Defoe double denies Dutch

JERMAIN DEFOE’S second-half double allowed England to come from two goals down at the break to snatch a draw in their friendly against Holland last night.

England seemed certain to start the World Cup season with a morale-sapping defeat as basic blunders from Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry gifted the already-qualified Dutch their interval advantage.

Instead, Fabio Capello managed to inject some life into his troops, with Defoe supplying the killer finish to passes from the excellent Frank Lampard and eye-catching youngster James Milner, to take his personal tally to four England goals in two games.

Capello insisted he was calm at half-time despite the mistakes which handed Holland a 2-0 lead.

Asked what he said at the break, Capello said: “Nothing. I just spoke quietly. It’s pre-season. It’s possible to make mistakes, but there are still 45 minutes to play.”

“They were two presents,” he said. “But I prefer to give gifts in non-competitive games.”

Two-goal Defoe played down his contribution.

He said: “I said to the lads I would stand on the shoulder (of the defenders) and I got in behind them. I tried to stay onside and was glad to see it (the first) go in.

“(The second) was just a case of gambling. James Milner put a great ball into the box and I just gambled.”

It was a shambolic opening period for England.

Ferdinand is among one of the best defenders in Europe. So his decision to turn a pass towards Robert Green without so much as a lift of the head in his goalkeeper’s direction can only be put down to a mental aberration.

The result was an opportunity for Kuyt to nip in and slip the ball past Green, then beat the West Ham keeper again on the way back as he opened up an angle. Fortunately for the Liverpool man, his shot bounced in off John Terry.

To prove Ferdinand was not the only one capable of such elementary errors, Frank Lampard did a very similar thing on the half hour, which would have resulted in England falling two behind if Green had not produced a fine save to deny Arjen Robben.

You would think that would be the end of England’s enforced errors.

Unfortunately, there was time for one more before half-time as Barry sent Robben through.

The former Chelsea star probably could not believe his good fortune. Yet again though Green repelled him, only for Rafael van der Vaart to drive the rebound into an empty net.

Lampard came closest for England with a near post effort. But Holland could easily argue Robben, Van Persie, Kuyt and Van der Vaart were just as deserving of another for the Dutch.

The effect created by Capello’s half-time changes was staggering as Lampard chipped a pass through to Defoe, who bore down on the Dutch goal and finished in fine style just five minutes after the restart.

A beautiful piece of skill from Rooney’s replacement Carlton Cole almost allowed England to draw level as Lampard exerted a greater influence on proceedings.

And, 13 minutes from time, parity was restored as Milner bravely got his head to the ball and nodded past John Heitinga before charging to the by-line and delivering a low cross that Defoe gleefully tapped home.

HOLLAND: Stekelenburg, Heitinga, Ooijer, Mathijsen, Braafheid, De Jong, Schaars (Mendes Da Silva, 82), van der Vaart (Sneijder, 46), Kuyt (Huntelaar, 78), van Persie (Babel, 46), Robben (Afellay, 55)

ENGLAND: Green, Johnson, Cole, (Wayne Bridge, 84), Barry (Carrick, 46), Ferdinand, Terry, Beckham (Wright-Phillips, 46), Lampard, Heskey (Defoe, 46), Rooney (Cole 59), Young (Milner, 68)

Referee: N Rizzoli (Italy).