England 2 United States 0:IT TURNED out the public could tolerate just one game more in this long season. So loud was the happiness late in the evening it could have been mistaken for the chirpiness of late July. A booking for Wayne Rooney nearly went unnoticed. England may not have been scintillating but there was a keenness in a starting line-up that contained seven men who could have been jaded after the Champions League final.
One of them found relief in scoring the opener. John Terry, who had also notched the first goal at the new Wembley, must have found the place therapeutic after the events at the Luzhniki Stadium last week.
The United States were durable in open play for a while, and it took a David Beckham free-kick to demonstrate their weaknesses with an opening goal seven minutes from half-time. Ricardo Clark fouled Wes Brown and the former England captain flighted the set-piece towards the man who wore the armband last night. Terry leapt to head it low into the corner of the net. Joy mingled with relief that he was once more imposing his mighty willpower. A match such as this had not, on the face of it, offered too many occasions in which to show he should lead England, but Terry had come up with a way to make a case for himself.
With Jermain Defoe favoured initially, Dean Ashton was left to wait a little longer for his debut. At least he would not have suffered from loneliness. With the first XI picked, Fabio Capello named all 18 remaining members of the squad as substitutes. The decision implied this period is all about forming a group mentality, with this friendly and Sunday's against Trinidad Tobago of secondary interest.
Landon Donovan, at 26, would have collected his 100th US cap here had it not been for a groin strain. Instead there was a presentation to the 33-year-old Beckham, who had reached that landmark in Paris two years ago.
The visitors faltered before the interval because they were innocuous in attack. While England were far from lethal, they did strive to show the sort of dynamism Capello is seeking. Steven Gerrard, from a starting position on the left, relished a task that was almost that of a winger. Rooney found the Liverpool captain after 34 minutes and Defoe ought not to have missed the target from Gerrard's cut-back.
England, sporadically, looked capable of breaking free and Rooney had burst into one particularly forthright run when the visitors lost possession carelessly. There were indications, too, of lessons absorbed on the training ground. Gerrard made a clever run to connect with a low free-kick from Beckham, but his effort was headed away by the Fulham player Clint Dempsey.
David Bentley, may be leaving Blackburn Rovers for a bigger and richer club, came on for Beckham at the start of the second half but he faced quite some task to show he can upset defences as the man he replaced does even in this stage of his career.
Gerrard showed surprising liveliness. It felt natural the Liverpool captain should extend the lead. That quality of the goal, in the 59h minute, though, would not have been anticipated.
Gareth Barry, who had just come on for Owen Hargreaves, took a pass from Defoe and hit a studied ball into the inside-right channel. Gerrard was equally composed with the finish that he rolled across the substitute goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Defoe, too, deserved credit for his involvement and there had previously been smart control when he took a cross from Ashely Cole and forced Guzan to a save.
Friendlies are sensibly regarded as a necessary evil but some good came out of this one. In purpose and organisation, this was the best showing under Capello so far.
ENGLAND (4-4-2): James; Brown (Johnson, 57 mins), Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole (Bridge, 83 mins); Beckham (Bentley, half-time), Hargeaves, Lampard (Barry, 57 mins), Gerrard; Rooney (J Cole, 79 mins), Defoe (Crouch, 69 mins). Subs not used: Hart, Warnock, Woodgate, Jagielka, Wheater, Walcott, Huddlestone, Downing, Young, Ashton, Agbonlahor, Lewis.
UNITED STATES (4-4-2): Howard (Guzan, half-time); Cherundoloe (Hejduk, half-time), Onyewu, Bocanegra, Pearce; Dempsey, Clark (Edu, 79 mins), Bradley, Beasley (Lewis, 68 mins); Johnson (Jaqua, 89 mins) Wolff (Adu, 68 mins). Sub not used: Califf.
Referee: K Vassaras (Greece)
