by Jeff Powell: England 0, Italy 1

After that Polish nightmare, Ramsay’s men are destroyed by the cunning skill of Italy

Sir Alf Ramsey’s England woke from their Polish nightmare last night only to find themselves being suffocated by the blanket of Italy’s infamous defence

Not even the injection of Peter Osgood’s Wembley crowd boosting skills could overcome England’s now traditional inability to break down the claustrophobia marking systems they encounter almost everywhere in the world

After a few frantic early moments in the Italian penalty area Ramsay was once again reaping the bitter harvest of this failure to encourage the development of winners in English football

As the game wore on it became increasingly clear that even had England qualified for the finals next summer they would have found recapturing the World Cup and a near impossibility without men to create width to their attack playing an international match which was anything but a friendly was a perfect world class test for what probably was the best team Ramsay could have selected on the night.

The young contenders for places had proved in an under 23 international the night before only that they would have been easy meat for a team as cynical and cunning as Italy

The crowd of 88,000 were for the first half at least left clutching the hopes at the half chances England let slip.

Often the Italians explored their full repertoire of minor infringements to protect the recently unbeatable Dino Zoff in their goal.

But mostly Osgood, Channon and Clark could not shake off the cloying attentions of their personal shadows.

Channon was pulled back by the shirt by Fachetti as his shot registered England’s first minute first attack.

And for all their breathless activity England were to be a long time to create a chance as good as the one Rivera presented Chinaglia on the quarter hour. Then Shilton was required to save the Lazio’s centre forward’s shot at the foot of the post.

Zoff surpassed Shilton’s feet with a leap to touch round Curries unhampered drive moments later.

But the frustration England were enduring as they tried to play their way out of what seemed like a crowded telephone kiosk on the edge of the Italian penalty area, was demonstrated by Osgood’s lunch at Bellugi.

England finished the first half with Bell and then Currie hitting cross shots which somehow skidded past the far post. And they resumed their thankless offensive with Channon lunging in to turn Curries low cross just wide.

England were then in fearful danger of conceding the lead to a breakaway, just as they had against Poland. Riva stretched Shilton to the limit with a clubbing left foot drive which England’s goalkeeper just edged out for a corner.

The Italian fans, who had reciprocated in the unseemly booing of national anthems at the start, then had more reason to jeer as McFarland wrestled Riva to the ground in the manner of Jackie Pallo to prevent another menacing breakaway.

England were again being afforded magnificent encouragement by the Wembley crowd and Ramsey gave them more to shout about when he shook off his inflexibility in the use of substitutes and sent on Hector in place of Clark for the last 20 minutes.

Hector’s substitution was made while Currie was waiting to take a corner conceded by Zoff’s fingertips from a shot by Hughes.

When the flag kick came Hughes was again on hand for a shot this time literally inches wide.