US/England Running Blog

This is it, folks, Wembley the Great, England, the Three Lions, and the U.S. Upstart Colonists (we really have to get a decent nickname, no?)

Starting lineup for the U.S.:

Howard
Cherundolo – Onyewu – Bocanegra – Pearce
Dempsey – Clark – Bradley – Beasley
Johnson - Wolff

England
David James
Wes Brown, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry
Owen Hargreaves, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard,
Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney

John Harkes has already bobbled "injury against the Galaxy" No, John, LD was hurt against the Wizards, playing FOR the Galaxy.
Becks is starting! Representing MLS. Now some sad shots of Terry at the Champions Final- and it's true, I have less sympathy since the spitting video.
The stadium and the field look great (on television). Harkes is recalling his playing days - Hey, there's a shot of Sam's Army!
Teams walking out. U.S. has their red warmup jackets on.
Bobby Charlton is out to mark Beckham's 100th cap. It's gold. Wonder who would possibly present Landon his cap. Actually, England is the only country, I think, that gives players real caps for appearances.
Becks is holding up his cap case, which has each of his games etched on the glass.
EJ! EJ is singing along to the anthem. Ok, that counts for me almost like he scored a goal, really. Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child is diva-ing along to the song. Most of the audience doesn't care and just wants it to end. EJ looks to be the only American player singing. Everyone else looks grim.
Ha, Owen Hargreaves is singing the English anthem. About half of England's players are. Becks isn't. He just looks concentrated.
Boca and Terry shake hands.
Fabio looks focused, too.
Kickoff!
1 - Onyewu's first touch is to put it out. Beas and Pearce attack, but England gets it right back.
2 - Long ball from Gooch completely overshoots EJ.
3 - Defoe tries to pick off a pass, but Gooch heads to Howard. Gerrard catches Cherundolo on the throat as the two clash for a ball.
4 - The crowd roars, but England is just moving the ball up from the back. It's not dangerous yet.
5 - Defoe plays pass through for Rooney, but Wayne is offside.
6 - I don't think Rico has touched the ball. FK England, but it's center circle, so nothing really. happened with it.
7 - Groans from the crowd for Ashley CheaterCole - his pass to Wes Brown bounces over him.
8 - Pearce cuts off a Defoe attack before the final pass to Rooney.
9 - Nice dribble from Dolo to free himself for the cross, but DJ catches it and starts counter to Becks, Michael Bradley saves an attack, sliding in for a tackle that takes both players down.
11 - Neither team has started in dominant fashion - they're feeling each other out right now. Clark fouls Gerrard. FK. Becks is over it, the crowd cheers, the ball served in Gerrard scores - nope, early whistle from the ref. Kick over. This time it's deflected for a corner, nope, goal kick
14 - Hey, the sports ticker just said McBride is leaving Fulham.
15 - Deep throw for England, hargreaves long pass up front to Rooney, Howard clears. England is settling in though, connecting better.
16 - MB cuts off a pass, gets attack to Beas, but his second cut move fails him and he loses the ball. England's counter gets stifled, too, though.
18 - All the U.S. players are in their own half.
20 - Becks shoots from distance, top of the arc, from an unexpected Gerrard pass - it's high, Becks rushed a bit because the U.S. defense has given him little breathing room.
22 - Defoe's elbow kills the latest England attack. The U.S. gets a free kick.
23 - Becks gives Pearce a forearm shiver. Rooney on the attack, but his pass is behind Gerrard, which means he leans back and can't get a good shot off.
24 - Deep FK for England after Dolo fouls Cole outside the box. Becks fools the U.S. by playing a little flick to Gerrard, but it's blocked.
26 - FK for the U.S. Beas takes, Lampard tried to clear, it fell to EJ, who chips the ball, trying to find MB, but Terry's header clears.
27 - EJ again, but his shot is weak and outside the post. James catches.
28 - Dempsey draws a foul. It's a decent chance here. gooch comes up for it, but England clear almost immediately.
29 - Fabio reportedly has England subs warming up already. Six are allowed in today's friendly.
30 - Harkes criticizes Dempsey's outside shot as too ambitious.
31 - the U.S. with a little run of attack but Pearce's final pass into the box is poor and caught by James.
32 - Gooch and Defoe wrestle in the box - crowd wants a call - doesn't get it. the U.S. on a coutner earn a FK off a Terry foul on EJ.
33 - FK is cleared. Though some give LD stick for his set pieces, the U.S. team misses him here.
34 - Gerrard on the run, crosses to Defoe in the box, who hits it awkwardly off his shin and wide of the goal.
35 - Crowd is impatiently chanting England's lack of dominance.
36 - That's straight comedy - Defoe jumping for a header against Gooch, who goes up on his toes a little to beat Defoe and clear the ball out of the U.S. box.
37 - Better play from England, they're pressuring the u.S. goal, Rico fouls. Uh, oh.
38 - GOAL! Becks serves it in perfectly and Terry snaps a header down. Howard is leaning the wrong way and changes direction too late. 1-0 England.
40 - "That's a bad place for a foul" says J.P. No kidding. It's right outside the box.
41 - Becks stands over it, but Gerrard takes it, bounces off the wall.
42 - Hargreaves cracks an outside shot - it's high.
43 - England looks lively and confident since their goal.
45 - Cherundolo gives up another FK off a foul - and gets a yellow. this one is in the perfect place for Becks, but he puts it into the wall.
45 + It's painfully obvious, but the U.S. really misses Donovan. They've defended well and kept good shape, but that spark of control and creativity that leads to a goal is missing.
Halftime - England deservedly lead.
47 - Bentley FK, Guzan collects.
49 - Beas continues to draw fouls, but the U.S. can't seem to do much with that.
50 - Rooney with a bike that completely misses. He didn't look graceful there.
52 - The U.S. is only down by a goal, but their offense has been so anemic, that it doesn't seem the U.S will overcome the gap. the only question seems to be whether England is pad the lead.
53 - SAVE. Defoe turns in the box, but Guzan makes the close-range grab.
54 - US Corner - Beas sends the ball in, but James grabs it.
58 - Wes Brown and Lampard are out, Gareth Barry and Glen Johnson are in.
59 - GOAL! Gerrard makes a great diagnol run, and Barry one-times it through to Stevie perfectly. Guzan comes out and Gerrard delicately places it leftside netting. 2-0 England.
61 - Now the crowd is celebrating. This is the outcome they expected.
62 - hejduk from distance with a looping shot. James catches easily.
64 - Guzan catches a dangerous long ball well. He's not embarrassed himself tonight, that's for sure.
66 - Divin header from Wolff off a Bradley pass- but it's wide.
67 - Gerrard fouls Demps, Beas' free kick doesn't clear the first man.
68 - Dempsey shot from outside - james tracks it the whole way and catches securely.
Freddy Adu comes on Jermain Defoe is off for Peter Crouch.
69 - Rooney in the box, but can't quite get a shot off.
71 - Pearce gets a yellow, but he's actualy played pretty well today.
72 - Adu backheels to Hejduk, but Gerrard tackles it out of bounds. he limps slightly. Onyewu long throws into the box, but the U.S. shot is deflected England counters, but Hejduk breaks it up.
75 - Adu passes to a lot of nothing, EJ and he had a misunderstanding there. I bet Adu would love to see Altidore up top. They've worked together more.
76 - Rooney cleans out Hejduk gets yellow.
78 - The crowd is chanting like crazy, secure in the result. Mo Edu comes in for Rico. Joe Cole in for Rooney.
80 - Corner kick for the U.S. Eddie Lewis serves it in. that's better, but England clears. Eddie Lewis gets the ball back deep, dribbles one defender, sends in a pass to the front of goal, but David james punches the ball out for a corner.
81 - Corner cleared.
82 - Cheater Cole is off for Wayne Bridge.
84 - JP has interesting pronunciation on Edu's name - he says, "Mois". Adu has a FK, it gets cleared by England.
85 - England on the counter, get a corner. Foul called on England. goal kick
88 - MB cuts off a ball in the midfield, gets it to Freddy, who dribbles forward and takes a shot that David james has to dive for.
90 - Nate Jaqua coming in for EJ.
90+ England is dominating the closng minutes. they might even score again. I don't think jaqua will touch the ball.
Bradley bad pass leads to England shot, but it's deflected for a corner. Served in the middle, deflected out for another corner, taken short, cross up - Guzan has it.
Final whistle! England wins handily.