June 3rd and I'm going back 15 years to 2006 and England's final pre-tournament friendly against Jamaica at Old Trafford before heading to Germany for the 2006 World Cup.
To date this match is the first and only time that England have met Jamaica or "the Reggae Boyz" as they are nicknamed. This match was organised as part of England's World Cup preparations and with one eye on their Group Stage opponents Trinidad & Tobago. Jamaica have only ever qualified for the final stages of the World Cup once: France 1998.
The England team on show was an experienced one with everyone other than Peter Crouch having over 20 caps (this was Crouch's seventh cap). David Beckham, now playing at Real Madrid had the most and was making his 89th appearance. Second half substitutions gave England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson the chance to hand a debut to Tottenham's Aaron Lennon.
The Jamaican national side tends to be drawn from overseas based players since the Jamaican domestic league isn't particularly strong. Against England they fielded seven English-based players (from Bradford City, Charlton Athletic, Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday Southampton and Southend United) plus three based in the US and two from Sweden. Amusingly the Jamaican nickname for British-born team members is "UB40s" in a nod to the English reggae band of that name.
The game was an ideal send off for England. They went ahead after 11 minutes with a goal from Frank Lampard and this was swiftly followed by a Jamaican own goal five minutes later. Peter Crouch unveiled his first robot dance of the afternoon on the half an hour mark and Michael Owen rounded the keeper to net a fourth before half time. The Reggae Boyz, surely fearful of an absolute hammering, altered their tactics at the break and exchanged their cavalier approach for something a little more measured but still the goals continued to arrive. Crouch got a tap-in second after 67 minutes and had a penalty opportunity to secure his hattrick with less than ten minutes remaining. Sadly he launched it over the bar and that we thought was that. Crouch was not to be denied however and he slotted home his third with just a minute remaining. England had scored six! Crouch had scored five goals in seven appearances (some of which were as sub) and stats fans may be interested to know that Crouch's hattrick was the first one on home soil but not at Wembley since 1956.
Sven had already announced his departure after the forthcoming World Cup so this game was his farewell on English soil. Not a bad way to go out eh?
CRB Match No. 1503
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