Lampard, Gerrard score twice as England beats Croatia 5-1 to reach World Cup

By Robert Millward, AP
Wednesday, September 9, 2009

England beats Croatia 5-1 to reach World Cup

WEMBLEY, England — England qualified for the World Cup in style, outplaying Croatia 5-1 Wednesday night as Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard scored two goals each.

England coach Fabio Capello, who replaced Steve McClaren after the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship, has nine months to prepare for the World Cup. England’s frustrated fans have been without a major title since the team won the World Cup at home in 1966.

“The competition is hard,” Capello said. “We have to play to win. We are England.”

Although England needed only a point to guarantee a place in next year’s tournament in South Africa, it took a comfortable early lead.

Lampard made an eighth-minute penalty kick after Aaron Lennon was brought down inside the penalty area by Josip Simunic, and Gerrard made it 2-0 in the 18th with a 5-yard header from the far post in the 18th.

Lampard added a third goal in the 59th and Gerrard boosted the lead to 4-0 on another header in the 66th.

Eduardo da Silva cut the gap in the 71st from close range after goalkeeper Robert Green saved his header, but Wayne Rooney scored the final goal in the 77th after goalkeeper Vedran Runje passed straight to him.

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham entered in the 80th minute. Beckham has 114 international appearances, 11 behind the English record held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

England (8-0) clinched with two games to spare and became the second European nation to qualify for next year’s 32-nation field after the Netherlands. Two years ago, Croatia (5-2-2) eliminated England from European Championship qualifying with a 3-2 victory at Wembley on the final day.

Croatia must now try to finish second and make the European playoffs.

“Not even in our worst nightmares have we though that we would fail that much,” coach Slaven Bilic said. “They absolutely deserved the victory. They were stronger every time, they were faster for one meter at any moment — they were simply better.”

Bilic said Croatia was handicapped by the absence of the injured Luka Modric and Ivan Juric, and suspended Vedran Corluka.

“It’s stupid to say it after 5-1, but — it could have been worse,” he said. “This is not a defeat, this is a sickness.”

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