England suffer humiliation in Belfast

Northern Ireland's goal scorer David Healy (L) makes his way past England's Ashley Cole during their FIFA World Cup Qualifying Match - Group 6 at Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland won 1-0.

England's hopes of World Cup qualification suffered a serious and humiliating blow in Belfast when Sven-Goran Eriksson's side slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland.

It was only Northern Ireland's seventh victory over England in 98 meetings, their first since 1972 and almost certainly the most surprising.

Eriksson had gone without defeat in 21 previous qualifiers, but England now trail the group leaders Poland by five points, and, although they have a game in hand they must win their two remaining qualifiers against Austria and Poland next month if they are to guarantee World Cup qualification as group six winners.

Northern Irelands dreams of qualification ended long ago, but that hardly mattered at a jubilant Windsor Park.

David Healy's 74th-minute winner was the first goal Northern Ireland had scored against England in Belfast since Vic Morelands effort in a 5-1 defeat in 1979, and it was richly deserved.

The home side may have been much the inferior in terms of technique, possession and territory, but their application could not be faulted, and the truth, unpalatable as it may be for England, is that Northern Ireland were the better side after half-time.

Northern Ireland's Aaron Huges blocks a shot from England's Shaun Wright-Phillips during their FIFA World Cup Qualifying Match - Group 6 at Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland defeated England 1-0.

Yes, there was a degree of luck in that David Beckham struck the angle of post and bar with a first-half free-kick, that Michael Owen, twisting onto a Steven Gerrard cross in first-half injury-time shot straight at Maik Taylor, and that the goalkeeper, springing to his right, was able to claw away a Frank Lampard drive.

But those were the only clear chances England created. More than anything else this was a victory for the Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez, and the sense of purpose and belief he has instilled.

Even a switch away from the cumbersome 4-3-3 system 10 minutes after half-time could not save England, and in truth, only left them looking the more confused.

Despite having the same midfield four who performed so creditably against the same opponents at Old Trafford, Eriksson deployed them differently, keeping Beckham in his central role, with Gerrard on the left and Joe Cole on the right. Neither wide player looked comfortable, and no wonder.

Beckham again looked calm in possession, and hit a string of gorgeous long passes, but there must be a question about the value of playing him in central midfield when he seems to have such a debilitating effect on Gerrard and Lampard.

England's Manager Sven Goran Eriksson (C), and assistant Tord Grip (L) watch their team lose to Northern Ireland during their FIFA World Cup Qualifying Match against - Group 6 at Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland defeated England 1-0.

In the first half, neither of the two putative wingers - Shaun Wright-Phillips and Wayne Rooney, forced out to the left by the return of Owen from suspension - seemed particularly comfortable receiving passes pinged at the from 60 yards away, particularly not given the ferocity of the Northern Irish tackling.

Rooney, as could only be expected, repeatedly drifted infield in search of more orthodox possession, but the result was only an increasing lop-sidedness to Englands play.

Rooneys temper can be read as easily as the mercury in a thermometer, and it came no surprise when, pushed over the edge by the Swiss referee Massimo Busacca's refusal to give a free-kick after he had been kicked by Chris Baird, he was booked for an elbow on Keith Gillespie just before half-time.

Busacca could easily have sent Rooney off moments later as he led with his arm in an aerial challenge with Baird, but he will nonetheless be suspended for the qualifier against Austria at Old Trafford in October.

It doesn't excuse it, but Rooneys frustration was readily understandable. Faced with two banks of defenders, they lacked thrust and imagination, and as James Quinn twice went close, there was almost an inevitability about the goal.

It was Steve Davis who supplied it, sliding in Healy, who pulled the ball down just inside the box before slotting home his 19th international goal past Paul Robinson.