Slovenia 0-1 England as it happened

Wrap-up:

So England get the win they needed to go through, but I wonder how costly that Landon Donovan goal for the USA will be for Fabio Capello’s men?

If Germany and Serbia win tonight, Serbia will face the US in the last 16, and the winners of that one will face either Uruguay or South Korea in the last four.

For England, it’s likely to be Germany in the next round on Sunday, and if they manage to come through there it should be Argentina in the quarters.

Anyway, that’s all from me for now. See you all again soon. And if you want to stay with us for another while, why not check out the Week in Pictures? Go on, you’ve enough work done for the day…

The other game ends on a sour note for Algeria, with Antar Yahia sent off for a second bookable offence. The final whistle has gone there too, so the USA deservedly go through to the secnd round. They had a couple of goals ruled out for very marginal decisions over the past few days.

All over in Port Elizabeth. England get the win they need to go through to the last 16.

Goal USA!

Late drama in Pretoria, where Landon Donovan has scored two minutes into injury time for the United States. The States, from going out, will now top the group, and England will face the winners of Group D in the last 16 on Sunday. That could be Germany, if the Germans overcome Ghana tonight. That would be nice.

Joe Cole and James Milner are hanging around the corner flag. They win a free, and with just a few seconds left, surely there’s no coming back for Slovenia now.

Just as I say that, the ball falls to the feet of Dedic inside the area but Matthew Upson intervenes with a crucial tackle. That could be Slovenia’s last chance. We’re into injury time, of which there will be three minutes.

We’re into the last minute. England look like they’re going to hold on, as comfortably as a 1-0 could really be.

…but England scramble it away. Unconvincingly, it has to be said.

Ooooooh. Free kick for Slovenia, over towards the sideline…

Or maybe not. England still looking the more likely. Joe Cole stretches to get a shot in but fails to keep it on the target. Then Gerrard gets down the right and his low cross is put behind for a corner. Three minutes left…

England, as I expected to happen, are retreating ever closer to their own penalty area. Slovenia will surely get one chance to put a dagger in English hearts.

Barney in Ballyhaunis has been in touch. “England have been great today. If they play like this over the rest of the tournament they’ll be very hard to beat. I reckon they may even win the thing – there are very few good teams.”

Barney has clearly been in the jacks for every game involving South American teams so far.

Meanwhile, Martin O’Leary has also dropped us a line. He’s off home, so will miss the last few minutes. What a clock-watcher. You’d think you’d stay on for ten extra minutes, Martin. You wouldn’t even have to do any work!

Birsa and Dedic in the book for Slovenia. They’re not exactly inspiring much confidence in their ability to find an equaliser.

But that will make it all the more special when it comes.

With the way things are balanced, this is going to get mighty tense over the final ten minutes or so. England could really regret their failure to take one of their 77 chances to score a second.

What price a shocker of an equaliser to send England tumbling out of the tournament?

The key to England’s victory today, if a victory it is to be, must be the pitch. The ball is bumping and bouncing everywhere. You don’t even need HD to see all the humps and hollows and clumps of muck. Clearly, it’s like a Wembley-alike home from home for all the England players.

They’ll be getting the JCBs out at the dead of night in Rustenburg, where they’re due to face one of Germany, Ghana, Serbia or Australia on Saturday night if things stay the same here.

Joe Cole, who has become the cause célèbre of this England team, gets a standing ovation as he comes on for Rooney, who picked up a knock.

Chin Upson Jnr gives away a free but Birsa has a go from 45 yards, which fails to trouble David James. Ambitious is one word for that. Crap would be another. Feckin ridiculous are two more.

Gareth Barry gives the ball away and Slovenia launch a counter attack. And they have THREE chances from inside the area. Novakovic, Dedic and Birsa with the shots, but Terry throws his mush in the way, Johnson gets a block on another and the third screws wide of the post.

This mightn’t be over just yet.

“Rule Britannia” rings out around Port Elizabeth. That hasn’t been heard there in a good few years. “It sends a shiver down the spine,” says the Beeb commentator. I feel the same way, but in a different way, if you catch my drift.

Zlatko Dedic is on for Slovenia, with Ljubijankic off. He’s a striker, but it’s a little bit unfair – the ball has hardly come his way.

Replays show a fingertip save by Handanovic for that Rooney shot. It looked a bad miss on first viewing but the keeper touched it onto the post. On reflection, that was a really good save. This one could end 4-0 England, which wouldn’t flatter them.

Alternatively, it’s set up for a heartbreaking equaliser at the other end. Which would be good fun.

Rooney hits the post!

He was clean through on goal, with the Slovenian defenders raising their arms in the air in the hope of an offside flag. It didn’t come, and Rooney’s scuffed finish smacks off the post.

The game is getting a bit stretched, but like what went before this also seems to suit England. Gerrard and Milner especially are causing all sorts of problems for the Slovenian defence, and Handanovic makes a good stop from John Terry’s header.

Slovenia looking a bit more ambitious, but at the other end it’s Gerrard-Rooney-Gerrard-Rooney. The Manchester United man’s attempt is blocked, but England look dangerous every time they get over the half-way line. Gerrard in particular has been involved in everything.

The fupping Scouse backstard.

England have the ball in the net but it’s ruled out for offside. Rooney and Defoe involved, but the flag was up. England can win this 4-0 if they want to.

47′

Game back on and Glen Johnson gets a yellow card for throwing himself into the box. No penalty.

Defoe went so so close there. One minute into the second half. Phew, we almost thought England had nailed qualification!

Half-time stuff:

Typically, the RTE lads are unconvinced. “They have been the better team, without being top-class,” says Johnny Giles.

Really, I’m beginning to think I’d hate to have been Gilesy’s son. He’s never satisfied.

The BBC are showing the goal which the US have had ruled out for offside in Pretoria. It was Clint Dempsey, and if he was offside it was by centimetres. Not much advantage to the attacking team there. Having been on the wrong end of a dodgy decision against Slovenia the other day, the Americans are looking like the unlucky team in this tournament. You’d almost feel sorry for them. Almost.

Half-time:

Half-time in Port Elizabeth, where England have been much the better side. Hopefully Slovenia can make a game of it in the second half. Just for us neutrals, like.

It’s goalless in Pretoria. So as it stands it’s England and Slovenia going through, although any goal in USA-Algeria would change that.

A nice bit of spirit from the Slovenian centre half Bostjan Cesar, who ploughed through Jermain Defoe. Take that, little man, he said, or words to that effect.

Hearteningly, there is a rare warning sign for England. Valter Birsa ambitiously goes for goal from a free kick about 40 yards out, it deflects high and loops into the area. James comes off his line to punch clear, although a Slovenia player had drifted offside so it was an irrelevant passage of play.

Which means I’ve just wasted whatever length of time it’s taken to type this update.

Five of England’s seven shots so far have been on target. Handanovic will have to continue to be at his best if that ratio continues for the rest of this one.

Meanwhile, we have the first booking of the game. Bojan Jokic, the left back, goes in the book for a foul on Glen Johnson.

That was either a brilliant clearance or a piece of ridiculously risky foolishness. Brecko, Slovenia’s right back, chests another danger Milner cross behind from about four yards. It went about a yard and a half wide of the post.

Two fine stops from Handanovic keeps the Slovenians in it. Defoe gets a sight at goal from 20 yards and hammers a trademark rocket at goal. The rebound bounces high to Gerrard, who nods it to Rooney. He in turn feeds Gerrard and Handanovic is again on hand to make the save, grasping the squirming ball before it dribbles over the line.

This could be three or four already. Where is the England that played last week?

Matthew Upson gives the ball away under no real pressure. Apparently his father is named Chin.

Great ball in by Lampard again, Handanovic comes off his line to paw it towards the edge of the area, where Lampard half-volleys it just too high. England well on top here.

So, here’s how it stands now:

Goal England!

James Milner and Jermain Defoe vindicate Capello’s decision to start them. Milner’s cross, volleyed home at the near post by Defoe. I’ll put my prejudices to one side for a minute and admit it. That was a decent goal.

And with that Slovenia break. They haven’t shown much for the last 10 minutes or so, but John Terry is forced to produce a last-ditch tackle to prevent the shot. The corner comes in and Milivoje Novakovic’s effort forces the save from David James.

It doesn’t happen very often, but Lawro speaks the truth. The pitch has more pock-marks than Willem Dafoe’s chin. Rooney has a go which deflects just wide, Johnson has another from distance which bounces nastily in front of Handanovic but the keeper holds on well. Good stop.

“It’s by far the worst pitch we’ve seen in the tournament,” says Mark Lawrenson.

Not sure if he’s complaining or he’s happy about that to be honest. Slovenia will surely be inconvenienced more by dodgy underfoot conditions.

It wasn’t brilliant, but it’s one of the best free-kicks I’ve seen in the tournament. Frank Lampard from 35 yards or so. He Ronaldos it towards goal, it moves in the air and dips before it gets to goal but Handanovic in the Slovenian goal shows safe hands.

That Johnson-to-Rooney pass apart, England have mostly been lumping balls forward in the direction of their two mountainous target-men, Rooney and Defoe. Tactical genius, this Capello.

Glen Johnson with a sweeping pass to Wayne “Wazza” Rooney, who tries to find lurker Steven Gerrard at the back post. Marko Suler got his head to it to clear. England’s best moment so far, possibly of the tournament. It’s been that bad.

I don’t want to tempt faith but Slovenia looking the more threatening here.

That’s “threatening” in a sense of attacks on the goal. England are more threatening in the tackle, with Glen Johnson and Gareth Barry fortunate to escape yellow cards for some crunching early tackles.

England playing some razor-sharp keep-ball … among the back four. But suddenly John Terry gives it away and Slovenia have a three on three.

Which they take approximately 0.000003256 of a second to waste.

Brendan Bowman has been on the email, and he’s patriotically decided to ignore England-Slovenia in favour of events in the day’s other Group C game. “Go! Go! USA! I backed them to win the group weeks ago.”

Anyone else shouting through their pockets today? Let me know at those links above…

Just the way I like it. “A nervy start for England,” says the Beeb commentator as Glen Johnson airkicks a clearance and gives away an early throw-in.

And it kicks off.

Almost ready to go here. The tension is lukewarm in this office. England all in red, Slovenia in their zig-zaggy white strip.

Tweet of the day:

“Sing Rooney you bitch” – Bill Bailey.

The England team bellow out “God Save The Queen” as if it’s their last time. Which, for some of this team, may well be the case.

Aprés Match sample:

“Robert Green make-a bigga mistake, Emile Heskey izza bigga mistake, Wayne Rooney izza a bigga mistake waiting to happen, John Terry will never make a bigga mistake.”

Cliché alert!

Dunphy: “Either their legs have gone, or they’re confused about their roles.”

Legs gone. I’ve heard Eamo use that one before at some stage.

“I don’t want to be picking on Gerrard,” says Gilesy, before picking on Gerrard. It’s part of an analysis of England’s lack of energy in hunting down the ball, compared to, say, Brazil.

Stock quote: “Look at Gerrard. Jogging back.”

You have to love this sort of stuff. Often better than the game itself.

“This is not a team,” says Ronnie Whelan. “It’s putting people in just for the sake of it.”

Eamo: “I didn’t think he’d get team selection that wrong. This morning I thought they’d win. I’m not so sure now.”

Interesting, and contrasting, stuff over on RTE. “It tells me confusion,” says Gilesy. “He’s been in the job two and a half years and these are dramatic changes, not just from two years ago, but from two games ago.”

Eamon Dunphy reckons Capello should have played Wayne Rooney up front on his own.

Here are the teams from USA-Algeria, which we’ll also be keeping an eye on.

USA: Howard, Cherundolo, DeMerit, Bornstein, Bocanegra, Bradley, Gomez, Dempsey, Donovan, Edu, Altidore.

Algeria: Mbolhi, Bougherra, Belhadj, Yahia, Halliche, Lacen, Djebbour, Matmour, Ziani, Yebda, Kadir.

“I like it,” says Alan Hansen about the England team line-up. “I can see goals, Al.”

Alan Shearer is also in a cocky/confident mood, founded on the fact that Steven Gerrard will be stationed further forward. That’s what the BBC lads “expect” to happen. If Fabio Capello is the focal point of a massive conspiracy designed to ruin England’s World Cup dream, Gerrard will spend the whole 90 minutes looking sullen and frustrated on the left side of midfield.

Here’s hoping.

Slovenia’s team has now been named. No changes for them from the side which started against the US on Friday. They’ve a really settled line-up – coach Matjaz Kek has made just one change in personnel in the three group games.

Slovenia: Samir Handanovic, Miso Brecko, Marko Suler, Bostjan Cesar, Bojan Jokic, Robert Koren, Aleksander Radosavljevic, Valter Birsa, Andraz Kirm, Zlatan Ljubijankic, Milivoje Novakovic.

There’s been so much talk about England that Slovenia have gone under the radar a bit. So here’s a bit about them.

Striker Milivoje Novakovic scored a hat-trick on his Slovenia debut against Trinidad & Tobago in 2006, contributed five of his side’s 18 goals in qualifying and currently has 16 in 40 internationals.

Valter Birsa, a 23-year-old playmaker who turns out for Auxerre in France, caught our eye against the US. So much that he has been one of our Shop Window picks of the tournament.

1342:

Here’s how it things stand going into this game. An England win puts them through. Anything less effectively means they’re out, as they’re behind the United States on goals scored. There is one unlikely scenario which could see England go through with a draw. If they draw 3-3, say, and the US and Algeria draw 0-0, England would go ahead of the US on goals scored. But that’s not going to happen, so we’ll keep it simple. England need to win.

1326:

I’m sure Sky Sports News are merely trying to be cheerleading-ly, drum-banging-ly, trumpet-blowing-ly positive in their choice of footage, but some of the clips of England fans outside the stadium in Port Elizabeth are hilarious.

“4-0 England,” toots one fan, mystifyingly bereft of any tattoos.

“We’ll win 3-0,” says another, clearly a glass-half-empty type.

1305:

Looks like Collywobbles was right. Milner and Defoe in, Lennon and Heskey out. That’s according to Sky Sports News anyway – no confirmation from FIFA as yet.

What do you think? Is that the team to beat Slovenia? Have your say at shout@joe.ie, by tweeting or at Facebook.

Over on Twitter, Stan Collymore has posted a *CONFIRMED* England team.

He says it’s going to be: James, Johnson, Terry, Upson, Cole, Barry, Milner, Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Defoe.

Just in case you don’t remember how the rags reacted to England’s World Cup draw last December, here’s a reminder:

The lads over at Paddy Power have a knack for knowing how things will turn out.

Which is why they’ve compiled a blow-by-blow account of “England v Slovenia – as it’s going to happen”.

You can read it here.

James Milner: “This game is in our own hands. We’ve just got to concentrate, enjoy our football and play with freedom. It’s hard to get that club unity at international level but it’s growing. We’ve been together for nearly a month and we are now unified.”

Two things on that: (a) England will have plenty of freedom if they don’t win today, and (b) unity? it hasn’t seemed to affect most of the other teams in South Africa.

So Capello reckons England can still reach the final.

From what I’ve seen in this tournament, I’d have my doubts. And I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

Sticking by my original tip for Brazil. They’re still 4/1 with Paddy Power. That looks like value, although there’s always the possibility of a last 16 game against Spain…

So what do people think the England team will be?

Despite John Terry’s ill-advised press conference last weekend, Fabio Capello insists he has never thought about dropping him. But maybe it would have been a different story if one or more of Rio Ferdinand, Ledley King and Jamie Carragher were available.

As it is, it’s going to be Terry and Matthew Upson, with Michael Dawson as the only other central defender in reserve.

There is talk that one or both of James Milner and Jermain Defoe will play today, so Emile Heskey and Aaron Lennon look doomed.

Here’s what some of the papers reckon.

Daily Telegraph: James; Johnson, Upson, Terry, A Cole; Lennon, Lampard, Barry, Gerrard; Rooney, Defoe.

The Guardian: James; Johnson, Upson, Terry, A Cole; Milner, Lampard, Barry, Gerrard; Rooney, Defoe.

The Irish Times: James; Johnson, Terry, Upson, A Cole; Milner, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard; Rooney, Defoe.

Who would you play? Will you be hoping for an England win today? Do you care? Shout and JOE will listen.

Games don’t come much more important than this. After dismal, dire, dreadful displays against the US and Algeria, England must defeat Slovenia to qualify for the last 16. And to think that this group looked the softest of touches when the draw took place last December.

The sides have met just once before, a friendly at Wembley last September when England won 2-1 with goals from Frank Lampard (penalty) and Jermain Defoe.

Can they handle the pressure today? It’ll be a joy finding out.