Lion’s heart

Those Greeks gave us some hard time… but England starts with a win

It is the “Mundialito” and every national team wants to win. It was a tough start for England but we managed to pull it through with a hat trick from Wright Phillips and a victory that came directly from the player’s heart.

Mundialito Oporto Indoor (1st round – group C)

June 8th of 2014, 20 hours

England, 5

Greece, 4

At Oporto indoor Games

England – Daniel Banks; Tony Lampard, Nuno Ferdinand [C], Sergio Wright Phillips (3); Pedro Beckham (1).

From the bench: Leandro Lineker, Hugo Walcott (1), Ricardo Rooney.

Coach: Tózé Robson

Mid-term: 1-3

Score: 0-2; 1-2; 1-3; 5-3; 5-4

The Greek team started better, having more ball and scoring earlier in the game by Karagounis. In fact it didn’t take much time for Mitroglou to score the second…

With a two nil disadvantage, the British players had to react. Beckham took the ball though the middle and passed it to Lampard, who immediately served Wright Phillips for the first English goal in the tournament.

Before the break, Samaras made the 3-1.

On the second half the “lads” showed much more heart and will to change the result, as the Greeks, on the other hand, appeared to be softer, fully believing the victory wouldn’t escape. That was a tragic mistake…

England started play more in the opponents half of the field. After a corner, Lampard found Wright Phillips in the goal area. The striker made a fantastic goal, with the defender in his back, by turning around and finding space for the shot.

Hope was now on the Englishmen’s eyes and short after that, the joy burst again when Beckham went in a one on one with the opponent, passed the ball through his legs and retrieved it on the other side, to shoot the keeper without mercy.

After the tie the Greeks could not believe it, but the greater shock was still to come. Again, Wright Phillips made the difference by holding the ball a few seconds, just to deliver it to Walcott that came on running and shot strong. The ball found the net and England was in command for the first time.

Phillips was not satisfied though. He had to make a third goal and he did, after stealing the ball two times to different opponents. 5-3, outstanding!

Until the end England stood up stoically. Lineker could have made the sixth but the keeper got the best of him. Eventually Samaras scored the fourth to Greece, but the English ended up the game with a bigger smile on their faces.

It’s a valuable win for Robson’s boys, who show a lot of guts, courage and faith. Next comes Brazil that defeated the Netherlands, but the Lions heart is pumping hard.

Star of the match

Sergio Wright Phillips – 8

What an amazing player, isn’t it?

Wright Phillips made a hat-trick that pushed the team to victory. He ran and he fought and he left it all in the field, but as a great player, was humble enough to ask for replacement twice, to further help the team. A true example for the youngsters.

The other members

Banks, Ferdinand, Walcott & Rooney – 6

Lampard, Beckham & Lineker – 7