England wins first match with 1-0 victory in Group B
{{date|June 10, 2006}}
[[File:World Cup 2006 logo.png|left|50px]][[England]] beat [[Paraguay]] 1-0 in a bruising encounter among the shadows of the Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Saturday.

[[File:Commerzbank Arena (Confed-Cup 2005).jpg|right|thumb|300px| Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany]]

In the sunshine and heat, which reached 30 degrees Celsius, it became a physical game that saw three bookings and the referee frequently blowing his whistle.

England got the perfect start scoring after just 3 minutes from a [[w:David Beckham|David Beckham]] freekick. Swung in from the left of the field, the ball clipped the head of Paraguayan captain [[w:Carlos Gamarra|Carlos Gamarra]] on its way to the net.

However; the game was not attractive for the neutral. Both sides looked nervous and no side got control of the midfield. Passes were frequently misplaced and attacks from both teams lacked cutting edge.

[[File:England-Paraguay line ups.svg|right|thumb|150px|Click to view team line-up.]]

Paraguay lost number one goalkeeper [[w:Justo Villa|Justo Villa]] to an injury in the sixth minute of the game. [[w:Aldo Borbadilla|Aldo Borbadilla]] replaced him.

Missing [[w:Wayne Rooney|Wayne Rooney]], arguably their team's most skilled player, whose recent injury though healed had ruled him out for this match, the noisy England fans in the crowd didn't have much to sing about except the victory.

[[File:Mainarena060610-2.jpg|thumb|left|England and Paraguay fans on the shore of the Main]]

England's Swedish manager [[w:Sven-Göran Eriksson|Sven-Göran Eriksson]]'s side had more possession but failed to score more than the one early goal. On their part, Paraguay was unable to capitalise on a number of English defensive errors to get an equaliser. 

England next face [[Trinidad and Tobago]] while Paraguay face the England manager's home nation, [[Sweden]].

== Statistics ==
'''Group B'''
{{User:Flipbaywood/Football box|bg = #eeeeee |date = June 10, 2006<br />15:00 |team1 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = England}} England|score = 1&ndash;0 |team2 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = Paraguay}} Paraguay |goals1 = o.g Gamarra 3' |goals2= ||stadium= Commerzbank-Arena}}

Attendance: 48'000

Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)[[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
[[File:Red card.svg|10px]]

=== England ===
[[File:Flag of England.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 P Robinson
* 02 G Neville
* 05 R Ferdinand
* 06 J Terry
* 03 A Cole
* 07 D Beckham
* 08 F Lampard
* 04 S Gerrard 19' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 11 J Cole (Substituted: 82' O Hargreaves )
* 10 M Owen (Substituted: 56' S Downing )
* 21 P Crouch 63' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]

=== Paraguay ===
[[File:Flag of Paraguay.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 J Villar (Substituted: 8' A Bobadilla)
* 21 D Caniza
* 04 C Gamarra
* 05 J Caceres
* 03 D Toledo (Substituted: 82' J Nunez)
* 06 C Bonet (Substituted: 68' N Cuevas)
* 10 R Acuna
* 13 C Paredes
* 16 C Riveros
* 18 N Valdez 22' [[File:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 09 R Santa Cruz

{{haveyoursay}}
== Related news ==
*{{wikinews|title=Trinidad and Tobago hold Sweden in second Group B match|date=June 10, 2006}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852606.stm
 |title=England labour to opening victory 
 |author=Phil McNulty
 |pub=BBC News Online
 |date=June 10, 2006}}

{{WorldCup2006}}

{{publish}}
{{archive-unreviewed}}

[[Category:Paraguay]]
[[Category:England]]
[[Category:Football (soccer)]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup 2006]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:South America]]
[[Category:Frankfurt am Main]]
[[Category:David Beckham]]

[[de:England gewann sein erstes WM-Spiel mit 1:0]]
[[pl:Mundial 2006: Anglia 1-0 Paragwaj]]
[[pt:Com ajuda da sorte Inglaterra bate Paraguai]]
50pxEngland beat Paraguay 1-0 in a bruising encounter among the shadows of the Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Saturday.

 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany

In the sunshine and heat, which reached 30 degrees Celsius, it became a physical game that saw three bookings and the referee frequently blowing his whistle.

England got the perfect start scoring after just 3 minutes from a David Beckham freekick. Swung in from the left of the field, the ball clipped the head of Paraguayan captain Carlos Gamarra on its way to the net.

However; the game was not attractive for the neutral. Both sides looked nervous and no side got control of the midfield. Passes were frequently misplaced and attacks from both teams lacked cutting edge.

Click to view team line-up.

Paraguay lost number one goalkeeper Justo Villa to an injury in the sixth minute of the game. Aldo Borbadilla replaced him.

Missing Wayne Rooney, arguably their team's most skilled player, whose recent injury though healed had ruled him out for this match, the noisy England fans in the crowd didn't have much to sing about except the victory.

England and Paraguay fans on the shore of the Main

England's Swedish manager Sven-Göran Eriksson's side had more possession but failed to score more than the one early goal. On their part, Paraguay was unable to capitalise on a number of English defensive errors to get an equaliser. 

England next face Trinidad and Tobago while Paraguay face the England manager's home nation, Sweden.

Attendance: 48'000

Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)10px
10px

* 01 P Robinson
* 02 G Neville
* 05 R Ferdinand
* 06 J Terry
* 03 A Cole
* 07 D Beckham
* 08 F Lampard
* 04 S Gerrard 19' 10px
* 11 J Cole (Substituted: 82' O Hargreaves )
* 10 M Owen (Substituted: 56' S Downing )
* 21 P Crouch 63' 10px

* 01 J Villar (Substituted: 8' A Bobadilla)
* 21 D Caniza
* 04 C Gamarra
* 05 J Caceres
* 03 D Toledo (Substituted: 82' J Nunez)
* 06 C Bonet (Substituted: 68' N Cuevas)
* 10 R Acuna
* 13 C Paredes
* 16 C Riveros
* 18 N Valdez 22' 10px
* 09 R Santa Cruz

de:England gewann sein erstes WM-Spiel mit 1:0
pl:Mundial 2006: Anglia 1-0 Paragwaj
Com ajuda da sorte Inglaterra bate Paraguai
Paraguay England Football (soccer) FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany Europe South America Frankfurt am Main David Beckham