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England decided to make just the one change from the starting line-up on Friday, Manchester United's Nicky Butt replacing Darius Vassell, with Emile Heskey moving upfront and Paul Scholes occupying an unfamiliar wide left position. For Argentina, captain Roberto Ayala was deemed unfit once again and Veron was awarded the captaincy. Kily Gonzalez came in for Claudio Lopez in an advanced left forward position.
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The game began as it would go on, brightly, and with just a little bit of something extra, although it was eight minutes and 34 seconds before the Argentinians finally committed their first foul. Kily Gonzalez broke immediately and found the middle of the box straight away, but Sol Campbell was alert and cleared the danger before Gabriel Batistuta was able to capitalize. Owen Hargreaves found himself in a similar position on the England left, but Mauricio Pochettino clattered into the Bayern Munich player and left him requiring treatment.
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With nearly a quarter-of-an-hour played, Batistuta let the tension get the better of him when he launched into a lunge on Cole, who fell hard onto the floor. Collina produced the first yellow card, but this was to be a bad-tempered battle from the two players. With 19 minutes on the clock, Hargreaves finally told the bench that he could not continue, and he was replaced by West Ham winger Trevor Sinclair. Scholes reverted to his more natural position in the centre of the park and Sinclair took up the left side of midfield.
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Five minutes later, Michael Owen had almost put England in front. Nicky Butt collected the ball in the middle of the field and saw Owen making a darting run towards the right hand edge of the box. Butt swept the ball into the Liverpool striker's path, and he took it past Placente and slotted it through the legs of Walter Samuel, past the right hand of Pablo Cavellero but only onto the inside of the far post. The ball rebounded out but no-one was following up and the chance went abegging.
Batistuta responded by heading straight at Seaman before Cole's revenge was to foul Ariel Ortega and get a booking for his troubles. Just after the half-hour Gonzalez had a great chance to put Argentina in front, receiving the ball on the right hand side of the box just twelve yards out. He smacked his shot over the bar and the danger was averted. Nicky Butt soon had defensive work to do as Batistuta cut down the right hand channel of the penalty area, but the United midfielder timed his tackle to perfection to avoid giving away a penalty and also a scoring opportunity. Kily Gonzalez was then smacked in the nose inadvertedly by Beckham, who was enjoying the occasion, and had to go off to stop the flow of blood.
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Argentina looked hard for an equaliser in the last two minutes of first-half injury time, but Rio Ferdinand snuffed out any hope of a header on goal in the second minute and England went in 1-0 up. At half-time the Argentinians took off their captain Veron, who had conspicuous only by his absence and repaced him with tricky Valencia forward Pablo Aimar.
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Batistuta tried to get a goal, but even he was restricted to long range shots and one from thirty yards sailed over the crossbar. Teddy Sheringham came on for Heskey, who had worked hard without fashioning any opportunities, and was in the action from the outset. He received the ball on the right hand side of the pitch, but instead of controlling it, blasted a swerving right-foot volley on goal, which Cavellero just about managed to keep out. By twenty minutes into the second half Argentina had used all three substitutes as Hernan Crespo came on for Batistuta and Claudio Lopez for Kily Gonzalez, but it was England who had the box seats.
Lopez seemed dangerous from the start, and his blistering free-kick was well charged down by Scholes on the edge of the box. At the other end Sinclair, who had been threatening throughout, paced down the left side and cut in to test Cavellero, who clasped his low shot to his chest gratefully. The game began to open up, and Pablo Aimar repeated what his team-mates had done before him when he struck his shot way over the bar from a good position. It was then England's turn to threaten, Teddy Sheringham rising highest at the near post to flick-on a Trademark Beckham free-kick, but this time it went wide of the far post.
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Argentina then took control, sending England back into their own half for a last twenty minutes that the defence did well to withstand. Firstly, Seaman held an Ortega cross as Juan Pablo Sorin raced in to head before Rio Ferdinand claered yet another cross. The Arsenal 'keeper was then called upon once again as Pottechino rose to head Aimar's right-wing corner powerfully downwards at the centre of goal, but Seaman managed to get everything behind it and somehow clear it off of the line before Ferdinand blasted it clear.
With ten minutes to go, Michael Owen was taken off in front of the waves and waves of English flags and banners to great applause to give Wayne Bridge a chance to shore up the defence. Sheringham was left up front on his own, but in effect he simply packed out the midfield, restricting the outlets for Eriksson's side. The ever-dangerous Aimar was the only player to really threaten though as England claered ball after ball and closed down quickly before balls could be put into the box, but the Valencia player did manage to shoot over (surprise, suprise) and then saw the last hopes of the South Americans drift away as his cross did likewise.
England had held on for a famous victory. They had performed heroics in all areas of the pitch as everybody gave the match everything and proved that perhaps a good team spirit and a side that works well together is one that can outperform one of great individual performers. There was no one area of weakness from defence to midfield and also the forwards. Trevor Sinclair perhaps cemented a place on the left wing as he gave his best England performance. Now a draw is all that is needed to qualify for the Second Round. A victory will probably send us through as champions. Roll on Wednesday.
Final Score: Argentina 0 England 1 (Beckham 44(pen)). Attendance: 35,927. Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy) 8.
Player Ratings:
Argentina (3-3-1-3): Cavallero 7; Pochettino 5, Samuel 6, Placente 6; Zanetti 5, Simeone 6, Sorin 6; Veron 4 (Aimar 46, 7); Ortega 6, Batistuta 6 (Crespo 60, 6), Gonzalez 7 (Claudio Lopez 64, 6). Subs not used: Almeyda, Ayala, Bonano, Burgos, Caniggia,Chamot, Gallardo, Husain, Gustavo Lopez.
Booked: Batistuta.
England (4-4-2):
David Seaman 8 - one of his most assured performances in absolutley ages. Never looked like conceeding even though he was wrong-footed when Pottechino headed strongly at goal. To be fair, he had little to contend with short-range, but anything from the edge of the area was not going to beat him. Claimed crosses with authority.
Danny Mills 7 - another decent performance by the Leeds man, who could well be playing his way into Gary Neville's boots in this position. There was no lack of concentration this time around, and his temperament stood up well in dangerous circumstances. Maturing all the time. Perhaps didn't push forward enough in the second half.
Rio Ferdinand 8 - another great performance in the centre of the park. Always ready to head clear, but the way in which he confidently brings the ball out of defence is in some ways reminiscent of another West Ham produced star, Bobby Moore.
Sol Campbell 8 - along with Rio this is proving to be possibly the best defensive partnership in the world at the moment. Never looked in danger, maybe not as confident on the ball, but arguably better in the air. Batistuta was no problem.
Ashley Cole 8 - defensively probably his best performance for England. Up against the likes of Batistuta, Lopez, Gonzalez and Aimar, he looked as though he was a truly top-class defender. The test will be whether he will be able to maintain this type of form. Maybe the teaming up with an attacking minded left winger in Sinclair helped him with his defensive duties.
David Beckham 9 - what can you say about the man with the recovering metatarsal? An excellent performance when you consider what he has been through, and the way that he coolly stepped up to take the winning spot-kick was incredible when you consider the pressure that he was under. A stirring choice as captain. Played ninety minutes.
Nicky Butt 9 - making a rare appearance in an England shirt, but no doubting that the competition for central midfield positions really is hotting up now. Tackling was superb, especially the one in the penalty area against the dangerous Batistuta. Never played better for his country.
Owen Hargreaves 6 - couldn't really be seen in the first twenty minutes, but that was down to injury. Still tried to get into the game. Replaced by Trevor Sinclair (8) on 19 minutes, who gave the best England performance on the left since I can remember. It's been such a long time since we've had a player really capable of filling this void, but it is imperative that he continues in this type of form.
Paul Scholes 8 - much, much better than Sunday, when he took ages to settle. Was on the ball from the start, despite being employed on the left to begin with. Was back to his best with some outstanding tackles, and one great shot fom the edge of the box. More performances like this needed, and expected.
Michael Owen 9 - TLG Man Of The Match performance from the little magician, who was back to his best along with Scholesy. It was vital that he was, and he could have had two goals as well as another penalty during the game. Gave England a real oulet up front. Replaced by Wayne Bridge (6) on 80 minutes who shored up the defence when it needed to be.
Emile Heskey 7 - gave it a decent go in his favoured position up front, but like so many other of his England performances, was not totally convincing. It's a shame because he does have the talent, but it is as though he is scared to showcase it for fear of being put back on the left side of midfield. Replaced by Teddy Sheringham (8) on 56 minutes, who was impressive as ever in his function as a super-sub. Almost scored with his first touch, and then again with a trademark flick-on at the near post. Perhaps not the best lone striker, but he did bolster the midfield.
Subs not used: Wes Brown, Joe Cole, Kieron Dyer, Robbie Fowler, David James, Martin Keown, Nigel Martyn, Gareth Southgate, Darius Vassell.
Booked: Ashley Cole, Heskey.
Robert Craven