Ribery wrecks England's first away game under Capello - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Ribery wrecks England's first away game under Capello

Even David Beckham, playing for the 100th time and reinstated on the right of England's midfield at the expense of David Bentley, couldn't stop Franck Ribery dash manager Fabio Capello's dream of an away win in Paris. Ribery, the Bayern Munich right-winger, struck from the penalty spot after Nicolas Anelka tumbled over David James' challenge in the 31st minute.

90mins, France 1 England 0: FULL TIME

89mins, France 1 England 0: England are resorting to speculative long-balls towards a packed France penalty area.

86mins, France 1 England 0: Downing corner leads to a lightning-fast France counter-attack through Ribery. Cisse collects Ribery's pass but is put under just enough pressure by Ferdinand to shoot into England's side-netting.

83mins, France 1 England 0: England are playing it down the flanks and Bentley and Downing are peppering France's 6yrd box with searching crosses but Crouch and Owen are struggling to find room.

80mins, France 1 England 0: FRANCE SUB: Anelka off, Cisse on.

78mins, France 1 England 0: Bentley floats a cross towards Crouch in the area but France have three defenders hovering around him. Easily cleared.

74mins, France 1 England 0: Ribery - in acres of space - drives a low shot from the edge of the area. Ball goes wide of James' right post. England simply not pressing the play.

68mins, France 1 England 0: France passing it around - over a dozen passes now. England seem to have lost control of midfield and Anelka and Malouda are linking up well down France's left. Anelka shoots but his effort goes wide.

63mins, France 1 England 0: FRANCE SUB: Trezeguet off, Govou on.

62mins, France 1 England 0: ENGLAND SUBS: Beckham off, Bentley on. Johnson on, Brown off.

61mins, France 1 England 0: Downing cross blocked by Clerc. France dictating the pace now as England re-group after wholesale substitutions.

Strategy: Fabio Capello gives Beckham some advice

57mins, France 1 England 0: Ashley Cole finds room for a left-hand cross but he can't pick anyone out in the area. His soft drops tamely to keeper Coupet.

53mins, France 1 England 0: England playing patiently and more confidently than they did against Switzerland, passing it around, looking for a gap. But Crouch looks stranded as the lone striker with Owen playing off him.

51mins, France 1 England 0: France's Malouda shoots from 30yrds but his low effort skids wide of England's left post.

48mins, France 1 England 0: Beckham takes a left corner and finds Crouch in the 6yrd box but his header loops over the bar.

45mins, France 1 England 0: ENGLAND SUBS: Lescott on, Terry off. Crouch on, Rooney off. Downing on, Joe Cole off. Owen on, Gerrard off.

45mins, France 1 England 0: HALF-TIME

41mins, France 1 England 0: England, over-committed in midfield leave space at the back but Ribery's lofted pass drops to James.

38mins, France 1 England 0: BOOKING: Beckham for pulling back Ribery.

36mins, France 1 England 0: Nasri shoots from close-range after Brown kicks thin air trying to clear. James saves, dropping to his left to block the shot.

31mins, France 1 England 0: GOAL. Ribery sends James the wrong way by slotting his spot-kick into the bottom-right corner.

Opener: France's Franck Ribery scores from the penalty spot

30mins, France 0 England 0: PENALTY to France. Anelka breaks clear chasing a Clerc through-ball and is one-on-one with James. The Chelsea striker flicks the ball past the keeper and then tumbles over him.

23mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard is at the heart of all of England's play at the moment. He threads a pass through to Hargreaves in France's area but the United player's shot is blocked by a lunging Thuram.

Yellow peril: Nicolas Anelka tumbles over David James' challenge

20mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard again, perfect cross from the right by Beckham finds Stevie in a crowded France 6yrd box but his header goes well over.

19mins, France 0 England 0: Gerrard shot, 20yrds out from the left side. Balloons over for a goal-kick.

16mins, France 0 England 0: England are pressing with J Cole in a floating role from the left. Hargreaves still playing uncharacteristically up-field.

Golden boots: Beckham fights for the ball with France's Florent Malouda

12mins, France 0 England 0: France switch to the right with Ribery taking the play to England. A Cole gets back to cut off his options. Goes for a throw.

10mins, France 0 England 0: France attack down left flank. Abidal and Makelele link up to put in a deep cross. Makelele's pass snuffed out by James who comes for the ball.

7mins, France 0 England 0: Anelka, lurking in the England area, fails to latch on to a free-kick from the left and heads wide of James' left post.

2mins, France 0 England 0: England push forward through the centre with Hargreaves forcing the play.

Seventh heaven: Beckham during the warm-up, but can he impress as much as David Bentley?

The teams:

France: Coupet, Abidal, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Toulalan, Clerc, Thuram, Trezeguet, Ribery, Anelka. Subs: Landreau, Mexes, Cisse, Govou, Squillaci, Alou Diarra, Flamini, Evra.

England: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole, Beckham, Hargreaves, Barry, Joe Cole, Gerrard, Rooney. Subs: Robinson, Johnson, Lescott, Bridge, Bentley, Downing, Owen, Crouch, Walcott, Green.

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