England 3, Russia 0

Sep 13 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

THE final whistle hadn’t even sounded when Steve McClaren was making out his order for a large quantity of cotton wool to be sent to St James Park.

After all, the England head coach knows that if his team are to qualify for Euro 2008, it will largely be down to the contribution of Newcastle United’s most prized possession – Michael Owen.

A double strike moved the former Liverpool striker on to the 40 mark for his country and secured England a vital victory in their Group E clash against Russia at Wembley last night.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it’s clear McClaren’s England sorely missed their chief goalscorer during the stumbling formative stages of this qualifying campaign.

Owen has now scored four goals in the three qualifiers in which he has been fit to play, and how McClaren will pray the 27-year-old is not struck again by the injury curse that has blighted his career in recent years.

Owen even had a hand in Rio Ferdinand’s late third, with England now moving ahead of Russia in the standings into a qualification place behind group leaders Croatia.

But while the Wembley Stadium announcer may have greeted the final whistle by stating “it’s nearly time to book those tickets to Austria”, McClaren is acutely aware this win won’t be decisive.

That moment will arrive during in Moscow next month, although England now know that a draw might be enough.

What’s for sure is that their destiny is back in their own hands.

As against Israel on Saturday, England played to their strengths. Direct, powerful, with pace and passion, the Russian defence found it difficult to repel McClaren’s men, particularly during a first half in which the game was ultimately decided.

The threat Russia posed throughout the game underlined the value of this win but also the dangers that lie in wait when England make the return journey to face Guus Hiddink’s side.

As at the weekend, McClaren got the big decisions right. Despite Peter Crouch being free from suspension, the England coach stuck with Emile Heskey by naming an unchanged line-up for the first time during his 13 months in charge.

It was an act of faith that was repaid handsomely as Russia, like Israel, struggled to contain the Wigan Athletic man.

After years in the international wilderness, it’s now impossible to imagine McClaren discarding Heskey from England’s next squad, particularly given the effectiveness of the striker’s partnership with former Liverpool team-mate Owen.

With Owen Hargreaves again ruled out by a thigh problem – what chances both he and Frank Lampard making a remarkable recovery in time for their weekend club games? – Gareth Barry was afforded another opportunity to impress, and once again he didn’t disappoint.

McClaren’s intended gameplan was to rattle Russia from the off with a whirlwind opening.

And it again worked as England went ahead in the seventh minute. Barry’s corner landed back at his feet on the right win, and the Aston Villa man launched a cross into the box.

With John Terry drawing the attention of two Russian defenders, the ball floated over the head of all three and to the feet of an untended Owen, who controlled before digging out a right-footed finish that went in off the post.

Clearly, the striker’s 38 previous international goals weren’t enough to warrant being marked at a set-piece.

Owen almost netted his 40th moments later when he slipped while attempting to reach the rebound after goalkeeper Viascheslav Malafeev had blocked Heskey’s effort from a deflected Steven Gerrard throughball.

But the Newcastle United man wasn’t to be denied on 31 minutes following a move that had been honed by years of playing alongside his strike partner with Liverpool and England.

A hopeful punt forward from Ferdinand was flicked on by Heskey and, with Russia centre-back Sergey Ignashevich in two minds whether to aid team-mate Alexander Anyukov in the aerial challenge, Owen was again left unmarked to volley in spectacularly from just inside the area.

Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who combined for the opener on Saturday, had earlier almost delivered again but this time the latter headed wastefully over when meeting his Chelsea team-mate’s cross.

Malafeev later beat out a deflected Cole shot, but in truth the half-time scoreline did not reflect the problems Russia had posed the England defence with their close control and lightning pace, particularly on the counter-attack.

The much-maligned Paul Robinson was forced into a smart save to turn behind a Diniyar Bilyaletdinov strike and an alert Ashley Cole and Barry snuffed out a dangerous break from impressive Russia skipper Andrey Arshavin.

But England’s closest scrape came in the 19th minute, when an incisive Russian attack ended with Konstantin Zyryanov hooking the ball beyond Robinson from six yards.

However, Swedish referee Martin Hansson adjudged the midfielder to have handled before netting; television replays suggested England were a touch fortunate to get the decision.

Those opportunities meant Russia were not disheartened at falling two goals behind and they began the second half the stronger, Dmitry Sychev flashing a shot across Robinson’s goal before being inches away from connecting with Yury Zhirkov’s low left-wing cross.

But with England content to defend their lead, the Russian threat subsided and Steven Gerrard should have done better when slashing wide after neat link play with Joe Cole.

There were a few mild moments of alarm in the England area, but Wright-Phillips was nearer to adding to the scoring with a shot beaten away by Malafeev.

And a fourth successive 3-0 qualifying win was ensured when Owen fed Rio Ferdinand in the area and the Manchester United man sold an outrageous dummy before slamming the ball under Malafeev’s body.

England’s supporters can today rejoice. But for McClaren, the nervous wait is just beginning.