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Raheem Sterling's red card in England friendly was harsh, says Ben Foster Raheem Sterling's red card in England friendly was harsh, says Ben Foster
(3 months later)
Ben Foster has described Raheem Sterling's red card Ben Foster has described Raheem Sterling's red card against Ecuador as “harsh” but insisted the teenager's dismissal should not detract from the positives gleaned from England's penultimate warm-up fixture ahead of the World Cup.
against Ecuador as “harsh” but insisted the teenager's dismissal should not Sterling became the 13th senior England player to be sent off, and the first in a friendly since Trevor Cherry against Argentina in 1977, for a foul on Antonio Valencia. The Manchester United player's angry reaction, grabbing the England substitute by the back of his neck and then the throat, saw him also shown red, with the Liverpool winger to miss Saturday's friendly against Honduras at Sun Life stadium through suspension.
detract from the positives gleaned from England's That will constitute a blow for his chances of featuring from the start in Brazil, denying him a final opportunity to impress Roy Hodgson. “I'm surprised all round,” said Foster, a former team-mate of Valencia's at Old Trafford. “I didn't think it was a red card for Raheem and I played for a few years with Antonio and he's not that kind of guy. It was a surprise. Thankfully, Raheem only misses the friendly, so we’re fortunate but it was a harsh one.”
penultimate warm-up fixture ahead of the World Cup. Valencia apologised for his reaction, which prompted a melee between the players on the touchline before the local referee, Jair Marrufo, stepped in to intervene. “I am sorry for the fight with Sterling,” said Valencia. “I apologised to the team after the match and the coach. But when he tackled me I thought about Segundo Castillo. He nearly missed the World Cup because of injury and I feared I would too, but thankfully I am OK.” Castillo suffered a knee injury last week in the game against Mexico but, despite requiring three weeks for rehabilitation, has been included in Ecuador's 23-man squad for the finals.
Sterling became the 13th senior England England play Italy in their opening Group D fixture in Manaus on 14 June and Foster, who started his first game for his country in four years, believes the management will have drawn encouragement from the match with the South Americans. “The manager was satisfied,” said the goalkeeper, who watched Wayne Rooney equalise and Rickie Lambert register after the interval. “It was more about the workout really. We wanted some good individual performances and we got them.
player to be sent off, and the first in a friendly since Trevor Cherry against “We got a good goal from Wayne as well. That’s what Wayne does. He scores us goals, simple as that. Some of the other lads put a good shift in. It was a good workout. It would have been nice to get a win but a draw is not too bad. And for me, personally, it was great to play for England again. It was my first game for a year or so. If you can’t enjoy games like that, playing for England, just before the World Cup, there’s something wrong. I had a fantastic time and really enjoyed it.
Argentina in 1977, for a foul on Antonio Valencia. The Manchester United
player's angry reaction, grabbing the England substitute by the back of his
neck and then the throat, saw him also shown red, with the Liverpool winger to
miss Saturday's friendly against Honduras at Sun Life stadium through
suspension.
That will constitute a blow for his chances of featuring
from the start in Brazil, denying him a final opportunity to impress Roy
Hodgson. “I'm surprised all round,”
said Foster, a former team-mate of Valencia's at Old Trafford. “I didn't think it was a red card for Raheem and I played
for a few years with Antonio and he's not that kind of guy. It was a surprise.
Thankfully, Raheem only misses the friendly, so we’re fortunate but it was a
harsh one.”
Valencia apologised for his reaction, which prompted a
melee between the players on the touchline before the local referee, Jair
Marrufo, stepped in to intervene. “I am sorry for the fight with Sterling,”
said Valencia. “I apologised to the team after the match and the coach. But when
he tackled me I thought about Segundo Castillo. He nearly missed the World Cup
because of injury and I feared I would too, but thankfully I am OK.” Castillo
suffered a knee injury last week in the game against Mexico but, despite
requiring three weeks for rehabilitation, has been included in Ecuador's 23-man
squad for the finals.
England play Italy in their opening Group D fixture in
Manaus on 14 June and Foster, who started his first game for his country in
four years, believes the management will have drawn encouragement from the match
with the South Americans. “The manager was satisfied,” said the goalkeeper, who
watched Wayne Rooney equalise and Rickie Lambert register after the interval.
“It was more about the workout really. We wanted some good individual
performances and we got them.
“We got a good goal from Wayne as well. That’s what
Wayne does. He scores us goals, simple as that. Some of the other lads put a good
shift in. It was a good workout. It would have been nice to get a win but a
draw is not too bad. And for me, personally, it was great to play for England
again. It was my first game for a year or so. If you can’t enjoy games like
that, playing for England, just before the World Cup, there’s something wrong.
I had a fantastic time and really enjoyed it.