绿茵场外
England Lose in Ukraine 英格兰队在乌克兰败北
England and Fabio Capello’s 100% record 百战不败的记录 came to an end on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat to the Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk.
Since England have already qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the result was academic 形式上的.
However, the England manager was left far from pleased by what he saw, including the sending off 被罚下场 of the England goalkeeper and the repeated halting 多次暂停 of the game due to the behaviour of the Ukranian fans.
The game had to be stopped because of fans throwing flares
England’s problems began in the 13th minute of the game when goalkeeper Robert Green fouled 犯规 the Ukraine’s Artem Milevskiy in the penalty box.
The referee first decided to show a red card 出示红牌 to English defender Rio Ferdinand, before changing his mind and sending Green off and awarding a penalty to the Ukraine.
With England reduced to ten men, it was down to substitute keeper 替换守门员 David James to face the penalty kick.
You could argue that someone throwing a paper aeroplane on the pitch might take someone's eye out.
David James, England
Despite sending James the wrong way, Ex-Chelsea player Andriy Schevchenko missed his penalty, hitting the woodwork and provoking an angry response from the home fans.
The Ukraine fans caused the game to be stopped on three occasions by throwing flaming flares燃烧棒 into the England goalmouth.
The crowd problems nearly ended the game early, and an announcement had to be made at half-time saying that if the trouble continued, the referee would abandon 放弃 the game.
However, the England players refused to blame the crowd’s flare throwing 投掷燃烧棒 for their poor performance.
It seems to happen when you come to these places and you've just got to get on with it.
James Milner, England
Substitute keeper David James said: "They were big flares, granted. But you could argue that someone throwing a paper aeroplane 用纸叠的飞机 on the pitch might take someone's eye out."
By saying a paper plane could take someone’s eye out, James was making light 一笑了之 of a potentially dangerous situation.
Midfielder James Milner also suggested that the crowd were not the cause of England’s weak display.
"It seems to happen when you come to these places and you've just got to get on with it," said Milner.
"It is part and parcel of it. Did it affect the performance? I don't think so."
The phrase 'part and parcel' means that it is an essential part of the process.
However, one person who did not take such a philosophical view 从哲学角度看问题 of the game was England’s fiery manager Fabio Capello.
Capello, let fly 大发雷霆 at the referee with a four-minute rant 怒吼/叫喊 at the end of the game.
Speaking to reporters later, Capello said: "I never speak about referees but this time the mistake is too big!"
© MMIX