England

0-0

Germany

 


 


 



World Cup Finals 2007
Group A
1pm (8pm local time), Friday 14 September 2007
Hongkou Stadium, Shanghai



With impressive resolve and tigerish tackling Hope Powell's side shackled Silvia Neid's players and took an important step forward in their progress in China.

 
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Powell made two changes from the side that faced Japan, as Anita Asante came into the heart of defence with Mary Phillip moving out to right back and Jill Scott making her competitive debut for England in midfield.

Kelly Smith led the line for the Three Lions with Karen Carney and Alex Scott providing the ammunition from the flanks.

There were chances for both sides to go ahead in the opening ten minutes, Germany went close first through Annike Krahn who won a header from a corner but failed to find the target. Then Faye White went close twice in two minutes to opening the scoring; her first effort was unintentional as she looked to pick out Kelly Smith with a through pass.

Germany's onrushing keeper Nadine Angerer misread the flight of the ball, but got a slight touch with her head to prevent a certain goal. From the resulting corner Faye went close again with a powerful header that flew past the far post.

After a quarter of an hour Katie Chapman went into the book for a tackle on Renate Lingor, the caution mean't that England's powerhouse midfielder would miss the final Group A match with Argentina on Monday.

Jill Scott made a superb run into the box to receive a lofted through pass from Casey Stoney, but lost her footing at the crucial moment as the difficult pitch in Shanghai gave way underneath her.

Birgit Prinz inevitably went close on the stroke of half time, the lively Kerstin Garefrekes strode down the right wing and arrowed a cross onto the head of the German number 9 but Rachel Brown was equal to the effort.

The rain started to fall as half time approached and it continued into the second period, but England never looked giving away an inch to their European counterparts. Faye White commanded the defence superbly and made a number of vital interceptions at the crucial moment.

Katie Chapman was impervious at the heart of midfield, a destructive and forceful shield for the Three Lions' backline, and Anita Asante looked like she has being playing at World Cups for years.

Germany had their chances, Rachel Brown made an incredible save in the final ten minutes, but few could deny the defiant Lions their precious point that will give them every incentive to charge on to Chengdu and do everything in their power to make it to the quarter finals.

Teams:

England:
1 Rachel Brown, 2 Alex Scott, 3 Casey Stoney, 4 Katie Chapman, 5 Faye White (c), 6 Mary Phillip, 7 Karen Carney (11 Rachel Yankey 56), 8 Fara Williams, 10 Kelly Smith, 12 Anita Asante, 16 Jill Scott

Substitutes: 9 Eniola Aluko, 13 Siobhan Chamberlain, 14 Rachel Unitt, 15 Sue Smith, 17 Jody Handley, 18 Lianne Sanderson, 19 Vicky Exley, 20 Lindsay Johnson, 21 Carly Telford

Coach: Hope Powell

Germany: 1 Nadine Angerer, 2 Kerstin Stegemann, 5 Annike Krahn, 6 Linda Bresonik, 7 Melanie Behringer (19 Fatmire Bajramaj 63), 8 Sandra Smisek, 9 Birgit Prinz (c), 10 Renate Lingor, 14 Simone Laugehr, 17 Ariane Hingst, 18 Kerstin Garefrekes

Substitutes: 3 Saskia Bartusiak, 4 Babett Peter, 11 Anja Mittag, 12 Ursula Holl, 13 Sandra Minnert, 15 Sonja Fuss, 16 Martina Mueller, 20 Petra Wimbersky, 21 Silke Rottenberg

Coach: Silvia Neid

Attendance: 27,730