England v. Algeria: Live Report

England_Algeria_World_cup_18062010

An England supporter attends their 2010 World Cup Group C first round football match against Algeria in Cape Town. © AFP Paul Ellis

An England supporter attends their 2010 World Cup Group C first round football match against Algeria in Cape Town. © AFP Paul Ellis

CAPE TOWN (AFP)  – AN ABYSMAL ENGLAND MISSED THE CHANCE to go top of Group C after only managing a 0-0 draw with Algeria.

The fate of the the 1966 winners is still in their own hands, but on this form they will have little chance of getting past Slovenia in their last group match.

It’s a very tight group with Slovenia the only team registering a win. It promises to be a tension-filled, if not quality-filled, evening of football on Wednesday.

To see how the match panned out,  read on.

– 2026 GMT: Wow, amazing from Rooney. The massed England ranks in the stand booed England off the pitch. A clearly irate Rooney stared straight into the camera and spat “it’s nice to see your own fans booing you.” There’s the front-pages tomorrow.

2024 GMT: My colleague Nick Morrison has been in touch again from a pub in London’s Chinatown: “A sadly familiar shroud of gloom has fallen on fans of the Three Lions in this watering hole. ‘We’ve been made to look ordinary by one of the worst teams in the competition,’ says downcast supporter Ben Reynolds.”

90+3 mins: FULL TIME! England 0 Algeria 0

What an awful game. Algeria defended well, but were never in any real danger. They maybe thinking they could’ve won it if they had been more attacking.

It’s a good job the players are in South Africa because the press at home are really going to go for them tomorrow.

90+2mins: Promising free-kick for Algeria. But it sails over the bar.

– 90 mins: James, one of the few plus points for Capello, collects a free-kick and is then wiped out.

There will be three minutes of injury time.

– 88 mins: Lampard hits a long-range effort well wide.

-87 mins: A terrible passage of play with more mis-placed passes from both teams than I could count on my fingers. And toes.- 84 mins: Cometh the hour cometh the giant. Striker Peter Crouch replaces midfielder Peter Crouch.

– 82 mins: Johnson hits a cross way over everyone’s head, sums up the night really. There were hardly any players in the box anyway.

– 78 mins: England are applying some pressure but it’s all a bit frantic. David Beckham on the bench gives a thumbs-up, not sure to who or why.

– 76 mins: Defoe is looking lively and wins a corner. Barry has a shot from the defensive clearance which hits a hand but half-hearted appeals are waved away.

– 74 mins: Emile Heskey’s evening is over and Jermain Defoe comes on in his place.

– 72 mins: A draw here isn’t a disaster for England but it’s difficult to see them beating anyone playing like this. Rooney, who has been very poor, drags a long-range shot wide.

– 69 mins: The sands of time are sinking as Heskey’s cross is deflected just over the bar. Gerrard meets the corner with a bullet header but straight at the ‘keeper.

– 66 mins: The substitute makes an immediate impact, winning a free-kick near the corner flag. It’s wasted.

– 63 mins: Lennon gets into the game, curling a lovely cross which is just taken off Rooney’s head.

Lennon is rewarded by being subbed. On comes Shaun Wright-Phillips

-61 mins: Carragher will now miss the Slovenia game, adding to Capello’s woes. It really is incredible to see how the white shirt of England paralyzes the players with fear.

– 59 mins: YELLOW CARD! Carragher is in the book for a block in a really dangerous spot.

Anther Yahi smacks the free-kick well wide.

-57 mins: Algeria get lots of space on the corner of the area, but can only force a corner which is cleared.

– 51 mins: One reason England seem to be struggling is the amount of silly free-kicks they are conceding, which is breaking up play and playing right into Algeria’s hands.

-47 mins: The referee intercepts as Algeria were looking potent. That would make him England’s best player at the moment.

– 45 mins: We’re back on. More of the same or are these two teams going to join the mood of positivity which has swept over the competition in the last couple of days?

– 1926 GMT: Much offence was taken by Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer’s recent claim that England were a “kick and rush” team. Well, that half was just “kick,” with very little rush.

– 1920 GMT: “A shadow of the team that qualified,” former England manager Kevin Keegan says. “They just can’t get going.”

Fellow ITV pundit and former England defender Gareth Southgate is worried. “We looked frightened,” he said. “If we can’t handle this it’s a big problem because every game from here on is a high-pressure situation. ”

– 45+2 mins: HALF TIME! England 0 Algeria 0

A thoroughly uninspiring half of football comes to a close all-square. England really need to up the pace if they want to win, but Algeria are making it very difficult with their five-man back-line.

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– 44 mins: Rooney has a shot from distance but unfortuntately for him, Robert Green is not in the opposing goal.

– 43 mins: My AFP colleague Nick Morrison has been in touch again from a pub full of England fans watching the game in London’s Chinatown: “Cries of anguish ring out after that chance for Lampard is saved. ‘England need to up their game to avoid going out with the French,’ says England fan Ben Reynolds after Algeria’s domination of possession in the opening half hour.”

– 39 mins: Barry has a go from 20 yards after tricky play by Lennon but it’s straight at the ‘keeper.

37 mins: England looking a bit better, but seem to be too eager to play the killer ball and can’t seem to build up any concerted presure.

35 mins: Barry, having a good game, suddenly gives the ball away and Ziani ends up shooting from the edge of the area but it flies wide.

– 32 mins: Best chance so far. Lennon whips a ball in which rebounds to Lampard but M’Bolhi is down smartly to parry away the Chelsea man’s left-foot shot.

-29 mins: Rooney and Gerrard combine very well resulting in the Liverpool man curling a tricky shot from the edge of the area which the ‘keeper does very well to collect.

– 27 mins: Algeria nearly pay for over-confidence at the back as Emile Heskey nips in but the ball spins away from him.

Barry again to the rescue from Bougherra’s cross. John Terry is down, but it only looks like a knock to the head.

– 23 mins: Fantastic cross by Bougherra which Barry does very well to put behind for a corner. James makes a confidence-boosting claim from the set-piece.

– 22 mins: Snappy interchange by the north Africans ends in nothing, but they are finding space in threatening areas.

– 20 mins: Karim Yebda gets his mohawked head to Ziani’s cross but his soft effort is easily collected by James.

19 mins: England very poor with the ball so far, epitomised by Gerrard’s attempted through ball which was nowhere near anyone.

17 mins: Algeria looking quite sharp and Ziani nearly embarrasses England with a cross which Jamie Carragher almost hacks into his own goal.

15 mins: Ryad Boudebouz, brought into the side, looks to justify his manager Rabah Saadane’s faith but scuffs his long-range shot harmlessly towards James.

12 mins: First test for David James and it’s a horrible one. A looping cross is dipping under the bar and he just manges to get enough on the ball under severe pressure. Glen Johnson panics but gets lucky with his clearance.

-9 mins: To even things up here’s AFP man in Algiers, Pierre-Yves Julien. “Algerians are all hoping their team will make a ‘tour de force’ against England but are pretty anxious. ‘We must attack, again and again,’ says Mustapha, an executive sitting in a bar watching the game. ”

Apparently the streets in Algiers were totally empty five minutes before kick-off.

-8 mins: A lively start as Cole nearly wriggles free in the area before Algeria deliver a terrible corner.

– 4 mins: Rooney is gifted the ball and finds Steven Gerrard in lots of space. For some reason he crosses and the ball is cleared.

Straight up the other end Algeria bomb forward and a dangerous cut-back is launched clear.

-3 mins: England try to string some passes together to calm the nerves. Ashley Cole is fouled but Algeria clear the set-piece.

– 1 min: Algeria, all in green, get us underway with England all in white.

1826 GMT: My AFP colleague Nick Morrison has been in touch from a pub packed to the rafters in London’s Chinatown: “The atmosphere is building to a crescendo in this Irish pub – a friend has spotted that the road rapidly emptying outside is called Gerard St — surely a good omen for England!”

1822 GMT: England players belt out “God Save the Queen” while the Algerians prefer the arms around shoulders with stern looks of concentration.

1820 GMT: AFP’s man in the stadium Martin Parry says the anticipation is building. “The match is now just minutes away on a mild night and the atmosphere inside the stadium is electric. England flags are drapped everywhere. It feels more like a home game, although Algeria has a fair contingent here as well, tucked into a corner of this magnificent football ground.”

The vuvuzelas are at full blast and the pressure is on England.

1810 GMT: Fabio Capello celebrates his 64th birthday today, but his party could go very flat if England fail to win.

Talking to the ITV, the Italian defended the performance in the US game. “We tried to play but USA were really compact, it was impossible. I made mistakes but the US is a good team.”

Star-striker Rooney is in a barren patch but Capello seems unfazed. “I think Wayne played well although he didn’t score but now we train with confidence and we are really focussed.”

Prince William is being a bit greedy, saying “10-0 would be nice. but not very realistic.” His message to the players is “win, win, win!”

Manchester City midfielder and ITV pundit Patrick Vieira sees Karem Ziani as Algeria’s danger man.

– 1820 GMT: AFP’s man in the stadium Martin Parry says the anticipation is building. “The match is now just minutes away on a mild night and the atmosphere inside the stadium is electric. England flags are drapped everywhere. It feels more like a home game, although Algeria has a fair contingent here as well, tucked into a corner of this magnificent football ground.”

The vuvuzelas are at full blast and the pressure is on England.
1810 GMT: Fabio Capello celebrates his 64th birthday today, but his party could go very flat if England fail to win.
Talking to the ITV, the Italian defended the performance in the US game. “We tried to play but USA were really compact, it was impossible. I made mistakes but the US is a good team.”
Star-striker Rooney is in a barren patch but Capello seems unfazed. “I think Wayne played well although he didn’t score but now we train with confidence and we are really focussed.”
Prince William is being a bit greedy, saying “10-0 would be nice. but not very realistic.” His message to the players is “win, win, win!”
Manchester City midfielder and ITV pundit Patrick Vieira sees Karem Ziani as Algeria’s danger man.
1808 GMT: Apart from the ‘keeper change, England bring in Jamie Carragher, who replaced the injured Ledley King on Saturday, and Gareth Barry is now fit enough to play in midfield. James Milner drops to the bench.
Algeria’s own stopper Faouzi Chaouchi also let in a stinker in his side’s 1-0 defeat to Slovenia and like Green is dropped. Rais M’Bohli takes his place.
Here are the teams:
England: David James, Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey.
Coach: Fabio Capello
Algeria: Rais M’Bohli, Madjid Bougherra, Nadir Belhadj, Anther Yahia, Foued Kadir, Hassan Yebda,
Mehdi Lacen, Rafik Halliche, Ryad Boudebouz, Karim Ziani, Karim Matmour.
Coach: Rabah Saadane
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
WELCOME TO GREEN POINT STADIUM in Cape Town for our live World Cup text commentary of England against Algeria.
England will go top of Group C if they win by more than one goal but Algeria will be desperate to stop them after a disappointing opening defeat against Slovenia.
Already today, group rivals United States and Slovenia served up a hugely entertaining 2-2 draw, meaning that all teams are still very much in contention.
The big selection news is that England manager Fabio Capello has dropped goalkeeper Robert Green after his blunder cost England victory in their first game with the United States.

An England supporter attends their 2010 World Cup Group C first round football match against Algeria in Cape Town. © AFP Paul EllisCAPE TOWN (AFP) – 1820 GMT: AFP’s man in the stadium Martin Parry says the anticipation is building. “The match is now just minutes away on a mild night and the atmosphere inside the stadium is electric. England flags are drapped everywhere. It feels more like a home game, although Algeria has a fair contingent here as well, tucked into a corner of this magnificent football ground.”
The vuvuzelas are at full blast and the pressure is on England.
1810 GMT: Fabio Capello celebrates his 64th birthday today, but his party could go very flat if England fail to win.
Talking to the ITV, the Italian defended the performance in the US game. “We tried to play but USA were really compact, it was impossible. I made mistakes but the US is a good team.”
Star-striker Rooney is in a barren patch but Capello seems unfazed. “I think Wayne played well although he didn’t score but now we train with confidence and we are really focussed.”
Prince William is being a bit greedy, saying “10-0 would be nice. but not very realistic.” His message to the players is “win, win, win!”
Manchester City midfielder and ITV pundit Patrick Vieira sees Karem Ziani as Algeria’s danger man.
1808 GMT: Apart from the ‘keeper change, England bring in Jamie Carragher, who replaced the injured Ledley King on Saturday, and Gareth Barry is now fit enough to play in midfield. James Milner drops to the bench.
Algeria’s own stopper Faouzi Chaouchi also let in a stinker in his side’s 1-0 defeat to Slovenia and like Green is dropped. Rais M’Bohli takes his place.
Here are the teams:
England: David James, Glen Johnson, Jamie Carragher, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey.
Coach: Fabio Capello
Algeria: Rais M’Bohli, Madjid Bougherra, Nadir Belhadj, Anther Yahia, Foued Kadir, Hassan Yebda,Mehdi Lacen, Rafik Halliche, Ryad Boudebouz, Karim Ziani, Karim Matmour.
Coach: Rabah Saadane
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
WELCOME TO GREEN POINT STADIUM in Cape Town for our live World Cup text commentary of England against Algeria.
England will go top of Group C if they win by more than one goal but Algeria will be desperate to stop them after a disappointing opening defeat against Slovenia.
Already today, group rivals United States and Slovenia served up a hugely entertaining 2-2 draw, meaning that all teams are still very much in contention.
The big selection news is that England manager Fabio Capello has dropped goalkeeper Robert Green after his blunder cost England victory in their first game with the United States.

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