Body blow in Balkans as England lose poise

Montenegro 1 England 1

Leading through Wayne Rooney’s 35th international goal after six minutes, England reached half-time still ahead, having produced possibly their best 45 minutes under Roy Hodgson.

But as good as England were before the break, they were bad afterwards.

Twice Joe Hart was forced to make stupendous saves as the visitors found it impossible to relieve the pressure around their goal.

Substitute Dejan Damjanovic eventually found the net, prodding home from close range to defy further heroics from Hart and Joleon Lescott.

It was the least Montenegro deserved, even though Steven Gerrard almost won it for England in stoppage time, and keeps the hosts two points clear at the head of Group H.

And the worry is that the situation may become worse in June, for when England head to Brazil for a friendly, Montenegro will entertain Ukraine knowing that victory will represent a serious barrier to manager Hodgson’s hopes of heading back to Rio by the automatic route.

Initially, Gerrard’s reaction to Branko Brnovic’s inflammatory comments yesterday proved to be accurate.

It transpired England did have Montenegro right where they wanted them.

Rather than the timid attitude expected of a team Brnovic said would be truly scared of the task in front of them, the visitors tore into their opponents from the very start.

And in those dazzling early stages, no-one shone brighter than Rooney.

Sent off in this stadium 18 months ago for a needless act of petty violence that ruined his chances of making a positive impact at Euro 2012, Rooney was eager to impress.

The visitors attacked at speed. And when Bozovic got the faintest of touches to a Glen Johnson piledriver, it provided Steven Gerrard with the opportunity to seek Rooney out with a corner that he directed home with the minimum of disruption and that’s the way it stayed until the interval.

Montenegro were expected to improve in the second half and Stevan Jovetic gave an early warning when he planted his far-post header into the side-netting after Savic had crossed, and half-time substitute Damjanovic had an effort blocked as he turned quickly onto Mirko Vucinic’s lay-off.

The pressure became relentless, with Gerrard among those culpable for getting dragged into an overwhelming desire to attack when the more necessary task was for England to remain solid and protect their lead.

England had lost their poise and were doing nothing more than hanging on.

Another brilliant reaction save from Hart kept them in front. But the reprieve lasted only seconds as, in the scramble that followed, Damjanovic found the net.

In stoppage time the keeper just tipped Gerrard’s free-kick over.

MONTENEGRO: Bozovic, Basa, Volkov, Miodrag Dzudovic, Savic, Vukcevic (Krkotic 62), Novakovic (Damjanovic 45), Zverotic, Bozovic, Jovetic, Vucinic.

ENGLAND: Hart, Johnson, Cole, Lescott, Smalling, Gerrard, Milner, Carrick, Cleverley (Young 78), Welbeck, Rooney.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)