Gerrard Deserves More - For Years England Just Can't Win Sweden

20 June 2006 Sweden 2-2 England - World Cup Group B

BBC - England went in front when Joe Cole hit a sensational lob from 35 yards, only for Marcus Allback to equalise when he headed home from a right-wing corner. Steven Gerrard headed in Joe Cole's 85th-minute cross, but Henrik Larsson levelled for Sweden in injury time. The result was marred by a knee injury to striker Michael Owen, who was stretchered off in the first minute. England will now meet Ecuador in the second round on Sunday at 1600 BST in Stuttgart, while Sweden play Germany in Munich 24 hours earlier.

Rooney: "It was nice to be back playing again. I thought we did well in the first half but the tempo dropped a bit in the second. We are just happy that we came out if it as group winners. My fitness has never been a problem and I feel really good, I felt I could have played longer out there."

Terry: "Steve McClaren told us that 35 percent of goals at World Cups are conceded from set-plays. So it was very disappointing to concede from a corner and a throw-in. Normally we are so strong in that department. But hopefully we've learned our lesson from those sloppy goals and will make sure that it doesn't happen again."

Ferdinand: "For the whole of the game we defended the set-pieces very poorly and that's not something you can normally say about an England team. It has got to be a wake-up call."
"I thought Owen Hargreaves deserves a mention because he has taken a lot of stick from various quarters and he has not been in a position to prove himself in the England team. It was disappointing that people were getting on his case before he has even proved himself. But he showed a lot of people with his performance against Sweden that he can play football."

Michael Owen is out of the World Cup and back in England
Sky - Wednesday's scan confirmed that the injury suffered in the opening stages of England's match with Sweden was cruciate ligament damage and the player may now not see action again until 2007.

Owen: "I can control my emotions and I can honestly say that when I was flat on my back with ice-packs around my knee, it wasn't self-pity I was feeling but guilt. I was sending text messages apologising to all sorts of people for letting them down. I feel really guilty when I think of the people at Newcastle United."
"As I left the team hotel in Germany yesterday to fly home, I told Sven-Goran Eriksson that I would be back out for the World Cup final. My tournament might be over, but I still want that medal around my neck."

Beckham: "The players would like to win the World Cup for Michael. That's what we felt when we came off at half-time We wanted to finish the job for him and we have done the first part but it doesn't ease any pain for him. To lose Michael is devastating for all of us. In big competitions, including World Cups, you want proven goalscorers and great players in your team and he is one of those. But the good thing is we have players throughout the team who can score goals."

Carra: "I am devastated for Michael. He is a good friend of mine and he thinks it might be a long-term injury but Crouchy is up to the task of stepping in. His record for England proves that over the last six or seven games. He has got a goal a game in that time. His record stands up with any striker in the world over the last few games. To get the goals he has done, even the best strikers in the world would struggle to achieve that ratio. I've got confidence in him."