World Cup kicks off with USA vs. England at RAF Mildenhall

  • Published
  • By Gary Rogers
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Mildenhall is preparing for the start of the biggest football tournament on earth-the World Cup.

With television crews and radio reporters in place the USA and England teams take to the field but without a Wayne Rooney or Landon Donovan in site. The football match between RAF Mildenhall representing USA, and the Anglia Community Leisure Centre Team 11 representing England, kicked-off at 6 p.m. at the Hardstand Fitness Center here, June 11. The idea of the game was to hype up the big match which took place 24 hours later.

The game started with England settling down the quickest and soon getting into their passing stride. The team playing in their red replica shirts made the perfect start after a few minutes play when Jason Moore calmly lobbed the ball over the head of US keeper, Chris Beets. The ball came off the post and found the back of the net. A few minutes later, Moore added a second with a brilliant individual goal. Picking the ball up just inside the US half, he ran at the defense, slipped pass Cho Ndiforchu and rounded the goalkeeper before side-footing the ball into an empty net.

The first real USA threat came from Carlos Sanchez when he raced down the wing and drilled a low shot across the goal which narrowly went wide. England then increased their lead when Spike Murkin side-footed the ball home from close range to make it 3-0.

Half-time: USA 0 - England 3

Cheered on by a vocal and passionate USA crowd doing their very best to lift the spirits of their team the players were finally rewarded when Kibrom Retta pulled a goal back for USA. Tom Harris, the England keeper, failed to hold onto a shot from Victor Reyna and Retta was able to follow up and put the ball into the back of the net.

This spurred on the USA team and minutes later Harris was again put to work when he made a good save from Jonathan Mendez. England then had another scare when Sanchez was brought down in the box, but the referee waved play on. Fitness was certainly a factor, as USA looked stronger and was enjoying their best spell of the game, but it wasn't to last.

Jason Moore, the 19-year-old ex-Ipswich Town junior, completed his hat trick and sealed victory for his England team. The final whistle blew which led to joyous celebrations by the England team. Moore, hat-trick hero said afterwards, "it was a team effort and he couldn't have done it without the lads."

After the game, ITV Sports Correspondent Donovan Blake presented a trophy to the winning England captain Karl Holmes.

Full time: USA 1 - England 4

As much as ACL 11 players had wished, the base's football match did not reflect on the actual USA vs. England World Cup game.

Some 24 hours later, the real game kicked off and Steven Gerrard gave England an early lead before Clint Dempsey's 25 yard shot equalized for the USA after England goalkeeper Robert Green allowed the ball to squeeze through him and roll agonizingly over the line.

One team member playing for ACL 11 was happy with the drawn result. Twenty three year old Aaron Sakaye, has divided loyalties with an English mother and American father. Aaron has lived in England since he was six.

Let's hope both teams go through from the group and qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup.