After four years of planning, all that emotional commitment and anticipation, England’s World Cup has unravelled in the space of five days and the defining image will be of Luis Suarez, on the floor, weeping with joy after the goals that had opened the door to show Roy Hodgson’s team the way out.
If there is to be a feat of escapology, England will need an almost implausible combination of results and handouts in the final games of Group D. More realistically, Hodgson’s men have blown it in their first week. It has been another unsatisfactory tournament.
Old habit His team was not outclassed but, once again, England has reminded us of its habit of being shown up as soon as it faces half-decent opposition and one or two authentic category-A footballers. Suarez played as through affronted by the suggestion he might have fitness issues, tormenting England’s defence. Uruguay was quick to the ball, strong in the tackle and seemed intent on showing it was a better team than had been apparent in the defeat to Costa Rica. Yet the most galling part for England is that it helped Uruguay on its way. A team cannot defend this obligingly and expect to get away with it and, unfortunately for Hodgson, England was even more vulnerable under the slate-grey skies of Sao Paulo than it had been in the searing heat of Manaus.
Briefly, it had threatened to turn the game upside-down after Wayne Rooney’s first-ever World Cup goal made it 1-1 after 75 minutes. If nothing else, England had shown perseverance. But it is the other part of the game it needs to improve. With six minutes to go, the Uruguayan goalkeeper, Fernando Muslera, punted along kick forward. The ball skimmed off Gerrard and the centre-backs, Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill, had not dropped off in anticipation. Suddenly Suarez was clear, and anyone with an understanding of the sport would know that a player with his gifts cannot be left with such space.
40th goal Rooney’s goal was his 40th in England’s colours, pulling him level with Michael Owen as fourth in the all-time list, but he will also reflect on that moment, at 0-0, when he headed Gerrard’s free-kick against the crossbar. Oscar Tabarez’s side pressed its opponent high up the pitch and that succeeded for long spells in preventing England from passing the ball out of defence. Suarez’s first goal was a case in point bearing in mind England had half a dozen players in its own half but still could not prevent that brilliant piece of link-up play between Edinson Cavani and the Liverpool striker. Cavani’s cross was exquisite and Suarez showed all his expertise in the way he peeled away from Jagielka and headed the ball across Joe Hart.
— © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2014
