Eriksson, Beckham happy with England win in heat

FRANKFURT, June 10 (Reuters) England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and captain David Beckham agreed that England had suffered in the heat as they ground out a 1-0 win over Paraguay in their first Group B match at the World Cup today.

''We suffered a lot but this is the first real hot, hot day.

That knocked us a little first half but the most important thing was to have the three points today,'' said Eriksson.

''We got it (the win) suffering and in football you suffer sometimes. But it was a very good start.'' Beckham agreed, saying ''We got a good start, we got three points. We were good at times but we gave them the ball maybe a little too much.

''The performance can be better and we can work on that. But three points was what we started out to do and we got that.

''You don't realise how hot it was out here. It was hot for both teams. It was a three o'clock kickoff and hot -- 28 to 29 degrees.

''We let them pass the ball around a little bit too much but exhaustion came into that and that's what we put it down to because usually we are strong.

''We know we can play perform better. I don't think we lost our shape too much but teams can do that, South American teams can play the ball well. But we have got a good start.'' It was Beckham's fourth minute free kick which forced Paraguayan defender Carlos Gamarra to head into his own net.

Asked why striker Michael Owen was taken off just after halftime with Joe Cole moving into a central position behind striker Peter Crouch, Eriksson added: ''We had difficulties keeping the ball. We needed a player to link the play a little and we got better at the end.

''We lost our rhythm. At the start of the second half we were a little bit poor. But I hope for a better performance against Trinidad.'' England face Trinidad&Tobago in their next match on Thursday in Nuremberg. It will be an early evening kickoff of 1800.

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