England Out
Posted by Admin on 01/07/2006
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England lose on penalties to Portugal again, as Eriksson reign ends in defeat.
Wayne Rooney was dismissed against a poor Portugese side, whose players cheated, dived and intimidated the referee all through the match.
As unsporting as the Portugese players were (and Cristiano Ronaldo was particularly disgraceful) blame for the defeat has to fall at the feet of Eriksson, whose inept management through the last five years had seen three disapointing quarter-final tournament exits.
England had played poorly again, but Rooney's dismissal after 62 minutes galvanised the team, and another heroic England rear-guard action was fourght.
Penalties seemed England's best chance of a victory, but even in extra time England had the better chances.
Without Beckham, who was replaced after being injured on 51 minutes, Terry and Ferdinand led by example in the centre of England's solid defence.
In the last few minutes of extra time, the impressive Hargreaves (who had one of his best games for England) burst through the midfield and into the penalty area. His pull-back eventually found Terry, who spun and saw his shot deflected narrowly over.
The inevitable penalty shoot-out arrived, and once again England faultered. Ricardo saved from Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher and Portugal won the shootout 3-1.
The match was a fitting end to Erikkson's reign - a disapointment.
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Diego Maradona of Argentina, Lothar Matthaus and Uwe Seeler of West Germany and Wladislaw Zmuda of Poland all share the record of the most World Cup finals appearances with 21 each
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