Latest World Cup News

sky star 2 · Jun 10, 2009

England v Andorra preview
Capello's men eye seventh straight win in Group Six

England will look to complete a perfect season by beating minnows Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday evening.

The Three Lions may have missed out on Euro 2008 but they have enjoyed a superb 12 months to virtually ensure they will be involved in a major tournament next summer.

England have won all six of their World Cup qualifiers to date to move seven points clear of nearest rivals Croatia at the top of Group Six.

It has been a gruelling campaign for all the players with their club and country commitments but there is one more challenge to overcome before they can take a well-earned break.

Having defeated Kazakhstan 4-0 in Almaty, Fabio Capello will want his men to be similarly professional in dismissing Andorra.

A 48-hour strike by London Underground workers threatens to create travel chaos but captain John Terry has vowed to put on a show for the supporters that do make it to Wembley.

An early goal will help to settle the nerves as Andorra have proved frustrating in previous encounters, keeping England at bay until the second half last September before eventually going down 2-0.

Joe Cole scored both goals in Barcelona but the Chelsea man's absence through injury in recent months has barely been noticed as Capello has settled on a successful formula.
Selection dilemma

Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard will once again provide the main attacking threat against Andorra, while Theo Walcott is expected to be preferred to Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right wing.

Frank Lampard will occupy one of the central midfield positions but Capello will have to replace the suspended Gareth Barry after the Manchester City new boy picked up a yellow card in Kazakhstan.

Capello could take the opportunity to assess some of his fringe players but maintains that he will not experiment until qualification has been secured.

For that reason David Beckham is likely to get the nod in midfield, while Gary Neville may also come in for Glen Johnson as the Portsmouth right-back is one booking away from a ban.

Terry, Matthew Upson and Ashley Cole should complete the back four, while there will be another chance for Robert Green in goal.

Andorra will feel they have nothing to lose against England but will take little confidence from a record that reads six defeats in six group games.

They will relish the physical battle and boss David Rodrigo has insisted he will not tinker with his defensive 5-4-1 formation.

sky star 2 · Jun 10, 2009

Andorra out to frustrate
Rodrigo won't change defensive formation

Andorra boss David Rodrigo intends to make life as difficult as possible for England at Wembley.

The European minnows were hammered 5-1 by Belarus on Saturday and have lost all six of their 2010 World Cup qualifiers to date.

They have scored just two goals and conceded 19, with group leaders England overwhelming favourites to add to their misery on Wednesday evening.

However, they managed to frustrate England for 45 minutes at home last September before a Joe Cole brace secured a 2-0 win for Capello's men.

Rodrigo is hoping for a repeat performance and will once again utilise a 5-4-1 formation.

He said: "England are the most dangerous team in the group and I am not going to change the system we employ because we are playing in London.
Nothing to lose

"We have to improve our play at Wembley and learn from the mistakes that we made in the last game - we have to give England more problems.

"They have been made to work hard to get the first goal, and that can sometimes make the players feel nervous.

"There is a big difference between the two teams, but we have not got anything to lose."

Rodrigo added: "We have recovered well from our last long trip to Belarus and have enjoyed two days of hard work in Barcelona. That will be good for the team.

"England has a lot more quality that what we do, but we go to Wembley with hope and want to improve the image of Andorra."

Physical battle

Defender Toni Lima has also warned England to expect another physical battle.

"Football is a contact sport and the English play a physical game and with great intensity," said Lima.

"As for fair play, the football purists talk about it, but the interests in football are greater and you are always open to alternatives.

"There is never any intention to deliberately injure anyone, but a kick or pull or something which does not cause injury, you have to do that to prevent danger."

sky star 2 · Jun 10, 2009

Capello won't experiment
England boss not planning to look at fringe players

Fabio Capello does not believe it is the right time for him to give a chance to fringe players against Andorra.

England are on course to qualify for the World cup after winning their first six qualifiers in Group Six, and they will be confident of maintaining their 100m per cent record at Wembley on Wednesday evening.

However, Capello is refusing to take anything for granted and does not plan to take a look at those who may not be regulars in the squad.

"We have time to experiment once we are 100 per cent sure of getting to South Africa," he said.

"At this moment, the most important thing is to win."
Beckham praise

Capello has stated that either Shaun Wright-Phillips or David Beckham will fill in for the suspended Gareth Barry against Andorra.

He has now hinted that Beckham could get the nod after praising his abilities in the centre of midfield.

"I saw some games that he played for Milan in that position and he also played there for me at Real Madrid," said Capello.

"I like it. It is not a problem."

Rooney

Wayne Rooney has been in excellent form for England over the past 12 months and Capello hopes he can keep his run going.

"Wayne Rooney always ran a lot but in the last year he has started to get to the goal more often, not only in the national team but also with United," the Italian commented.

"Before that he stayed away from the goal.

"If you look at the goals in the Premier League, 75 or 80 per cent of them all are scored in a 10-metre circle in front of the goal.

"I told Wayne it is better to go into this position. Now, whenever someone crosses, he is there."

sky star 2 · Jun 11, 2009

Rooney hopes form continues
England star targets Charlton's all-time goalscoring record

Wayne Rooney hopes that his recent run of goalscoring heroics can continue as England close on a place in the 2010 World Cup finals.

The Manchester United striker took his international tally for the season to 10 on Wednesday as he hit a first-half brace in the 6-0 thrashing of Andorra at Wembley.

Rooney's double means he equalled the 10-goals-in-a-season record of Gary Lineker, which was set in 1991, but the 23-year-old is keen for further improvements.

England are now on the verge of guaranteeing a spot in South Africa next summer and Rooney wants to maintain his form throughout the qualifiers and beyond.
Best season

"I'm delighted I've been scoring in the last few games and have really enjoyed it," he told Sky Sports News.

"But the most important thing is that we have one foot in the World Cup finals.

"I think it has been my best season for England and I hope that can continue and that there are more goals to come."

Rooney admits he has Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time England goalscoring record in his sights.

Beckham praise

The former Everton star moved level with Sir Geoff Hurst on 24 goals for his country and is already nearly half-way towards Charlton's 49-goal haul.

He added: "If I could beat Bobby Charlton's record, it would be a great achievement and I do have that record in mind."

Rooney's form has also earned praise from team-mate David Beckham, who said: "Wayne has always performed well and is always a threat to any side.

"He has scored some really important goals, and some good goals, in the last season for Manchester United and also for England. Hopefully that continues."

sky star 2 · Jun 11, 2009

South American WCQ round-up
Argentina lose again as Brazil stay top

Argentina dropped to fourth in the South American World Cup qualifying section after they lost 2-0 in Ecuador.

Diego Maradona's side need to finish in the top four for an automatic passage to South Africa next year, but they are now just two points clear of Ecuador after defeat in Quito.

Argentina had their chances to put the game to bed, with Lionel Messi guilty of a horrific miss, before Manchester United's Carlos Tevez saw a penalty saved by Marcelo Elizaga.

Maradona's men were made to pay as the home side claimed a famous victory thanks to two goals in the last 20 minutes from Walter Ayovi and Pablo Palacios.

The defeat is the second in a row for Argentina after they suffered a humiliating loss in Bolivia just two months ago.

Brazil maintained their place at the summit of the qualifying section after a 2-1 win over third-placed Paraguay in Recife.

The visitors took a shock first-half lead as Slavador Cabanas saw his free-kick deflected past Julio Cesar.

But Brazil bounced back just before the break as Manchester City star Robinho volleyed home from close range just before the break.

The winner came just after the interval when Nilmar bundled the ball home from close range.

Chile moved into second and put themselves firmly on course for a place in the finals after they overcame Bolivia 4-0 in Santiago.

Chile went ahead just before half-time through Jean Beausejour. They eased to victory with further goal in the second period from Marco Estrada and an Alexis Sanchez brace.

Uruguay are now two points off the top five after they were held to a 2-2 draw in Venezuela.

Giancarlo Maldonado had given the hosts an early lead after just nine minutes, but Uruguay looked to have snatched the points as Luis Suarez (61) and Diego Forlan (72) scored late one.

But Jose Manuel Rey secured a share of the spoils for Venezuela, who maintain an outside hope of reaching the top five.

Colombia also kept their qualification dreams alive as they sealed a 1-0 win over Peru in Medelin.

Radamel Falcao grabbed the only goal of the game after 25 minutes to condemn Peru to an eighth straight defeat.

Colombia moved onto 17 points, level with Venezuela, a point off Uruguay and just three behind Ecuador in fifth.

sky star 2 · Jun 11, 2009

Beckham - Job not done
England players refuse to get carried away

Midfielder David Beckham is refusing to get carried away with a successful season after England moved towards the brink of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

The LA Galaxy star played an influential part as Fabio Capello's men hammered Andorra 6-0 on Wednesday to close on a spot in South Africa next summer.

Capello's team maintained their 100 per cent record in Group 6, with seven wins from seven games played, in the process of demolishing their rock-bottom opponents at Wembley in their final game of 2008/09.

But Beckham, a veteran of three World Cup finals, insists that, despite a successful campaign, England must see the job through when they return to qualifying action in September.

"We have ended it on a high. We have done what we wanted to do. You can't get any better than seven wins out of seven," the 34-year-old told Sky Sports News.
Feel-good factor

"We go away now for a few weeks and we can enjoy it.

"We're are happy, but we've still not qualified yet so we'll be happy when we do that and we'll go on from there."

Defender Glen Johnson, who had an excellent game at right-back against Andorra, declared the feel-good factor could not be stronger within the England camp.

"Morale could not be any higher, and we showed that out there," said the Portsmouth player.

But Johnson's club colleague Peter Crouch, who scored the sixth goal in London, maintains that Capello will keep feet on the ground.

Winning mentality

"We have got a winning mentality and the manager has brought that," he said.

"We look like a strong side. We have got to make sure, I think we would all like to go unbeaten in the group, that we hopefully keep that 100 per cent record.

"But I don't think the manager will let us get too carried away. We have got a break now, so we can look back on the season and know we have done well and hopefully come back and do the same again."

Meanwhile, striker Jermain Defoe, who scored twice as a second-half substitute, is hoping a positive season in 2009/10 will earn him a place in South Africa, if England qualify.

"I'm just going to keep working hard. Next season is a massive season for everyone and not just me. Hopefully I'll be on that plane," he said.

sky star 2 · Jun 16, 2009

Park eyes last World Cup
South Korea international plans South Africa swansong

Immediately after helping South Korea to their seventh successive World Cup finals, Park Ji-Sung announced that the tournament will probably be his last.

The 28-year-old captained his country to a 2-0 away win against the United Arab Emirates last week to seal their place in South Africa 2010 with a game to spare.

The Manchester United winger is a veteran of two World Cups having shot onto the scene at the 2002 finals where the hosts reached the semi-finals under Guus Hiddink.

South Korea followed that unexpected success with a respectable last-16 place in Germany in 2006 but Park admits the finals next summer will probably be his last.

"2010 will likely be my last World Cup," he said.

"There is also the 2014 event but I don't think my stamina will last until then. I will devote everything to attain a good result."
Similarities

Park underlined that getting to the last 16 again in South Africa would signify a realistic aim but the former PSV man did go as far as comparing the current crop of stars with the heroes of 2002.

"The 2002 Korean team was the strongest ever and younger and veteran players achieved good harmony," he added.

"The national team for next year's event is quite similar to that in 2002. Depending on how thoroughly we prepare for the event, we can attain a good result."

sky star 2 · Jun 16, 2009

Torres reveals World Cup dream
Spain star eager to face England in showpiece event

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has revealed he and club captain Steven Gerrard dream of playing against each other in the World Cup final.

Spain star Torres and England ace Gerrard are both expected to feature in next summer's finals as both countries top their respective qualifying groups with 100 per cent records.

Torres and his countrymen, who are currently participating in the Confederations Cup, would travel to South Africa as favourites having won Euro 2008.

The 25-year-old is confident that Spain would triumph in a potential final meeting with Gerrard and England, who were defeated in a friendly meeting in February in Seville.

"It's a good rivalry, we talk about it a lot and dream about what might happen in the future," Torres said in the Sunday Mirror.

"To play against England is special for me. Already I noticed in the friendly in Seville how big it was and to do it in an official competition would be enormous.

"England are one of the candidates to win the World Cup in 2010, without doubt. Stevie and myself have often spoken about our teams.

"Our dream would be for England and Spain to play in the final in South Africa. But Spain might win it."

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

JAPAN BOOK WORLD CUP SPOT

Australia became the second country from the Asian qualifying zone to reach the 2010 World Cup after they secured the single point they needed with a goalless draw against Qatar in Doha.

With Japan having earlier booked their passage with victory in Uzbekistan, Pim Verbeek's side sewed up the second automatic spot in Group A and can count themselves unfortunate not to have taken all three points.

Australia came closest to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes after the interval when Tim Cahill headed a corner goalwards and Chris Coyne neatly flicked the ball past goalkeeper Qasem Burhan only for Mesaad Al Hamad to clear off the line.

An early goal by Shinji Okazaki saw Japan edge Uzbekistan 1-0 in Tashkent to win their place in South Africa.

Okazaki headed home his own rebound in the ninth minute after being initially denied by Ignatiy Nesterov to secure a top-two finish in the Group A qualifiers for the Japanese and a fourth consecutive finals appearance.

Makoto Hasebe was sent off for elbowing Uzbek captain Server Djeparov with two minutes remaining but the home side were unable to find a way past the Japanese defence, who kept their fourth consecutive clean sheet of the qualifiers.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

KAZAKHSTAN v ENGLAND MIN-BY-MIN

Final Score: Kazakhstan 0 England 4

Fabio Capello won't be too happy with the performance but will be delighted with the result. Against better opposition they will have to improve hugely - but it's job done here and now Capello will turn his attentions to Andorra on Wednesday.

Despite being far from impressive for much of the game, England were comfortable winners in the end and are surely on their way to next year's World Cup.

90: The final whistle goes and England have made it six wins out of six in the group.

90: Beckham drills a shot wide of the post from long range.

90: Rooney's shot from the edge of the box is well held by Mokin.

89: There will be three minutes of added time.

88: Kukeyev's drive from 25 yards out flashes just inches past Green's post. Kukeyev has impressed tonight.

87: A fan is on the pitch and is carried away by four policemen.

86: Gerrard almost sets up Heskey inside the box but his pass is too short.

85: This is like a training session for England now, Kazakhstan can't get a kick.

83: Kislitcin's shot is deflected into the arms of Green.

81: Heskey is replaced by Jermain Defoe.

80: Gerrard blasts high over the bar from 25 yards out.

79: England are on easy street now and look like they could add to their tally here.

77: GOAL - LAMPARD. The Chelsea man makes no mistake from the spot with an expertly taken penalty.

77: Abdulin is booked for the foul, Lampard will take the penalty.

77: Cole forces Mokin into a smart save but as Herskey goes for the rebound, Abdulin hauls him down.

77: Barry nods the ball down for Gerrard but his left-footed shot is blocked.

76: David Beckham comes on to replace Johnson.

75: Good positive play by Johnson to set up Rooney, that's what he is capable of. Rooney is the top scorer in the UEFA region of qualifying.

74: Erbes comes on for Averchenko.

73: GOAL - ROONEY. Johnson shows good skill to beat his man and slot the ball across the box for Rooney who forces Mokin into a fantastic save before tapping in the rebound.

72: Rooney's chip from the edge of the box is comfortably held by Mokin.

71: Don't think Wright-Phillips has controlled one pass since he came on. Another ball bobbles off his shin and falls to a man in blue.

70: Kislitci links up well in midfield before blasting a shot well wide of goal from 25 yards out.

69: England's passing has probably got worse in the second half - luckily for them, Kazakhstan have tired badly.

68: Late challenge by Heskey on Adbulin and Kazakhstan have a free-kick.

66: Johnson gits possession away again around 30 yards from his own goal but gets back to make a good challenge. The Portsmouth defender has been really poor today.

65: Lampard's free-kick into the box is fumbled behind for a corner by Mokin.

64: Karpovich takes the kick but his effort is always flying over the bar.

63: Free-kick to Kazakhstan 30 yards form goal, what can they make of this.

61: Heskey is caught offside from a high ball forward.

60: England are happy to keep possession without really threatening for a third.

58: The game has really slowed down in the second half, the Kazakhstan players seem to have accepted they will lose the game while England are hardly bursting a gut to score more goals.

56: Skorykh tries an ambitious shot from 30 yards out but slices the ball well wide of goal.

55: Elsewhere in this group, Belarus are 1-0 up on Andorra.

54: Gerrard turns well on the edge of the box but blasts his shot well over the bar. Kazakhstan are tiring now.

52: England are in total control of the game now but their passing is still nowhere near where it should be.

51: Wright-Phillips goes down this time 30 yards from goal on the left. Free-kick to England.

50: Terry's shot from long range is well blocked.

48: Heskey is bundled over by Logvinenko just outside the box but no yellow card is given.

47: Gerrard looks for Wright-Phillips but misplaces his pass and Kazakhstan have a throw.

46: Shaun Wright-Phillips is on for the ineffective Walcott for the second half.

46: England get the second half under way.

England are now 1/400 to win the game, Kazakhstan are 100/1, with the draw an 80/1 shot.

England have been really poor for much of the half but it's points that count - and they are on their way to making it six wins out of six in the group. Kazakhstan could, and should, have scored in the first 20 seconds and later had one disallowed. England's passing has been really poor, while at the back they have been very nervy. Fabio Capello said he would take a scrappy win and it looks like he will get it.

The half-time whistle goes and England have a comfortable, but barely deserved, lead.

45: GOAL - HESKEY. England have surely sealed the three points now. Gerrard's ball forward takes a deflection and catches out Mokin who was off his line. He can only palm the ball down to the feet of Heskey who slots the ball into the back of the net.

44: There will be two minutes of added time.

43: Karpovich's shot from the edge of the box is blocked by Terry. Decent football again by Kazakhstan but England are not closing them down quick enough.

41: England don't really deserve to be in front but surely now they will go on to assert their authority on thie game. It will be interesting to see how the hosts react.

40: GOAL - BARRY. England are in front and it's Barry's second international goal. He gets on the end of Gerrard's cross at the back post and nods the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

37: Terry's ball floats out of play. You would expect better from him, but he has almost no movement in front of him.

36: Terry's header from eight yards out is comfotably saved by Mokin.

35: Logvinenko makes a good sliding challenge on Walcott, who has struggled to get into this game.

33: England look to slow the game down but are unable to keep possession consistently. Gerrard, Lampard and Barry have been really poor in midfield.

32: Nusrbayev does well on the left flank but his low cross is held by Green.

30: Upson goes down in the box as a corner is floated in but he goes down far too easily and play is waved on.

29: First real chance of the game for England and Heskey is so unlucky. He fires the ball at goal from 16 yards out but Mokin does just enough to turn the ball onto the post. Good save, good play by England too.

28: Johnson's ball forward is too long for Barry.

27: Ibrayev, who started at Wembley, comes on for Ostapenko.

25: Johnson gives the ball away once again - he almost cost England in the opening seconds and if he's not careful he will again.

24: Kazakhstan are going to be forced into a change. A real blow because Ostapenko has been a real threat so far.

23: Rooney combines with Gerrard but his shot flies a few inches over the bar from 25 yards out. Decent effort.

22: Ostapenko is taken off on a stretcher and his hopes of continuing look pretty bleak.

21: Ostapenko has picked up a knock and will require treatment. It was a late challenge on him by Barry that caused the injury - he has to be careful having already been booked.

20: Johnson almost loses hte ball again in the right-back area but does well to keep it - then launches it 60 yards out of play. A very nervous performance so far by Johnson.

19: This is a Kazakhtan side that has won only three competitive games - and they are giving England a huge fright. Capello is furious on the touchline.

18: Ostapenko does put the ball in the back of the net - but it has been disallowed! Green is is no man's land and Ostapenko gets his head to the ball at the back post and nods into the net, but he was just offside. Worrying again for England.

16: Barry is booked and will miss the Andorra match in midweek. It was his only sloppy play that cost him. He doesn't look anything like a £12million player at the moment.

15: Nusrbayev has stayed down after picking up a knock. He is back on his feet though and looks like he will be able to continue.

14: Rooney loses possession once again in midfield, really poor play by the Manchester United man.

13: A decent passing spell for England but there's litte movement up front from Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney.

11: Another high ball, this time from Upson, is too hard and it's another throw to the hosts. England's passing has been really poor so far.

10: John Terry's high ball forward floats over the head of Steven Gerrard and Kazakhstan have a throw.

10: Upson directs a header well wide of the post.

9: First yellow card of the game goes to Nusrbayev for not retreating the correct amount of yards from a free-kick.

8: Ashley Cole's cross is comfortably gathered by Mokin.

7: Frank Lampard blasts a shot high over the bar from 25 yards out.

6: Fabio Capello looks furious on the touchline and is bellowing instructions to his team. He is not happy with the start England have made here.

5: Kukeyev looks lively on the left flank for the hosts but this time loses out to Johnson.

4: Wayne Rooney's crossfield pass floats out of play.

3: Theo Walcott makes good progress on the right flank but miskicks his cross and the ball goes behind for a goal-kick.

2: That was almost San Marino at Wembley all over again! A real warning for England there.

1: Straight from the kick-off Kazakhstan almost take the lead! Glen Johnson is dispossessed in the right-back area and Ostapenko really should have scored. Kukeyev's cross is inch-perfect and finds his team-mate just six yards out but he takes his eye off the ball and the chance is gone.

1: Kazakhstan get the game under way in Almaty.

Here's the Kazakhstan team: Mokin, Kirov, Abdulin, Kislitcin, Karpovich, Nusrbayev, Skorykh, Ostapenko, Kukeyev, Averchenko, Logvinenko. Subs: Mukashev, Fomichev, Irismetov, Nurgaliev, Travin, Ibrayev, Erbes.

Ed asks: "What does Robinson have to do to get into the starting XI?? What a joke given his recent performances!!" but Jordan Phillips disagrees, saying: "I think Robert Green was the right choice for goal he been a solid player this season. I think Matthew Upson was a good choice. He had a brilliant season. I think England will win 4-0 with Rooney scoring first then Upson and Terry and Heskey.

In the betting, England are just 1/7 to win the game while a shock Kazakhstan win is a huge 14/1 and the draw 5s. The hosts lost 5-1 at Wembley and by the same scoreline at home to Belarus - a repeat here is 33/1 with Sky Bet.

Is Matthew Upson the right choice to partner John Terry in the centre of defence, and what about having Robert Green in for his debut? Does it really matter, given the opposition? Let me know your thoughts on the team at [email protected].

The England team - Green, Johnson, Terry, Upson, A Cole, Walcott, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Heskey. Subs: Robinson, Lescott, Bridge, Defoe, Wright-Phillips, Beckham, Crouch.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott makes his return to the England team for the World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan after dislocating his shoulder and missing four international games. Rio Ferdinand's calf injury means Matthew Upson partners John Terry at centre-back, while goalkeeper Robert Green is handed his first start for the GroupSix clash. Emile Heskey, who missed the victory over Ukraine in April, replaces Peter Crouch in attack as England look to protect their 100% record in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Fabio Capello's men are fighting the effects of jetlag after their 3,500-mile trip east to a country that borders China.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

FAB CAN STILL IMPROVE ON PERFECTION

In the end you cannot knock perfection.

Played six, won six is Fabio Capello's record in competitive matches for England after they eased to a 4-0 victory against Kazakhstan in Almaty.

Another win on Wednesday against Andorra at Wembley and their ticket to South Africa is as good as booked.

So it might seem churlish to criticise.

Yet, you cannot get away from it. The latest victory under a manager who has brought a sharp-eyed professionalism to England football was laced with as many questions as answers.

Why do Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard struggle to produce their imperious club form when they pull on the England shirt?

Why is it that England seem unable to play with the pace and tempo which epitomises so much that is good about the Premier League?

Where is the fluency England will need against better opposition?

When is Wayne Rooney going to be given a role that allows him to play at the centre, rather than at the periphery, of the action?

When, most of all, are England going to excite and entertain?

Of course, that last question will not trouble Capello or any of the players. International football is about results first, second, third and any other number you want to come up with.

But it was the lack of tempo and intensity against Kazakhstan when the match was still in its competitive stages which will have concerned Capello.

Let's be honest, England were ragged in the first half. Their passing was wayward. Their defence uncertain. Their movement too static. Their play lacking edge and appetite.

Theo Walcott was anonymous and disappointing on the right side and Rooney a shadow of his true self on the left.

And, we should remember, Kazakhstan manager Bernd Storck had compared the standard of his Kazakhstan team to the Blue Square Premier. That was harsh. They might be ranked 132nd in the world compared to sixth-placed England, yet at times in that first half Kazakhstan looked the better team.

They played the more enterprising football. Sergey Ostapenko should have scored within the first 20 seconds following sloppy defensive work from Glen Johnson. The Kazakhstan striker then had the ball in the net after 16 minutes, only to be ruled offside.

No wonder Capello stood on the touchline spinning around and waving his arms frantically like a weather vane in a hurricane. There was thunder in his face. His team were playing poorly, too often launching those long balls which are anathema to an Italian coach.

It must have come as a relief then when Gareth Barry headed home from a Gerrard cross for the simplest of goals and Emile Heskey effectively ended proceedings as a contest just before the interval, cashing in on a mistake by the Kazakhstan goalkeeper.

Unsurprisingly, the second half took a predictable turn with Kazakhstan running out of gas and England notching further goals from Rooney and Lampard, a scorer from the penalty spot after Heskey had been brought down.

In the end we saw a controlled victory against a footballing minnow and 24 hours after England's cricketers had been humiliated by Holland that is something.

But Spain, the form side in world football, will have seen little to worry them in England's performance. The same might be said of Brazil and Argentina.

There are still questions. Still lots of room for improvement. Capello knows that. But the bottom line was that it was another win. And you cannot knock that.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

TRAPATTONI KEEPS FEET ON THE GROUND

Giovanni Trapattoni was keeping his feet firmly on the ground despite seeing his Republic of Ireland side take a significant step towards World Cup qualification with a 1-1 draw in Bulgaria.

A point at the Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia kept the Irish five points clear of their hosts in Group Eight with world champions Italy only a point better off.

However, the vastly experienced Italian knows there is still a long way to go before he or his players can start to think about South Africa.

He said: "Today we have a little advantage, but only a little advantage.

"I do not talk about percentages. I know that wood is wood and the ground is the ground.

"I always thought that this was going to be a more difficult game for us than Italy away because Bulgaria are a very dangerous team.

"They showed that tonight when we conceded the goal so soon after scoring and I was a bit afraid we would lose the game.

"But I am happy now with the good result. We have a long way to go yet before we can talk about South Africa.

"I have always said that it will be a long qualifying campaign, but I am happy with this result."

Ireland got off to a flying start when central defender Richard Dunne, who only played in the game after having a pain-killing injection in his knee, headed them into a 24th-minute lead.

However, the Bulgarians were back on level terms within five minutes when midfielder Dimitar Tekiyski took full advantage of a slip by Kevin Kilbane to level.

From then on, the visitors were forced to weather a storm, but with keeper Shay Given having few saves of any note to make, they toughed it out to extend their unbeaten run in competitive games under Trapattoni to seven.

The Republic were indebted to the immense Dunne for his bravery in defence, and there were also notable mentions for Sean St Ledger and Caleb Folan, who looked far from out of place in their first competitive starts.

Trapattoni said: "I am happy that now we have a bigger squad. When I took over, I felt our squad was little, but now it is big with these new and young players.

"St Ledger showed us tonight that he is a clever player, also Folan and [substitute Leon] Best.

"And I know what Richard Dunne does for Ireland every game, as he did again tonight."

Ireland resume their campaign in Cyprus in September before home games against Italy and Montenegro bring the campaign to a conclusion.

Skipper Robbie Keane, who was substituted for the first time in four years playing for his country after he finally succumbed to the foot injury which had hampered him all week, is delighted with the position his side has got itself into

He said: "There are still a few games to go, but it was important we came here today and didn't lose, so that was a big plus for us.

"If we had lost today, it would have put them [Bulgaria] right back in it with a chance.

"But now it puts them slightly behind us, and Cyprus drew as well, so that's a decent result for us.

"It keeps a few teams away from us and at the moment, it's just between ourselves and Italy."

Bulgaria, however, now face an uphill struggle even to claim the runners-up spot.

Manager Stanimir Stoilov said: "We have to rely on our rivals to make mistakes now if we are going to make it to the World Cup finals.

"I do believe in miracles in football and they have happened for Bulgaria before."

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

TOSHACK PRAISES YOUNG SIDE

John Toshack heaped praise on his young Wales players after their remarkable World Cup Group Four qualifying victory against Azerbaijan.

It was Wales' first away win in the group, and achieved without 10 senior players and with a side almost entirely of under-21 players.

The team produced a performance to warm the heart of manager Toshack on what turned out to be a bitterly cold night.

Toshack said: "There was so much to be satisfied with. Considering the problems we have had building up to this game, it was a very pleasing performance and result.

"We were missing so many players and some of the lads who played have been out of training virtually for five weeks."

David Edwards got the first-half winner, and there were young heroes all over the pitch.

Captain Joe Ledley led by example, Edwards was outstanding alongside his skipper and at the back Ashley Williams, Craig Morgan and Lewin Nyatanga withstood everything thrown at them.

Toshack said: "I don't want to pick out any player, they were all excellent.

"But Simon Church on his full debut gave us everything he had. He ran and worked all night and can be very happy with his display.

"Overall the team did very well. There were a lot of tired legs out there at the end, some of them could barely run after the effort they had put in.

"But there are a lot of better sides than us who have had a lot of trouble in Baku. Azerbaijan have improved considerably over the last five years and nobody hammers them these days.

"We had a small handful of fans here who had paid a lot of money to follow us, and they deserved a result like this.

"I was more than happy to celebrate with them at the end, the team has done them proud."

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

CAPELLO SURPRISED BY EARLY STRUGGLES

England boss Fabio Capello was disappointed with his team's display in the first half-hour against Kazakhstan but pleased after they improved and cruised to a 4-0 win in Almaty.

Capello's men maintained their 100% in Group Six and edged closer to next year's World Cup, but they had to survive an early scare when the hosts caused chaos in Robert Green's penalty area in the first minute and later had a headed goal from Sergey Ostapenko disallowed.

The Italian, who looked furious on the touchline, said: "I was disappointed with the position on the pitch of some players."

Capello was trying to get his message across to his players, but added: "It was impossible, I tried but the crowd was too noisy."

Gareth Barry, with his first competitive goal for his country, headed the opener in before Emile Heskey added a second before the break.

Wayne Rooney added the third goal with a scissor-kick and Frank Lampard rounded off the win from the penalty spot after a foul on Heskey, whose goal earlier was his first competitive strike for England since the 2002 World Cup.

"I'm very happy," Capello said.

"At the start of the game they played well and they pressed us. We knew about this and were prepared for it.

"When you play against a team that is not at the same level, when you score a goal the other team's level goes down.

"You try to play quick, fast and press and it is impossible to play 90 minutes with the same movement.

"They scored a goal that was offside but there were no other problems for our goalkeeper and that was very important."

When asked what the outcome would have been if Ostapenko's goal stood, Capello added: "We would have won 4-1."

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was taken off at the interval but Capello revealed it was a tactical change rather than an injury concern.

"I tried to change some positions of the pitch and the style of play," he added.

Capello looked forward to the next qualifier against Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday, and the chance of another victory.

"It would be another big step forward," Capello said. "If we win we will have 21 points and it's a lot."

Lampard applauded a "professional" job by England, but recognised the team had taken a while to get started.

"We had to get our heads down and work hard this week and focus on this game," Lampard told Setanta 1.

"It took us about 20 minutes or half an hour to get going but then we won comfortably.

"I think it was professional, there were things we could have done better.

"We are on a confident run and we need to keep it going. We've taken a big step again.

"Our main objective is to qualify, the sooner we do that the better."

Skipper John Terry insisted England "are not there yet" despite their perfect record.

He said: "That is a massive win on the way to where we want to be. It really is a big win.

"It was a difficult game. We knew that was going to be the case. For the first 40 to 50 minutes, I thought they worked really well, but after that they seemed to tire.

"We came into our own and kept the ball a lot better in the second half. It was a great performance in the end.

"It was a good way to continue our impressive start to the campaign, and six wins out of six is fantastic.

"But we're not there yet, we're in a good position, but taking nothing for granted. We've got Andorra at home, and they can sit back and make it difficult. But if we can get the seventh win out of seven, it will be fantastic."

Terry knows from past experiences that England cannot afford to take anything for granted, even though it will be a major surprise now if they do not qualify for the World Cup finals.

He said: "I think the expectation is still there. I wouldn't say a big weight has been lifted because that pressure at international level is always there.

"It's the same even in games like this. Everyone expects us to turn them over easily. Sometimes that is not the case.

"We went to Andorra last year and found it difficult, and teams are getting a lot wiser, knowing how to play against the bigger teams, and making it difficult for us.

"But we are playing really well - and are on the way to where we want to be."

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

DUTCH SEAL FINALS SPOT

Holland booked their place in next year's World Cup finals with a 2-1 victory over Iceland in Reykjavik.

Goals from Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel enabled the Dutch to maintain their 100% record in qualifying Group Nine - this was their sixth win out of six - before Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson headed a late consolation.

In the other Group Nine qualifier, Norway remain without a win as they were held to a goalless draw by FYR Macedonia in Skopje - a result which benefits Scotland.

Two goals each from Gennady Bliznyuk and Sergey Kornilenko eased Belarus to a 5-1 win over Andorra - England's next opponents in Group Six.

The victory kept the home side's hopes of qualification alive as they lie third in the table behind England and second-placed Croatia. It was a sixth loss in as many qualifying games for Andorra.

Croatia and Ukraine cancelled each other out, sharing four goals in a 2-2 draw.

Mladen Petric gave Croatia a second minute lead before former Chelsea striker Andrei Shevchenko (13) and Oleksiy Gai (54) turned things around - only for Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric to net a 68th-minute equaliser.

Slovakia shot to the top of Group Three - Northern Ireland's group - with a 7-0 rout of San Marino in Bratislava.

Marek Cech's brace came either side of Peter Pekarik's goal and Miroslav Stoch and Jan Kozak made it 5-0 before half-time, with Martin Jakubko and Lubos Hanzel adding further goals after the break.

Denmark maintained their unbeaten record in Group One with victory over Scandinavian rivals Sweden.

Thomas Kahlenberg scored the only goal in the first half after Kim Kallstrom had missed from the penalty spot for the Swedes.

The victory sees Morten Olsen's men open up a three-point gap over Hungary at the top of Group One, with Sweden now 10 points behind their neighbours.

Portugal needed a last minute goal from Eduardo Bruno Alves to seal a 2-1 win in Albania.

Miguel Hugo Almeida gave the visitors a 28th-minute lead but Erjon Bogdani levelled matters within a minute.

Finland kept alive their hopes of finishing second in Group Four with a 2-1 victory over Liechtenstein.

The home side were left red-faced when Mario Frick fired winless Liechtenstein in front after 13 minutes, but former Chelsea and Birmingham striker Mikael Forssell restored parity 12 minutes before the interval.

Hibernian's Jonatan Johansson then grabbed the winner after 71 minutes to move Finland five points behind second-placed Russia and with a game in hand over their rivals.

Liechtenstein remain at the foot of the table - Wales' group - with just a single point.

In Group Eight - the Republic of Ireland's group - Cyprus and Montenegro also cancelled each other out in a 2-2 draw.

The Cypriots had held a two-goal cushion at the interval following a strike from Konstantinos Makridis (14) and a Chrysostomos Mihail penalty (45).

But a second-half double from Dejan Damjanovic (65 and 79) earned Montenegro a share of the spoils, although they remain winless in the group.

Serbia stretched their lead at the top of Group Seven with a narrow 1-0 win over Austria in Belgrade.

An early penalty from Nenad Milijas proved the difference between the sides as the Serbians opened up a five-point gap over France, who have a game in hand.

Cipriani Marica got the 39th-minute goal which gave struggling Romania an important 1-0 victory over Lithuania.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

DUNNE GOAL KEEPS REPUBLIC ON COURSE

Richard Dunne kept the Republic of Ireland on course for the World Cup finals as his side scrapped their way to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Bulgaria on Saturday night.

The Manchester City defender, who also scored in the corresponding game at Croke Park in March, headed the visitors in front 24 minutes into a pulsating encounter in Sofia.

But once midfielder Dimitar Telkiyski had levelled five minutes later, the Irish were forced to defend for dear life to retain their five-point lead over the Bulgarians in Group Eight.

Giovanni Tapattoni's men, who would have gone to the top of the group ahead of World champions Italy with a win, remain in pole position to claim at least second spot, with Bulgaria, who have played a game fewer, still to go to Cyprus and Italy.

Ireland arrived at the Vasil Levski Stadium having yet to lose a competitive game under Trapattoni and knowing a positive result on the night would edge them ever closer to South Africa.

For 25 minutes, the 70-year-old Italian must have been thrilled with what he saw as his side not only held their own at a venue where they had never previously tasted victory, but took the game to their hosts.

Despite the inclusion of big names Dimitar Berbatov, Martin Petrov and Valeri Bojinov, who all missed the 1-1 draw in Dublin through injury, it was the visitors who made the early running.

Winger Stephen Hunt forced the game's first save with only six minutes gone when he met Damien Duff's cross with a downward header at the far post, and Bulgaria keeper Dimitar Ivankov was called upon again seconds later when Caleb Folan sent in a firm shot from the edge of the box.

Skipper Robbie Keane was unable to hit the target after spinning smartly to connect with Dunne's header down from an 11th-minute Duff corner and, as Folan caused panic in the heart of the Bulgaria defence, the signs were good for the Irish.

The Hull striker's physical presence made life intensely difficult for central defenders Igor Tomasic and Ilian Stoyanov, who at times resorted to less than legal methods in an attempt to stop him.

However, there was nothing they could do to prevent the visitors from taking the lead with 24 minutes gone after Hunt had been tripped by Stanislav Angelov wide on the left.

The winger dusted himself down before curling in a free-kick that Dunne met unopposed and gleefully headed into the net.

Martin Petrov might have levelled within a minute but lifted his shot from a tight angle over Shay Given's crossbar, but the battle had been joined and Ireland were forced to weather a storm from then until the break.

The Bulgarians levelled within five minutes of Dunne's opener when Telkiyski capitalised on a misunderstanding between Kevin Kilbane and Sean St Ledger to run on to Ilian Tomasic's long ball and beat the advancing Given comfortably.

And, with Angelov pulling the strings from central midfield and Berbatov prowling menacingly from deep, the alarm bells were ringing.

Dunne had to head a Bojinov shot away and then intercept Angelov's cross just before his Manchester City team-mate could pounce with Bulgaria now in full swing.

Given got his body firmly behind a long-range strike from Radostin Kishishev in injury-time and the whistle came as a welcome relief for Ireland and their fans.

It was no surprise when the Bulgarians resumed where they had left off and John O'Shea, playing at right-back to accommodate St Ledger in the middle, endured a challenging start to the second half as Martin Petrov got the bit between his teeth.

However, the Manchester United man twice within quick succession proved up to the task to dispossess the City man before he could do any real damage.

The pressure was mounting all the time and it took some heroic defending from Dunne in particular to keep the home side at bay.

But the Republic had a let-off with 57 minutes gone when Angelov picked out Berbatov in space at the far post with 57 minutes gone, only for the striker to miscontrol and allow Given to step in.

Ireland were marooned inside their own half but they were defending manfully in the face of a concerted assault.

However, Bulgaria were struggling to create clear-cut chances and were becoming increasingly desperate, and Stoyanov blasted just over from 25 yards with 20 minutes remaining.

The Irish wall did its job to keep out substitute Blagoy Georgiev's 77th-minute free-kick in a tense finish, with Bulgaria dominating possession but meeting stern resistance all the way to the whistle.

Indeed, substitute Aiden McGeady almost snatched victory at the death with a right-foot shot that whistled inches wide.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

EDWARDS STRIKE WINS IT FOR WALES

Wales' amazing youngsters grew up in front of boss John Toshack's eyes here, to claim their first away win in this World Cup Group Four qualifier.

Toshack had been shorn of 10 senior players for this long trip to the shores of the Caspian sea and he must have had doubts in the back of his mind that this bunch of raw youngsters could handle an occasion like this.

Azerbaijan may not be a major power but they are hard, physical and experienced, and the Wales boys brigade stood up to the task.

Wolves midfielder David Edwards scored what proved to be the eventual winner in the first half and from then on he and his team-mates battled for every inch to produce a victory.

There were only 79 Wales fans in this stadium and, having had their tickets given to them free by the FA of Wales, they must have loved every minute.

Reading forward Simon Church made his full Wales debut as Toshack fielded another very young side.

Church had won his first cap last Friday as a late substitute in the friendly with Estonia and had impressed in training enough here to be on from the start this time.

Edwards replaced the injured Jack Collinson while Oldham fullback Neil Eardley came into defence and there was an ominous start for Wales when both their young midfielders Owen Ramsay and captain Joe Ledley were cut down from behind by bad tackles in the opening two minutes.

If they did not know beforehand they knew then that this was going to be a physical battle against a side determined to take advantage of the youth of their opponents.

Azerbaijan had plenty of the ball and were being roared on by a partisan crowd but at least Wales were being helped by the fact that the 90 degree temperatures they had experienced all week had been replaced by a cloudy windy night.

But there was no help from Swedish referee Markus Strombergsson who was very lenient with the Azeri players.

But slowly Wales were coming to terms with the occasion. And from one corner Ramsey saw a shot charged down and Craig Morgan's effort was blocked before being hacked clear. Not surprising considering the catalogue of fouls being committed by the Azeri players, the first indiscretion by a Wales man saw Craig Morgan booked for pulling the shirt of Ramin.

Church was presented with a good opening when he latched onto a bad square pass from Vladimir Levin and set off towards goal only to be stopped by a desperate saving tackle from Rashad Sadigov.

Then goalkeeper Farhad Veliyev had to snatch the ball from Robert Earnshaw's toes, with the little striker then seeing a downward header from a Ramsey corner blocked a foot from the line.

Earnshaw was involved again with brave running and a cross from the right when Wales took the lead three minutes from the break. Veliyev crunched the ball out, with it hitting Church and rebounding for Edwards to fire home.

Azerbaijan brought on Branimir Subasic for Ramin at the break and then Javid Huseynov for Nabiyev soon after the restart and the hosts were putting Wales under constant aerial pressure. Wayne Hennessey made a good save at his post to keep out a Subasic effort.

The pressure continued, and Hennessey was seeing plenty of action but the big Wolves keeper was up to the task making a string of good saves.

The hard working Earnshaw was replaced by Sam Vokes with Wales still battling hard to maintain their lead.

Hennessey saved well again after 76 minutes pushing Huseynov's header wide.

Wales then sent on youngster Owain Tudur Jones for Church who had worked himself into the ground chasing and harassing.

Hennessey was booked for time wasting but Wales were hanging on and they full deserved their victory after a performance that gives Toshack plenty to work with in the future.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

ENGLAND CRUISE PAST KAZAKHSTAN

England scored twice in each half to claim a comfortable 4-0 win in Kazakhstan and their sixth straight World Cup 2010 qualification success.

Gareth Barry celebrated his £12million switch to Manchester City by nodding home a 40th-minute opener and Emile Heskey tapped home a second on the stroke of half-time. England were in cruise control after the interval and further goals from Wayne Rooney (72) and Frank Lampard (penalty, 77) put the gloss on a comfortable evening's work for Fabio Capello's side.

England made a nervy start with Kazakhstan coming desperately close to an opener inside 20 seconds, but an alert John Terry cleared off the line. England continued to struggle against their energetic hosts and it was no surprise when Kazakhstan had the ball in the net after 18 minutes when a curling free-kick into the box was misjudged by debutant Robert Green and Sergey Ostapenko headed home, only to see his celebrations cut short by a linesman's flag.

Rooney had England's only meaningful effort on goal with 24 minutes played when he linked up well with Steven Gerrard, but his 25-yard strike flew wide.

And five minutes later, England were unfortunate not to take the lead when a fine move saw Heskey's shot strike the post and bounce across goal.

But England took the lead after 40 minutes when Gerrard's left-footed cross picked out Barry at the back post and City's newest recruit headed low across goal and into the corner of the net.

And five minutes later, Heskey doubled the lead when he was on hand to tap home from close range when the goalkeeper had flapped at the ball after Gerrard's intended pass deflected goalwards, leaving the Aston Villa man with the simplest of tasks.

The second half started at a lethargic pace, with England seemingly happy to hold their 2-0 advantage.

But England netted their third when good work from Glen Johnson down the right saw Rooney's effort clawed off the line by the keeper. The chance appeared to have gone, but Rooney, with his back to goal, acrobatically hooked the ball in the roof of the net to make it 3-0 after 72 minutes.

And a fourth arrived five minutes later when Lampard lashed a penalty into the roof of the net after Heskey had been pulled down in the area.

The victory means England have a perfect 100% record at the top of their World Cup qualification table and they can expect to make it seven when Andorra are the visitors to Wembley on Wednesday.

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

CAPELLO'S FOCUSED ON FINALS

Fabio Capello will not allow anything to distract him from England's World Cup quest.

Just one win from their remaining three games will be enough to ease the Three Lions into next summer's finals and provide Capello with the chance to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey, who unforgettably guided his team to glory in 1966.

Yet it is not known for certain whether Capello intends to remain in charge beyond next summer.

The Italian's contract is due to run until after Euro 2012. However, there is an escape clause, which would allow either party to terminate in 12 months' time.

Although the FA almost certainly would not activate it, Capello will not give cast-iron guarantees.

However, he insists there are no problems and nothing will deflect him away from the task immediately in front of him.

"My future - a distraction? No. Impossible," he said.

"Don't worry. All the time I am clear in my decisions.

"I am very happy the players have embraced what I am doing. The rest is a decision for the FA, not me. But it is the future."

The future appears to be very bright on the evidence of last season as a whole.

A six-goal hammering of Andorra on its own cannot be used as a reliable guide.

But throw in away wins over Croatia and Belarus, 26 goals in seven games, eight of which have been scored by Wayne Rooney, who now tops the goalscoring charts, and a picture emerges of a team finally playing to its potential.

And, according to the coach, the key is confidence. So hard to win, yet so easy to lose, it can make a world of difference to any indivudual, particularly at the highest level, where self-doubt can take a nagging hold.

"I can't change the level of the players," he admitted.

"Their club managers can work with these players every day. They can improve everything.

"When you play with the national team confidence is very important. Now we have confidence.

"The fear is going. It has not gone yet but it is going," added Capello, who cites the second half showing of Ashley Young on Wednesday night as a prime example of his work.

Overawed and subdued on his last appearance in Germany seven months ago, Young produced moments of genuine class following his introduction as a half-time replacement for Steven Gerrard on Wednesday night.

True, the opposition were hardly top-notch. But with his raw pace and mazy dribbling ability, Young's talent can unlock the tightest defence providing he is brave enough to try.

"I was really happy for Ashley," said Capello.

"He has played four games with me now and this time he played with confidence, like he does for Aston Villa. The other times he played with fear. He was not the same.

"I told him he had to play like he does with his team."

sky star 2 · Jul 20, 2009

JONES SWITCHES ALLEGIANCE

Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones has turned his back on the German national team and will in future represent the United States.

The 27-year-old has made three appearances for Germany but since all three of his caps came in friendly matches, he is still permitted to represent another nation.

As well as holding German citizenship, Jones also has a US passport and has therefore decided to switch allegiances.

He informed the German Football Association (DFB) of his decision today.

"We have accepted Jermaine Jones' decision," said Germany coach Joachim Low in a statement.

"I wish him all the best for his sporting future."

Jone played against Austria on February 6, 2008, Belarus on May 27, 2008 and England on November 19, 2008, but according to the new constitution agreed by football's world governing body FIFA recently, this does not preclude him from a change.

And Germany will not try to block him from appearing for the USA in future.

"We have often emphasised how much we like to welcome many players with backgrounds of immigration into the Germany national team," explained team manager Oliver Bierhoff.

"This reflects the development of society in our country, but we have always emphasised that anybody who wears the DFB colours must identify with the national team and Germany.

"If a player does not see things this way, then that is his decision and we respect it."

Low recently awarded international debuts to Brazil-born striker Cacau and Mesut Ozil, who had the option of representing Turkey.

Jones' father hails from the USA, which accounts for his dual citizenship.