Scrappy defence adds to England's woes

Winners of Group B and through to a second-round date with Ecuador in Stuttgart next Sunday, England are a qualified success.

Twice they took the lead through Joe Cole and then Steven Gerrard, but twice England's shaky defence conceded equalisers to Markus Allback and Henrik Larsson.

No wonder an England fan wore a Munch Scream mask with the Cross of St George painted on it: some of England's defending was straight from a horror show, while Michael Owen sustained a serious knee injury and faces months on the sidelines.

The few positives to emerge from this fog on the Rhine were the avoiding of a last-16 collision with Germany, Owen Hargreaves' excellent anchoring, the reminder from talismanic Gerrard that he must never, ever start a game on the bench and Joe Cole's brilliance down the left.

Although Joe Cole's marvellous piece of pyrotechnics had ensured the first half concluded on an uplifting note for England, the night could hardly have begun more wretchedly with poor Owen's exit.

So desperate to return to form, so eager to turn a season of darkness into one of light, Owen was energy personified as he sought to exchange passes with Ashley Cole.

As the ball came in from the Arsenal defender, Owen gained possession and tried to slip it back inside to Cole, who was racing upfield.

As Owen slid the return pass between Mattias Jonson and Niclas Alexandersson, his right foot caught in the dry earth and his knee buckled.

Without the usually prolific Owen, England needed some tough characters to guide them through troubled waters.

For 50 minutes, until Allback headed in, England really impressed.

Here was England showing their mettle, everyone working overtime to make up for Owen's departure, no one yielding before the yellow-and-blue waves rolling towards them.

The most eye-catching Englishman was Joe Cole When the ball fell obligingly to him, What happened next should be used by FA coaches as a masterpiece in technique, finishing and unwavering concentration.

Step one: the Chelsea sorcerer let the ball bounce, watching it intently as it rose towards him.

Step two: Cole chested the ball down, never removing his gaze as it dropped.

Step three: Cole's right foot met the ball on the volley, sending it on a wonderful 30-yard journey into Sweden's net.

Three steps to heaven, but Larsson still equalised.