England v Egypt: Matthew Upson blames Wembley pitch for opening goal

Published: 9:31AM GMT 04 March 2010

Knee"s up: Matthew Upson trip valid dear as Egypt took lead Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Two goals in the second half from Peter Crouch and one from Shaun Wright-Phillips meant England recovered to win 3-1 in the accessible international.

But Upson and comparison stars together with Frank Lampard were vicious of the state of the pitch, following identical complaints voiced by players after Sunday"s Carling Cup final.

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Upson lost his balance to concur Mohamed Zidan the space to place a excellent shot past Robert Green after twenty-three minutes.

Upson said: "Was the Egypt idea down to the pitch? I"d similar to to think so. I had the common boots on, prolonged studs, and the representation only went from underneath my feet.

"It is a bit disappointing. When I initial walked on the pitch, it was utterly firm, that I was gratified with.

"But it only gave way, and cut up a bit, once you put a bit of force down on it."

Midfielder Lampard said: "I think the representation was really the reason since Upson slipped.

"It kept giving approach next you, was really soft underneath, and it should be better, it"s as elementary as that.

"Everyone is commenting on it and Wembley should be improved than that. What could be done? They could shift the representation maybe!"

Goalkeeper Green said: "It wasn"t the easiest pitch. It showed with the goal.

"Matthew has had the carpet pulled out from underneath his feet and it is unsatisfactory for him.

"But it is unavoidable and it is something you understanding with. A complaint is a complaint if you let it affect you.

"It is a worry but that"s life. You possibly let it affect you or you don"t."

Debutant Leighton Baines said: "I"ve played on worse pitches. It didn"t means as well most problems but, for their goal, Matty has slipped and the aspect has come afar a small bit.

"Those kind of things aren"t preferred and, when it is such a big impulse similar to that, when you concur a goal, it is not the kind of thing you are seeking for."

Lampard believes it is consequential that England can call on players from the dais to shift a diversion and Crouch, a second-half surrogate last night, right away has twenty goals in 37 games for his country.

Lampard said: "We have a really clever patrol and there have been games prior to where the physical education instructor has altered the group around and the group has still performed.

"That is really critical since who knows what is going to occur in a contest with injuries and form.

"We need to know we can rely on people and we have positively got a patrol of players we can rely on."