England beat Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 on Thursday 15 June 2006 at Nuremberg, Germany and so qualified for the second round of the World Cup 2006. Click here to see the World Cup screen chart showing all the World Cup fixtures and results.

Gary Neville picked up a calf injury in training and as predicted, Jamie Carragher replaced him at right back. The rest of England's starting line up was the same as beat Paraguay 1-0 in England's first World Cup 2006 game. Wayne Rooney was passed fit to be on the bench after his recent foot injury. The England team was:
 

                                                       Paul Robinson
 
  Jamie Carragher                    John Terry                 Rio Ferdinand                     Ashley Cole
 (Aaron Lennon 58)

  David Beckham (Capt)             Frank Lampard          Steven Gerrard                Joe Cole
                                                                                                                   (Stewart Downing 75)

                                            Michael Owen             Peter Crouch
                                           (Wayne Rooney 58)

Trinidad and Tobago's team was: Hislop, Edwards, Sancho, Lawrence, Gray, Whitley, Birchall, Yorke (captain), Theobald (Wise 85), Jones (Glen 70), S John

Trinidad and Tobago drew with Sweden 0-0 in their first World Cup game and they stopped England from scoring for 83 minutes before late goals from Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard gave England the 2-0 win.

England started strongly and had two very good chances in the first 15 minutes - a poweful shot from distance from Frank Lampard was spilled by Trinidad and Tobago's goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop but Michael Owen could only put the rebound wide. Then after 15 minutes, Peter Crouch managed to reach Joe Cole's cross and Hislop saved well.

Crouch had other half chances too before his best chance of the first half on 44 minutes - David Beckham put in a cross from the right wing but Crouch volleyed wide when unchallenged and in a good position.

Trinidad and Tobago almost scored a minute later after Paul Robinson rushed out from goal to punch out a high cross but lost out to Stern John - John Terry then cleared the ball out from near the goal line. This was John's second good chance of the half after he put a header wide minutes earlier.

Trinidad and Tobago grew in confidence at the beginning of the second half and were playing better than England. After 57 minutes Michael Owen headed wide a golden chance from a Beckham free kick and he was replaced soon afterwards with Wayne Rooney (playing his first match after recovering from injury).

Aaron Lennon came on for Jamie Carragher but it was Beckham that moved to an attacking right back position. Lampard then had good chances to score but just when it looked like Trinidad and Tobago would get another unlikely draw England eventually scored.
 

                    
   Lennon (top of picture) passes back to Beckham who crosses and Crouch heads the ball into the roof of the net

After 83 minutes Peter Crouch rose highest to head in a deep cross from David Beckham and give England a 1-0 lead.

England then went for another goal as Trinidad and Tobago's morale dropped.

 

                                          
                               Gerrard strikes and gives England a 2-0 lead at the end of the match

At the end of the match Steven Gerrard got the second goal with one of his trademark unstoppable shots with an accurate left footed strike into the net to Hislop's right.

Who played well: England did not dominate as much as was expected but Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard played well in central midfield even though they were outnumbered for most of the game. John Terry made some important interventions in defence too.

Who could have played better: Michael Owen played better than in the last game but missed with a couple of good chances and was replaced early in the second half. Several England players can play much better but England got the result they needed.

England have now qualified for the second round with two wins and the manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson may want to experiment in their final group game against Sweden. Eriksson said after the game that England played well and should have scored more goals but did not take their chances until the end.

Please click here to see the full England squad and click here for the history on Wayne Rooney's injury.