England – Ecuador

Hi folks, welcome to England's second round match against Ecuador.

Ecuador kick off.

England have slightly changed their formation for this game; Rooney is up on his own, with Carrick sitting in front of the defence in a holding role.

There is a fantastic atmosphere inside the stadium; the England fans are making most of the noise - they far outnumber their Ecuador counterparts.

Beckham swings a free-kick in to the penalty area; Ecuador don't really deal with the set-piece very well, but the ball won't drop for an England player.

The winners of today's match will play the winners of tonight's match between Portugal and Holland; that's the prize.

It has been all England in the opening minutes; they have started quite brightly.

Tonorio barges Terry from behind as they chase a ball down the line; free-kick to England.

POOR PASS! Lampard has a chance to feed a pass in to the run of Rooney, but he over-hits it and Mora comes out to smother.

Carrick's position in front of the back four is allowing Gerrard and Lampard a lot of freedome to push forward and support Rooney.

Tonorio is caught off-side as he chases down a ball over the top of the defence.

Cole almost robs De la Cruz of the ball in a dangerous spot, but the defender recovers to put the ball out.

Ecuador seem to have recovered a little after a shaky start to the match.

Beckham launches a long ball over the top for Rooney to chase; the England striker tries to reach it, but Mora claims on the edge of his penalty area.

OFF THE BAR! AMAZING BLOCK! Terry's back-header falls short of Robinson; Tenorio breaks free, he lines up his shot, but Cole gets back to defected his effort on to the top of the crossbar.

That was a real shock for England; Terry's poor header allowed Tenorio to go through, and it was only a superb piece of defending from Cole that saved England.

SO CLOSE! An Ecuador free-kick is whipped in to the England penalty area; Tenorio almost flicks it goalwards, but it flies over his head and Robinson collects.

Espinoza does well to hold off Rooney as the striker tries to round him on the edge of the penalty area.

Rooney's shot is deflected and Mora is able to make a comfortable save.

England seem willing to be patient in their quest for an opening goal; they are having a lot of possession.

OOH! Gerrard curls a shot over the crossbar after patient play from England in the Ecuador half.

Terry is booked for a high challenge on Tenorio; free-kick to Ecuador , 30 yards out...

...Tenorio is stretchered from the field as the England wall is formed...

...Mendez has placed the ball for an attempt at goal...

SO, SO CLOSE! Mendez curls a shot on goal; Ferdinand sticks out a leg and flicks the ball, but it flies a yard wide of the near post.

Joe Cole is fouled to give England a free-kick, 35 yards out.

Beckham and Rooney stand over the ball; it looks like Beckham is lining up a shot on goal...

GOOD MOVE! Beckham opts to chip the ball out to Hargreaves on the right-edge of the area; he crosses to the back post, but Ferdinand can't head goalwards.

England win a corner as Espinoza deflects Gerrard's cross behind.

England win another corner; Beckham curls it to the near post, but it is a poor corner; Castillo clears.

Valencia is booked as England win yet another free-kick; Beckham aims for Ferdinand at the back post, but the ball is a little over his head and drifts out for a goal-kick.

Delgado turns Ferdinand just inside the England half, but the defender brings the striker down; free-kick to Ecuador.

After a bright start, the game has got a little scrappy; there have been a lot of breaks for niggling fouls.

It is a very warm afternoon in Stuttgard; heat and tiredness may become a factor later in the game.

SHOT! Lampard fires in a shot from distance; he doesn't catch it cleanly, but he forces Mora in to a low save.

Cole flicks a pass through to the run of Gerrard, but the ball strikes the back of the Liverpool skipper and runs to safety.

Reasco knocks the ball through the legs of Hargreaves as he tries to cut in from the left, but the England defender fouls him. Free-kick...

POOR FREE-KICK! The ball is fired in to the near post, but Beckham heads clear.

Terry has to come across and put the ball out for a corner as Delgado threatened to break in to the penalty area.

England have had their problems with set-pieces in this tournament, but they have dealt with Ecuador's corners and free-kicks very well.

Lampard goes to ground very easily, but the referee awards England the free-kick.

Beckham takes his time over the free-kick as the referee makes sure the wall is back the full ten yards...

CLOSE! Beckham curls a low shot through the crowd, but Mora is able to watch the ball skid a couple of yards wide.

Tenorio is booked for bringing down Terry as the two chased down a poor pass from Carrick.

After a good start, England are going through a bit of a sloppy spell at the moment.

Rooney is looking a little isolated up front on his own; England aren't spending long enough in possession for Gerrard and Lampard to get forward to support him.

Ecuador take their time over a throw-in, prompting jeers from the England fans.

The game is rather limping towards half-time; neither side have been able to take this match by the scruff of the neck.

Beckham wastes another set-piece as his free-kick falls short of Rooney on the edge of the area.

Rooney benefits from a slip by Hurtado; he sees Gerrard and tries to prod a pass through before the defender can recover, but Espinoza slides in and blocks.

Carrick clips a pass in to the area for Rooney to chase, but the pass is a little over-hit and the striker can't keep it in play.

Hargreaves takes a knock as he blocks Delgado's attempted cross; it seems he has taken quite a blow to his thigh.

DODGY KEEPER! Robinson makes the wrong decision as he comes through a crowd of players but doesn't reach a long throw in to the penalty area.

Ecuador finish the half with a couple of corners, which England don't defend with a lot of confidence or conviction.

HALF-TIME: England can't break down Ecuador, who have had the best chance of the half; Sven has got his work cut out to inspire his men during the break, because England look, well, dreadful.

England kick off the second half. No changes at the break.

Of course, we have extra-time and penalties should the two teams be level at 90 minutes.

Gerrard is brought down by Reasco as he tried to break in to the area, but the referee doesn't spot the foul.

Ecuador have a good spell of possession; Mendez fires in a shot, but it is blocked by Ferdinand on the edge of the area.

Lampard is caught by Delgado after he had released a pass; free-kick...

England win a corner when Reasco has to come across and challenge Rooney on the by-line.

The crowd have gone very quiet.

Rooney releases Gerrard down the left, but his low pass across the face of goal can't be turned in at the back post.

England seem to be preparing a substitution; McClaren and Eriksson are making some notes on a pad on the England bench.

It has been a low-key start to the second half; England just haven't got going.

Gerrard and Lampard contrive to tackle each other and lose possession, just outside the penalty area. This is woeful stuff.

I don't know whether England are tired or just lazy, but they just aren't putting any pressure on the Ecuador players at the moment.

Neither team looks remotely capable of breaking the deadlock; the quality in the final third has been awful.

Ecuador win a corner as Hargreaves puts in a tackle on Mendez, but the delivery of the set-piece is dreadful.

PENALTY! NO! Rooney tries to barge his way through two defenders to get on the end of a Lampard flick in to the penalty area; all three players crash to the ground, but the referee doesn't spot a foul.

England win a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area. Beckham looks very serious as he marks out his run-up...

GOAL! Beckham curls the free-kick just inside the near post to put England in to the lead.

It was a wonderful free-kick from the England captain; he curled his effort just inside the post, beating Mora's dive.

England had been preparing a substitution, but the goal has delayed the change.

Beckham has become the first Englishman to score at three World Cups; that was a historic goal, and it has given England a massive boost.

England hadn't looked remotely like scoring until Beckham steered that free-kick inside the post; will that goal inspire them in the final half-hour.

OOH! Gerrard chests a pass down to Lampard, but the midfielder sends a left-foot drive the wrong side of the post.

England look a little bit sharper now; they have started to work harder and make better runs and are finally beginning to click. It's only taken an hour...

WHAT? RUBBISH! Lampard profits from an error from Hurtado; he is faced with just a single defender on the edge of the box, but instead of shooting, he tries to feed Rooney, who isn't alert to the pass.

GOOD SAVE! Robinson has had nothing to do in this second half, but he is alert enough to turn Delgado's shot around the near post.

De la Cruz is booked for deliberate handball in midfield.

NICE THOUGHT, DREADFUL PASS! Gerrard spots Rooney making a good run to the back post, but his cross his way over-hit and drifts out for a goal-kick.

ECUADOR SUB: Edwin Tenorio is replaced by Lara; the smallest man at the World Cup scuttles on to the field to give Ecuador a little energe in midfield.

England are content just to keep possession for a moment before breaking; Lampard gets free down the right channel, but his cross to Rooney is mis-directed.

ECUADOR SUB: Carlos Tenorio is replaced by Kaviedes; Ecuador's main threat up front is replaced after failing to recover from an injury.

GOOD DEFENDING! Delgado gets around the back of Ferdinand, but the England defender does wonderfully to keep his head and nod back to Robinson.

QUITE, QUITE DREADFUL! Rooney brilliantly beats his man to get to the by-line; he cuts the ball back to Lampard, but he spoons his shot over the bar from 10 yards.

England are passing the ball around well in midfield now; they are trying to make Ecuador work hard for possession.

ROONEY! Rooney collects a loose pass on the edge of the area, but his shot is easily saved by the sprawling Mora.

Rooney is starting to look a little tired now; he has worked very hard up front on his own.

ENGLAND SUB: Carragher comes on to replace Joe Cole; Cole hasn't had a good game, but is warmly applauded by the England fans.

Carragher has moved to right-back, with Hargreaves being shifted over to the left-midfield position.

WIDE! Mendez collects a half-clearance on the edge of the area, but he drags his left-foot shot well wide.

Robinson is booked for time-wasting as he takes a goal-kick.

RUBBISH! Kaviedes is given a lot of time by the England midfielders, but his shot from distance is one of the worst I've seen at this tournament.

The heat has certainly sapped the England players; they look dead on their feet. Thankfully, Ecuador don't look remotely capable of taking advantage.

ALMOST! Rooney's close control from a Robinson clearance is quite stunning; he gets round his man and rolls over a low cross, but Mora gets his hands to it moments before Lampard.

Carragher is booked for time-wasting over a free-kick. This referee has been very harsh.

DEFLECTED! SAVED! Castillo fires in a shot from distance; Terry gets a block on it, and Robinson dives full-length to prevent the ball from going out for a corner.

Robinson has gone down injured after diving for that ball. He receives some treatment, and the England players take the chance to take on some water.

GOOD DEFENDING! Beckham spots the danger as Kaviedes tries to feed Delgado on the edge of the area; he comes across and hoofs the ball out for a throw.

SHOCKING EFFORT! Valencia drags a low shot twenty yards wide from the edge of the area. He should be ashamed.

ENGLAND SUB: Lennon comes on to replace Beckham; Eriksson asks the young winger to give England some energy in the final minutes. Beckham looks absolutely knackered.

England break through Rooney; he feeds Lennon with a ball in to space; the youngster gets in to the area, but his shot is blocked. England corner.

ENGLAND SUB: Downing replaces Gerrard; Gerrard has worked very hard, though he hasn't had his best game.

Carrick carelessly gives the ball away in midfield, but Ecuador don't appear particularly fussed about pressing for an equaliser.

FULL-TIME: One of the worst matches, not only of this World Cup, but of any World Cup throughout history. Ever. England stumble through thanks to Beckham's second-half free-kick, the highlight of a thoroughly uninspiring performance.