RUSTENBURG – The United States held England to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener yesterday, with a stunning blunder by England goalkeeper Robert Green costing his team victory.
An apparently harmless 25-metre left-foot shot from Clint Dempsey in the 40th minute went straight at Green but the ball bounced off his right glove and trickled over the line for an equaliser.
England captain Steven Gerrard had given England the lead in the fourth, charging into the area and shooting with the outside of his foot past Tim Howard for his 17th international goal.
England, pursuing their first World Cup title since 1966, created more chances but the Americans held firm under pressure with a string of saves from Howard.
Green’s error brought looks of dismay from English fans who were the majority in the sellout crowd of more than 38 000 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Green’s slip recalled a similar mistake by former goalkeeper Scott Carson against Croatia which denied England a place at the 2008 European Championship.
“Unfortunately we’ve let a poor goal in and we couldn’t go on and get the winner,” Gerrard said. “The goal shocked us a bit. . . . It took us a while to get over it.
Dempsey became only the second American to score in two World Cups. He also scored in the 2006 tournament.
“It was a difficult game,” Gerrard said. “I think the important thing in the first game is not to lose.”
Gerrard’s early strike helped settle the England team while the Americans struggled to find any rhythm.
The United States had little to show for its efforts before its goal. The best chances came from headers as playmaker Landon Donovan twice set up Jozy Altidore to head wide.
Wayne Rooney, regarded as England’s most threatening player, saw little of the ball and had little impact on the match.
Emile Heskey slammed into Howard in the 29th, hitting the goalkeeper in the chest with the toe of his boot as both went to meet a low cross from Aaron Lennon.
Rooney almost connected with a cross from Gerrard at the back post, and then set up substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips for a clear shot from the left which Howard stopped.
LINEUPS: England: Robert Green, Glen Johnson, John Terry, Ledley King (Jamie Carragher, 45), Ashley Cole, Aaron Lennon, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner (Shaun Wright-Phillips, 31), Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey (Peter Crouch, 79).
United States: Tim Howard, Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit, Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore (Stuart Holden, 86), Robbie Findley (Edson Buddle, 77).
