British Expatriate Network

A qualified success
England have qualified for next year's World Cup finals after the Netherlands overcame the Czech Republic in Prague, meaning Sven-Goran Eriksson's men are at least guaranteed one of the best runners-up spots in the UEFA qualifying.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/?cc=5901

Well England 1-0 Austria. Not exactly a convincing performance but as the Czech Republic lost, England go through as at least a best runner-up.

Did anyone see the game? I can't for the life of me see why Beckham got sent off. Neither foul was a yellow card offence as far as I can see and the Austria guy dived blatantly for the second one. :evil:

Owen looked a bit off form and Crouch looked awkward. Very unconvicing. :sad:

Yes, I saw the game. Both Beckhams incidents were just free kick offences at the very most. The first one I can see a free kick being given, it didn't look like a blatent use of the elbow. The second incident, even though it didn't look like he quite made contact with the ball, he certainly was not going for the player and it seemed like he caught the players back foot....of course, he then made a meal out of the fall.

Yes, Owen was not in good form, Crouch did ok but kept tripping over his own feet when he had the ball. I thought the defence, especially Terry and Young were excellent. Cole was a little disappointing and has never quite lived up to what we expect. Gerrard too was a little quiet.

Unconvincing sums it up correctly. A win is a win and we're there for Germany but we're not going to win anything playing like that. If we hadn't won a penalty we wouldn't have scored. Its going to be the same old story next year, scrape through the group phase and go out in the quarters.

Beckham was unlucky to get sent off but he should know better to make a challenge like that in that area. He commited himself, then realised he wasn't going to make it and caught the fellas heels. One triple suplex later and its goodnight Beckham.

Crouch is a joke. How can Smith be left on the bench when that lanky buffoon is out there tripping over the ball I don't know.

There was another blatant foul on Owen in the area that was ignored by the ref.