England stutter to 5-1 win over Kazakhstan
Sunday, 12 Oct 2008 08:59
England maintain 100 per cent record with 5-1 win over Kazakhstan
England continued their 100 per cent World Cup qualifying record with a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan at Wembley.
Captain Rio Ferdinand headed the hosts in front after 52 minutes, but an Alexandr Kuchma own-goal was cancelled out when Zhambyl Kukeyev fired home from the edge of the box after an hour.
Wayne Rooney claimed two in ten minutes before Jermain Defoe made it five having been sent through by Emile Heskey to put smiles on fans' faces after a nervy evening.
The Wembley crowd were in raucous form as the game kicked off, buoyed by the surprise 4-1 win in Croatia and Theo Walcott almost got the home side off to a perfect start, outstripping the Kazakh left back to send a troubling low cross into the visitors' box.
There was nearly an early shock for the home side as Matthew Upson appeared to lose his concentration in attempting a risky back pass, which David James stooped to clear from the onrushing Rulsan Baltiyev.
England dominated possession throughout the first 45 minutes, with a lack of fluency preventing the supply of an effective final ball, though some of the crowd thought Frank Lampard had scored as a long drive rebounded off the stanchion.
Shaun Wright-Philips was brought on for Gareth Barry at half-time though the change nearly backfired as an England break left them poorly covered at the back and Tanat Nusserbayev clipped over from six yards after a deep cross.
English nerves were settled in the 53rd minute as an unmarked Ferdinand headed in at the back post after the visiting keeper had flailed hopelessly at a Lampard corner.
And ten minutes later England doubled their lead after Kuchma headed the ball into his own net from a testing Lampard freekick.
But smiles were wiped off the faces of the Wembley crowd after Ashley Cole had played a senseless half-volley across his own box, to allow Kukeyev to lash the ball home from 18 yards, making it 2-1.
A Manchester United pairing restored England's lead as Wes Brown's well-placed cross was clinically despatched by Rooney.
And the shaven-headed Rooney took England to 4-1 as he calmly side-footed home when the visitors' defence failed to cope with a searching ball from substitute Beckham, winning his 106th cap.
Defoe took England to 5-1 with a smooth sidefoot finish after a Heskey through-ball breached the Kazakh backline.