The dream is over

Visions of Becks lifting the Cup had begun to creep into everyone's mind and, it would surely have been a wonderfully achievable possibility had we been able to overcome Brazil on this hot Friday afternoon.

The game started in jubilation for the Three Lions who roared ahead thanks to a trademark Michael Owen finish but ended in sorrow as we were unable to respond to Brazil's two-goal fightback either side of half-time.

It was a game which had been feverously anticipated across the globe and, once it got underway, both teams showed each other the respect that they deserved. There was a nervous attention to detail befitting a match for which the winner's prize was so huge.

Brazil, as they have been for the entire tournament, looked a combination of awesome in attack and vulnerable in defence. Everyone knows about the talent that the South Americans have but today we seemed to have the personnel to stop them.
Becks' confident tackle on Carlos on nine minutes pointed the way forward for our fans and his team-mates, and Butt's early interception from Rivaldo and Sol's powerful covering of Ronaldo followed suit impressively.

Going forward our plan was clearly to get in behind the Brazilian full backs and, at times, the fluidity of our system meant Beckham and Mills looked to have swapped positions as the latter attempted to recreate his driving runs of the first four games.

That strategy was working excellently and found its finest expression when Mills started the move for England's goal. The Leeds man rolled the ball into Heskey who had manufactured a yard of space for himself just inside the Brazilian half. Emile controlled the ball and his instincts told him to search out Michael immediately. His floated ball over the top was miscontrolled by Lucio and the ball fell perfectly for Michael, or so he made it look. All alone, Michael just waited for 'keeper to lie down before almost lazily chipping the ball home.

At that moment we were heading past Brazil into the World Cup Semi-Finals. It was an amazing moment which did not seem out of place in a tournament which we had done so much to grace. Becks gave us a fright a minute later when he pulled up with a foot injury but, after physio Alan Smith had administered a brief dose of the magic spray, he was soon back on weaving more of his individual brand of magic.

More concerning was the heavy blow David Seaman suffered to his back as he fell claiming a high ball. If we can just make it to half-time, we said to ourselves with nervous concern, we can regroup and re-organise for the second half. That was not to be.

In first half injury time Ronaldinho swept forward and lost Cole with a beautiful dummy before switching the ball to Rivaldo on the right side of the area. The Barcelona man opened out his body and curled an unstoppable left-foot effort past the block of Campbell and the dive of Seaman into the far corner.

It was a cruel blow for England with half-time only seconds away but, with players of his calibre, one chance is all he needs to alter the course of an entire game.

It was a frustrated trudge to the dressing rooms for half-time but, five minutes into the second period, we found ourselves 2-1 down in freak circumstances.

Brazil's second goal shocked a stadium here in Japan and nation back home in England. Ronaldinho curled in a free-kick from the edge of the area which at first looked to have been poorly aimed, as it sailed innocuously enough towards England's goal.

Then, as the ball began to dip from its lofty flight, and David began to back-pedal furiously, the awful truth suddenly dawned. Before anyone had enough time to panic, the ball was crashing in off the angle of post and crossbar and our World Cup hopes lay in shreds.

Did the little Brazilian really mean to go for goal? Was David's movement affected by his heavy knock he took to his back in the first half? Everyone had questions but few could explain a moment which had such disastrous implications.

David was clearly distressed at the final whistle but everyone, most of all him, should remember that we would not have even been here had it not been for him. His reflex save against Finland at Anfield, his fingertip stop when we were 1-0 down against Germany in Munich, and his sensational performances here in Japan have been David's unforgettable contribution to this World Cup run.

Credit to our boys though, they responded with enviable strength of character even if the heat and fatigue prevented them from playing the level of football of which the whole world now knows we are capable.

We were determined to go out fighting but unfortunately, in a 57th minute tackle on the edge of the English area, Ronaldinho responded in unnecessarily dangerous fashion, going over the top of the top of the ball on Danny Mills. 

Referee Rizo produced the appropriate red card instantly and, with the opposition, reduced to ten men, we looked once more to be capable of clutching the game back into our grasp.

Sven knew it was all or nothing too and sent on both Darius and Teddy in favour of a 3-4-3 formation for the last ten minutes. The game was made all the more tantalising by the knowledge that, with the extra man, we would surely go on to win the game if we could just get that second goal. But, chasing the game against even a ten man Brazil is not an easy task in any game, let alone a World Cup Quarter Final.

We were overly anxious to get the ball forward too quickly and, in doing so, we perhaps surrendered the advantage that the extra man could have given us. Even Rio charged forward as we pressed but were unable to penetrate with the seconds painfully slipping away.

Referee Rizo blew the final whistle on this amazing World Cup journey and we couldn't help but feel that it wasn't real - Sven's team had seemed destined to win football's greatest prize.

Perhaps they are - just not this time.

From Daniel Freedman in Shizuoka

* The England players are expected to arrive at Heathrow late on Saturday night.  Due to the time of arrival there will be no special plans for the team once they arrive.  Stay logged on to TheFA.com for the latest information regarding any future plans.