International Football June 2012

One final goal

England 1 Belgium 0 (Wembley friendly 2 June 2012)
England picked up a 1-0 win over Belgium in their last match before flying off to the Euros. Belgium had the better of the early exchanges, but in the 36th minute Ashley Young slotted the ball through to Danny Welbeck who confidently dinked the keeper for England's first goal at Wembley under Roy Hodgson. England had a close shave when Gillet struck the post with a shot that had Hart well beaten in the 78th minute, but 4 minutes later Defoe's low shot across goal came off the Belgian upright and once again a single goal was enough to give England victory.

Welbeck cool finish gives England win

In other early June friendly matchesMexico claimed the scalp of Brazil 2-0 in America while the Dutch hammered Northern Ireland 6-0 in Amsterdam and Turkey extinguished Portugal 3-1 in Lisbon before putting 2 past Euro 2012 co hosts Ukraine in Germany. The Republic of Ireland played a goalless match away to Hungary who had earlier defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in Prague and Spain set off to the Euros with a 1-0 home win against China while Sweden overcame Serbia 2-1 in Stockholm and France raced to a 4-0 win over Estonia at Le Mans.

Among World Cup qualifiers across the globe Ecuador were brushed aside 4-0 in Argentina while South American champions Uruguay were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Venezuela and Colombia won by a single goal in Peru. In Asia, Japan eased 3-0 past Oman in Saitama and Iran broke the deadlock with a last-gasp winner in Uzbekistan, while in Africa the South Africans were held to a 1-1 home draw by Ethiopia and Zambia lost 2-0 away to Sudan.