November 12 – Don’t Call it a Comeback

EVERY so often England come up with a performance that will get the nation believing again and the ‘we’re going to win the World Cup’ bandwagon starts again. Today in 2005 a battling display from Sven’s men saw England dramatically down World Cup favourites Argentina 3-2.

Whereas most England friendlies are a labourious affiar, clashes between these two have always had an edge, ever since Sir Alf told the world what he really thought of Antonio Ratin in 1966. Oh and that little disagreement over the Falklands at the start of the 1980s and a certain handball didn’t help diplomatic relations either.

A month earlier both sides had qualified for the 2006 World Cup so took to Geneva for the clash, both sending out full-strength teams.

Argentina were first out of the blocks when Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo put the Albicelestes in front, but a Wayne Rooney equaliser meant the sides went in level at the break. Walter ‘The Wall’ Samuel put the Argies in front at the start of the second half and as the match went on it looked like another frustrating English defeat.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man though. Michael Owen, who knows a thing or two about scoring against Argentina, nodded in an 87th minute header from a Steven Gerrard cross and in injury time the striker bagged the winner, when he headed in Joe Cole’s floated pass.

England had won their second consecutive match against one of their bitterest enemies following their Word Cup 2002 win in Sapporo and the press and public alike then proceeded to get far too over-excited about the Three Lions’ chances in the next summer’s World Cup.

Needless to say, metatarsals and penalties conspired against England in Germany the following summer as it was a case of same old. See the pulsating climax of the game below and see what else was happening today here. We’ll be back tomorrow for a look down at the non-leagues so don’t go changing.