Bad game, good result (for England fans) By MSN’s Matt Ball
Last updated June 25 2006
England reached the quarter-finals with a workmanlike display against Ecuador on Sunday. David Beckham’s free-kick on 60 minutes was the difference between two poor sides.
England survived an early scare when John Terry’s feeble back header was intercepted. Tenorio had the goal at his mercy but Ashley Cole rushed in to deflect his shot onto the bar.
The breakthrough came in the second half. Beckham took a free-kick from the left hand side and delightfully curled it into the bottom corner of the goal. He was pictured being sick shortly after. If that was due to the strong afternoon heat then the bad news is that the quarter-final will be at the same time in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday July 1.
Player ratings
Paul Robinson 5
Flapped at crosses and looked uncertain. Hit long balls all the way through to Ecuador’s goalkeeper, conceding possession. Booked for delaying restart of the game.
Owen Hargreaves 8
Hardly put a foot wrong at right back.
John Terry 5
A couple of dodgy moments including that awful back header early on that should have been punished with a goal.
Rio Ferdinand 6
Better game than Terry. Grew in stature as match progressed.
Ashley Cole 8
Brilliant interception to deflect Tenorio’s early shot onto the bar. Got forward to support Joe Cole.
David Beckham 6
Without that free-kick it would have been a much lower score. Mind you, how else would England have scored?
Michael Carrick 7
Rave reviews from the BBC pundits at half-time for what was an OK performance.
Steven Gerrard 5
Another poor game in an England shirt for the Liverpool captain. Gave the ball away, hardly had a shot to speak of (despite the presence of a holding midfielder – Carrick – allowing him to roam forward)d. When pushed onto left wing after a substitution he consistently abandoned his post to move inside, leaving Ashley Cole exposed.
Frank Lampard 5
Had a lot of shots. Again. That’s it.
Joe Cole 7
Effective at times but not as good as his previous game against Sweden. Tried too many silly flicks and ended up giving the ball away.
Wayne Rooney 8
Had a difficult time playing as a lone striker but got better and better as the match went on. If only Lampard and Gerrard had bothered to get up the field in support of him…
Substitutes
Jamie Carragher 5
Came on after 77 minutes. Booked for delaying the restart of the game when he dithered over taking a free-kick.
Aaron Lennon 7
Came on after 87 minutes but made an immediate impact down the right against a tiring opposition.
The rest
Sven-Goran Eriksson 7
He knows how to grind out results against poor teams. Now, can he get his team to play better against better opposition in the next round?
Referee Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium) 7
Did not have anything too contentious to deal with. | 
