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Leadership Issues Undermine Positive England in 1-1 Euro 2016 Opener with Russia
Published: June 12, 2016
That costly 2-1 defeat in Moscow—future Tottenham Hotspur striker Roman Pavlyuchenko's brace cancelling out Wayne Rooney's opener—embodied the national team's malaise back then as much as any performance.
As they begin this latest tournament in France, England's 1-1 draw with the same opposition was just as apt a representation of their standing.
The predominantly youthful team went some way to justifying the pre-competition hope and hype around them with a positive, assertive display. Unfortunately, fears that leadership issues within the defence in particular could undermine the team's overall efforts also came to fruition.
It is tempting to paint Vasili Berezutski's stoppage-time equaliser for Russia as scarcely deserved.
England played the better football throughout, taking 15 attempts at goal compared to the six mustered by Leonid Slutsky's side (five to two with shots on target), per BBC Sport. Eric Dier's 73rd-minute free-kick for the opener resulted from one such move. Captain Wayne Rooney fed fellow midfielder Dele Alli, who was obstructed attempting to take on Georgi Shchennikov just outside the penalty area.
Even after that, England had chances to extend their lead.
Yet Russia's more direct game had threatened to catch Roy Hodgson's men out before Berezutski's header. In open play, they had pushed them back and from set pieces, particularly corners, had caused some disarray.
They kept the contest close enough, and when such a moment came late on, their opponents were found wanting.
A corner was cleared out only as far as Shchennikov. As he charged back toward the box, England's defence had not reorganised.
With Gary Cahill, Kyle Walker and others on the ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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