MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
England's World Cup Confidence
There is rejoicing throughout Britain that England are through to the next round of the World Cup and satisfaction that Argentina has been eliminated. Television audiences for the match reached record numbers, and the roads were unusually quiet.
Although England's success and Argentina's failure have happened only just before the 20th anniversary of the Argentine surrender in the 1982 Falkland War, there is no great degree of triumphalism in Britain. The events marking the anniversary focus on pride in the British armed forces and remembrance of those who died.
With both the teams originally tipped to win the tournament now out ? France as well as Argentina ? there is growing belief that England could possibly win through to the final despite being regarded as not among the favourites at the start of the competition.
England's win against Nigeria to put them through to the next round was not particularly exciting ? a nil-nil draw in very high temperatures and humidity ? but the England team played cool, confident football against a determined Nigeria team and were unlucky not to score.
With an early morning start, public houses opened early in London and other cities and towns for people to watch on big television screens. And schools throughout the country gave children the opportunity to watch either by starting school earlier to let them see the match on television at school or letting them stay at home later to watch it there.
There has been widespread media coverage of Argentina's defeat by England and its subsequent elimination, and of the despondent mood in Buenos Aires.
Argentine bad sportsmanship And there has been much criticism in Britain of the Argentine team not so much for their football capability which is widely acknowledged, but for their bad sportsmanship, on and off the field.
When England captain David Beckham prepared to take the penalty which beat Argentina, he revealed afterwards that some Argentine players tried to upset his concentration, particularly Diego Simeone, responsible for having Beckham sent off in the 1998 World Cup in Saint Etienne.
The Times newspaper's chief football correspondent said Beckham displayed the transformation in his character when this time "he brushed off the attempts by his old nemesis to make him miss from the spot".
Beckham said afterwards: "There were a few antics going on because Simeone was trying to shake my hand before the penalty and the goalkeeper was telling me where he wanted me to put it. Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes ushered Simeone away and I just tried to blank it all out? We tried to be professional".
England dignity The England team behaved in a dignified way after the match unlike Argentina in 1998 when the South American team shouted and gestured to the vanquished England players. The Times said this time "triumphalism turned to tantrums as the Argentine squad refused to exchange shirts with their rivals. The genuine animosity between the players made England's victory all the sweeter".
The England players also disclosed that during and after the match they were jabbed by Argentine players with their elbows and spat upon.
England defender Danny Mills said after the match: "When you're wiping phlegm off your face for a second time, having nursed a stray elbow only minutes earlier, it takes a degree of discipline not to lose your cool. When Argentina are the opposition and the nation's hopes are at stake, the temptation to react is even stronger? I was delighted to emerge not only victorious but also unruffled, I find it an insult to my intelligence that they or anyone else thought I would let myself or, more importantly, my team-mates down.
The England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, said that by beating one of the favourites in such an important game, England are very pleased. The Times called it one of the great England victories since 1966 when England won the World Cup.
Harold Briley, London
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