Walcott stunner slienced Zagreb

Croatia needs only four minutes to test David James in the England goal. After a decent spell of possession, Pranjic tried his luck from range but the Portsmouth goalkeeper saved comfortably after a slight fumble.

However, Croatia grew into the game quickly and caused England early problems. Luka Modric was being given far too much space in midfield and the visitors looked vulnerable whenever anyone ran directly at the defence.

Yet despite the home side’s brighter start, it was the visitors who took the lead. Rio Ferdinand brought the ball out of defence and found Rooney who attempted to play in Joe Cole.

Rooney’s attempted through ball instead fell to Pranjic, whose rushed clearance hit Kovac and the ball rebounded to Walcott in the area. The Arsenal teenager, full of composure, struck a fine finish, slipping the ball past the goalkeeper and into the bottom left hand corner to hand Capello’s side the lead.

Within minutes of the second-half matters got even worse for the home side. An aerial challenge between Joe Cole and Robert Kovac left the Chelsea midfielder with a bloodied head and the Croatian with a red card, the referee adjudging Kovac to have led with his elbow.

Less than ten minutes later and the visitors inflicted even more damage on the home side. Heskey laid the ball off to Rooney on the edge of the area and the Manchester United man slipped a cute ball through to Walcott inside the area.

The Arsenal youngster, in an identical position to his first goal, found another superb finish, firing the ball across the goalkeeper and low into the bottom corner to double England’s lead.

Minutes later and England’s joy was unconfined. Ashley Cole and Jermaine Jenas combined well on the left and the Tottenham midfielder’s cross found Rooney in the centre of the area, who finished confidently to give the visitors a three goal cushion and finish the match as a contest.

Yet Croatia did manage to pull one goal back. A high challenge on Terry on the half way line was waved away by the referee allowing Srna to run free and cross the ball to Mandzukic who eased the ball past James to grab a consolation for the home side.

It was to prove a mere consolation though and almost immediately afterwards Walcott had his hat trick. A superb through ball from Rooney again found Walcott running through on the flank and an exquisite finish gave the Arsenal man his third goal and the perfect way to top off an excellent evening for Capello’s men.

simply stunning!!!

Croatia 1
England 4
(0-1)

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