World Cup Diary - Day 12

I am going to change th format of the World Cup Diaries from now on.

Instead of reporting on each match I will pick out the important matches and important issues of the day.

So...

Today was a day when England needed a performance more than they needed the result. England had a set back within a minute of starting th match. Michael Owen was streachered off with a twisted knee when he fell awkwardly when just passing the ball. Crouch came on for Owen and Endland seemed to recover and played quite well in the first half. The half was topped off with a wonderful strike by Joe Cole. He hit a dipping shot which the Swedish keeper could only tip on to the post and in. (To be honest I think he miss hit it abit and this is why it got the amazing amount of dip on it, but it was still a great goal)

The second half was a different story, as usual. Up until this match the England defence was the one thing that had looked really solid.

In this game it looked really vunerable on set peices. The first Sweden goal should have been a routine defensive header away at the near post. Straight after the first Sweden had another corner and England looked vunerable again. This time they were lucky as Robinson pushed the shot onto the bar.

England looked nervy all the way through the second half.

The second Swedish goal also came from a set peice (long throw in) and again England couldn't deal with it.

So England are through to the second round and will play Ecuador

ENG 2 SWE 2