- guardian.co.uk, Saturday October 11 2008 00.01 BST
- The Guardian, Saturday October 11 2008
Gabriel Agbonlahor scores England's winning goal at Ninian Park. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
If England reach next summer's European Championship it is difficult to believe Stuart Pearce's side will face a more demanding test in the tournament than the one Wales provided last night. Gabriel Agbonlahor's 62nd-minute backheel means England start Tuesday night's second leg at Villa Park in command but no one in Pearce's squad will be taking progress to Sweden for granted after Wales produced a performance full of conviction.
Pearce had insisted there would be no complacency but Wales's dominance early on suggested England had underestimated their opponents. Not until after the interval did Pearce's players begin to control proceedings and even then it seemed that it was the visitors' strength and stamina, rather than any aesthetic qualities, which swung the pendulum back in their favour. It was, all the same, a wonderful piece of skill from Agbonlahor which divided the teams.
Brian Flynn, the Wales manager, was entitled to feel aggrieved that a foul went unpunished in the build-up, Tom Huddlestone appearing to raise his boot in a challenge with Rhoys Wiggins before Mark Noble scampered clear. What followed could only be admired, however, as Agbonlahor brilliantly steered Noble's cross beyond Owain Fon Williams to nudge England ahead.
Relief was the overriding emotion in the England camp after a pulsating encounter in which there was little evidence of the huge disparity in experience between the two sides. "The tie is not dead. Some of the words said in the dressing room will leave the players in no doubt we have got work to do," said Pearce, whose starting XI all belonged to Premier League clubs, compared with only two players in the Wales side. "We have had a big wake-up call tonight."
The alarm bells were ringing before Wales took the lead as Flynn's side started with such confidence that England barely touched the ball in the opening 15 minutes. Indeed there was no surprise when the breakthrough arrived, Simon Church confidently scoring the first of his two goals after Michael Mancienne's clearance ricocheted off Steven Taylor and into the part of the striker.
It was an unnecessary goal and the same could be said for England's equaliser five minutes later. David Wheater climbed highest to head James Milner's corner towards the bottom corner but Wiggins should have cleared on the goalline. Ten minutes before half-time Pearce's side went ahead when Adam Johnson cut inside Neal Ardley and curled a sublime shot inside the far post. Wales were on the back foot for the first time but their response was impressive as the irrepressible Aaron Ramsey released Church to shoot past Joe Hart.
The interval provided an opportunity to pause for breath before England seized the initiative when Agbonlahor, who had controversially gone missing before the European Championship two years ago, proved he is at least capable of arriving in the six-yard box on time.
"I was hoping the headline would be 'Our prayers are answered by Church'," said Flynn. "But we are capable of scoring twice at Villa Park." That much is clear.
