England 5 Croatia 1

England Qualify in Style...

Off to a great start against top-class opposition, it only took 7 minutes for Lennon to win a penalty, somewhat more convincingly than Rooney's penalty on Saturday. In the popular vernacular, it was 'stone-wall' penalty, the defender having no choice but to block Lennon and bring him down as he skipped across the penalty box. Lampard safely put the ball in the net and England were one-up and on their way to the World Cup...
England continued to push and pressure Croatia convincingly and pressure led to a second England goal from the head of Gerrard. Whatever Capello has been doing, he has certainly been able to get great results out of England players. He started without Beckham and with Rooney and Heskey up front. As a whole the team looks fluid and dangerous playing with confidence and intent. There could still be work to do at the back in defence, but going forward England are looking like a team that could take on the world. Which is exactly what they will be doing next Summer. On first half showing, Croatia looked unsettled and made few chances in contrast to an England side who created chance after chance and could consider themselves unlucky to go in to the second half with only two goals on the scoreboard.
Croatia made two much-needed changes at the start of the second half whilst England sat back a little resting on the two-goal cushion risking allowing Croatia back into the game. Around 60 minutes into the game, England managed to get the ball out of their feet in defence and worked the ball forward out to Glen Johnson on the right who cut the ball back onto Lampard's head for goal number three. Heskey was replaced by Defoe directly after the goal and the game began to look interesting again with all eyes on the developing 'super-sub' for another England goal.
The fourth goal came on 66 minutes as England ride rampant again as they have over every team in this group. This time England winning the ball in the opposition half by applying pressure on the defence, Rooney getting to the by-line and cutting back high for Gerrard to climb and head firmly over the keeper and into the net.
True to form, England despite having all the chances still failed to keep a clean sheet and after making two good saves in quick succession, Green was finally beaten in a goal-mouth scramble as the England defence shows it's weakness.
Rooney helped made up for the gaffe by collecting a goal from a goal-keeping error on 77 minutes at the other end. The keeper sliced a clearance under pressure from Ashley Cole, it fell kindly for Rooney who slotted it away from just inside the box. A period of 'Ole' football follows as Croatia more or less resigned themselves to a severe beating. Shortly after that, Lennon and Gerrard make way for Beckham and Milner - a roar greeted Beckham as he made his way onto the pitch for the last 10 minutes of what was already a very good night for English football.
England qualify for the world cup with a 100% record and two games in hand, a feat which they have never before accomplished. Cappello has earned his money in some style sacrificing some of the defensive prowess for extra attacking power with players like Johnson and Ashley Cole getting forward, a gamble that has paid dividends and goals by the hat-ful.