England

0-0

Macedonia


UEFA European Championship Qualifying Group E
5pm, Sat 7 October 2006
Old Trafford, Manchester
England 0-0 Macedonia Archive Details - Click Here

Frank Lampard is urging England’s players to stick together and keep believing in each other as they prepare for their biggest test of the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Saturday’s goalless draw against Macedonia means there is even more pressure on the side as they head for Zagreb on Wednesday and a match against Croatia.

The Croatians have never lost a competitive match at home for 12 years so the size of England’s task is huge.

Lampard, who will win his 50th cap if he plays on Wednesday, said: "Potentially Croatia away is our hardest fixture in the group. Although Russia and Israel are also difficult.

"We’ve got to go there and stand up to a good technical team and a hostile crowd. And show what we are as a team.

"It is important to stay together as a team. We are a realistic bunch and know when you are winning games and think you have the hang of it things can go wrong.

"We have to look at the negatives and the things we didn’t do right against Macedonia and make them right. But we have to stay positive."

Lampard, who scored against Croatia in Euro 20004, has huge respect for Wednesday’s opponents.

He said: "They always produce players form a young age, technically good players who have a bit of an edge to them. They are determined and will be desperate to beat us.

"They are tactically a good team as well. I watched them in the World Cup against Brazil and they gave them a really tough game. That’s the kind of players they have got.

"I scored against them in the Euros so those are good memories and it would be a good time to get another one on Wednesday."

Archive Details - Click Here

England: 1 Robinson, 2 G. Neville, 3 A. Cole, 4 Gerrard, 5 King, 6 Terry (c), 7 Carrick, 8 Lampard, 9 Rooney (17 Defoe 74), 10 Crouch, 11 Downing (16 Wright-Phillips 70)

Subs: 12 P. Neville, 13 Kirkland, 14 Carragher, 15 Parker, 18 Bent

Macedonia: 1 Nikolovski, 2 Noveski, 3 Petrov, 4 Sedloski (c), 5 I. Mitreski, 6 Sumolikoski, 9 Maznov, 11 Naumoski (20 Stojkov 45), 14 Lazarevski, 6 A. Mitreski, 19 Pandev

Subs: 12 Pacovski, 18 Tasevski, 17 Jancevski, 15 Vasoski, 16 Popov, 10 Sakiri

Referee: Markus Merk (all Germany)
Assistant referees: Heiner Muller, Jan-Hendrik Salver
Fourth official: Knut Kircher

Attendance: 72,062