It was a bad day for....

Paraguay's captain Carlos Gamarra put through his own goal with the game just underway and it turned out to be the only goal England needed.

English fans who expected a win and an entertaining performance. (Historical note - when England won the World Cup in 1966 Alf Ramsay was absolutely slaughtered for England's performance in the their first game a 0-0 draw with Uruguay).

Anyone Swedish and in particular Lars Lagerback the Swedish coach. Lagerback makes Sven look like a maverick.

It was a good day for....

English fans who were happy just to win and to start the World Cup on the right foot.

All of Trinidad and Tobago who pulled off a stunning draw against Sweden despite playing almost all of the second half with 10 men after left back Avery John collected a second yellow card.

Leo Beenhakker the ####mp;T coach who reacted to John sending off by pulling off an attacking player (Collin Samuel) and replacing him with Cornell Glen, another attacker. Glen then proceeded to rattle the crossbar and almost win the game.

Juan Roman Riquelme who set up both Argentine goals in their win over the Ivory Coast.

And the most overstated fact of the day...

Trinidad and Tobago is the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup.

With the start of the World Cup just a day away, injuries and sickness are front and centre. The Rooney recovery still dominates the headlines although I have a feeling that the true test will come when Sven decides to give young Wayne his first serious action.

As English fans rejoice at the news of Rooney’s recovery, a doubt about Steven Gerrard’s fitness for the first game has now surfaced. Gerrard’s name joins the likes of Gattuso (Italy), Ballack (Germany), Isaksson (Sweden), Ronaldo (Brazil) and Cisse of France as either being doubtful for their countries opening game or – in the case of Cisse – out of the competition altogether. 

Moreover, these are just the players we know about. As in other World Cups, countries that can avoid injuries to key players have an advantage but often an understudy gets a chance to play Hamlet and pulls off a standing ovation or two.

 Pele was injured and missed most of the 1962 Finals in Chile. His replacement Amarildo scored and set-up goals in the final while Garrincha became the star of the tournament.

Four years later Jimmy Greaves – the Michael Owen of his generation except better – damaged his shin during group play. Alf Ramsay brought in Geoff Hurst who at that time was considered largely untested. Hurst scored the only game of the quarterfinal against Argentina and then had a hat trick in a winning cause against West Germany in the final.

A legend was born.

Few people remember that the injury to Emerson – while playing goalie during practice – sent tremors through the Brazilian camp four years ago. Gilberto Silva was the beneficiary and earned himself a move to the Premiership based on some great performances.

Of course, sometimes the injuries are just too much to overcome. Think about the 1994 Final with Baggio on the limp and Baresi struggling badly. However, World Cup history has shown that often a very dark cloud has a silver lining. Who will step forward this time?