[ALBSA-Info] The Mirror - England Albania the Day After

[Agron Alibali]

The Mirror 

September 6, 2001, Thursday 

PHEW:NIL

 ENGLAND 2 ALBANIA 0 ENGLAND TRIUMPH ..BUT IT'S TORTURE 

Jeremy Armstrong 




IT was dodgy, it was scrappy, it was nerve-racking. It was nothing like Munich. But last night England fans were celebrating. The edgy 2-0 victory over Abania puts us one win away from next year's World Cup finals. 

Michael Owen was the hero again - scoring in the 44th minute. 

And after a first half of missed chances, the second 45 minutes became a nightmare. Albania had more near-misses, with England keeper David Seaman at one stage making a superb fingertip save. 

In the 88th minute Robbie Fowler finally put the nation out of its misery with the second goal. 

England manager Sven Goran Eriksson said: "We were a little bit tired and a little bit afraid - but we won." 

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The Mirror 
September 6, 2001, Thursday 

GERMANS GIVE OUR RIVALS BIG BILD-UP 



ALL Germany was rooting for Albania last night. 

Berlin's BZ tabloid screamed: "Keep your fingers crossed for the little Albanians." 

And Bild had a "bad luck" TV sticker saying Forca e Shqipris, Albanian for Away the Lads! And a headline said: Dear Albania, Flatten Englishmen. 


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The Mirror 
September 6, 2001, Thursday 


MUCH TORTURE; 
 WE'RE GOING ALL THE WAY - VICTORY FOR ENGLAND HEROES BUT IT'S AGONY 

Jeremy Armstrong And Steve Dennis 



ENGLAND'S footballers put the nation through 90 minutes of torture last night. 

The heroes of Munich found little Albania harder to crack than mighty Germany in their latest World Cup qualifier. 

Michael Owen put them on the way in the 44th minute, but victory was only assured late in the game when his Liverpool teammate Robbie Fowler added a second goal. 

For more than 50,000 fans at St James' Park, Newcastle, it was a nerve-wracking night. Albania, on just pounds 500 a man to win, simply refused to lie down as chance after chance was spurned by the men who hit Germany for five. 

At the weekend it was thrills all the way in Munich. 

Last night, it was total tension as the millionaire aristocrats of the Premiership struggled against Europe's soccer minnows. 

The goal that paved the way for victory was down to the genius of 21-year-old Owen, the hat-trick hitman in Germany. 

The Liverpool striker pounced just before half-time with a deftly-struck volley. 

Fowler's late strike was even better and England now stand at the top of their qualifying group above Germany. 

Captain David Beckham drove his team on relentlessly, watched by wife Victoria and their two-year-old son Brooklyn. 

A win against Greece at home next month should ensure automatic entry to the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea next summer. 

That would represent a footballing miracle worked by Swedish manger Sven Goran Eriksson, who took over the team last January with results at rock-bottom. He had said before the game he would settle for 2-0 and warned the fans not to expect a massacre. 

Last night St James' Park rocked to the Euro 96 anthem Football's Coming Home as Eriksson's men ran out to an electric atmosphere. 

Tens of thousands of home supporters sported specially produced "Five-One" T -shirts to mark the occasion - and hoisted Mirror "Come on England" posters aloft. 

The skyline was transformed from the usual mass of Newcastle United black and white in the stands to a sea of red, white and blue. 

England poured forward with attack after attack in the opening minutes. But it soon became clear there would no repeat of the Munich goal avalanche. A tiny contingent of around 200 Albania fans desperately tried to make their voices heard in one corner of the ground. 

But chorus after chorus of "England" chants drowned them out. 

The biggest cheer of the night reserved for Albania's hero Sir Norman Wisdom. 

He made a special guest appearance at half-time, running around the pitch in full Albanian kit at the age of 86. 

As the second half dragged on, England's slender lead looked increasingly fragile. 

Every fan in the ground knew that a draw would throw away all the good work of the win against Germany. 

Even cool manager Eriksson was looking increasingly nervous, taking deep breaths and rocking backwards and forwards on his seat. 

But substitute Fowler's late goal stopped all the nerves jangling and put us on course for Japan. 

Happy England fans had thronged Newscastle's bustling pubs and bars in the hours before the game. 

Afterwards the narrow margin of victory was forgotten as they danced congas through the night to celebrate. 

Three Lions supporter Gavin Foster, 28, of Sunderland, said: "England can book their tickets to Japan. 

"People up here certainly know how to party and the welcome they gave the team was absolutely fantastic." 

Jimmy Fletcher, a 28-year-old dustman from Wilmslow, Cheshire said: "I was in Manchester for the celebrations after the Germany game, but the atmospere here was even better. 

"I've never known such a brilliant atmosphere in a football ground." 

Bill Ginn, a 39-year-old accountant from Gateshead, said: "It's like a dream to play host to England and all their fans on a night like tonight. 

"St James' Park was the perfect setting and the town has been buzzing day and night with the excitement of it all since the win over Germany. 

"I'm a Newcastle fan and have experienced all the highs and lows of football at St James', but nothing can touch this. 

"Everyone believes England can win the World Cup now." 

His brother David, 35, a joiner, added: "England were out of this world against Germany and Sven has really got them playing like world-beaters now." 


============

The Mirror 
September 6, 2001, Thursday 


THERE AREN'T ANY EASY GAMES IN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL..EXCEPT FOR THE GERMANS; 
 WE'RE GOING ALL THE WAY 

Jeremy Armstrong At St James's Park 




AFTER the glory of Munich, the nerve-jangling reality of St James's Park. 

Iceman Eriksson had warned us not to under-estimate little Albania. How right he was. 

The heroics of Saturday night in the Olympiastadion seemed light years away as England stuttered, struggled...and sweated 

And after the scrappy, nail- biting 2-0 victory, Gary Lineker summed up the relief of a nation with a gleeful dig. Signing off the BBC Match Of The Day coverage, he said: "There are no easy games in international football, except for Germany." 

Michael Owen put England on the way in the 44th minute and his Liverpool teammate Robbie Fowler added a second two minutes from the end. 

Afterwards relieved manager Sven Goran Eriksson admitted: "This was not a great performance but the result was more important. 

"In one 15 minute period we suffered more than in the whole game against Germany. But this is unbelievable. To win five qualifiers is a dream come true." 

Victory against Greece at Old Trafford next month should ensure automatic entry to the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea next summer. 

Last night, bookies William Hill made England 7-1 on favourites to win their qualifying group and 9-1 to win the World Cup. 

Captain David Beckham drove his team on relentlessly, watched by wife Victoria and their two-year-old son Brooklyn, who were in an executive box. 

Afterwards Beckham said: "We weren't pleased with the performance, just pleased with the win. It was always going to be difficult after that 5-1 victory. But it's two games and six points and that's sweet." 

Owen said: "It's been a great four days. Six points is what we wanted and what we got. It's great to have it in our own hands. It wasn't in our hands four days ago. To beat Germany was great and this was a good result as well. Obviously we can play better than that and the whole nation knows that. But we are in a great position now." It was a scary night for the 51,046 fans at St James's Park, Newcastle. 

Albania, on just pounds 500 a man to win, refused to lie down as chance after chance was spurned by the men who hit Germany for five. 

Last night the supporters wore special "Five-One" T-shirts to mark the German rout. They waved Mirror "Come on England" posters as a tiny crowd of 200 Albanian fans desperately tried to make their voices heard. 

A huge cheer greeted Sir Norman Wisdom, 86 - a hero in Albania - who made a guest appearance at half-time, running around the pitch in full Albanian kit. After the match all the nerves disappeared as fans celebrated. 

Gavin Foster, 28, of Sunderland, said: "England can book their tickets to Japan." Jimmy Fletcher, a 28-year-old dustman from Wilmslow, Cheshire, said: "I've never known such a brilliant atmosphere in a football ground." 

Bill Ginn, 39, from Gateshead, said: "It's like a dream to play host to England and all their fans. 

"I'm a Newcastle fan and have experienced all the highs and lows of football at St James's, but nothing can touch this. 

"Everyone believes England can win the World Cup now." 

Stephen Carter, 25, of Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, said: "England did the job but they weren't all that convincing. 

"I think Albania looked a better side than the Germans. They certainly didn't roll over and die. 

"We should finish the job off against Greece without any trouble now. England have proved they have resilience and talent." 

Gary Burns, 32, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, said: "It's been a brilliant four days, with two great results, but no-one expected Albania to run us so close. 

"They were a good side and for a while it looked as if they might really upset the party. 

"But that goal by Fowler was pure class and I think we deserved the win. "The pubs and clubs will be packed tonight. 

"I met some Albanian fans on the way out and shook their hands. They were brilliant." 



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