crowd jiggled in nervous anticipation. Surely England would triumph? Thing is, if they didn't they'd all be going home.

The travelling fans filled one stand on the halfway line, waving their banners, banging their drums and floating red and white balloons into the night sky. Midfielder Katie Chapman, suspended from this game after picking up two yellow cards, watched anxiously in the crowd with her husband and their four-year-old son Harvey, who wore a tiny version of his mum's shirt on his back.

Their nerves were quickly assuaged as last year's South American champions - who had conceded just one goal in their World Cup qualifying campaign but lost 11-0 to Germany in their opening game here - started with yet another own goal. Captain Eva Gonzalez headed a Casey Stoney long ball into the back of her own net to put England ahead in the ninth minute.

With that advantage, England's fears were alleviated, and just a minute later Hope Powell's side had two as 20-year-old Jill Scott struck a 30-yard rocket past keeper Romina Ferro for her first England goal. Geordie lass Scott - the life and soul of the England team and the main instigator of many a 'bushtucker challenge' in China - tore away laughing her head off as her team-mates rushed to congratulate her.

With the early lead, England now attacked with confidence: the returning striker Eniola Aluko, desperate to grab her first goal, hit the crossbar and Rachel Yankey's cross into the box almost led to a third as Faye White rushed in to meet it. Late in the first half Smith forced a decent save from Ferro, and England practically skipped off the pitch at half-time.

Yankey began the second half with a bright shot, Ferro tipping the ball over, and things only got worse for Argentina when they were reduced to 10 players as Catalina Perez received a second booking for felling Smith in the area. Fara Williams coolly took the penalty to put England 3-0 up in the 50th minute. Ten minutes later England conceded a free-kick, and Gonzalez redeemed her earlier mistake by firing past keeper Rachel Brown; a stern reminder for England to keep their focus. Williams was unlucky to receive a booking for a foul - her second of the group stage, she will now miss England's quarter-final on Saturday.

From thereon in it was just a matter of how many as Smith promptly slotted two more goals. With a minute to go, a high challenge on substitute Jody Handley by Gonzalez gave England their second penalty, and substitute Vicky Exley - Doncaster Belles' chirpy postwoman - dispatched it with confidence.

Germany's simultaneous 2-0 win against Japan means the defending world champions top the group, but both England and Germany will have to wait for tomorrow's results to learn of their quarter-final opponents as USA and North Korea remain tied in Group B on four points. A delighted Smith, who was named player of the match for the second time in seven days, said she hoped it would be the US, the country where she earned her reputation as a great player.

[DirtyHarry]

Let's hear it for Vicky.

[Carla]

[TrueBlueTerrier]

as at 1.00pm Saturday England Playing on TV -


come on England

[ade@cambs]

Just about to settle down and watch it ENGERLAND