England were held to a 2-2 draw by Ecuador in their penultimate World Cup warm-up game in the heat of Miami.
Strikes from Wayne Rooney and Rickie Lambert gave Roy Hodgson a reason to smile, while the two goals against will provide him with something to ponder over the next ten days.
But an injury to winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave him sweating with Brazil fast-approaching.
England 2-2 Ecuador
International Friendly
Sun Life Stadium, Miami
Wednesday 4 June 2014
Coming back from conceding an early goal from Enner Valencia, England looked like they had earned a confidence-boosting win. But Michael Arroyo’s equaliser for fellow World Cup hopefuls Ecuador meant the game ended all-square and both sides finished the game with ten men.
Arriving in the Miami heat on Sunday night, Hodgson’s team had spent two day adjusting to the temperatures and it was a chance to try things out before their tournament opener against Italy in Manaus on 14 June.
After the 3-0 win at Wembley on Friday night, ten changes were made to the line-up with only Wayne Rooney playing again. Hodgson was keen to give him match-time after missing the end of his club season.
The manager also wanted to see a different defence, and while the shape was similar to the side that beat Peru, he gave Manchester United duo Chris Smalling and Phil Jones a chance together at the back with captain Frank Lampard and Jack Wilshere in front.
James Milner was chosen at right-back, as Hodgson tested an alternative to regular Glen Johnson, and Luke Shaw was on the left.
In an entertaining and open game, it was Lampard who had the first chance, flashing wide from a Rickie Lambert pass into the box, but within a minute Ecuador had taken the lead.
A perfect cross from the left by Walter Ayovi evaded the jump of Chris Smalling and Enner Valencia arrived to head home giving Ben Foster little chance to save.
Luke Shaw attempts a volleyed cross
Shaw almost responded instantly when he lashed at a chip over the defence from Rooney. The 18-year-old did not get a clear hit, though, and keeper Maximo Banguera was able to push around the post.
Rooney was again in the action as Hodgson’s men pushed for an equaliser. He collected a reverse pass from Ross Barkley into the left side of the area.
The Manchester United man teased the ball across the face of goal with the outside of his boot, but no-one was on hand to apply a decisive touch.
The Three Lions were struggling to adapt to the pace and trickery of the Ecuadorian forwards and needed Foster to race off his line to snuff out a chance for Ayovi in behind Milner.
When England applied their own pace and flair, it troubled their opponents, particularly when Barkley burst forward and fed to Chamberlain for a shot on goal.
Wayne Rooney stabs home England's equaliser
His initial attempt was blocked, but he picked up the rebound, shimmied his way past a last defender on the bye-line and delivered across goal, only for Ecuador to hack it away for a corner.
Lampard also had a try from range which Banguera palmed over, but the keeper’s handling left a lot to be desired when Chamberlain clipped in another cross just before the half-hour mark.
Lambert was the target and his presence unsettled Banguera who fumbled the ball and the recent Liverpool signing flicked goalwards.
The ball hit the post, gave the keeper another chance to claim – which he fluffed – and Rooney was waiting to poke home. A scrappy goal, but England were back on terms.
See our behind-the-scenes footage from the game
However, Ecuador were finding spaces behind the England back-line, and almost took the lead again when Christian Noboa played a pass through the middle for Enner Valencia.
Foster came out again, but was beaten to it by the forward, but fortunately the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.
Rooney was looking hungry to add to his 39-goal tally for England and tested Banguera again from range. His quick movement around the box was also asking questions of the Ecuadorians and his graft helped create another chance for Chamberlain, but it came to nothing.
England were attacking with verve and while Chamberlain and Rooney were providing the support around Lambert, Barkley’s running from deep was bringing the England fans in the corner of Sun Life Stadium to their feet.
Jack Wilshere vies for possession with Walter Ayovi
After a positive run and shot at the end of the first half, the Everton man’s rampages continued in the second half.
Five minutes in, rather than pulling the trigger himself from the edge of the box, he passed invitingly into the path of Lambert on the right, who unleashed a rocket arrowing into the corner of the net.
The former Saint had a similar chance on the opposite side moments later, but could not bend his shot inside the post. But there were bigger concerns for England with little more than an hour gone when Chamberlain went down in pain.
After a couple of minutes on the turf receiving treatment, the Arsenal winger limped off the pitch and headed straight for the dressing room. He was replaced by Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan who made his senior debut.
A minute later his Anfield team-mate Raheem Sterling came on but would only spend 13 minutes on the pitch before receiving a red card for a foul on Ecuador skipper Luis Antonio Valencia. The Manchester United man was also dismissed for his retaliation.
But it was another sub, Michael Arroyo, who scored with his first touch of the game to ensure the two sides would share the spoils.
Making space for himself on the edge of the box, he rifled home a powerful drive into the top corner to send the largely Ecuadorian support into raptures.
From an England point of view, it was a useful exercise as Hodgson puts the final touches on his World Cup plan. One more visit to Sun Life Stadium on Saturday for the meeting with Honduras and then it's off to Rio and the main event.
England (4-2-3-1): 13 Ben Foster; 17 James Milner, 16 Phil Jones, 12 Chris Smalling, 23 Luke Shaw; 8 Frank Lampard (c), 7 Jack Wilshere; 15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 21 Ross Barkley, 10 Wayne Rooney; 18 Rickie Lambert
Subs: 25 Jon Flanagan on for 15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 63; 19 Raheem Sterling on for 10 Wayne Rooney, 65; 24 John Stones on for 23 Luke Shaw, 74; 14 Jordan Henderson on for 18 Rickie Lambert, 84; 11 Danny Welbeck on for Ross Barkley, 84; 20 Adam Lallana on for 7 Jack Wilshere, 86
Subs not used: 22 Fraser Forster
Manager: Roy Hodgson
Goals: Wayne Rooney, 29; Rickie Lambert, 51
Red Cards: Raheem Sterling, 78
Ecuador: 1 Maximo Banguera, 2 Jorge Guagua, 3 Frickson Erazo, 4 Juan Carlos Paredes, 6 Christian Noboa, 7 Jefferson Montero, 10 Walter Ayovi, 11 Felipe Caicedo, 13 Enner Valencia, 16 Luis Antonio Valencia (c), 23 Carlos Gruezo
Subs: 9 Joao Rojas of for 11 Felipe Caicedo, 46; 8 Edison Mendez on for 6 Christian Noboa, 49; 15 Michael Arroyo on for 7 Jefferson Montero, 68; 5 Alex Renato Ibarra on for 13 Enner Valencia, 19 Luis Fernando Saritama of for 23 Carlos Gruezo, 89; 21 Gabriel Achilier on for 4 Juan Carlos Paredes, 90
Subs not used: 12 Adrian Bone, 14 Segundo Castillo, 17 Jaimen Ayovi, 18 Oscar Bagui, 20 Fidel Martinez, 22 Alexander Dominguez
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda
Goals: Walter Ayovi, 8; Michael Arroyo, 69
Red Cards: Luis Antonio Valencia, 78
Attendance: 21,534
