Yeah! With two qualifiers to go, England are through to the World Cup in South Africa next summer! And how lovely to do it in the same ground where Croatia famously deny England of a Euro 2008 spot - the Wembley. I watched the match expecting all three points but in the end, even the performance of the England squad during the match itself surprised me.
I know England's 'revenge' over Croatia will only be completed when Slaven Bilic's side come to the Wembley for the World Cup qualifier. The match away in Zagreb exactly a year ago only signal one-half of the job done from England's perspective. But now one can look back at England's World Cup qualification campaign and realise that match proved to be the real turning point in the road to South Africa after an unconvincing 2-0 win against Andorra away (though the match is away in Barcelona). At a time when other major footballing nations which would had in the past be England's rivals are either struggling in qualifying or not doing convincingly in the likes of Portugal, Argentina, Germany (belonging to the latter department), it is very easy to attempt to drum up the hype of England's World Cup chances. But hey to paraphrase, one team's loss is another's gain.
Ahead of the match at the Wembley, England captain John Terry had related how his fellow Chelsea team-mates reacted to England's absence at the Euro 2008 after that infamous match almost two years ago. His German team-mate Michael Ballack said that Germany have a better chance at the tournament. This time I can safely guess that Terry will not care less over how Ballack is doing with Germany's World Cup qualification fate after the events yesterday in Germany's group meant that the October showdown in Moscow between Russia and Germany will decide who earn that automatic ticket to South Africa next summer possibly. After what England had gone through since that horrible night almost two years ago at the Wembley, it seemed as if I had gone through a lot as an England supporter more than where it all began for me since the 2002 World Cup. The same person who thought the world had crashed on her almost two years ago, just want to be happy again.
Well, in the lead-up to the match at the Wembley which England eventually beat Croatia convincingly 5-1, I did had a bundle of nerves. It is always the case with me, even during schooldays ahead of especially major examinations. Watching the tennis US Open action prior to the match did not helped much, even if I do watch tennis outside of football. But when the match kicked off, it actually went beyond my expectations. England winning 5-1, and in style too! It is also worthwhile noting who were among the scorers. Both Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard grabbed two goals each (Gerrard with two headers, don't remember he does that often for Liverpool), with also Wayne Rooney's ninth goal of the qualifying campaign. Rooney's goal came as a result of goalkeeper Vedran Runje wildly sliced an attempted clearance from a backpass, presenting Rooney with an open goal for England's fifth.
The consolation came from not surprising enough, Eduardo. But this was when England was 4-0 up. To England goalkeeper Robert Green's credit, he made a fine save to keep out Eduardo's header before, after a follow-up effort had been blocked, the Arsenal striker stabbed home from close range. Other than that, watch the video highlights in the previous paragraph especially on how England coach Fabio Capello reacted especially after the third England goal onwards. So much for how the press made of the man. It made me chuckled each time the cameras aimed at the Italian when I was watching the match. Not only that, it is amazing that with all the debate of whether Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard can play together in England's midfield which began since almost like forever, those two scored two each yesterday.
Eight qualifiers, eight wins, 24 points, 31 goals scored and five conceded. Those statistics sent England to South Africa next summer. The irony was that what happened almost two years ago at the Wembley against the same opponent in Croatia led to Fabio Capello landing the England job, this time the tables had turned. The transformation of England's fortunes under the Italian was demostrated after thrashing Croatia this time round, with Croatia coach Slaven Bilic commenting after the match, "Not even in our worst nightmares were we expecting this kind of defeat. They played fantastic from the start. They looked the sharper side from the start and the first two goals lifted them further while we became more insecure and afraid. We were happy it was only 2-0 at half-time. It could have been five." Bilic was right, considering England's goal chances in the first-half alone.
As for the coach who was the more pleased of the two on the Wembley dugout, Fabio Capello had said that the 5-1 win over Croatia the "best performance" under him. He said, "I'm very happy. We've achieved our target early. I think this was the best performance under me. We played fast, pressed the ball and our movement was fantastic." Coupled with what happened in Zagreb in last September with the 4-1 win then which made it 9-2 on aggregate over the two games in which the sides have met in this campaign, that is some scoreline. The Italian said, "Both of our performances against Croatia pleased me. We need to press hard, play fast and develop our movement on and off the ball - and we showed that in both games. In the first 20 minutes tonight we were fantastic. I don't think we've ever been so strong and compact as we were at the start of this game." While last September in Zagreb when Theo Walcott's hat-trick stole the headlines, this time it is Aaron Lennon was at the heart of England's performance. Capello revealed on the decision to put him at the start of the Croatia match, "I played him only in the second half against Slovenia (the Italian was referring to the friendly last Saturday) but it was always my idea to have him in the starting XI against Croatia. I could see when I watched him (for Spurs) against Birmingham and in training that he is in a fantastic period of form. We need a player like him. One to one, it is not easy to stop him."
For England captain John Terry, he was equally pleased but echoed his coach's sentiments to guard against complacency from now on. The Chelsea defender said, "I don't think it sends a message to the rest of the world. Straight after the game the manager was stressing that there are still improvements to be made. The most pleasing thing is to see where we have come in two years as a team. Sometimes we haven't played well but we have ground out results. That is a sign of how we have improved over the last two years. We all realise there are improvements to be made and have another level or two to go to. Hopefully by the time the World Cup comes around the manager will know his system, know his players and we will be ready for the tournament." Other than that, Terry had claimed that Croatia forward Ivan Klasnic spat at him during the match. Klasnic, who has just joined Bolton on loan from French club Nantes, was on as a substitute for Eduardo when he spat at Terry towards the end of the match as Croatia's frustration boiled over at a humiliating defeat. Despite that, Terry left Wembley on a high after a win that confirmed England's place at the World Cup.
While it is not surprising the English press were in a celebratory mood after what happened at the Wembley, the Croatian press dubbed it as "humiliating" their team's 5-1 defeat against England, the worst in the history of the former Yugoslav republic since the country's independence in 1991. One just wonder how are the Italian press really reacting given I had read of headlines like Fabio Capello is 'flying' to South Africa with England after the events at the Wembley yesterday. Considering now Capello's native Italy need only a point from their remaining qualifiers to confirm their spot next summer after their win over Bulgaria. Well, can I at least celebrate for once as an England supporter before reality starts to set in?
International football thoughts of the day: For all the happiness I have been feeling, it is probably worth recalling how things weren't all so rosy like it is now. In just less than two years, even I myself is surprised at the progress England has make under Fabio Capello. Barring major injuries, any events which could be beyond control, depending on the luck of the draw, who knows what could happen next summer in South Africa? For now, I just want to enjoy the moment. And not only that, for some reason hours after the final whistle, my mind actually began to recall back what Capello used to say of his own World Cup experience in the 1974 edition as a player. Italy being one of the favourites then but, they were out in the first round. Capello was actually part of that side himself. The gaffer will want to correct the wrongs he had as a player in football's biggest tournament with the World Cup next summer. As a coach this time.
How Capello has lifted England (BBC Sport looks at the way Fabio Capello has transformed England)
Capello's England look the real deal at last (When Fabio Capello met the English media for the first time in January last year he said his first ambition was to qualify for the World Cup finals.)
Fabio Capello completes England's remarkable transformation (Rebirth of England can be traced to the night a year ago when a conservative coach went for broke and won 4-1 in Croatia)
World Cup 2010: Fabio Capello yearns for international success with England (The World Cup finals will be Fabio Capello’s first tilt as a manager in the competition and it’s a job - the England job - that he genuinely craved.)
