FOOTBALL is a simple game – 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and, in the end, the English always win!
Maybe that’s getting a little carried away, but the Three Lions had a week to remember after tasting double victory over old enemy Germany.
Before their big Wembley clash on Tuesday at Euro 2020, both sets of supporters warmed-up with a fixture of their own the previous evening.
The Official England Fans team took on a depleted Fan Club Nationalmannschaft, captained by Berlin-born Ebbsfleet United manager Dennis Kutrieb and assisted from the bench by his first team coach and fellow countryman Chris Franks.
Their side took an early lead at Rectory Park, home of the Middlesex FA, but England roared back to hold a commanding 3-1 advantage at half-time.
Kutrieb, donning the number ten shirt and playing in midfield, scored Germany’s fourth goal but England, whose side included former Havant & Waterlooville winger Tony Taggart, ran out comfortable 9-4 winners.
However, both nations agreed to a ‘traditional’ penalty shoot-out and the Three Lions even won that, 4-3, with the shattered Kutrieb calmly scoring his spot-kick.
“I’m very exhausted, it’s tough to run for 90 minutes or to pretend to run for 90 minutes!” said the Fleet boss. “I think after 50 minutes I was gone! That’s the reason why fitness is the basic, you need to be fit and then you can run for 90 minutes.
“You always need to find the right spot when your engine has gone to get the ball and don’t make easy mistakes. You could see even in this game, you can’t make easy mistakes and if you do you get punished. It was very happy and fun to play in this game.”
Kutrieb, who began preseason for the upcoming National League South season this week, answered a call to help out the Germany fans team after travel restrictions limited their numbers.
“I got a message if I could help and if I knew one or two people to play because they had big problems because of the Covid situation,” said Kutrieb. “England is on the red list in Germany so you need to quarantine for 14 days. The German fans and the real fans national team are not allowed to travel.”
Outstanding
Kutrieb predicted a Germany win on penalties in the last-16 tie with England, but late goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane handed the Three Lions a memorable victory. Everton’s Jordan Pickford, a former loanee at Non-League clubs Darlington and Alfreton, was outstanding once again in goal, notching his fourth clean sheet.
“I’ve just got to be in the moment you know, I just help the team as much as I can,” he said. “I train all week and then try to do what I do on a match day.
“The crowd thought I did well with the two saves but I also just tried to take the sting out of the game by coming for crosses when 2-0 up.”
