August 18, 2005

England, U.S., Zidane and Kanoute

ENGLAND HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME
England were humiliated 4-1 by Denmark in a friendly Wednesday, their worst result in 25 years. A goalless first half pointed the way to another ho-hum, effective England display but the Danes blitzed in the second, scoring the goals in a stunning six minute spell. Goalkeeper David James, a halftime substitution, was completely at fault for the first goal and hardly covered himself in glory during the remaining three strikes. After a display like that, and at age 35, this will have most likely been the last time the world sees James in an England shirt. Wayne Rooney, a lone bright spot for England, grabbed a late, meaningless consolation goal. England, recently tipped as favorites for the World Cup, must now wake from their rose-tinted slumber and realize that even being at Germany next summer is not a given; they currently lie second behind Poland in their qualifying group. Wake up, Sven!

U.S., MEXICO JUST ABOUT BOOK THEIR PLACES FOR GERMANY
Mexico and the U.S. all but officially sealed their passage to Germany 2006 with wins over Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago respectively. Jared Borgetti, soon to become the first Mexican to ever grace the English Premiership, and Francisco Fonseca, soon to be featured in the pages of 90:00, grabbed the goals in Mexico’s 2-0 win. Borgetti’s strike made him the all-time Mexican goalscorer as well. If you were late, you missed the only goal in the U.S.’s 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago; Brian McBride’s second minute strike was all that was required for Bruce Arena and co. Elsewhere in CONCACAF, Guatemala got their World Cup campaign back on the right track with a 2-1 win over Panama, courtesy of a last-gasp winner from Gonzalo Romero. The fight is still very much on for the remaining automatic and playoff spots in CONCACAF.

ZIDANE’’S TRIUMPHANT RETURN
Zinedine Zidane capped off his return to the French National Team with the second goal in a 3-0 win over the Ivory Coast. Thierry Henry and William Gallas also scored as les bleus played their best game in months. Still, the match was only a friendly and a real do-or-die qualifier remains with the Republic of Ireland next month in Dublin. An uninspired France has struggled in a tougher-than-expected qualifying group, and the nation is pinning its hopes on qualifying for Germany 2006 on Zidane’s talismanic effect on the side. Zidane reversed his international retirement after claiming a spirit came to him in the middle of the night and told him to do so. He has since claimed it was actually one of his brothers.

KANOUTE OFF TO SPAIN
Fredi Kanoute has left Tottenham Hotspur and the English Premiership for the sunnier climes of Spain and La Liga. Kanoute moved to Sevilla in a deal worth $9 million. Sevilla are in need of a striker after Julio Baptista’s move to Real Madrid earlier this month, and Kanoute had seemingly slipped down the pecking order at Spurs, opening up the idea of a switch. Kanoute, who was born in France but represents Mali internationally, scored some wonder goals in his time in at White Hart Lane, but was often criticized for inconsistency. The deal gives Tottenham some cash and a hole to fill at the forward position; Michael Owen, anyone?

Edward Knowles, International Editor, 90:00™