Barry's special goal?
Tuesday, 15 November, 2011
Manchester City man plays part in England’s 2,000th goal in 400th home game.
By David Barber
Gareth Barry’s opener, or perhaps an own goal from Daniel Majstorovic, in the game with Sweden was England’s 2,000th goal. The Manchester City man's 22nd minute header took a deflection off Majstorovic to open the scoring at Wembley and round off the milestone for the Three Lions.
England’s first official match, against Scotland in Glasgow 139 years ago this month, finished goalless. William Kenyon-Slaney, a Wanderers player born in India, is credited with England’s first-ever goal as they won the return fixture with Scotland 4-2 at Kennington Oval in London the following year.
Neville Cobbold, Old Carthusians’ ‘Prince of Dribblers’, scored England’s 50th goal as Ireland were beaten 7-0 at Aigburth Cricket Ground in Liverpool in 1883 and the 100th came from West Bromwich Albion’s George Woodhall during a 5-1 win against Wales at the Nantwich Road Ground in Crewe in 1888.
Albion inside-forward Joe Carter notched England’s 500th goal against Belgium, contributing the final goal of a 5-1 victory in Brussels’ ‘Parc Duden’ in 1929, and legendary marksman Jimmy Greaves had the honour of scoring the 1,000th against Wales at Wembley in 1960, England again winning 5-1.
A total of 1,500 goals was reached in the Egyptian capital of Cairo in 1986 as Everton’s Trevor Steven scored the first in a 4-0 win in a pre-World Cup friendly when Bobby Robson was manager.
England reached another milestone, playing their 400th home match. Wembley continues to be the place where history is made!