EC Qualifying ~ Israel v England ~ 24 Mar
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European Championship Qualifying - Saturday, 24 March 2007
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Israel v England 2:30
England squad:
Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), Foster (Man Utd, on loan at Watford), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Charlton).
Defenders: Richards (Man City), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea, capt), Woodgate (Real Madrid, on loan at Middlesbrough), Carragher (Liverpool), A Cole (Chelsea), P Neville (Everton), Barry (Aston Villa), L Young (Charlton).
Midfielders: Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Lampard (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Parker (Newcastle), Carrick (Man Utd), Dyer (Newcastle), Downing (Middlesbrough).
Forwards: Johnson (Everton), Rooney (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham), Nugent (Preston).
Israel squad:
Goalkeepers: Dudu Aouate (Deportivo Coruna), Nir Davidovich (Maccabi Haifa), Shavit Elimelech (Hapoel Tel Aviv).
Defenders: Tal Ben Haim (Bolton Wanderers), Arik Benado (Beitar Jerusalem), Shimon Gershon (Beitar Jerusalem), Yoav Ziv (Beitar Jerusalem), Tomer Ben Yosef (Beitar Jerusalem), Yuval Shpungin (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Yigal Antebi (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Dani Bodarv (Hapoel Tel Aviv).
Midfielders: Yossi Benayoun (West Ham United), Walid Badir (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Salim Toamah (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Gal Alberman (Beitar Jerusalem), Yaniv Katan (Maccabi Haifa) Idan Tal (Bolton Wanderers), Omer Golan (Maccabi Petah Tikva).
Forwards: Elyaniv Barda (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Amit Ben Shushan (Beitar Jerusalem), Pini Balili (Sivaspor), Roberto Colautti (Maccabi Haifa), Toto Tamuz (Beitar Jerusalem), Ben Sahar (Chelsea).
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Matches on Tv:
24 Mar 2007
Ch 22:
Israel v England - 2:30 am - (Live)
Czech Republic v Germany - 4:45 am - (Live)
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Saturday, 24 March 2007
Other European Championship Qualifying matches
Albania v Slovenia
Croatia v FYR Macedonia
Cyprus v Slovakia
Estonia v Russia
Faroe Islands v Ukraine
Greece v Turkey
Kazakhstan v Serbia
Liechtenstein v Northern Ireland
Lithuania v France
Luxembourg v Belarus
Moldova v Malta
Netherlands v Romania
Norway v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Poland v Azerbaijan
Rep of Ireland v Wales
Scotland v Georgia
Spain v Denmark -
oh man,international matches. more injuries!
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if this game draw, McClaren head will roll..
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to be fair, McClaren is not a good boss.
Rather than re-evaluate his team, he used beckham as an example to stamp his authority and if not for beckham's injury, may even be forced to recall beckham.
I wish that he got the sack cause his head just got bigger ever since he left MUFC and it's time for a reality check. -
england will win but wont produce a convincing performance.
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MOYES: AJ CAN FIRE ENGLAND TO GLORY
David Moyes has told Steve McClaren that if England give Andrew Johnson the right service he will be their goal-scoring hero. The Everton manager saw Johnson grab the late goal that secured a 1-0 victory over Arsenal and sixth place in the Barclays Premiership table on Sunday.
Now Johnson joins up with England on Tuesday - ahead of the Euro 2008 qualifiers with Israel and Andorra - in top form and with a ringing endorsement from his club manager.
His 12th goal of the season, netted in a hailstorm against the Gunners, should have confirmed to England boss McClaren that he has the talent to be paired with Wayne Rooney in Tel Aviv on Saturday. And Moyes believes McClaren is getting a player right at the top of his game.
He said: "Andy is definitely up to the task of playing for England. If England have got the players who can put him into the box, he will get through and score. "He is so quick he is at his best played through the middle, he has been fantastic for us this season.
"He makes things happen, he chases everything and constantly gets behind defenders. England have the players to set him up, to thread the passes through for him and if they can do that for Andy he will score goals. "He will not let the team down, his effort is wonderful. Andy was terrific against Arsenal, he was always getting through their backline and always a threat. "He always puts defenders under pressure, and he did so many really good things. Hopefully it will send him off to England in the right frame of mind and full of confidence." -
go go gareth barry!!
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Preston striker David Nugent has been called up for England's forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers as a replacement for the injured Darren Bent. Aston Villa left back Gareth Barry has also been drafted into the squad. If he plays Nugent would be England's first outfield player from outside the top flight since Michael Gray in 1999.
Nugent has scored 16 goals this season and is the first Preston player to be called up by England since Sir Tom Finney in 1959. Nugent was playing for Bury in League Two only two years ago, but England coach Steve McClaren believes the player's form for the Under-21 team will enable him to cope with international football.
Full back Barry had been left out of the original party but earned a reprieve after Manchester United's Gary Neville was ruled out because of an ankle injury. McClaren's other defensive injury worry is Micah Richards' ongoing calf problem. Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher and Everton's Phil Neville will also be competing for the left-back slot.
Barry received his first call-up for nearly four years when England played Spain in a friendly in February and played for most of the second half. However, despite Ashley Cole's suspension for the game against Israel and an injury to fellow left-back Wayne Bridge, the 26-year-old was initially dropped for the games against Israel and Andorra. The decision was criticised by Villa boss Martin O'Neill.
Richards will join up with the squad on Tuesday and is calf problem will be assessed. Old Trafford captain Neville picked up an ankle injury against Bolton on Saturday and is set to be sidelined for three weeks. -
JT wont be playing right? due to injuries/?
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I think JT wouldn't play in the International (think only hor).... Surely Gary Neville wouldn't be playing...Originally posted by sand king:JT wont be playing right? due to injuries/? -
Young drafted into England squad
Charlton defender Luke Young has been called up for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers with Israel and Andorra. Young, 27, trained at the new Wembley on Wednesday but Micah Richards stayed pitchside as his troublesome calf was assessed by England's medical team.
Gareth Barry and David Nugent have already had late call-ups. Gary Neville and Darren Bent pulled out because of injury while Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate needs checks on a troublesome knee problem.
England play Israel on Saturday before facing Andorra next Wednesday. Young's last appearance for his country came in the thrilling 3-2 win over Argentina in Geneva in November 2005.
Meanwhile, Preston striker Nugent will be getting his first taste of the senior international scene after he was drafted in to replace Charlton forward Bent. -
Israel delight at Beckham absence
Ex-Israel star Eyal Berkovic believes the decision to axe David Beckham is the reason for England's struggles. England face a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in Israel on Saturday after a stuttering start to their campaign without ex-skipper Beckham.
Former West Ham and Celtic midfielder Berkovic told BBC Sport: "He's their leader - there is no doubt about it. "England have a lot of good players at the moment but they don't have a leader on the pitch."
Beckham has been left out of the England squad since Steve McClaren took over as coach following the World Cup finals. A draw at home to Macedonia and defeat in Croatia has increased the pressure on McClaren and led to calls for a Beckham return.
Any chance of a recall for the Israel game was ended by a knee injury and his decision to leave Real Madrid for MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy is believed to have virtually ended his international career. But Berkovic, a hugely gifted midfielder who spent over eight years in British football with six different clubs, believes Beckham should still be a key part of McClaren's side.
"It was a big mistake to leave him out. Any England side will miss Beckham, he has been a big part of the team for the last 10 years," added Berkovic. "I think they miss his free-kicks and corners - they are the best in the world and in modern football it is very important to have a player like that on the pitch.
"Every time he gets the ball something is likely to happen." Berkovic, who will be honoured on the pitch on Saturday to mark his retirement from football, believes the Group E game in Tel Aviv is wide open. -
Steve McClaren's England travel to face Israel in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier. England last failed to reach the European Championship finals in 1984, but defeat in Tel Aviv would put their qualification for Austria and Switzerland in doubt. The two sides currently sit on seven points from four games in Group E, but lost their last competitive outings to Croatia.
Israel were defeated at home by the odd goal in seven, while Paul Robinson's much-publicised blunder helped Croatia beat England 2-0 in Zagreb. Both sides will look to get back on track with recent form nothing to shout home about, Israel without a win in three and England having not tasted success in their last four games.
Israel enjoy an impressive home record, having gone 10 games unbeaten on home turf prior to their 4-3 defeat against Croatia last November. England have met Israel twice previously in friendlies, but the sides last played each other in 1988 - a 0-0 draw in Tel Aviv under Bobby Robson. McClaren is the England manager charged with getting a victory in the same Ramat Gan Stadium 19 years later.
However, he will have to field a makeshift backline, with Gary Neville ruled out through injury and Ashley Cole suspended. Micah Richards, Neville's automatic replacement, is a doubt with a calf injury so Jamie Carragher may start at right-back with Phil Neville and Gareth Barry vying for the left-back role.
Captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand will marshal the defence in front of Robinson. Steven Gerrard is expected to move onto the right to accommodate the returning Owen Hargreaves. Frank Lampard and Aaron Lennon make up the rest of midfield.
Up front McClaren is expected to go with Wayne Rooney just in behind Everton striker Andy Johnson, who will go in search of his first international goal. Israel coach Dror Kashtan will be able to call upon some familiar faces against England, with Premiership trio Tal Ben Haim, Yossi Benayoun and Ben Sahar all eyeing starts.
But Bolton midfielder Idan Tal is suspended, as is striker Roberto Colautti. Captain Benayoun has missed West Ham's last two games with a knee injury but returned to full training this week and will lead Israel in Tel Aviv. Both sides are also in Euro 2008 qualifying action in midweek, with -
Robbo wants English grit
Paul Robinson has called on Steve McClaren's squad to put on an 'English performance' in Israel on Saturday.
England make the trip to Israel with their Euro 2008 qualification hopes hanging in the balance on account of a draw with FYR Macedonia and defeat in Croatia.
A trip to Tel Aviv is a daunting one as Israel have a good record on home soil and Dror Kashtan's side are approaching the game in bullish mood.
Tottenham keeper Robinson will be the man charged with the task of keeping Israel out and he is relishing the challenging of silencing the home fans.
"I am looking forward to it," he told Sky Sports News.
"Hopefully we can go out there and give a good English performance with our backs to the wall.
"Hopefully we can come out of adversity with a win." -
Israel 0-0 England
England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign stuttered again with a dismal stalemate against Israel in Tel Aviv. Steve McClaren's side drew a blank once more, and it was another lifeless performance from England.
Israel keeper Dudu Aouate twice saved well from Frank Lampard, with Jamie Carragher heading against the bar and Andrew Johnson just off target. Teenage striker Toto Tamuz posed a threat for Israel, forcing Paul Robinson into a save and heading wide. It was hardly surprising that some of the 4,000 England fans in the stadium chanted 'What a load of rubbish' in the closing stages of the bore draw.
England named the expected line-up, with Everton striker Johnson partnering Wayne Rooney up front. But he had little chance to shine in a dismal first 45 minutes in which few clear chances were created by either side. Lampard had England's best opportunity after he got in on the end of a neat build-up between Johnson and Steven Gerrard, but Israel keeper Aouate plunged bravely at his feet.
Israel's main danger in the opening exchanges came from youngster Tamuz, who forced Robinson to dive low to his right to save and then sent an angled header just wide from Ben Shushan's cross. Aaron Lennon's pace was a good outlet for England, but there was a desperate lack of real creativity from McClaren's side.
England had a scare after 54 minutes when Yossi Benayoun played in Pini Balili, but he shot wide on the turn. Lampard tested Aouate again just after the hour, and when the keeper fumbled his powerful volley, Rooney clashed with Tal Ben Haim as they chased the loose ball.
A bout of bumping and barging between the pair ended with both receiving the yellow card from Norwegian referee Tom Ovrebo. Lampard then flicked a header across the face of goal with Rooney only inches away from connecting.
As England's pressure mounted, Johnson directed a header off target from a superb Gerrard cross. Jamie Carragher almost emerged as the unlikely figure to break the deadlock after 68 minutes, heading Lampard's corner on to the bar. England made their first change with 19 minutes left, sending on the more attack-minded Micah Richards for Phil Neville. Jermain Defoe was then sent on in place of the hard-working Johnson as England attempted to fashion a breakthrough.
Defoe's introduction almost reaped instant dividends when he fired in a close-range drive, but once more Aouate was equal to the task. The Spurs' striker had a header in the net in the dying seconds, but it was ruled out because he was clearly offside.
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Israel: Aouate, Ben Haim, Gershon, Ziv, Benado, Spungin, Badir, Benayoun, Ben Shushan (Alberman 87), Tamuz (Barda 75), Balili (Sahar 69).
Subs Not Used: Davidovitch, Golan, Toama, Antebi.
Booked: Benado, Ben Haim.
England: Robinson, Neville (Richards 72), Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, Lennon (Downing 83), Rooney, Johnson (Defoe 80).
Subs Not Used: Foster, Barry, Carrick, Dyer.
Booked: Carragher, Rooney.
Att: 35,000.
Ref: Tom Ovrebo (Norway). -
Very very poor performance by England... England will continue to be poor as long as Steve McClaren is Coach...
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Can't put all the blame on him.......the English are over-rated too.Originally posted by zocoss:Very very poor performance by England... England will continue to be poor as long as Steve McClaren is Coach...
I hope they fail to qualify for the Finals. They don't make the competition more exciting either. -
I wanted to wake up and watch.
But end up cannot wake up from my bed and chose to sleep instead.
Now see the result, no diff anyway.
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lampard love to pass to the keeper. lol. i say drop him.
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time to go, McClaren
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All the other results:
Kazakhstan 2 Serbia 1
Poland 5 Azerbaijan 0
Portugal 4 Belgium 0
Faroe Islands 0 Ukraine 2
Lithuania 0 France 1
Greece 1 Turkey 4
Norway 1 Bosnia 2
Moldova 1 Malta 1
Czech Republic 1 Germany 2
Cyprus 1 Slovakia 3
Croatia 2 FYR Macedonia 1
Estonia 0 Russia 2
Spain 2 Denmark 1
Holland 0 Romania 0
Albania 0 Slovenia 0
Luxembourg 1 Belarus 2 -
Under-21 Action
England 3 Italy 3
Romania 2 Northern Ireland 0 -
i agree.Originally posted by Rock^Star:Can't put all the blame on him.......the English are over-rated too.
I hope they fail to qualify for the Finals. They don't make the competition more exciting either.
they should wake up.
the founder of soccer won the world cup only once!!! -
Ronaldo - inspired Portugal.
Ronaldo strikes as Portugal crush Belgium 4-0
Winger Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal crushed Belgium 4-0 in their Euro 2008 qualifier in Group A on Saturday. Two goals in the space of two minutes paved the way for Portugal's victory, with Nuno Gomes breaking the deadlock in the 52nd minute and Ronaldo getting his first of the night almost immediately afterwards with a header.
Ricardo Quaresma added the third in the 68th minute before Ronaldo completed a rout which left the Euro 2004 hosts in a promising position in their group.
Poland are top on 13 points, having played a game more, after trouncing Azerbaijan 5-0. Finland are second on 11 points, while Portugal moved up to third on 10.
Serbia, who also have 10 points, lost 2-1 to Kazakhstan on Saturday.
Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari, whose side had fired blanks in the first half, said: "We did the same thing in the second half. What was missing was greater precision."
Ronaldo said Portugal "started the second half with greater drive," adding: "We have a very strong side." -
Morientes - scored for Spain.
Spain 2 - 1 Denmark
Spain gave their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign a major boost on Saturday night with a crucial victory against 10-man Denmark at the Bernabeu. Valencia duo Fernando Morientes, with his 27th international strike, and David Villa netted first-half goals as Spain moved onto six points with only their second win in four Group F matches.
Denmark, who were unbeaten in their three qualifiers, pulled a goal back just after half-time through Michael Gravgaard but they could not add to that as a nervy Spain held on for a vital three points.
The Danes enjoyed the better of the opening excahanges, with Dennis Rommedahl and Daniel Agger both trying their luck early on, before two clumsy challenges from Niclas Jensen saw the momentum swing Spain's way.
Jensen had only just been booked three minutes earlier when he scythed down Villa to earn his second yellow card, and an early bath. That came in just the 20th minute, and Spain made sure the numerical advantage did not go to waste thanks to goals from Morientes and Villa.
Morientes opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after cleverly turning inside Agger and slotting past Thomas Sorensen, before Villa made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time with another clinical finish. The players left the pitch at the interval to a carnival atmosphere at a buoyant Bernabeu, with the home fans delighted with their side's first-half display in this vital encounter.
However, it was the turn of the visiting supporters to celebrate at the start of the second period when Denmark pulled a goal back through Gravgaard just four minutes after the re-start. Daniel Jensen rattled the post with a 25-yard strike before, in the same attack, Gravgaard headed home a long throw-in into the box.
That was just the setback Spain would have been desperate to avoid having ended the opening 45 minutes in relative comfort. Denmark pushed men forward in search of the equaliser after that, but despite peppering the Spain penalty area with crosses late on, Luis Aragones' men were able to claim the spoils.
Spain Casillas, Javi Navarro, Marchena, Capdevila, Angel,Xavi (Alonso 60), Iniesta, Silva, Albelda,Morientes (Torres 64), Villa (Angulo 76).
Subs Not Used: Reina, Antonio Lopez, Fabregas, Juanito.
Booked: Albelda, Angulo, Angel, Alonso.
Goals: Morientes 34, Villa 45.
Denmark Thomas Sorensen, Agger, Gravgaard, Jacobsen,Niclas Jensen, Christian Poulsen, Daniel Jensen,Kahlenberg (Gronkjaer 60), Rommedahl, Jorgensen (Andreasen 38 ),Tomasson, Andreasen (Bendtner 73).
Subs Not Used: Christiansen, Priske, Silberbauer,
Dennis Sorensen.
Sent Off: Niclas Jensen (20).
Booked: Niclas Jensen, Andreasen, Tomasson.
Goals: Gravgaard 49.
Att: 80,000
Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).