ENGLAND 2-0 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

15 June 2006

England secured their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup™ with a 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago but they left it late before striking through Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard on Thursday, 15 June 2006.

Crouch broke the deadlock in Nuremberg with a headed goal in the 83rd minute and his Liverpool team-mate Gerrard added a superb second in the 91st minute. England, who welcomed back Wayne Rooney as a second-half substitute, have taken six points from their two Group B matches while Trinidad and Tobago remain on one point.

The match:
2': The unlikely figure of Jamie Carragher, in at right-back for the injured Gary Neville, had the first shot on target for England. He struck it with his less favoured left foot, but it was easily saved by Shaka Hislop.

6': Crouch laid the ball off for Frank Lampard via David Beckham's cute dummy and the Chelsea midfielder fired a shot at Hislop. The goalkeeper failed to hold it but Michael Owen stumbled as he tried to latch onto the rebound and Trinidad and Tobago escaped.

16': Joe Cole's cross reached the long legs of Crouch, stretching to meet it close to the goal-line and Hislop had to palm the ball away for a corner.

23': Trinidad and Tobago skipper Dwight Yorke got to the by-line and pulled a good ball across the box and Paul Robinson had to dive at full stretch to catch it.

28': A painful moment for Yorke as he blocked a thundering shot by Steven Gerrard on the edge of the area with his midriff and had to leave the field briefly for treatment.

36': Robinson came out for a corner by Yorke and missed the cross completely, but Stern John could not quite get on the end of it at the far post.

41': Joe Cole clipped the ball to Lampard in a great position, but his side-footed volley went over the bar.

43': Beckham crossed to an unmarked Crouch eight metres out, but he volleyed well wide of the mark and the England fans started calling for Rooney's introduction.

45': A heart-stopping moment for both sets of fans as Robinson came out and missed another cross and Terry had to hook the ball off the line after John's header looked to be going in.

England struggle
54': England still could not find any rhythm and Chris Birchall almost played in Kenwyne Jones at the other end, but Terry did enough to put him off his stride.

56': A fantastic free-kick by Beckham made its way to an unmarked Owen but he guided his header wide with his last contribution of the match.

58': A double substitution by Eriksson brought the England supporters to their feet. Carragher came off for Aaron Lennon and Owen made way for the man everybody in an England shirt wanted to see in action: Rooney.

61': England noticeably upped the tempo, with Lennon already looking lively and Beckham set up Lampard, though his flying volley attempt did not trouble Hislop.

71': Leo Beenhakker made a bold substitution of his own, throwing another striker on in the form of Cornell Glenn, who replaced Jones.

77': Rooney linked up well with Crouch, who freed Lampard but his shot went straight at Hislop. Lampard had yet another strike 60 seconds later, this one fizzing right across the face of goal and wide.

83': As T&T looked set to be hanging on for another famous draw, Beckham crossed for Crouch who headed in the opener. No robotic celebration from Crouch this time and England’s enormous relief was evident (1-0).

91': Gerrard, on his weaker left foot, blasted an unstoppable drive into the top corner to secure the victory (2-0).

92': John put the ball in the net for Trinidad and Tobago, but the offside flag was raised.

In conclusion:
England took their time to see off Trinidad and Tobago, but two late goals mean that, as against Paraguay, they did what they had to do. As for T&T, they emerged with huge credit, if no points, for giving Eriksson's side such a scare.