England 3 Egypt 1

THERE were jeers ahead of kick-off as England supporters gave John Terry a mixed reception on his first Wembley outing since news of his marital infidelity emerged, but they had turned to cheers by the time the whistle blew on the final match before Fabio Capello names his provisional squad for the World Cup finals.

A night that threatened to be difficult, not just for Terry, but for the whole of Capello’s squad, was turned on its head as Peter Crouch’s second-half brace, allied to a goal from fellow substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips, ensured England maintained their unbeaten record against African opposition.

It was a good night to start on the bench, as replacements Crouch, Wright- Phillips and Michael Carrick all strengthened their claims for a place in South Africa, while starters Theo Walcott, Jermain Defoe and Matthew Upson fluffed their lines in a crucial late audition.

Ultimately, though, England’s struggles against an Egypt side that failed to qualify for the World Cup finals do not augur well.

For 45 minutes, the hosts were second best, and while the final result was just reward for their undoubted second-half superiority, this was not a display that will have the likes of Brazil or Spain quaking in their boots.

It might also have left Capello nursing something of a furrowed brow.

Of the 11 players that started, two (Walcott and Leighton Baines) were playing for a place in the World Cup squad, while four more (Upson, Defoe, Robert Green and Wes Brown) were hoping to press their claims for a starting spot against the United States on June 12.

None of the sextet will be particularly satisfied with their night’s work.

Upson was the big loser, with his slip in the build-up to Egypt’s opening goal proving crucial. Poor pitch or no poor pitch, it was an indefensible error.

Defoe missed two decent opportunities before he was hauled off at the break, and confirmed his reputation as something of a flat-track bully. You would back him to score against Bolton, but would you want your house on him to notch against Brazil?

Baines and Brown were steady but unspectacular, while Walcott was a peripheral presence before he too departed midway through the second half.

At least the Arsenal winger boasts pace though, something few other England players can offer. That pace was evident in the fifth minute of last night’s game, and the evening might have been different from the outset had Frank Lampard not spurned the glorious opportunity that subsequently came his way.

Wayne Rooney sent Walcott scampering free down the right, and Lampard was perfectly positioned to receive a pull back into the heart of the box. It was the kind of chance he regularly converts with Chelsea, but on this occasion his low strike cannoned off the legs of Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

Lampard spurned another opportunity ten minutes before the break, shooting over after a half-cleared corner broke kindly to him in the box.

England were behind at that stage, and while Defoe should have done better when an unnecessary touch enabled Ahmed El Mehamady to deny him with an excellent sliding challenge, the hosts could have few complaints about their deficit.

Egypt’s swift midfield passing caused England problems throughout, and for all that Capello’s side waltzed through their qualifying group, they continue to exude defensive discomfort when faced with sides who pass and move at pace.

Emad Abdelnaby had served notice of the visitors’ attacking intent with an 11th-minute header that flew wide, but England, and more particularly Upson, were the masters of their own downfall midway through the first half.

Hosny Abdrabou’s diagonal ball should not have been too threatening, but Upson’s slip left Mohamed Zidan with a free shot at goal. The Borussia Dortmund marksman did not waste it, placing a clinical finish past Green.

Trailing at home for the first time since August 2008, England’s frustrations were obvious. Rooney was fortunate to avoid censure after he hacked out at Ahmed Hassan, while Defoe spurned his second good opening of the night when he shot too close to El Hadary.

The Spurs striker was replaced by Crouch at the interval, and it took just 11 minutes for the replacement to show his Tottenham teammate how it should be done.

Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry combined to enable the latter to slide in a low cross, and Crouch produced a superb first-time finish to beat El Hadary from ten yards.

England’s second-half attacking boasted much more urgency than their first, and after a typically ebullient Rooney went close with an acrobatic scissors kick and an angled shot across goal, Wright-Phillips converted his first opportunity to give England the lead.

El Hadary parried James Milner’s first effort from the edge of the area, but the Egypt goalkeeper appeared to mis-read the flight of the ball as Wright-Phillips scored with the rebound.

The Manchester City winger was involved again as England grabbed a third with ten minutes left.

His low cross caught the visiting defence napping, and while Crouch appeared to be offside as he steered home a first-time volley, his fourth goal in his last two England outings was allowed to stand.

Match facts

Goals: Zidan (23mins, 0-1), Crouch (56, 1-1; 80, 3-1), Wright-Phillips (75, 2-1)

Bookings: Fathy (67mins, foul)

Referee: Carlos Manuel Torres Nunez (Paraguay) 6

Attendance: 80,602

Entertainment: ✰✰✰

ENGLAND (4-4-2):

Green 5; Brown 6, Terry 6, Upson 4, Baines 6; Walcott 4 (Wright-Phillips 57mins 6), Lampard 5 (Carrick 46mins 6), BARRY 7, Gerrard 6 (Milner 73mins); Rooney 7 (C Cole 86mins), Defoe 4 (Crouch 46mins 7).

Subs (not used): James (gk), Hart (gk), Warnock, Lescott, Shawcross, Beckham, Downing, Heskey.

EGYPT (5-3-2):

El Hadary 5; El Mehamady 5, Gomaa 6, Saeed 5 (Salem 86mins), Fathy 6, Moawad 5 (Abdel Shafy 76mins); Hassan 6 (Nagy 64mins 4), Ghaly 4, Abdrabou 5; ZIDAN 6 (Aboutrika 76mins), Abdelnaby 5 (Zaki 64mins 4).

Subs (not used): El Sayed (gk), Fatahala, Raaouf, Tawfik, Hamdy, El Souad, Eid, El Razk.

MAN OF THE MATCH:

GARETH Barry – The Manchester City midfielder held things together in central midfield and dominated the second half.