England Ladies v Hungary - Match Report
Match Report: Friday, May 12 2006 England Ladies 2 Hungary Ladies 0 England: R.Brown, L.Johnson (C.Stoney 69), R.Unitt, A.Asante, F.White, M.Phiilip, K.Carney (A.Scott 57), J.Potter, J.Handley (L.Sanderson 53), V.Exley, S.Smith. Anyone expecting a repeat of the thirteen goal drubbing England handed out to Hungary in the away fixture last year would have been very disappointed as England struggled to break down a packed defence. Eventually goals at the end of both halves were all that England could muster. It remained a satisfactory performance, however. It was never likely to be another double figure score. Hungary have responded to their earlier mauling by employing a rigidly defensive gameplan and they deserve credit for sticking to it so resolutely last night in the face of almost constant pressure. Hope Powell had hardly picked a side to tear Hungary apart. Kelly Smith, Rachel Yankey and Eni Aluko all sat this one out while Fara Williams was suspended. The difference these players can make is immeasurable. While capable players are there to take their places it is impossible to replicate the influence of someone like Smith. And while Aluko is not yet a proven international goalscorer she remains England's one really sharp poacher. The night could have been a whole lot different if England had been awarded a penalty in the fourth minute. Jody Handley was clipped having just nicked the ball away from a defender but ther referee did not see fit to give a decision. It was probably the fact that the ball was heading for safety that influenced the official. Melinda Szvorda, more anxious than anyone to prevent a repeat of the first game, passed her first test when she tipped a 30 yard Vicky Exley free kick over the bar. Then Sue Smith set off on a twinkling run which took her into a decent position but her shot flew wide at the near post. Chances were hardly commonplace, however. Both wide players looked lively but there was little support from midfield. Anita Asante seldom stirs herself from her holding duties and Exley was struggling to link up with those around her. Most impressive of the midfield trio was Jo Potter who had been drafted inside from the wing and was doing a passable impersonation of Fara Williams, quick into the tackle and knitting play together with neat passes. The pony tail is similar too. Clear sights of goal were becoming rarer as Hungary defended deeper than any side I have ever seen before. They defended in numbers as well, denying England space in the final third to good effect. When a chance did threaten to appear Sue Smith was cynically taken out as she ghosted past a defender following another good challenge by Potter to gain possession. Suddenly Hungary ventured forward to test Rachel Brown. Anett Nagy's hooked effort across goal was the best attempt so far and Brown had to be sharp to save diving to her left. 38 minutes had gone. Within a minute, however, England finally had the lead. A silly foul on Karen Carney by Eva Sumegi gave England a set piece twenty yards out and Exley stepped forward to curl a shot around the wall into the bottom corner. It was Szvorda's side of the goal but she seemed to be anticipating a shot to the other side. Buoyed by the goal England threatened again almost immediately. Karen Carney whipped in a wonderful ball with her left foot from the right hand side which was begging to be put away. Rachel Unitt was the player going in on it and it was difficult to tell if either she or the keeper, or perhaps even both, got a touch as the ball curled against the far post and bounced clear. So an increasingly frustrating half ended on a high note and England were half way to three more vital qualifying points. Half Time: England Ladies 1 Hungary Ladies 0 England should have increased their lead immediately after the restart. Sue Smith whipped in a dangerous corner to the far post which Unitt headed back across goal when an attempt at goal would have been a better option and when the ball made its way back to Smith she put in an even better centre which Faye White somehow managed to head over from the jaws of goal. Then Szvorda could not hold a drive from Carney which was straight at her but dived bravely to block from Handley on the rebound. With 53 minutes gone Handley made way for Lianne Sanderson as the exciting Arsenal youngster was given her first taste of senior international football. Shortly afterwards Alex Scott replaced Carney down the right hand side. Both substitutes would impress. Although Hungary were still generally refusing to commit any players forward their play was becoming more assured across the midfield and Nagy was becoming increasingly prominent, looking a fine player in the process. On one rare foray forward down the England left the Hungarians were able to exploit Lindsay Johnson, temporarily on her weaker side, but the final shot was weakly off target. Soon afterwards the substitutes enjoyed their first meaningful action. Sanderson released Scott down the right with a typically incisive ball on the turn and when the wingers centre was cut out at the near post it came out for Johnson to drive in an effort which flew wide of the near post. Then Scott was brought down along the side of the box and Sanderson headed over from Sue Smith's free kick. She probably felt she could have done better. On the hour mark the Hungarians produced their best attack of the game. Anita Asante was robbed in midfield, not for the last time, and Nagy broke quickly and with purpose to slip a deadly ball behind Unitt for Eglis Czuder to run onto. Czuder sent a testing low shot across Brown but the England keeper fingertipped behind at full stretch. It was hardly the busiest of nights for the England defence but the performance of Mary Phillip should not be underestimated. While some of her colleagues allowed a degree of sloppiness to creep into their game Phillip was a model of efficiency, never turned or beaten for pace, she consistently won the ball back for England and kept them going forward. She came higher up the pitch than normal to press and win possession and England almost profited as Scott centred for Sanderson who could only head tamely at the keeper with Exley better placed behind her. Sanderson's next contribution was more uplifting, however. Receiving on her chest from a Unitt throw in Sanderson turned back onto her right foot to send a stunning drive crashing down from the underside of the bar from the angle of the box. The rebound looked a certainty for England but Asante and Scott perhaps confused each other and Szvorda was able to tip Scott's effort away. It looked as though the keeper had just about got a touch to Sanderson's original effort as well. If so it was a fantastic save. It was an exhilarating piece of play and surely signals the start of an important international career. Nagy again created a moment of danger as she slipped beyond Unitt with some comfort to send a wicked centre across goal. Faye White was strong in heading clear, however. Casey Stoney did not waste any time in making an impact after replacing Johnson, sending over a fine cross which Smith laid back into Jo Potter's path and she unleashed a ferocious drive which ripped past the post and cannoned back against the outside of the netting from the back stantion. There are probably still some little girls across the south of England who think it was a goal. It certainly deserved to be. Stoney and Sanderson then combined well to give Scott another crossing opportunity and it took a flying header at the near post to avert danger. From another inswinging Sue Smith corner White was comfortably above the keeper but again could not keep her header down. As the second goal still obstinately refused to arrive the night became increasingly tense although the Hungarians now looked too tired to mount any kind of attack. There was a hint of fatigue as the visitors allowed Smith to slalom into the box but her centre eluded everyone as it flashed across goal. Jo Potter then sent another long range effort skimming wide. How the Hungarian goal was surviving Smith's inswinging corners was anyones guess. Another wicked delivery saw Szvorda paw clear from under her own crossbar and then Stoney poked against the outside of the far post through a forest of defenders. Szvorda could take a lot of satisfaction from her performance. She was yet another goalie on the small side but she had been extremely brave in dealing with the aerial assault and displayed a real spring in getting to the high stuff. There was more bedlam in the Hungarian penalty area when Rachel Unitt drove a ball into the centre but again it was eventually scrambled clear. This was one of the rare occasions Unitt was able to get forward to any effect on the night. Jo Potter was down with cramp one moment then turning onto a Phillip pass the next. Unfortunately her shot was sliced wide of the near post. Casey Stoney and Alex Scott combined patiently down the right for Scott to put over one of England's few errant centres. It almost worked to England's advantage but the ball dropped onto the top of the bar with Szvorda struggling. Then there was a nasty moment when Czuder went down in agony as Unitt strolled upfield in possession. There was no-one near the Hungarian who appeared to have caught her studs in the turf and gone over. It was a stretcher case and an unfortunate end for one of the more impressive visitors. With it seeming inevitable that England would now have to settle for a single goal victory the second finally arrived in injury time. It was a fine goal too. Sanderson started the move with a clever back heel into the path of Sue Smith. Smith jinked to the goalline to send over a magnificent cross to the far post where Alex Scott kept her composure to plant a strong header into the bottom corner. Scott then indulged in a frenzied little jig of celebration and why not? Scoring for England is exciting. This goal was important for everybody. It allowed the crowd to go home on a high and gave a more realistic look to the scoreline. Although England had not exactly set the world on fire the performance had been generally pretty good and with a little luck they would have scored four or five. The worry does remain the lack of a natural goalscorer, however. Lianne Sanderson was excellent after her arrival but I am not sure she is an out and out striker, she is more of a provider who chips in with her fair share. One way or another she is certain to play a huge part in England's future, however. Full Time: England Ladies 2 Hungary Ladies 0 England: R.Brown 8, L.Johnson 6 (C.Stoney 7), R.Unitt 5, A.Asante 5, F.White 6, M.Phillip 8, K.Carney 6 (A.Scott 8), V.Exley 6, J.Handley 6 (L.Sanderson 8), J.Potter 7, S.Smith 8. Star Player: Sue Smith I can't really give it Mary Phillip against a side so reluctant to attack although I thought she had an inspiring game. Up front Smith was probably the pick. She was bright, energetic, made several dancing runs and the quality of her centres was consistently excellent. She was rewarded with the assist for the second goal.
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