Cole stages England late show

Wednesday, 01, Mar 2006 10:30

Joe Cole's injury-time goal sealed a 2-1 win for England over Uruguay at Anfield.

The South Americans had taken the lead through Omar Pouso's wonder goal on 25 minutes but substitute Peter Crouch headed home the equaliser with 15 minutes to go.

England pressed for a second goal after that and were rewarded three minutes into stoppage time when the dazzling Chelsea midfielder turned in club team-mate Shaun Wright-Phillips' cross at the near post.

England began brightly and Cole forced Uruguayan goalkeeper Fabian Carini into a good save at his feet on nine minutes after he was found at the back post by David Beckham's deep cross.

Uruguay were happy to shoot from range and Paul Robinson looked comfortable in the England goal.

However, he was left grasping thin air on 25 minutes as John Terry cleared a Uruguayan corner only as far as Pouso, who struck an unstoppable 30-yard volley into the top corner.

Wayne Bridge, making his first England start since November 2004, was stretchered off on 28 minutes after colliding with Robinson and suffered ankle ligament damage.

Terry almost equalised six minutes before the break when he brought the ball forward, bundled his way through a couple of challenges and got in behind the defence.

However, he was prevented from grabbing his first goal for his country by a great save from Carini.

Wayne Rooney forced a good save from substitute goalkeeper Sebastian Viera three minutes into the second-half, but it wasn't until the 75th minute that England found the net.

Cole broke down the left and after some fancy footwork, his pinpoint cross found Crouch at the back post who nodded the ball into the bottom corner.

The former West Ham midfielder then immediately forced another good save from Viera before he got the goal his performance deserved in injury time.