Germany 0 England 0

[xena]

Lions hold World's best

By Alex Stone in Guangzhou. Tuesday, 30 January 2007.


5.30am, Tuesday 30 January 2007 (GMT)
Guangdong Olympic Sports Centre, China

England earned a 0-0 draw against Germany in their final Four Nations Tournament game as they dominated a match against the top ranked side in the world.

Once again Kelly Smith was voted as the Player of the Match in a tireless display but the performance of the 16 players involved were of huge credit on a warm afternoon in the Guangdong Olympic Stadium which will undoubtedly give the players a massive boost of confidence ahead of the World Cup.

Mary Phillip returned to the backline in place of Anita Asante, Rachel Unitt came in for her first start of the tournament, whilst in midfield, Jill Scott came in for her first senior start.

England started brightly, taking the game to the World and European champions.

In the 14th minute the rangy Everton midfielder just failed to get enough on a Kelly Smith cross to worry Stephanie Ullrich in the Germany goal and eight minutes later, Rachel Yankey arrived just too late to get on the end of a teasing Aluko cross, after more good work by Kelly Smith.

Hope Powell was enforced to make a change after 29minutes when Mary Phillip came off with what looked a hamstring pull; her club-mate Anita Asante coming on to replace her.

Three minutes later and England were again close to taking the lead.

First Karen Carney drifted in from the left flank before firing wide and then from the 'keeper's poor roll-out, Carney narrowly failed to set Aluko clear on goal.

Germany's first real chance came eight minutes before half-time. Fatmire Bajmaraj made a great run from midfield before spraying the ball wide to Anja Mittag. Racing in to the six yard box and looking certain to score, a lunging challenge from Asante did enough to force the shot wide.

With the Germans finally finding their rhythm, the woodwork came to England's rescue three minutes before half-time. Emily Westwood was adjudged to have pulled back Petra Wimbersky and from the resultant free-kick, Mittag smacked the bar from 25 yards.

Just as it appeared that The Three Lions were waiting for the half-time whistle, Karen Carney had the best chance of the half.

After a period of possession down the left, Rachel Yankey stabbed a cross in from the left. The ball momentarily seemed to get stuck under the feet of Carney and her toe-poked shot was palmed away by Ullrich.

At the start of the second half Germany brought on four subs, signalling that Head Coach Silvia Neid was unhappy with England controlling large parts of the first 45 minutes.

The changes failed to gel instantly and it wasn't until the 69th minute that Navina Omilade almost got on the end of Anja Mittag's inswinging free-kick, with a few English hearts in mouths.

Three minutes before the end England were within inches of taking the lead. After two corners in a row, England earned a free-kick 25 yards out. Vicky Exley swung in a deliciously flighted free-kick and Rachel Unitt was inches from getting her head to the ball after escaping her marker.

With the last kick of the game after Lindsay Johnson was adjudged to have committed a foul, Anja Mittag struck a free-kick from the edge of the box straight at Rachel Brown.

As the final whistle blew, it signalled England's first ever draw against a Germany side who had previously won 15 of the previous encounters between the two sides, giving the players untold confidence ahead of September's World Cup and the three internationals against Russia, Scotland and Holland in March.

England: Rachel Brown, Alex Scott, Rachel Unitt, Jill Scott (Vicky Exley, 66), Mary Phillip (Anita Asante, 29), Emily Westwood, Fara Williams (Katie Chapman, 55), Kelly Smith, Karen Carney (Lindsay Johnson, 46), Eniola Aluko (Lianne Sanderson, 46), Rachel Yankey

Germany: Stephanie Ullrich, Kirstin Stegemann, Jennifer Zietz (Babett Peter, 46mins) Ariane Hingst, Annike Krahn, Britta Carlsson (Navina Omilade, 46mins), Sandra Smisek (Linda Bresonik, 46mins), Celia Mbabi, Anja Mittag, Fatmore Bajmaraj (Martina Mueller, 46mins), Petra Wimbersky

http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/01/EnglandGermanyChina.htm

[David]

Thanks for the update Xena !! My work internet connections been up and down all morning so I hope it hangs around long enough for me to post this !!!!

Sounds like a good performance from the girls !

[David]

China experience pleases Powell


England coach Hope Powell was pleased if not totally satisfied after seeing her team produce two highly significant results at the China Cup.

The tournament marked the start of England's build-up to September's World Cup, which is also being held in China.

It began disappointingly as England lost 2-0 to the host nation.

But they then pulled off two superb draws with the world's top-ranked teams, America and Germany, at the Guangzhou City Stadium.

Arsenal full-back Alex Scott's equaliser saw them finish 1-1 with the USA - the first time in seven outings England had avoided defeat against the number two ranked nation.

And in their final match of the four-nation tournament, a goalless draw with world champion's Germany ended one of international football's most unenviable records.

England had lost all 15 of their previous encounters with the Germans, so this result was a major breakthrough.

Powell said: "The results against the Americans and Germans will give us a massive boost psychologically.

"Neither side was at full strength, that should be pointed out, but you can only play what's put in front of you and we did really well in both games.

"We got it right tactically and, certainly against Germany, we were on the front foot from the first whistle and had chances to win the game.

"We had more of the possession and I felt that over the 90 minutes we were the better team."

Victory over Germany would not have flattered England, whose best chance was wasted by Arsenal winger Karen Carney in the last minute of the first half.

But at the final whistle the players were clearly delighted with a result that ended years of humiliation at the hands of their most feared opponents.

"The players are tired but happy after an exhausting tournament," said Powell at the end of a schedule of three matches in five days.

"Apart from the first half of our game against China," added the coach, "It's been very pleasing all round.

"The team has grown in stature, there's no doubt about that, but although we can be pleased we can't be satisfied - we now have to build on what we've achieved here.

"But we've gained some vital tournament experience against the world's best teams and in the environment we'll be playing in at the World Cup - that could be priceless."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/6312485.stm