June 22nd

Change of Scene As England Fails to Secure

England, whose nomination to the Favourites has been immencely higher, since they showed a splendid game control during the match against Tunisia earlier in the tournament, was beaten by Romania who displayed significantly cunning and clever tactic at Municipal,Toulouse.

Disturbing such swift and confident passing game of England with early challenges, Romanians brought out a very aggressiveness, against all odds, even an old-hand Gheorghe Hagi himself acted much strongly at defence.

This moved Glenn Hoddle, the England manager, to send his Prince David Beckham as the ultimate SPICE to change the atomosphere, which gradually became favourable to English side, though the first half never saw a goal.

Romania, after leading with the goal by Viorel Moldovan on the pass from Hagi right in front of David Seaman, withdrew to concentrate on defence so to be prearranged. However, once, England found their fortune in the late appearence of Michael Owen, who soon marked the longing-waiting equalizer when he finished superbly the fast cross from Alan Shearer who's been caught a nice vision by Beckham. Then, joyful England with their boy-hero's luck went down to the ground once again, as Dan Petrescu scored the winner beating his Chelsea teammate Graeme Le Saux.

England now see the chance to go through to the second round on the match against Colombia, who beat Tunisia earlier at Montpellier with the precious goal by Leider Preciado.

Scorers

[C] Preciado:83min.

Cabrera

Bermudez

Palacios

Santa

Thabet(Ghodbane:76min.)

Chouchane

S.Trabelsi

Clayton

Serna(Bolano:66min.)

Lozano

Valderrama(Capt.)

Rincon(Preciado:56min.)

Chihi

Baya(Ben Ahmed:74min.)

Souayah

Bouazizi

De Avila

Valencia(Aristizabal:56min.)

Ben Slimane

Sellimi(Ben Younes:69min.)

Scorers

[R] Moldovan:47min., Petrescu:86min.

[E] Owen:79min.

Ciobotariu

Galca

Filipescu

Gheorghe Popescu

G.Neville

Adams

Campbell

Petrescu

Gabriel Popescu

Hagi(Capt.)(Stanga:73min.→Marinescu:84min.)

Munteanu

Anderton

Batty

Ince(Beckham:33min.)

Scholes

Le Saux

Moldovan(Lacatus:87min.)

Ilie

Shearer(Capt.)

Sheringham(Owen:73min.)