England kicked out of World Cup

TRINIDAD and Tobago football fans celebrated yesterday as England went under to Portugal 3-1 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

England gamely hung on after David Beckham got hurt and Wayne Rooney got ejected, but lost to Portugal 3-1 in a shootout after 120 minutes of scoreless football in the World Cup quarter-finals.

“There’s a lot of heartache,” said Beckham, who likely played his last World Cup match for England. “We’re all devastated tonight.”

Ricardo, Portugal’s goalkeeper, saved three penalty kicks as his nation advanced to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1966 — when it lost to England.

The final kick was converted by Cristiano Ronaldo, who stars for Manchester United.

“I may not be the Ronaldo you know, who beats three or four players, but I’m fulfilling my role,” the Portugal forward said.

When extra time ran out, the boisterous English fans seemed happy to have survived, jumping and singing “Que Sera, Sera” as penalty kicks loomed.

But shoot-outs are not where England shines, and it now has lost five of six major tournaments over the last 16 years.

Portugal, which also beat England on penalty kicks in the European Championship quarter-finals two years ago, meets France on Wednesday.

Italy faces Germany a day earlier in the other semi-final.

Scolari has won three straight big games over the English — he led Brazil to a 2-1 quarter-final win in the 2002 World Cup and Portugal to the 2004 Euro victory.

In April, he turned down an overture to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England’s coach after this tournament.

Not only Portugal celebrated but in Trinidad and Tobago, Soca Warriors fans shouted out in glee.

England beat the tiny island of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0, in a game which left many sour after striker Peter Crouch used Brent Sancho’s rasta locks as a step ladder to score.