RUSTENBURG, South Africa, June 12, (AFP): England’s hopes of a winning start to their World Cup campaign were shattered by an extraordinary blunder by goalkeeper Robert Green that gifted the United States their equaliser in a 1-1 draw here on Saturday.
England captain Steven Gerrard gave his side a dream start to their Group C campaign with a fourth minute strike at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
But Fabio Capello’s men were sent back to square one when Green let in Clint Dempsey’s tame, 25-yard shot five minutes from half-time.
“The idea tonight was to win the game, but unfortunately we have let a poor goal in and we couldn’t go on and get the winner,” said Gerrard.
“The target now has got to be seven points.” US coach Bob Bradley praised his side. “It was a great team effort to come back and equalise. At half-time we said we had a chance to win and at the end we took a point,” he said.
England had gone ahead from their first foray into opposition territory.
Picking up a Glen Johnson throw-in from the right, Frank Lampard threaded a pass that was flicked on by Wayne Rooney to Emile Heskey on the edge of the area.
The Aston Villa striker got in front of Jay DeMerit and his first-time ball anticipated an untracked run by Gerrard, who prodded the ball past Tim Howard with the outside of his boot. That might have precipitated a collapse from less resilient sides but the Americans were soon creating problems, particularly down the right.
England had a significant let-off when Jozy Altidore headed Landon Donovan’s chip wide after outjumping Ledley King but they generally looked in control of the match until Green’s 40th-minute blunder.
Gerrard was partly culpable, having allowed Dempsey to twist away from him on the edge of the area but still there seemed no danger as the West Ham goalkeeper knelt to gather a shot directed straight at him.
Somehow the man Capello had selected ahead of the more experienced David James allowed the ball to spin off his right glove and over the line.
England hit back through Glen Johnson, who tested Tim Howard after a mazy run to the edge of the area, but they were unable to restore their advantage before the interval.
Heskey should have done so soon after the restart, when Aaron Lennon’s first-time pass sent him clear of a flat-footed American defence. But the striker’s shot was unleashed too early and straight at Howard.
England’s frustration was clear as Jamie Carragher, on as a second half substitute for King, and Gerrard picked up bookings in quick succession for late challenges.
Lampard made his presence felt with a left-foot drive that Howard had to touch over at full stretch.
But it was the Americans who enjoyed the clearest chance of a winner, Donovan releasing Altidore whose close range strike was touched on to the post by Green.
England’s best chance of the second period fell to Shaun Wright-Phillips, but Howard was able to comfortably beat away the Manchester City winger’s poorly directed shot from the left of the goalmouth and it was the Americans who finished the match pressing for a winner.
Blunders
Green wrote his name into the lengthening list of blundering England goalkeepers when he let a routine shot from Clint Dempsey slip through his grasp for a United States equalizer in a World Cup game.
From David Seaman in the 2002 World Cup, Scott Carson in a Euro 2008 qualifier to several gaffes by David “Calamity” James, England now has a reputation for producing poor goalkeepers instead of great ones as in the past.
Players such as Gordon Banks, Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton likely would have dealt easily with Dempsey’s low, left-footed drive in the 40th minute at Rustenburg on Saturday. Green had it well covered as he went down to stop it but the ball slipped off his gloves and rolled into the net to make it 1-1.