Euro 2004 Qualifying Group Seven/ England 2; Liechtenstein 0: England were bashful just when they were supposed to be bullies. It was as if they were reluctant to put themselves at the top of Group Seven and the goals, from Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, that finally put them there did not materialise until the second half.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's eighth consecutive victory was achieved, but this was not quite the carefully designed event that had been expected.
The staging was perfect for the captain, however. In his former club's stadium David Beckham's England were in an all-white strip, just like his new team. The scene was picturesque, but the game was unwilling to follow the script. This had been intended to be a light comedy full of jolly goals.
Within a minute, though, there could have been a black farce. As Mario Frick ran towards the area some of the crowd were already trying to remember just how many seconds it had taken David Galtieri to score his goal for San Marino in 1993.
Fame beckoned for Frick too, since there was no effort to challenge him. Beckham was the closest but he knew that football, on this occasion, was not a contact sport since he was one yellow card short of a suspension that would keep him out of next month's decider in Turkey.
It turned out that Beckham could afford to maintain his distance as Frick lashed the ball high. The incident lingered in the mind because, during the first half, there was no glut of chances to overwhelm it.
England could not quite prise loose that grip before the interval. James Beattie, making a start and a competitive appearance for the first time, came close to draining the strength from Liechtenstein muscles, however. After 42 minutes the striker took Beckham's cross on his chest and lashed a drive off the bar.
England were making their presence felt as they started to turn the visitors' defence, but it was by rough means that they came nearest to breaking the deadlock. Beckham flighted the ball in and the referee saw no offence as Beattie bumped goalkeeper Peter Jehle, but Owen lashed the loose ball wide.
It is no novelty for Eriksson's team to disappoint before the interval, but few had supposed that the trait would be on view in a test of this elementary nature.
All the same, it would have been falsehood to suggest that England were in a state of distress. Ninety minutes is a long period for a side such as Liechtenstein to endure. Plucky as they had been, they could not survive more than 45 seconds after the restart.
The move was so simple that you could only marvel that England had failed to complete such a build-up sooner. Steven Gerrard crossed from the right and Owen found the net with a header to claim his 24th England goal. The crowd was warmed by the prospect that a spree might be arranged for their entertainment. They were encouraged in that belief after 52 minutes when Rooney scored his second England goal in a week.
His careful knock-down from a Beckham delivery in created a showcase for Rooney's exquisite timing as he struck a first-time drive low past Jehle. The youngster was zestful all evening, setting up a chance for Owen seconds before he was replaced, the only way of stopping him in fact.
l Guardian Service
ENGLAND: James, Gary Neville, Bridge, Terry, Upson, Beckham (Phil Neville 58), Gerrard (Hargreaves 58), Lampard, Rooney (Joe Cole 70), Owen, Beattie. Subs Not Used: Robinson, Campbell, Dyer, Heskey. Booked: Bridge. Goals: Owen 46, Rooney 52.
LIECHTENSTEIN: Jehle, Telser, Ritter, Hasler, Michael Stocklasa (Maierhofer 45), Roger Beck (Thomas Beck 57), Gerster, Martin Stocklasa, Burgmeier, D'Elia (Buchel 73), Frick. Subs Not Used: Heeb, Ospelt, Matthias Beck, Vogt. Booked: Martin Stocklasa, Jehle, Gerster.
Referee: Knud Fisker (Denmark).
