[Report originally from www.thefa.com] Deadly Jermain Defoe has led England to a vital win in Poland with his first goal for his country. England needed a result and they got one. Sven’s decision to bring in Jermain Defoe proved to be an inspired one as the Tottenham man led England to victory with a fine individual goal on his first start for his country. England’s attitude was spot-on tonight and even a Polish equaliser just after half time was not enough to stop the Three Lions collecting their first win on the journey to Germany. Chasing and harrying when without the ball and playing quick, short passes with it, England began the game looking hungry and sharp. An early one-two between Defoe and Lampard from which the in-form midfielder might well have scored, illustrated the fluidity with which England were playing. On 20 minutes Defoe himself came close, firing wide after good work from the increasingly effective left-side partnership of Bridge and Cole. It wasn’t all England though. John Terry was required to make his second goal-line clearance in two games when Krzynowek’s effort looked to be going in. Soon after, Robinson got down smartly to collect Rasiak’s stinging effort at the near post. Robinson looked calm and assured throughout. Has a new goalkeeping era begun for England? Certainly it looks like a new one may have begun upfront in the form of Jermain Defoe. Lively, confident and deadly, he is made for international football. His 37th minute-turn from Beckham’s pass caught the whole of the Polish defence off-guard. His finish – a right foot swipe across the goalkeeper into the far corner – oozed class. In the hotel before the game, Jermain wasn’t his normal chatty self. He was more quiet and contemplative. Perhaps he had an inkling of what lay ahead. Ashley Cole, once again outstanding, might have joined Defoe in scoring his first-ever goal for his country with an excellent hooked effort just before half-time. All looked rosy at the interval. But it had done on Saturday too. When Zurawski's rasping drive found the roof of the net at the beginning of the second period and the home crowd roared back into life, we were left wondering if it was going to be another case of a lead squandered. England had no such plans though. Driven by the desire to succeed and prove something both to themselves and their doubters, they demonstrated their character by forcing their way back into the game. With Gerrard perpetual motion in the midfield, Sven’s men re-asserted themselves and were rewarded on 58 minutes. Gerrard exposed the heart of the Polish defence with one of his marauding forward runs. He slipped Cole in down the left and the combination of a fine cross across the face of the goal and the presence of the lurking Michael Owen was enough to force Glowacki to put the ball past Dudek. 2-1 England. What was noticeable was that, having re-taken the lead, England did not sit back trying to protect it. Instead of inviting Poland to come onto us, we pinned them back into their own half and might well have scored again. Both Bridge and Owen were inches from the third goal that would have made the game safe. Poland huffed and puffed but every England player gave their all to ensure the three points came back home with them. They gave everything they had. The World Cup dream is now firmly back on track. Next up is Wales at Old Trafford. That should be a decent game. edited by Guest (17/02/2006) |