• International football

Oxlade-Chamberlain: My goal was a blur

ESPN staff
June 2, 2013
England drew with Brazil, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was 'disappointed' not to win © PA Photos
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain said he could recall little of his dramatic contribution to England's 2-2 draw in Brazil on Sunday.

The Arsenal winger stepped off the substitutes' bench to draw England level after Fred had put Brazil in front at the Maracana. Wayne Rooney's deflected strike then gave England the lead but Paulinho earned a 2-2 draw for the hosts.

Asked about his goal, a fine low strike from 20 yards after a build-up involving Rooney and Frank Lampard, Oxlade-Chamberlain told ITV1: "I can't really remember it to be honest! I think I played it to Lamps, he played it round the corner to Wazza [Rooney], he set it and I just hit it."

While conceding his frustration at Brazil's equaliser, the teenager was pleased with the result on a prestigious occasion.

"The fact we did go 2-1 up, you always want to close out the game so in that sense we're disappointed," he said. "Brazil are a top quality side and they tried to break us down but we kept our shape well. It's tough coming away in this heat, in a stadium like this and with their quality, it's a good result."

Manager Roy Hodgson praised Oxlade-Chamberlain's impact, saying: "He was very lively.

"Phil Jones was doing an excellent job but is really more of a defender playing in midfield. Alex gets on the ball and gets turned around, he added another dimension and got his reward by scoring a very good goal."

Reflecting on the result, England's second draw in four days following Wednesday's 1-1 scoreline against Ireland, Hodgson said: "Some draws can be labelled victories and some can be labelled defeats. We were disappointed after the Ireland game, not to win that, and I suppose I'm disappointed today because we scored quite late on.

"But we were scotched by a wonder strike, I have to say, and I also have to say we didn't play anywhere near what we can in the first half and Brazil did, so it's a fair result over the 90 minutes."

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