Wednesday Feb 06 2008 21:57
Fabio Capello's first game in charge of England ended in victory as goals by Jermaine Jenas and Shaun Wright-Phillips helped his side beat a limited Switzerland outfit 2-1 at Wembley.
Only 11 weeks since the debacle of the 3-2 home defeat to Croatia that ended England's hopes of playing in this summer's Euro 2008 finals, Capello started with only three players from that sorry evening.
Steven Gerrard was named captain in place of the injured John Terry, while Michael Owen was on the bench and David Beckham left out completely.
David James replaced Scott Carson in goal while Wayne Rooney was the lone striker in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Wes Brown, Matthew Upson, David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas all started in a new-look England side.
England made a very nervous start but, in the tenth minute, Gerrard and Joe Cole set Rooney free. The Manchester United man looked certain to score only for Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglio to narrow the angle and make a smart save.
Nine minutes later Rooney found the side-netting with an audacious flick before Brown, who made a dreadful start to the friendly, gifted the ball to Tranquillo Barnetta who fired in a shot that was only narrowly wide of James' goal.
Switzerland should have taken the lead in the 28th minute when Philippe Senderos flicked a cross on to Mario Eggimann who headed wide when it seemed easier to score.
England responded, and when Jenas got to the byline, he delayed his pull-back for Joe Cole and Benaglio was able to dive on the cross before the Chelsea man could get to it.
Capello's side picked up the pace of the match just before the interval, and when Senderos gifted possession to Jenas in a dangerous position, the ball eventually found its way to Joe Cole who forced Benaglio to make another smart stop.
England took the lead in the 40th minute. Gerrard found Joe Cole down the left and the former West ham man raced to the byline before pulling the ball back for Jenas to side-foot home.
England upped the tempo considerably after the break as the match livened up.
Three minutes into the second half, Rooney seemed certain to score after being set up by Bentley but the ball dribbled just the wrong side of goal.
The outstanding Bentley then found Rooney again and, seeing Benaglio off his line, the Manchester United striker tried to chip the keeper only for the ball to end up on the roof of the net.
In the 54th minute only a great save by the busy Benaglio kept Jenas' snap-shot out, but three minutes later a brilliant a strike by Eren Derdiyok brought the scores level as he whipped a shot past James' despairing dive.
Just after the hour mark England regained the lead as the game really livened up. Peter Crouch headed the ball on to Gerrard who found the onrushing Wright-Phillips and the Chelsea man couldn't miss from five yards out.
The match petered out as the substitutions came thick and fast in the closing stages but Capello will have been pleased with his side's overall display, particularly their more uplifting second-half performance when they passed the ball confidently and accurately.
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