26/03/2006, England Ladies 0 France 0, World Cup Qualifier, Match Report

Sunday, March 26

Group 5 World Cup Qualifier
England Ladies 0 France Ladies 0

England: R.Brown, C.Stoney, R.Unitt, A.Asante (V.Exley 87), K.Chapman, M.Phillip, K.Carney, F.Williams, E.Aluko (A.Scott 75), K.Smith, R.Yankey.

England Ladies will have been happy to have collected a point against their main rivals in Group 5 after a lacklustre display at Ewood Park. The second half in particular saw France threaten to inflict a defeat that would have seriously damaged our qualification prospects. The draw leaves England in control of their own destiny but with little margin for error.

The tone for the entire match was set from the start as England looked nervous and tentative in their passing.

Twelve minutes had passed before the home side mustered any kind of threat and they were then denied by a suspect offside decision after Kelly Smith had combined with Karen Carney.

France were less wasteful with possession in the early stages but at least the England defence was looking in good working order. Katie Chapman, deputising for the suspended Faye White, was prominent whenever danger threatened, keen in the tackle and dominant in the air. Casey Stoney was similarly re-assuring at right back.

England began to improve after their sluggish start as Fara Williams began to take charge in midfield. Showing good control and spraying passes to the flanks with either foot Williams was the inspiration behind England's best spell of the game.

With Kelly Smith invariably surrounded by eager challengers in the midfield areas, however, Eni Aluko cut an isolated figure up front and the home side found it difficult to engineer chances despite their better possession.

Williams tested Sarah Bouhaddi with a free kick from distance but there was little danger.

Karen Carney was looking livelier than her fellow winger Rachel Yankey but she too was starved of possession until switching flanks and moving to the left. Then she almost broke through twice in quick succession.

Kelly Smith and Rachel Unitt supplied the passes but despite getting behind her full back cover was on hand on both occasions to deny Carney a shooting opportunity.

On the half hour Carney had England's first real chance when she sent a flicked header over the bar from Yankey's right wing free kick. It was still no more than a half chance, however.

Kelly Smith was striving to influence proceedings with her surging runs and escaped her minders to send a shot well over from just outside the area.

Eni Aluko gave a glimpse of her ability when quick feet allowed her a yard of space inside the box. From an angle her low shot did not unduly trouble Bouhaddi, however.

Rachel Yankey was having a quiet night and when a chance did come her way she snatched at the shot and it bobbled wide of the post. Shortly afterwards she showed little conviction at the far post after a good move involving Smith and Aluko.

Smith's most incisive burst saw space open up outside the area but the tried to play in a colleague rather than shoot herself and the move fizzled out disappointingly.

As half time approached the French enjoyed a spell of pressure which should have seen them take the lead.

Rachel Brown had to be alert to boot clear just outside the area before a hopeful shot from the right flashed a little too close to the far post for comfort.

Right on half time Katie Chapman made her first mistake of the night as she was hopelessly short with an attempted header back to Brown. Hoda Lattaf was clear but her early shot drifted wide of Brown's left hand post, much to the relief of the home side.

Half Time: England Ladies 0 France Ladies 0

The second half saw England's threat become even more sporadic as France took increasing control. More and more questions were asked of the England rearguard and each member in turn had individual tests to pass. Fortunately they were up to the challenge although it was a close run thing on a couple of occasions.

Chapman and Stoney continued to look the most assured although Chapman did allow Laetitia Tonazzi a sight of goal. The strikers attempted lob was poor, however.

Mary Phillip was also being called into action more consistently and her experience was well in evidence as she mopped up any loose ends behind Chapman.

Rachel Unitt's slightly ponderous turning circle was exposed a couple of times but in general the left back's expert positioning kept her in control.

The increasing French pressure began to ask questions of Rachel Brown in goal and although the England keeper excelled in keeping her side level she was indebted to a feeble official to spare her blushes when she made her one error of judgement.

Brown made the save of the game when she managed to turn a solid back post header from Marinette Pichon onto the post. The desperate nature of the save was highlighted by the fact that Brown hurt herself as she collided with the post in the act of saving. A botched clearance by Phillip almost undid the keepers good work but England survived after a goalmouth scramble.

Brown also had to deal with a dangerous cross shot to her right which she managed to divert away from an onrushing forward.

When the England keeper then came to the edge of her area to collect a through ball which refused to carry, however, she rashly grabbed the ball outside her box. It was a clear handling offence which should really have resulted in a red card. Fortunately for England the perfectly positioned lineswoman did not fancy making the call and allowed the incident to pass.

The closest England had come during the second period had been a deep Casey Stoney centre which dropped onto the roof of the net. Stoney also whipped a low ball into the edge of the area which Kelly Smith reached at full stretch but could not direct on target. In truth this had not even been a half chance.

With fifteen minutes remaining Hope Powell made the bizarre decision to replace Aluko with Alex Scott, an occasional winger more frequently found at full back.

How Scott could reasonably be expected to make an impact where Aluko had struggled is unclear. Despite her game running Scott was predictably anonymous.

Rachel Brown gave everyone a scare as she fumbled a left wing centre before gathering at the second attempt. She deserved credit shortly afterwards when she dealt with a more dangerous centre in the same manner, however.

Hope Powell finally replaced the ineffective Anita Asante with just five minutes remaining to give Vicky Exley a taste of the action. Asante had laboured behind Williams and Smith as France increasingly dictated the midfield areas.

Fara Williams offered England's last attempt, trying her luck from 25 yards as a Rachel Unitt throw in bounced across her path. The effort dipped but not enough to trouble the keeper.

There was a moments danger at the other end as the England defence stopped for an offside decision which allowed a French runner from midfield to chase through and threaten. Rachel Brown was alert to the danger, however, and raced out to clear.

Nil apiece was a fitting scoreline in a game of few chances. Defences had generally been in control throughout and nobody was ever really able to dominate to any significant degree in midfield.

England certainly cannot complain after failing to create one clear cut opening in the entire game.

Full Time: England Ladies 0 France Ladies 0

Brown 7, Stoney 8, Unitt 6, Asante 4, Chapman 8, Phillip 7, Carney 7, Williams 7, Aluko 6 (Scott 4), Smith 7, Yankey 4.

Star Player: Katie Chapman

Despite a couple of lapses Chapman was a dominant figure throughout in her role as deputy centre half. Particularly impressive in the air Chapman also showed good pace and a liking for a tackle. She was badly missed in midfield, however.