The Hindu : Sport : Beckham's free kick does the trick, England enters quarter-finals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 26, 2006

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Sport

Beckham's free kick does the trick, England enters quarter-finals

Battling sickness, the England captain produced a curling shot from about 25 yards beating the goalkeeper

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STUTTGART: David Beckham scored with a free kick in the 60th minute on Sunday to lead England to a 1-0 win over Ecuador and earned his side a spot in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Beckham sent in a curling free kick from about 25 yards that beat diving goalkeeper Cristian Mora.

The England captain, who had worn short sleeves in the first half, switched to long sleeves after the break. Shortly after the goal, he vomited on the field.

``I didn't feel well before the game but I thought I would be fine and in the first half I felt fine,'' he told BBC television. ``But it (the sickness) continued in the second half and it just came out.''

Message from Carlos

He continued: ``I haven't scored many free kicks this season, and in the last two games I have been struggling (with free kicks). ``Roberto Carlos (his Real Madrid team mate) sent me a text saying 'score me a free kick.''

``We're happy. We've done our job. It was ugly at times and we haven't played to our full potential but we're happy tonight. We're through to the quarter-finals,''said Beckham.

For an hour, the English aimlessly passed the ball, but the game turned after Edwin Tenorio fouled Frank Lampard outside the penalty area.

Beckham planted the ball ever so carefully as four Ecuadoreans formed a defensive wall.

With expert precision, he got the ball over them. Mora, his cheeks painted with the colours of Ecuador's yellow-blue-and-red flag, dived to his right but could not stop the ball, which went in off the post.

Emotional celebration

Beckham ran wildly towards the centre of the field, hooking an arm around Ashley Cole.

While Beckham is the driving force of its offence, his goals have been sparse of late.

It was just his 17th in 93 international appearances, and he ended a 13-match scoreless streak since his last goal on March 30, 2005.

But after the game, Beckham walked out to wave at the supporters who sang ``Football's Coming Home,'' the theme of the 1996 European Championship England had hoped to win.

The English supporters in white and red form about 90 per cent of the crowd, many waving the country's flag.

The familiar tune of ``Rule, Britannia!'' was repeatedly sung.

Ecuador, making its second World Cup appearance, had advanced to the second round for the first time.

Ecuador striker Carlos Tenorio had the first good scoring chance in the 12th minute when defender John Terry's attempt at a clearing header popped up in the air behind him.

Tenorio, one-on-one against goalkeeper Paul Robinson, struck the ball but Ashley Cole slid to deflect it off the crossbar.

With Michael Owen out for the rest of the World Cup, England started Wayne Rooney as its lone striker. — AP, Reuters

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