David Beckham is a bit marmite, even today, but on the 6th October 2001 he was certainly not a villain, when he scored that fabulous 30 yard free kick in the 93rd minute to earn England a draw with Greece in a World Cup Qualifier at Old Trafford.The draw meant that England went through to the Finals in 2002, the only home nation international team to qualify. Earlier they lost to Germany at the last ever game at the "old" Wembley when Dietmar Hamann scored and Kevin Keegan resigned from the manager's job in the home team toilet! An earlier draw with Finland 0-0 left England bottom of their group and five points adrift from Germany. Keegan was replaced by Sven-Goran Eriksson and Michael Owen came up with a hat trick in Munich to see England win 5-1.
It's one of those games when everyone remembers where they were!
Then came their final game against Greece and they had to match or better Germany's final result. England had beaten Greece in six previous games and drawn the other. England spluttered to being behind twice and Germany were drawing in Finland.
In the Japanese/Korean Finals, England scored 2 goals in three matches in the qualifying group drawing 2 and winning one with Beckham's penalty against Argentina. It all came alive in the second round knock out, beating Denmark encouragingly 3-0 and then we lost to 10 man Brazil 1-2 in Shizuoka. Owen scored again, Rivaldo equalised with that long free kick over Seaman.
On the 8th October 2005 Beckham was sent off for getting two yellow cards for fouls on Austrian Ibertsberger in a World Cup Qualifier v Austria, again at Old Trafford. He became the first England international to be sent off twice. With only 10 men, England muddled through to victory after Lampard's penalty. England had drawn with Austria 2-2 away.
Beckham had previously been sent off against Argentina in 1998.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHCqp7Xbjdg
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