Capello counts cost of Green blunder

Fabio Capello has played down the damage done to England's World Cup campaign by the blunder from goalkeeper Robert Green that handed the United States a point in their Group C opener in Rustenburg on Saturday night.

Green let in an innocuous 25-yard shot from Clint Dempsey to gift the Americans a 1-1 draw after Steven Gerrard had got England's tournament off to a dream start with a well-worked fourth minute strike.

Capello declined to assure Green that he would be in goal for England's second match, against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday, but he insisted there were positive aspects to his side's display.

"I think we played a good match, we created a lot of chances to score goals," the Italian said. "The team tried to go forward all the time.

"I don't think the result is okay for us because we played better than the USA but this is football. We have to accept the result and we are looking forward to the next game.

"I am not happy with the result but I saw, once again, the spirit of England, the spirit of the team, because we fight every time to win back the ball.

"I am not worried for the next game about the physical condition because we ran a lot and in the second half, we were much better than the US. Usually they are a team that run a lot and press a lot."

Capello said Green had earned his place in the side on the strength of his displays since displacing the more experienced David James as his number one.

"He made one mistake but in the second half he made also a good save. This is the problem of the goalkeeper. I will speak with him and then we will decide what we will do."

Despite the head coach's upbeat tone, the reality is that England will now go into the Algeria match under considerably more pressure to take three points than they would have been if Green had been able to gather Dempsey's tame 40th-minute shot.

Capello will be without Tottenham centre-back Ledley King for that match, who had to go off at half-time with an adductor muscle problem, although England's midfield should be bolstered by the return of Gareth Barry, who was not risked on Saturday having only just recovered from an ankle injury.

James Milner, who came into the side as a result of Barry being ruled out, lasted only 30 minutes before Capello substituted him for fear he would be sent off after earning a booking for a foul on American full-back Steve Cherundolo.

Green said he hoped to retain the gloves for the Algeria match and insisted he would not let such a high-profile error shatter his confidence.

"I'm 30. I'm a man. I'm strong enough to take it and move on and be ready for another game if selected," the West Ham goalkeeper, who sought respite on the golf course yesterday, said. "I have no excuses. It's time to get on with it. That's life.

"The approach is not to let it affect you for however many more you play," Green said. "That's why you prepare mentally. It's something where you've got to hold your head high, hang in there and make sure it doesn't happen again."

US coach Bob Bradley admitted he was glad to get the opener out of the way after all the hype in the build-up.

"We showed some nerves at the start of the match and England made us pay but that forced us to get going," he said.

"It was a big game, a big night and we take away a lot of positives as we get ready for the next game against Slovenia."