Germany 0 England 1
Captain Alan Shearer scored the only goal of the game this evening as England kept alive their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of Euro2000 by beating arch-rivals Germany 1-0 in Charleroi. It was the first time England had beaten Germany in a competitive fixture since their famous win in the 1966 World Cup final.
Shearer's goal was scored in the 53rd minute of a highly-competitive and bruising game played mostly at a frantic pace with little grace or beauty about it. The goal was made by David Beckham, who also produced the passes for both of England's goals in their opening defeat by Portugal. He won a free-kick on the right, took it himself and delivered a deep swinging cross which eluded a packed goalmouth, bounced once and was headed in by Shearer with an effort across goal from the far post.
Beckham had been cautioned earlier for a retaliatory foul on Ulf Kirsten, but he blossomed as the England team did in the second half when they showed they had learned how to protect a lead, having let a two-goals advantage slip away against Portugal. But England lived dangerously and Germany went close to equalising several times in the second half, notably after 65 minutes when both Kirsten and Carsten Jancker failed to find the net from close range following a corner on the right. England goalkeeper David Seaman blocked the first shot, from Kirsten, but Jancker wasted the rebound by screwing his shot wide.
Jancker also had a volley on the turn which flew high over earlier in the half and remained a great physical threat throughout the game. England, needing to avoid defeat to keep alive their hopes of qualification, had struggled to stay in the game for spells in the first half when Germany's more fluent 3-5-2 formation, against England's rather static 4-4-2, put them on top. But despite enjoying 65 per cent of the possession Germany were also frustrated although they managed two shots, from Mehmet Scholl and Christian Ziege, which were saved comfortably before, against the run of play, Michael Owen almost headed England into the lead after 36 minutes. The 20-year-old striker jumped to meet a cross from Phil Neville and force a diving save from Oliver Kahn who pushed the ball away at the foot of his left post. Owen was later substituted as England packed their midfield in a bid to hold their lead and claim victory.
Reuters
