12 August 2009

Defoe Brace Earns England Draw, Draws Capello Attention

Second-half substitue Jermain Defoe scored a sharp double tonight in Amsterdam to earn England a deserved draw against World Football powerhouse Holland.

Sloppy passes by Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry allowed Dirk Kuyt and then Rafael Van der Vaart to put the home side two-up at the break.

But England coach Fabio Capello brought on Defoe, Carlton Cole and then James Milner for Rooney, Heskey and the disappointing Young in the third quarter of the match - and was hamdsomely repaid by the trio.

Defoe looked very sharp, even before he latched onto a looping Lampard through ball, controlled well and finished beautifully in off the post with his left foot in the 49th minute.

James Milner then took the advantage of sloppy defending from John Heitinga on the Dutch right to play in Defoe for an easy finish from five yards.

England, fluent if occasionally sloppy in the opening period, started to boss the game and pushed for a winner, but the Dutch continued to look dangerous on the break.

Capello will have much cause for optimism, but will also be very keen to stamp out the sloppy mistakes that cost England an impressive victory in this friendly.

England 2 (0) 2 (2) Holland

Scorers: Kuyt 11', Van der Vaart 38'; Defoe 49, 77'

Ratings:
Green 8; Johnson 4, Ferdinand 5, Terry 6, Cole 5 (Bridge 5); Beckham 7 (Wright-Phillips 6), Barry 4, Lampard 5, Young 4 (Milner 8); Heskey 6 (Carlton Cole 8), Rooney 6 (Defoe 9)

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