Fans celebrate victory in Kazakhstan

By Chris Mason
BBC News, Kazakhstan

Ned Trehernepollock, seven, gets in on the celebrations

"Six out of six!" says Tony Choma with an emphatic smile.

For England fans, this 7,000 mile round trip to Kazakhstan was worth it.

Fabio Capello's team have maintained their unblemished record in the qualification campaign for next summer's World Cup in South Africa, with a 4-0 victory against Kazakhstan here in Almaty.

"It's terrific," Mr Choma, 51, from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, continues. "Away games in places like this can be tough - but we've done it."

"It wasn't the best performance of all time," his friend Neil Vatcher adds. "But as is often said, that is the sign of a good team - grafting away. We struggled in the first 20 minutes, but once we got the first goal we were away."

And yes, before that opening goal by Gareth Barry, England's fans did look nervous. They weren't the only ones. The England manager was pacing up and down the touchline looking agitated and irritable, barking out instructions to England's less than convincing defence.

Manic cheering

But Barry's header settled England, and Emile Heskey's goal just before half time calmed any remaining nerves.

Blair Trehernepollock, 42, is one of the many British expats here cheering on England. He moved to Kazakhstan from Clapham in south London to set up in business - and jumped at the chance to be able to see England play just down the road from home.

"It was a fantastic game - and a superb, carnival atmosphere. We were sitting with the Kazakhstan supporters and they loved it," he says.

To the Kazakh fans, cheering manically every time their team got the ball inside England's half, this is the World Cup.

A happy Neil Vatcher celebrates the Almaty scoreline

Kazakhstan aren't going to qualify for the tournament itself, so for them, this is it. And they are hugely proud to have had the chance to host England.

Football fans here adore the Premier League. For every three blue Kazakh flags amongst their faithful, there must have been at least one fan in a Premier League jersey - more often than not a Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester United one.

The cheer from the Kazakh crowd when David Beckham came on as a substitute was one of the loudest of the night.

"The spirit of the game and the mood of the fans on all sides was fantastic," John Murphy, 62, from Bournemouth adds. "Mind you, we paid full whack for our tickets and from our seats you could only see three quarters of the pitch!"

Mr Trehernepollock's son Ned, seven, doesn't seem bothered about that. "It was a very good game. I loved it because England scored four goals - four!" he says proudly.

Ned has another reason to be happy. Unlike the majority of England fans, he is spared the marathon journey home.

As fans spill out into the bars to toast another win, talk about the game gives way to two other considerations - how they'll get back, and more importantly, when.