VIDEO: Jordan bullish after stunning volley
Saturday, 09 October, 2010
Midfielder praises team effort following first England strike.
by Jamie Bradbury
Click here to watch FATV's video interview with Jordan and Chris Smalling.
After hitting his first goal for the Three Lions on Friday night, Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson was quick to praise the team spirit of the Under-21s after overcoming a tough Romanian side to take a slender one-goal advantage into the second leg of their Euro 2011 play-off.
Henderson claimed the Man of the Match for an all-action display in the heart of midfield and as early as the third minute almost put England in the lead with a stunning volley which was saved superbly by visiting keeper Silviu Lung.
But just after the hour mark, Lung punched clear a Marc Albrighton corner that Henderson watched drop before thundering back goalwards with a dipping volley.
“It was a good feeling to get my first goal for England but I think the most important thing was the performance,” he told FATV after the game.
“The one I hit in the first half I got a better strike on it, but for the goal the ball bounced just in front of the goalkeeper and it made it a little difficult for him.
“The lads worked really hard and we’ll take a good result into Tuesday. There’s been a great team spirit since I’ve been here. They’ve helped me settle when I didn’t know many people and it’s gone on from there. We’ve bonded well and the lads have been brilliant.”
It was Henderson’s fourth cap for Stuart Pearce’s men since coming into the squad for the first time in August.
He’s yet to taste defeat in the Three Lions and when Ioan Hora’s 73rd-minute cross deflected off the legs of Ryan Bertrand and found its way past Frank Fielding in the England goal, a draw looked on the cards.
But Manchester United’s Chris Smalling popped up in the closing moments to smash home a vital winner that will give England a valuable lead as they head to Botosani for Tuesday’s return encounter.
“They (Romania) came with a game-plan and made it very difficult for us but we were fortunate enough to score two, a little bit unfortunate with their goal, but we take that into consideration and push on to Tuesday.
“It’s different when you play foreign players. Romania did very well tonight and they were hard to break down, it was hard to find space.
He added: “Tuesday will be tougher than tonight was, but we’ve got a great spirit and enough quality to go there and get a result to take us into the Championship.”