YOKOHAMA, Japan, 8 June — David Beckham wiped out bitter memories of his premature exit from the World Cup four years ago with the decisive goal in England’s 1-0 win over tournament favorites Argentina yesterday.
The England captain, sent off in St. Etienne, France, against his team’s historical rivals, buried a penalty in the back of the net in the 44th minute.
A look of pure joy engulfed his face as the England fans went into wild celebrations at the Sapporo Dome. Asked afterward how he felt, Beckham replied with a wide smile: "Better than it did four years ago, it’s just unbelievable. This just tops it all."
The result throws an already fascinating tournament wide open. Argentina need to beat Group F leaders Sweden in the final first round match to ensure their progression to the second round.
Defending champions France, without a goal in either of their first two matches, need a two-goal win over Denmark to be certain of advancing.
In the day’s other matches Spain became the first team to advance to the second round with a 3-1 win over Paraguay. Sweden defeated the fourth Group F team Nigeria 2-1 to eliminate the Africans in the tournament’s toughest pool.
The Argentina-England match fully justified its billing as the most fascinating of the first round and provided a comeback story of Homeric proportions for Beckham.
The England skipper was vilified in the media and viciously abused in public after he was sent off following a petulant kick at Diego Simeone when he was fouled in the 1998 second round match.
Then, despite some heroic defending, England were eliminated on penalties and Beckham was plunged into the depths of personal and professional despair.
He fought back with commendable courage and yesterday, playing his first full game since breaking a bone in his left foot two months ago, Beckham was at the core of a dedicated, disciplined England performance.
Michael Owen, who scored a dazzling goal in St. Etienne, constantly worried the Argentine defense with his speed and instant twists and turns and it was from one of his runs that England won their penalty.
Owen darted into the box, fell victim to a trip by Mauricio Pochettino and Italian referee Pierluigi Collina instantly awarded the penalty. As Pablo Cavallero went one way, Beckham shot the other in the most satisfying goal of his professional life.
Argentina now meet group leaders Sweden next Wednesday in a match which has suddenly acquired extra significance. Sweden drew 1-1 with England last Sunday after Argentina had defeated Nigeria 1-0.
Yesterday Sweden forward Henrik Larsson struck both goals in an highly entertaining match in Kobe with both teams showing some delightful touches.
After Nigeria had gone ahead in the 27th minute through a flying header from Julius Aghahowa, Larsson leveled 10 minutes from the break, side-stepping two defenders. The Swedish forward struck the winner with a 62nd minute penalty after being brought down in the area, crashing the ball past Ike Shorunmu, who just got his fingertips to the ball. Nigeria, who reached the second round at both of the last two World Cups, are the second side after Saudi Arabia to fall in the first round.
Substitute Fernando Morientes scored twice for Spain in the second half in Chonju, South Korea, and captain Fernando Hierro converted a penalty eight minutes from time.
Spain, who beat Slovenia 3-1 in their opening match, went a goal down when right back Carles Puyol put the ball into his own net but the game changed its complexion when Morientes replaced Diego Tristan at halftime.
Beckham says he laid ghost
of 1998 to rest
England captain David Beckham said that scoring the winner against favorites Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup yesterday had finally laid the ghost of his sending-off against them in 1998 to rest.
Asked how it felt to have beaten the World Cup favorites, Beckham said: "Better than it did four years ago. It’s just unbelievable. This just tops it all off.
"As a footballing nation I think we’ve been waiting for that victory for a long time and to do it in the World Cup in the group stages is something special.
"A lot has happened in my career and a lot happened four years ago and it’s just nice that finally I can hopefully lay it to rest."
Beckham became one of the most vilified men in the country after a kick on Diego Simeone in the second round of the 1998 finals in France led to his second half dismissal before England’s subsequent exit on sudden-death penalties.
Asked how yesterday’s win compared with England’s historic 5-1 triumph over Germany in Munich during qualifying last September, Beckham said: "I’d say it beats that one. It definitely beats that one.
"There was a lot of history behind the game against Germany, obviously and that was a massive result for us.
"But there is a lot of history on the football side behind England and Argentina, and it’s just nice for us to walk away now and get the win."
Argentina beat England on penalties in the second round at the 1998 finals in France, when Beckham was sent off, but the two countries have a rivalry stretching back decades.
