Man-for-man: how England and Argentina rated in Sapporo yesterday

England

David Seaman (Arsenal)

A faultless display from the veteran Samsonian stopper. So that's why he won't cut his hair. Read the game perfectly, made several vital claims in the last 15 under-pressure minutes. Saved from Zanetti in the sixth minute, Batistuta after 25 and off the line from Pochettino in the 77th. Superb. (8 out of 10).

Ashley Cole (Arsenal)

Slightly nervy early on, one error went unpunished only by a narrow offside. But he won his personal dual with Ortega with mostly well-timed interceptions and bustling, ball-winning energy. Also pressed forward, providing options later. (7)

Rio Ferdinand (Leeds United)

A huge presence in the centre of defence, he produced a succession of towering headers when the lead needed defending having earlier made a vital block on a 17th-minute Kily Gonzalez shot. His distribution was typically measured and his ability to provide cover was exemplary. (8)

Sol Campbell (Arsenal)

A huge improvement from the Sweden game, even allowing for his one slip, when he let Batistuta evade him and attempt a close-range first-half header. Seemed to get bigger as the game wore on, he visibly intimidated the opponents in the box and made a vital block in the 71st minute. (7)

Danny Mills (Leeds United)

Sloppy headers back to the keeper? Not a chance. Pressed forward but showed no hint of frailty in his principal position. His second-half display was crucial. (7)

David Beckham (Manchester Utd)

Balls of gold, nerves of steel. Not only for his successful conversion of that penalty but for not reacting when deliberately targeted for a cynical first-half smack in face by Batistuta. Worked very hard, indeed almost scored after an Owen-esque run, and helped at the back as well. (8)

Nicky Butt (Manchester Utd)

Undoubtedly his best game in an England shirt. His interception on Kily Gonzalez on seven minutes cannot be underestimated. Worked his socks off, tackling, harrying, probing forward, passing, and marking Veron out of the game. Wonderful. (9)

Owen Hargreaves (Bayern)

Who knows how the game might have gone had he not gone off injured? But showed intent with an early run, continued bravely after taking a knock and played a sweet ball to set Owen before succumbing. (6)

Paul Scholes (Manchester Utd)

Small man, huge contribution, as usual. Scrapped and nipped heels to win countless balls. Held firm in the centre to allow flexible use of his defensive and attacking qualities. Struck a powerful 49th-minute volley from distance. (8)

Emile Heskey (Liverpool)

From being a fish out of water on the wing to being a striker who can rarely have played deeper. Won several key challenges in the centre circle, one of which led directly to Owen's shot in the 23rd minute. Not a threat up front yesterday, but maybe had been asked to make, not take. (7)

Michael Owen (Liverpool)

The scourge of Argentina, again. His pace won a corner in the 18th minute and a chance that hit the post on 23. His weaving feet earned the penalty and he shot wide just after the break. Only substituted so the defence could be bolstered. (8)

Substitutes

Trevor Sinclair: Tireless up and down the left wing, and later up and down the right, mostly with the ball at his feet before a useful cross was released. (7)

Teddy Sheringham: His first touch of the ball came on 57 minutes after being on the pitch for seconds. It was a stunning volley that required a save. A decent back header also went just past the post. (7)

Wayne Bridge: Not much time to impress but then his main objective was to do nothing wrong. Made a couple of good tackles to clear late in the game. (6)

Argentina

Pablo Cavallero (Celta Vigo)

Was supposedly Argentina's weak link, especially at crosses, but in the event dealt well with everything England threw at him in open play. Had not the slightest chance of saving David Beckham's penalty. (7 out of 10)

Mauricio Pochettino (Paris St-G)

Will long have nightmares about the lunge that brought down Michael Owen for the penalty. Was discomforted by the Liverpool striker's pace but also by Beckham and Sinclair's runs. He did, however, come closest to scoring for Argentina. (4)

Walter Samuel (Roma)

Was unable to control Michael Owen when Liverpool beat Roma in the Stadio Olimpico last year and yesterday's display did not show a marked improvement. The centre of the Argentinian defence never looked entirely secure. (4)

Diego Placente (Bayer Leverkusen)

Discomforted early on by Emile Heskey, the Bayer Leverkusen left-back was marginally the most impressive of Argentina's defenders, although he failed to shine when pushed forward. (5)

Javier Zanetti (Internazionale)

Marcelo Bielsa's tactics of driving Argentina's attacks down England's right meant the Internazionale defender saw little action as a wing-back until the last desperate quarter of an hour when he just failed to deliver a telling cross. (6)

Diego Simeone (Lazio)

Not quite the central role that he occupied in Saint-Etienne, where he was villain-in-chief, but exercised a calming influence on an Argentinian midfield that was badly disrupted by the tenacity of Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. (6)

Juan Sorin (Cruzeiro)

Overlapped well in support of Kily Gonzalez in the first half, Sorin gave Danny Mills plenty of work but, like Zanetti, he could not deliver the killer cross to really test Rio Ferdinand or Sol Campbell. (7)

Juan Sebastian Veron (Man Utd)

Even given the fact that he had not trained since Monday, this was a disastrous, lack-lustre display by the man who is supposed to be the heartbeat of the national side. The English game's most expensive footballer did not make it to the second half. (3)

Ariel Ortega (River Plate)

There were one or two of the trademark dribbles but not enough to discomfort Ashley Cole, even when the young Arsenal defender was given a yellow card. Ortega hardly had a worthwhile shot. (5)

Gabriel Batistuta (Roma)

A strange, immature performance from Argentina's most experienced player. Was booked for a crude challenge on Cole and was lucky not to be sent off for elbowing Beckham. His one chance, a header, was directed tamely at Seaman. (4)

Kily Gonzalez (Valencia)

Looked the biggest threat to England in the first half, most notably with a volley which screamed just over the crossbar. However, the Valencia forward faded badly after the interval and was replaced by Claudio Lopez. (6)

Substitutes

Pablo Aimar: Lively and inventive, Aimar was the best and most inventive player Bielsa had in Sapporo and troubled the England defence, although the quality of his shooting was poor. (7)

Hernan Crespo: Provided slightly more pace up front than Batistuta, but some tenacious defending denied him any concrete sight of goal. (5)

Claudio Lopez: Provided some useful runs to trouble Danny Mills but too often snatched at the ball as time and confidence began to drain from the World Cup favourites. (6)