Rio buoyed by subs' impact

31 May 2010 22:18

Rio Ferdinand is delighted England were bailed out from the bench against Japan.

After a sloppy first-half performance the Three Lions eventually emerged from their slumber in Graz to record a 2-1 win. And, as he heads into his fourth tournament, Ferdinand is also acutely aware that it might be the impact players England have amongst their substitutes who could make all the difference in South Africa.

"I would say Joe Cole made the biggest impact but all the substitutes made impacts in different ways," said captain Ferdinand. "That is what you need going into a tournament. You need players who can make an impact off the bench."

Source: PA