• World Cup

Green determined to 'bounce back' after USA blunder

Robert Green is confident he can redeem himself © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Barry fit to play Algeria
  
• News: Carragher backs Capello's late team announcements
  
• News: Green deserves another chance - Bonetti
  
• News: Capello should shoulder blame for Green gaffe
  
• News: Green howler costs England victory in World Cup opener
  

Blundering England goalkeeper Robert Green insists he has the mental strength to bounce back from his costly error that gifted USA an equaliser in the 1-1 Group C opener in Rustenburg.

Steven Gerrard scored after just four minutes to give England a flying start but Green committed the kind of howler David Seaman, Paul Robinson and Scott Carson have all done down the years and allowed Clint Dempsey's harmless shot to slip through his fingers.

But Green, who made a good save to deny USA striker Jozy Altidore later in the match, insists he has put the error behind him already.

"It's done, it happened," Green told BBC Radio Five Live. "It's not something you can allow to affect yourself. In the next 50 minutes, I felt confident, I felt fine.

"It's about being steady and taking the rough with the smooth, but that's life as a goalkeeper.

"I've been in this situation before and it's about holding your head up high, facing you guys (the media), taking the flak which is going to come. That's life."

England captain Gerrard publicly backed Green to continue to play a vital role in their World Cup campaign.

''Rob will learn from this and he might make an important save that wins us a match. We're all behind him. It was a bit of shock and it took us a while to get over it,'' Gerrard told ITV.

''It was a difficult game. The most important thing in the opening game is not to lose. The idea was to win but unfortunately we let a poor goal in and we couldn't go and get the winner. The target now has to be seven points."

Coach Fabio Capello was pleased with his team's showing, if not the result.

''We created a lot of chances,'' he said. ''We played a good game but one mistake and they scored one goal. It was a good performance from the team. We hope next time we will be more lucky.''

Capello did not criticise Green but refused to confirm whether he will stick with the West Ham number one for Friday's meeting with Algeria.

The Italian continued: ''Sometimes a forward misses a goal and sometimes the keeper makes a mistake, this is football. The second half he played very well.''

Capello, though, is hopeful Ledley King will be fit for Friday after the defender picked up an injury during the first half and had to be replaced by Jamie Carragher.

''Probably he can play,'' added Capello. ''It's only a little problem.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.