England skipper David Beckham completed a glorious one-man revenge mission by blasting his country to a World Cup 2002 victory over Argentina in Sapporo this afternoon.

Beckham kept his nerve to drive home a 42nd minute penalty and take England to the brink of the last 16 after Michael Owen had tumbled under Mauricio Pochettino's woeful challenge.

All the pent-up frustration of four years' hurt since that infamous dismissal in St Etienne found wonderful release as the Manchester United man raced away to celebrate after beating Pablo Cavallero with a confident strike.

The win, their first against Argentina since 1966, was founded on an inspirational midfield performance from Nicky Butt. While Beckham will typically capture the headlines, the unassuming Butt deserves equal credit after recovering from the knee injury which kept him out of Sunday's draw with Sweden to dominate the midfield exchanges.

It means England now need just a point from their meeting with already-eliminated Nigeria next Wednesday to advance to the next stage, while Argentina must beat Sweden at the same time if they are not to tumble out of the competition at the opening stage.

England had been under pressure in the opening stages as Juan Sebastian Veron and Ariel Ortega tried to impose their authority on the game. David Seaman was forced to collect a deep cross to deny Gabriel Batistuta a scoring opportunity and the Arsenal keeper then made a smart save from Javier Zanetti's 20-yard shot. Zanetti also caught Owen Hargreaves with a tackle which left the Bayern Munich man needing extensive treatment, and eventually forced him off altogether.

England though continued to battle and as the match descended into a physical contest, gradually gained in confidence. Having already been yellow carded for a brutal late challenge on Ashley Cole, Batistuta tried the patience of Italian referee Pierluigi Collina by leading with his elbow as he tried to challenge Beckham for a midfield header. The England skipper blasted the free-kick into the wall but the fractured nature of the contest continued as Diego Simeone fouled Paul Scholes before Cole caught Ortega with a crude challenge. Cole was finally booked after being lured into a late tackle by Ortega and with Argentina finding space down the right, the Arsenal full-back was starting to become exposed, particularly as substitute Trevor Sinclair was concentrating most of his energies on attacking the opposition defence.

However, while that was of some concern to England, they were also starting to present Argentina with some severe problems. Owen ran at Walter Samuel inside the South Americans' penalty area and found enough space to drive a shot past Pablo Cavallero which agonisingly crashed back off a post.

Seaman saved Batistuta's header as Argentina countered, but Sinclair - whose arrival allowed Scholes to move into his preferred central position - weaved his way into the box at the other end before producing a weak cross which was easily cleared. Owen and Butt combined to set up Scholes for a long range effort which struck an Argentine defender.

Within a minute, England were in front. The memory of Owen running at them four years ago is still fresh and when the Liverpool hit-man picked up possession on the edge of the area, Pochettino panicked. The full-back lunged in, caught Owen just below the knee and when the striker tumbled down, Collina pointed to the spot. Beckham took a deep breath, then strode up and smashed the ball past Cavallero before racing to the touchline where he was mobbed by ecstatic team-mates.

After surviving until half-time, England almost doubled their advantage within three minutes of the re-start when Owen took on Pochettino again then drove just wide of the left-hand post with Cavallero beaten again. Veron was a notable absentee at the start of the second period, replaced by Pablo Aimar presumably through injury, although his performance had been largely ineffective.

Scholes was the next to try his luck for England but this time the Argentine keeper was up to the task, beating away the Manchester United man's long range shot. Beckham muscled his way past Diego Placente but couldn't find the target from eight yards as England continued to press. Heskey was replaced by Teddy Sheringham after 55 minutes and his first touch was a brilliant volley from Scholes' crossfield pass which Cavallero punched away.

Argentina were reeling and threw on Hernan Crespo for Batistuta as the hour mark passed, followed shortly afterwards by Claudio Lopez who replaced Gonzalez as the South Americans tried to get themselves back into the game.

The balance did start to shift as the clock ticked down, England not knowing whether to press forward or hold their advantage and Sven-Goran Eriksson made the decision for them by taking off Owen for Wayne Bridge and leaving Sheringham up front on his own.

Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell stood particularly tall and David Seaman pulled off a couple of spectacular saves. Waves of South American pressure paid no dividends.

There may yet be life for England after the World Cup's "Group of Death".

Argentina: Pablo Cavallero, Mauricio Pochettino, Walter Samuel, Diego Placente, Javier Zanetti, Diego Simeone, Juan Sebastian Veron (Pablo Aimar 45), Juan Pablo Sorin, Ariel Ortega, Gabriel Batistuta (Hernan Crespo 60), Kily Gonzalez (Claudio Lopez 64)
Subs Not Used: Matias Almeyda, Roberto Ayala, Roberto Bonano, German Burgos, Claudio Caniggia, Jose Chamot, Marcelo Gallardo, Claudio Husain, Gustavo Lopez
Booked: Batistuta

England: David Seaman, Danny Mills, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Owen Hargreaves (Trevor Sinclair 19), Michael Owen (Wayne Bridge 80), Emile Heskey (Teddy Sheringham 56)
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

Attendance: 35,927

Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

	1 -	1
Sol Campbell (24)		Niclas Alexandersson (59)

England began their World Cup 2002 campaign with an unconvincing draw against a Sweden team who dominated the second half and could easily have snatched victory.

Sol Campbell opened the scoring for England with a powerful header after 24 minutes, but Niclas Alexandersson deservedly equalised after 59 minutes following a Danny Mills blunder.

Both teams went in search of a winner but England had lost the momentum they enjoyed in the first half and Sweden seemed the likelier to score again.

England now face Argentina on Friday without the win they so badly craved from their opening fixture, while Sweden play Nigeria.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men were far from their best, adopting a direct approach that - while at times in the first-half effective - far too often allowed the opposition to claim possession. Sweden were also sluggish throughout the opening half but - following the introduction of Southampton's Anders Svensson - attacked with purpose from midfield after the break.

Eriksson's team made a positive, direct start to the match - pushing forward quickly to try and exploit a perceived lack of pace within the Sweden defence. Darius Vassell in particular enjoyed a lively start, twisting and turning to good effect without actually testing Magnus Hedman.

But England's early endeavour was eventually rewarded with a goal. An attacking foray by Ashley Cole led to the game's first corner - and Sol Campbell converted David Beckham's subsequent curling kick with a bullet header. Campbell - who had a headed goal disallowed against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup - charged away to celebrate his first England goal.

Sweden's first shot at goal came after 39 minutes, Marcus Allback shooting sharply and forcing a tidy save from David Seaman. And minutes later Allback blazed over after holding off Ferdinand as a scrappy first-half drew to a close.

Sweden created several half chances in the early phase of the second-half and Allback felt he should have been awarded a penalty when he was challenged by Ferdinand after 51 minutes.

Conversely, England began the second-half hesitantly and were punished when Alexandersson equalised after 59 minutes. Mills failed to clear the ball, which was eventually bundled out to the Swedish midfielder, who found space in a central position and fired home from 20 yards. Allback's shot was close to Seaman but swerved through the air and deceived the Arsenal goalkeeper.

Minutes later Seaman brilliantly saved from Teddy Lucic to prevent Sweden - now dominating - from taking the lead. And after 64 minutes Seaman smothered another Lucic shot after a sweeping Swedish moved had created a superb shooting opportunity.

England skipper David Beckham ineffective through the second half was substituted for Kieron Dyer after 63 minutes as England's grip on the game loosened. Michael Owen shot against the side netting with 20 minutes left - but it was an isolated effort from a team struggling to remain on level terms.

Sweden pushed forward throughout the closing stages and created half chances.

Ragged England - by now totally lacking cohesion - held on for a point but have still not beaten Sweden since a 3-1 win in the 1968 World Cup.

England
Seaman, Mills, A Cole, Ferdinand, Campbell, Heskey, Hargreaves, Scholes, Beckham, Vassell, Owen.

Sweden
Hedman, Mellberg, Mjallby, Linderoth, Alexandersson, Ljungberg, Allback, Larsson, Jakobsson, Lucic, Svensson.

Referee: Carlos Simon (Brazil).

David Beckham is back on course to play in the 2002 World Cup  - according to both Sir Alex Ferguson and the English FA.

The Manchester United manager yesterday revised the pessimistic verdict he gave on Beckham's chances of going to Korea and Japan.

Immediately after the midfielder broke a bone in his left foot against Deportivo La Coruna, Ferguson dismissed his prospects of being fit enough to make the Finals. Now he believes that Beckham can recover in time.

And an FA source revealed that England coach Sven Goran Eriksson and his backup team have pencilled in their final warm-up match, against Cameroon in the Japanese city of Kobe on May 26, for the inspirational captain's comeback.

However, Eriksson has taken the precaution of earmarking Sol Campbell and Gary Neville as possible stand- in captains should Beckham not regain fitness in time. The game against the African champions is exactly six weeks away and seven days before England's opening Group F match against Sweden.

But it is Ferguson who has done most to ease the nation's fears about Beckham by declaring: 'He has a good chance of going to the World Cup.'

However, the Old Trafford manager was less optimistic about him taking any further part in United 's campaign.

When Sven Goran Eriksson's mobile phone rang at the Dubai Police Officers' Club yesterday morning, it signalled a perfect day for the England coach.

Under the searing Arabian sun, Eriksson had just watched his captain take part in his first training session since his left foot was broken on April 10.

It was only a gentle 45-minute work-out on the club's immaculate lawns, but Eriksson's relief was obvious. Beckham was up and running.

And moments later, the 2002 World Cup picture that had looked so grim when his players clambered aboard their flight to Dubai brightened further.

Eriksson had suggested on Sunday that it would be a 'miracle' for Kieron Dyer to be fit enough to start the 2002 World Cup . Well, England had better start giving him some loaves and fishes.

Not only was The Foot on the mend but so was The Knee.

If determination wins World Cups then Dyer will be there in Yokohama on June 30 after beating the deadline set by the England coach for his recovery from a dream-threatening knee injury.

England manager Sven Goran Eriksson is likely to drop Andy Cole from his World Cup 2002 squad to call-up Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell, the Sunday Mirror reported.

Vassell only has to keep up the level of performance he showed playing against Holland in midweek during the final two warm-up ties against Italy and Paraguay in order to secure his spot in Eriksson's World Cup squad at the expense of the Blackburn striker.

The news is certain to become a devastating blow to Cole who has quitted the Manchester United bench to secure an England squad spot ahead of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Cole still had a chance of securing a squad spot until Wednesday night, when Vassell impressed Eriksson with a wonder goal in warm-up clash against Holland in Amsterdam.

Eriksson had previously decided on his five strikers: Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Emile Heskey, Teddy Sheringham and Cole - who are certain to travel to the World Cup unless they sustain injuries.
Vassell, who will start in friendly with Italy at Elland Road on March 27, is now seen as a perfect substitute for Owen, who still has niggling injury worries.