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Turkey U21 0 -v- 6 England U21
England Under-21 captain Frank Lampard produced a virtuoso performance in a 6-0 win over Turkey to keep the dream of European U21 Championship glory alive. Lampard scored the 28th-minute opener and set up two other goals in a one-sided rout as the West Ham star gave England coach Kevin Keegan a telling reminder he should instead have been included in the Euro 2000 squad. The 21-year-old midfielder was placed on stand-by after Keegan had named his initial 28 for the tournament, with Steven Gerrard given the nod ahead of Lampard. But despite injuries to Jamie Redknapp and Liverpool team-mate Gerrard, Lampard looks almost certain to miss out, with Keegan naming his final 22 on Thursday. Lampard showed Keegan just what he will be missing as he led by example from first whistle to last in a match played in an eerily deserted stadium. For a game which had attracted so much attention by UEFA and the local authorities, events leading up to the match could not have been more low key. The murders of two Leeds fans ahead of the UEFA Cup semi-final in Istanbul and the violence in Copenhagen prior to the final between Arsenal and Galatasaray had led to strict security measures being taken. Following meetings between Interpol, the British and Turkish embassies, five coaches of armed police had been drafted in as well as two armoured vehicles, including a water cannon. But the police presence inside and outside the ground vastly outnumbered the sparse crowd in the 32,000-capacity Tehelne Pole stadium, home to Slovan Bratislava. More than 5,000 supporters were initially anticipated, while committee spokesman Karol Guman had openly spoken of his fears of trouble both in the town and the stadium. But in somewhat comical contrast, with barely 200 fans dotted around the barren ground, a policeman forced a Turkish supporter to remove his country's flag from the railings just ahead of kick-off. At one end there were 47 police for just 24 fans, while the atmosphere even bordered on that for a non-League reserve clash. But at least England were determined not to let the sterile conditions affect them, with skipper Lampard rekindling his side's tournament hopes after an opening Group B defeat to Italy. Lampard had all bar one of England's chances in the opening 45 minutes, with the first after just 90 seconds as he played his part in a flowing move which culminated in a right-foot shot and a smart save from Metin Aktas. But Lampard was not to be denied and in the 28th minute he gave England a deserved lead by heading home a Seth Johnson corner for his ninth goal in 18 under-21 appearances. Lampard could then have had a hat-trick as Danny Mills and Francis Jeffers were the supply line for two further headers in the next six minutes, but the first was wide and the second forced another good stop from Aktas. But then on the stroke of half-time it was Lampard's bravery in winning a tackle in his own area which allowed him to set up the second goal. A surging run forward was followed by a 30-yard pass for Jeffers to chase, and after Aktas had committed himself outside his area the 19-year-old showed his composure in curling home his second England goal from 25 yards, ending a drought which had lasted since Boxing Day. A piercing 68th-minute cross from the right wing allowed Wimbledon's Carl Cort to glance home his eighth goal at under-21 level and his first for club or country since March 11. The rout was completed with further goals from Tottenham defender Ledley King in the 74th minute - his first for England - and Leeds' Danny Mills four minutes later, while Middlesbrough's Andy Campbell added a sixth in injury time. In the other game Slovakia held Italy to a 1-1 draw, which means if England beat the hosts on Thursday and the Italians fail to beat Turkey, then Howard Wilkinson's side will be in Sunday's final. |
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