Fans can rest easy as Owen quells injury concerns
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Your support makes all the difference.The band of faithful Japanese supporters who keep a daily vigil outside England's training ground at Tsuna were disappointed yesterday when Michael Owen failed to emerge from the team bus. Owen, like Emile Heskey, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, remained at the team hotel resting injuries incurred during Saturday's second-round victory over Denmark.
Neither the local Anglophiles, nor native English, need be too concerned, however as all four are expected to be fit for Friday's quarter-final against the winners of today's second round tie, between Brazil and Belgium. "They should all be okay," said Sven Goran Eriksson yesterday. "Owen has a slight problem in his groin, Scholes twisted his ankle, Heskey took a knock and Butt has blisters." All had gym sessions yesterday.
Owen added: "I felt a little tight in the groin after a few minutes. It's not a major problem. I played the first 45 minutes and could have played the second if it had been 0-0 or 1-0 but, 3-0 up with a game coming up, it was sensible to come off."
Beckham trained despite his left foot feeling the effects of Saturday night. He was seen to take off his left boot as soon as the game finished and he said yesterday: "My foot was aching as it was the first time I had worn studs in a game since breaking the bone but it was just aching, nothing more than that."
The prognosis does not appear as hopeful for Owen Hargreaves. The Bayern Munich midfielder left Niigata with his head bowed and refusing to speak to anyone. Hargreaves has not trained since suffering a leg injury in the opening minutes of the victory over Argentina 10 days ago. Despite two scans, massage and ultrasound treatment, England still have no idea when he will be fit even to train.
With Kobe's Wing Stadium just 30 minutes drive from England's base on Awaji Island, Eriksson, his coaches and possibly the players, depending on ticket availability and security, will attend the Brazil-Belgium game.
While Eriksson would admit no preference as to the result, his players, on the other hand, are divided between the lure of playing Brazil and the potentially easier prospect of facing Belgium. Rio Ferdinand, a long-time fan of the Brazilians, said: "I will be cheering moments of skill but I won't be cheering any Brazilian goals. But I certainly won't cheering any Belgian ones either."
Ferdinand, incidentally, has been credited with the first goal at the Big Swan stadium.
"I don't think there was any question about it," said the defender, tongue slightly in cheek. He added: "It wasn't the best of headers. It should not have gone anywhere near the keeper. Fortunately he pushed it in and it's nice to score in the World Cup."
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