Soccer: England win, but unconvincingly

Captain David Beckham (centre) celebrates with team mates Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole after England's goal. Picture / Reuters

As opening nights go, it was one of England's shaky ones, though the audience's grateful applause at the finish indicated that the outcome could have been worse.

Nerves were apparent, the heat was uncomfortable and some leading performers - notably Michael Owen - fluffed their lines, but nobody broke a leg, or even a metatarsal.

Only once in nine previous competitions had England managed a win in the opening game, so a 1-0 victory over Paraguay, achieved with an early own- goal by the South Americans' captain, Carlos Gamarra, was in some ways a better start than normal.

Failure to capitalise on that, or the injury soon after to the opposing goalkeeper, was the disappointment.

But victory over Trinidad & Tobago in Nuremberg on Thursday will effectively qualify Sven Goran Eriksson's side for the knockout stage, leaving the final game against Sweden on Tuesday week to determine whether Eriksson's home country or his adopted one top the group and earn the easier second-round tie.

On yesterday's evidence, some would prefer not to look that far ahead.

Television pundits were critical of the decision to take off Owen after only 55 minutes, but he is clearly short of match sharpness.

The greater fault lies in the lack of striking options because of Eriksson's decision to rely on one fully fit one, in Peter Crouch.

"I wanted to see some fresh legs," the head coach said, insisting: "I don't regret what I did. We have a lot of players in the squad who can play as second striker. I'm extremely pleased with three points. We need to play better and we will."

- INDEPENDENT