England Ladies v Austria - World Cup Group 5
Match Report: Friday, April 21 - 2006. Group 5 World Cup Qualifier England Ladies 4 Austria Ladies 0 England: R.Brown, L.Johnson, R.Unitt, K.Chapman, F.White, M.Phillip, K.Carney, F.Williams, A.Barr (J.Handley 59), K.Smith, R.Yankey (S.Smith 84). England Ladies secured another vital three points on the road towards the World Cup finals in China against Austria Ladies at a vociferous Priestfield Stadium. Although the performance was convincing the scoreline did not become so until a late flurry saw three further goals put past the dogged Austrians. Up to that point England only had an own goal to show for 85 minutes of almost total dominance. There was a good atmosphere inside the ground as the game got under way and 8,000 people go much further towards filling the Priestfield Stadium than 12,000 do Ewood Park. There was plenty of encouragement for England and it was evidently going to be a test of nerve as well as ability for the visitors. To be fair to them they certainly passed the test. Despite being under the cosh for long spells they never threw the towel in and battled to the end. England's dominance stemmed from familiar sources. Kelly Smith was immediately prominent as she broke forward at every opportunity. Her pace and strength were an obvious menace but, as always, the opposition knew what to expect and had players around her wherever she went. Behind Smith, Fara Williams instantly commanded the centre of the field and set about dictating the pattern of England's play in her usual tidily efficient, no nonsense style. The first half chance came on ten minutes and fell to Amanda Barr after another foray down the left by Smith. Barr could not get a clean strike on target, however. The Charlton striker would miss a clearer chance later when she blazed high from close range after Karen Carney had challenged for an inswinging corner at the near post. Barr was more impressive in her build up play, however, and contributed in several nice moves resulting in chances for others. She sent in a dangerous cross which was only half cleared to Katie Chapman who fired over from the edge of the area. Then she flicked on a throw in to release Rachel Yankey, Kelly Smith dummied her centre but Williams could only shoot wide as she arrived late into the box. Barr also set the overlapping Lindsay Johnson away but Chapman was again too high from the resulting centre. Karen Carney was next to have a sight of goal, racing onto a long ball out of defence by Mary Phillip. She never had the ball under complete control, however, and Bianca Reischer was able to block with her feet. The next chance was England's best so far. Kelly Smith began the move with a lay off to Rachel Unitt before setting off on a forward run. Unitt fed Fara Williams who slid a magnificent ball through into Smith's path. Smith gained possession just before the keeper, turned back onto her trusty left foot but, with defenders haring back desperately and Yankey calling for a lay off, she then sent a wild shot high over the bar. If that effort had been disappointing, her next was superb. Faced with a difficult bouncing ball and tightly marked Smith turned sharply to send a shot fizzing across the face of goal and just beyond the far post. Another chance was spurned when Carney delivered a deep ball from the left which found Yankey stealing into the six yard box at the far post. Her contact was weak, however, and Reischer had a comfortable save. There was nothing wrong with this performance other than the finishing but with this being a recurrent theme in recent internationals England would have been greatly relieved to be handed the lead on 36 minutes. Yankey whipped in a dangerous free kick which was punched clear for a corner. The same player then sent a similarly dangerous ball arching towards the far post. It only found the Austrian captain Sonja Spieler but, facing her own goal, she chested the ball towards her own goal before lashing it into the roof of the net as she desperately tried to retrieve the situation. Buoyed by the goal England almost struck again right on half time when Fara Williams spun to send a fine effort just too high. It was an uplifting end to what had been becoming a frustrating half. Half Time: England Ladies 1 Austria Ladies 0 The traffic was similarly one way in the second half although England did not create quite so many chances as in the first. Karen Carney had the ball in the net but was pulled up for a handling offence and Kelly Smith tested the keeper from distance with a low drive which was only collected at the second attempt. Nice link up play between Smith and Carney sent the ever eager Johnson surging down the right flank again and her cross reached Williams, increasingly getting forward, but again the effort was high. England then had two efforts smuggled off the goalline by an Austrian team that was defending in ever increasing numbers and depth. Jody Handley, on for Barr, caused panic in the box with a clever turn, and Williams was denied as she tried to force the loose ball home at the far post. Then Rachel Unitt sent two efforts looping across goal from just beyond the far post both of which were scrambled clear. With the clock ticking down and England in command but still holding only a precarious one goal lead the replacement of Rachel Yankey by Sue Smith proved the catalyst for a late avalanche of goals. Almost immediately Kelly Smith emerged from a cluster of opponents along the right bye-line with possession. There was a line of players bearing down on goal but Smith waited for the perfect moment and when Fara Williams cleverly checked her run the Arsenal star picked out the perfect pass and Williams slotted calmly into the bottom corner. With the game finally put to bed England ended with a flourish. First Lindsay Johnson strode forward to send a deep ball from the right straight onto Sue Smith's head lurking beyond the far post. Her header did not require power as it was guided expertly back across the keeper into the wall of the net. Rachel Brown was relieved to see Faye White on hand to lash clear when she spilled Nina Burger's free kick in the last minute in what was just about her only meaningful action of the night. There was still time for another England goal in the dying seconds. White sent a long ball in behind the Austrian defence. An unhappy night for the Austrian captain was capped when Spieler was short with her attempted header back to Reischer and Handley nipped in bravely to slot home as the keeper advanced. A happy conclusion to a night when the result was everything. Despite resevations about the performance it had seemed convincing enough with the lack of a real cutting edge again the only major concern. It is tempting to think that had Eni Aluko been present then this might not have been an issue on this occasion. Hope Powell declared that "Four goals and three points, I'm happy with that." Sentiments we can't really argue with. Full Time: England Ladies 4 Austria Ladies 0 England: R.Brown 6, L.Johnson 8, R.Unitt 8, K.Chapman 7, F.White 7, M.Phillip 7, K.Carney 7, F.Williams 9, A.Barr 6 (J.Handley 7), K.Smith 9, R.Yankey 8. Star Player: Fara Williams Football England favourite Fara was outstanding yet again in the engine room. She also got herself into goalscoring positions consistently and made the most of the space offered by the Austrians' obsession with Kelly Smith. She's quality.
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