Winning start
Thursday, 12 August, 2010
The Three Lions get back on winning ways at Wembley.
David Barber
For any football team it’s always good to start the season with a win. It helps confidence and makes everyone feel that they’re ‘moving in the right direction’.
England started their 65th post-war season with a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary at Wembley last night. But fortunes have definitely been mixed in recent seasons’ openers for the Three Lions.
England had only won three openers in the previous ten before yesterday.
This is how the results went:-
- 2009-10 Holland (away) – drew 2-2
- 2008-09 Czech Republic (home) – drew 2-2
- 2007-08 Germany (home) – lost 1-2
- 2006-07 Greece (home) – won 4-0
- 2005-06 Denmark (away) – lost 1-4
- 2004-05 Ukraine (home) – won 3-0
- 2003-04 Croatia (home) – won 3-1
- 2002-03 Portugal (home) – drew 1-1
- 2001-02 Holland (home) – lost 0-2
- 2000-01 France (away) – drew 1-1
It was 35 years ago when England last won a season’s opener 2-1. Switzerland were beaten by that score in a Basle friendly.
The Hungary of Puskas and Hidegkuti shocked England with a 6-3 win at Wembley in 1953, but England have now won ALL SEVEN Wembley meetings since then.