England with the two Chris's started well against Italy going 1-0 up early on and dominating the game.  Italy managed to break through on a rare attack and scored with a chip over the goalkeeper.  Start of the second half carried on in the same way with England dominating but not managing to put the ball in the back of the net.  Italy broke though again.  England 1-Italy 2. England were unlucky not to score in the 90th minuted when through but it was not to be.  Depite Englands dominance they were unable to pull it back.  Still having played so well the team was still confident of getting through.

 

The Big one - England v USA (the one we feared)

England start well with a goal early on with Rooney putting them ahead with an unselfish pass from Owen.  We are soon 2-0 on and coasting with a goal from Owen.  2nd half is a totaly different game with the USA pulling a goal back and now dominating the game in midfield.  Soon its 2-2 and not looking good for England with the USA coming close to taking the lead when clean through, but a last minute sliding tackle taking the USA striker down just outside the area.  We all expected a red card but the referee showed leniency and didnt even show a yellow.

The game ended 2-2 but England still have a chance of going through.

 

England v Austria

Knowing the Austrians were all ready through and beating the USA 3-0 we knew it would be a tough game.  Once again England dominate from start but still having a problem converting their chances until a wonder goal from Chris Bullard (sorry cant remember the player!) with a 30 yard dribble taking it pass 4 or 5 players before scoring.  Surely the goal of the tournament showing how skillfull this England team is.   Chances were few and far between but England manage to hold on.  We then turn our attention to the result of the USA v Italy to see if we are through or not.  USA have beated Italy and having a better goal difference we are through.....

 

We should be through....or are we....Jubilation turns to dissapointment.....

 

It appears that the rules have been modified for this particular tournament(written by Americans what they know about football - they think it should be played with a ruby ball).  Normally having a superior goal difference would have taken us through(like any other football tournament in the world including any computer football game) but with the USA having scored more goals they have gone through instead.   What's more annoying is the FACT that after each game the tables were on the screen wth the teams placed using goal difference rather than goals scored.  If the rules was goals scored why was that not used to place the teams in the groups standings?  Before our last game we played with the tactics that we had a better goal difference than the Americans (they lost 3-0 to Austria) so as long as we has a better goal difference we were through. I believe the organisers did not even realise themselves that they had put goals scored instead of goal difference otherwise what would be the point of designing a group table that shows incorrect team positions.  I think the terms brewery and some king of yellow stream of liquid comes into it somewhere...

 

Gutted- especially for the two Chris's who having played so well are dumped out of the tournament unexpectedly

 

At least we can now cheer on the  Wales team who have gone through......I cant believe it the same thing has happened to them...

 

Damn those rules