Two-goal Wayne Rooney became the youngest scorer in European Championship finals history as England put their Euro 2004 campaign back on course with a 3-0 win over 10-man Switzerland in Coimbra today.
The striker, 18 years and seven months old, headed home after 23 minutes and scored a second goal in the 75th minute of a nervous display by his team rounded off by a late Steve Gerrard strike.
Still bearing the scars of a 2-1 stoppage time defeat by France in their Group B opener on Sunday, England only settled in the closing stages after Swiss defender Bernt Haas was sent off.
Rooney's third international record after becoming England's youngest player and youngest scorer last year as a 17-year-old threw them a lifeline before their final group game against Croatia.
Faced with a match they could not afford to lose, England were a bag of nerves in the early stages, over-hitting passes forward for Michael Owen and conceding a flurry of free kicks and corners to a composed Swiss side.
Unable to build any rhythm, England's frustration showed after 19 minutes when Rooney followed through on grounded Swiss keeper Joerg Stiel.
The 18-year-old conceded a free kick two minutes later for a barge, showing all the signs of a player about to get a red card.
Instead, he made history when David Beckham picked out an unmarked Owen at the far post and the striker's chip across the goal gave Rooney an easy close-range header.
A disappointing Owen could have added a second before the break had he been able to connect properly with Ashley Cole's raking low ball across the face of the goal.
Switzerland kept plugging away at an England defence in which Sol Campbell was again imperious, this time partnered by John Terry on his return from a hamstring injury.
Though England got forward more easily after Haas's dismissal for a second booking on the hour, Owen failed to make the most of the opportunities and it needed Rooney's second and Gerrard's strike to finish the job.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson paid tribute to two-goal hero Rooney after the victory.
"It was fantastic, two beautiful goals both of them, he worked very hard as well. To put in that performance at this level is incredible."
Asked about the performance of the team he said: "When you lose a game like we lost last Sunday there can be a reaction but I knew the reaction would be very good, maybe we were a bit nervous at the beginning, but anyway it's job done."
Rooney preferred to concentrate on the result than his personal achievement. "I was lucky really as I was in the right place at the right time," he said.
"I was in the box to get Michael Owen's cross for the first one and then Darius (Vassell) passed to me and I hit it as hard as possible.
"This is the result we needed as even if the performance wasn't on the same level as against France it has got us back on track," added the Everton hotshot.
Filed by Aidan O'Doherty
