Thursday May 29, 2008
LONDON - Captain John Terry helped England produce their most impressive performance of the Fabio Capello era with the opening goal in a 2-0 win against the United States at Wembley.
The Chelsea defender had something to smile about after his Champions League final penalty shoot-out agony when he headed Fabio Capello's side into a 38th-minute lead.
Steven Gerrard made sure of victory 14 minutes into the second half when he converted a slide-rule pass from substitute Gareth Barry.
There were no tears at Wembley but in putting England on the road to beating the United States at Wembley, Terry exorcised a few demons created by his shoot-out miss that cost victory for the Londoners in the match that so crushingly ended in defeat to Manchester United.
And the warm celebrations that followed ensure that while the tough-tackling defender may spend a summer in purgatory, personally tormented by the moment that will scar his career, he need have no fear of the reaction which awaits him next season.
There could have been no more fitting scorer in a game which marks the latest point in Fabio Capello's run of friendlies prior to England's opening World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona on September 6.
Certainly, the win was deserved and there is a general belief that Capello will get it right, that anything he does has to be an improvement on the Steve McClaren era - the true ghastliness of which will only really sink in when Euro 2008 kicks off while the Three Lions lick their wounds on an unscheduled summer off.
The visitors had already survived one lucky escape when Gerrard slotted home David Beckham's curling free-kick, only for the goal to be ruled out because England's newest centurion had not waited for the whistle.
When Beckham picked Gerrard out with another free-kick, the midfielder's shot seemed to be heading into the net until Clint Dempsey got his head to it, providing Frank Lampard with a chance from the rebound which he promptly volleyed wide.
Gerrard also set up Beckham and Jermain Defoe, eager to make an impression on his first England start for nearly two years, but neither man could locate the net.
Terry at least put a different complexion on proceedings, even if his fourth goal for his country could hardly make up for his misery at the Luzhniki Stadium.
It might have got Capello thinking though. With one more potential captain - probably Gareth Barry - to see in Trinidad on Sunday, this was Terry's opportunity to salvage a job given to him by McClaren and which he holds with a passion.
And Terry's goal was a reminder he is capable of leading from the front in a manner Rio Ferdinand, his central defensive partner and favourite for the job when it is officially handed out prior to the August 20 meeting with the Czech Republic, is not.
The same could be said of Beckham. Even at 33, he is capable of producing moments of total devastation.
He did so again against the country which is now his adopted home, and having ditched him once and regretted it during his days at Real Madrid, Capello is unlikely to do so again.
Beckham's departure at half-time offered David Bentley some valuable time on the pitch, although clearly it is going to take a long time for the boo-boys in the stands to forget his decision to abandon the England Under-21 squad prior to last summer's European Championships.
Barry's arrival was equally noticeable due to the fact he almost immediately threaded Defoe's lay-off through a tiring USA defence for Gerrard to add a second just before the hour mark.
As Capello's substitutions mounted, Gerrard remained. Still on the left, yet in some ways not quite.
He was certainly not close to the touchline when he cushioned a header into Wayne Rooney's path midway through the half, only for the Manchester United man to screw his shot wide.
It was Rooney's last chance before Joe Cole made his entrance, yet still Gerrard stayed on the left.
Maybe, like Terry, Gerrard and England can look to the future with confidence.
Afterwards England coach Fabio Capello hailed his side's "step forward".
"The England team performed - all the players played very well," Capello said.
"In every situation we chose the best way to play - the first 50 minutes the USA pressed a lot, but we played good football.
"Today the team played like in training. The pressing and tackling were very good.
"It's another step forward."
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