Calamity - James in the
dock again as England fall to a spot kick but don't panic says
Fabio, it'll be OK by September
Even David Beckham, playing for the 100th time and reinstated on
the right of England's midfield at the expense of David Bentley,
couldn't stop Franck Ribery dash manager Fabio Capello's dream of
an away win in Paris. Ribery, the Bayern Munich right-winger,
struck from the penalty spot after Nicolas Anelka tumbled over
David James' challenge in the 31st minute.
90mins, France 1 England 0: FULL TIME
89mins, France 1 England 0: England are
resorting to speculative long-balls towards a packed France penalty
area.
86mins, France 1 England 0: Downing corner
leads to a lightning-fast France counter-attack through Ribery.
Cisse collects Ribery's pass but is put under just enough pressure
by Ferdinand to shoot into England's side-netting.
83mins, France 1 England 0: England are playing
it down the flanks and Bentley and Downing are peppering France's
6yrd box with searching crosses but Crouch and Owen are struggling
to find room.
80mins, France 1 England 0: FRANCE SUB: Anelka
off, Cisse on.
78mins, France 1 England 0: Bentley floats a
cross towards Crouch in the area but France have three defenders
hovering around him. Easily cleared.
74mins, France 1 England 0: Ribery - in acres
of space - drives a low shot from the edge of the area. Ball goes
wide of James' right post. England simply not pressing the
play.
68mins, France 1 England 0: France passing it
around - over a dozen passes now. England seem to have lost control
of midfield and Anelka and Malouda are linking up well down
France's left. Anelka shoots but his effort goes wide.
63mins, France 1 England 0: FRANCE SUB:
Trezeguet off, Govou on.
62mins, France 1 England 0: ENGLAND SUBS:
Beckham off, Bentley on. Johnson on, Brown off.
61mins, France 1 England 0: Downing cross
blocked by Clerc. France dictating the pace now as England re-group
after wholesale substitutions.
57mins, France 1 England 0: Ashley Cole finds
room for a left-hand cross but he can't pick anyone out in the
area. His soft drops tamely to keeper Coupet.
53mins, France 1 England 0: England playing
patiently and more confidently than they did against Switzerland,
passing it around, looking for a gap. But Crouch looks stranded as
the lone striker with Owen playing off him.
51mins, France 1 England 0: France's Malouda
shoots from 30yrds but his low effort skids wide of England's left
post.
48mins, France 1 England 0: Beckham takes a
left corner and finds Crouch in the 6yrd box but his header loops
over the bar.
45mins, France 1 England 0: ENGLAND SUBS:
Lescott on, Terry off. Crouch on, Rooney off. Downing on, Joe Cole
off. Owen on, Gerrard off.
45mins, France 1 England 0: HALF-TIME
41mins, France 1 England 0: England,
over-committed in midfield leave space at the back but Ribery's
lofted pass drops to James.
38mins, France 1 England 0: BOOKING: Beckham
for pulling back Ribery.
36mins, France 1 England 0: Nasri shoots from
close-range after Brown kicks thin air trying to clear. James
saves, dropping to his left to block the shot.
31mins, France 1 England 0: GOAL. Ribery sends
James the wrong way by slotting his spot-kick into the bottom-right
corner.
30mins, France 0 England 0: PENALTY to France.
Anelka breaks clear chasing a Clerc through-ball and is one-on-one
with James. The Chelsea striker flicks the ball past the keeper and
then tumbles over him.
23mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard is at the
heart of all of England's play at the moment. He threads a pass
through to Hargreaves in France's area but the United player's shot
is blocked by a lunging Thuram.
20mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard again,
perfect cross from the right by Beckham finds Stevie in a crowded
France 6yrd box but his header goes well over.
19mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard shot,
20yrds out from the left side. Balloons over for a goal-kick.
16mins, France 0 England 0: England are
pressing with J Cole in a floating role from the left. Hargreaves
still playing uncharacteristically up-field.
12mins, France 0 England 0: France switch to
the right with Ribery taking the play to England. A Cole gets back
to cut off his options. Goes for a throw.
10mins, France 0 England 0: France attack down
left flank. Abidal and Makelele link up to put in a deep cross.
Makelele's pass snuffed out by James who comes for the ball.
7mins, France 0 England 0: Anelka, lurking in
the England area, fails to latch on to a free-kick from the left
and heads wide of James' left post.
2mins, France 0 England 0: England push forward
through the centre with Hargreaves forcing the play.
The teams:
France: Coupet, Abidal, Gallas, Makelele,
Malouda, Toulalan, Clerc, Thuram, Trezeguet, Ribery, Anelka. Subs:
Landreau, Mexes, Cisse, Govou, Squillaci, Alou Diarra, Flamini,
Evra.
England: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley
Cole, Beckham, Hargreaves, Barry, Joe Cole, Gerrard, Rooney. Subs:
Robinson, Johnson, Lescott, Bridge, Bentley, Downing, Owen, Crouch,
Walcott, Green.
