England edged a step closer to reaching the world cup finals in Germany by beating Wales in Cardiff over the weekend.  In a hard-fought game the only goal was scored after 54 minutes by Joe Cole. England need just three more points to ensure qualification for next summer’s tournament.

The latest win means that England has won six out of the seven qualifiers so far. In a cauldron of noise at the Millennium Stadium, David Beckham’s team held their nerve to take the three points. The team sets off in high spirits to face a similar atmosphere at Windsor Park in Belfast, hoping for a similar result.-3 September 2005