Rooney helps England to win

Macedonia 1 England 2

Wayne Rooney made history by sparking the revival which kept England’s qualification hopes on track against Macedonia in Skopje tonight.

The 17-year-old seized a 53rd minute chance to become his country’s youngest ever goalscorer as England clawed their way back from the brink of embarrassment.

Rooney hammered home a header down from substitute Emile Heskey and David Beckham added the winning penalty which made almost certain that they will go to Istanbul next month needing just a draw with Turkey to ensure their place at the 2006 European Championship finals.

Beckham’s 62nd minute spot-kick completed his side’s fourth Group Seven comeback after former Barnsley striker Georgi Hristov had given Macedonia a shock half-time lead.

And Sven-Goran Eriksson is sure to hold a lengthy inquest into a sluggish performance which almost cost his side dear.

The Macedonians were boosted by a partisan home crowd and threatened consistently throughout the first half through Hristov and Artim Sakiri.

Despite their less-than-impressive international credentials England had no excuses for taking their opponents lightly.

They had already been forced to come from behind twice to salvage a draw in Southampton last October.

And once again Sakiri – subsequently signed by West Brom – was England’s chief tormentor from the start.

He seized upon a Frank Lampard blunder in the 14th minute to race clear only to be stopped in his tracks by a controversial linesman’s flag.

Six minutes later Sakiri’s fine lofted pass sent Hristov clear down the left but Sol Campbell made a superb saving challenge.

England had half-chances with Lampard firing over the bar and Michael Owen wasting a shooting chance from Ashley Cole’s cross.

Hristov’s opening goal arose from a comedy errors in the England defence started by Gary Neville playing Vlatko Grozdanovski onside on the right.

Campbell blundered in half-heading away Grozdanovski’s low cross into the path of Goran Pandev, whose shot ricocheted off Terry for Hristov to shoot home via David James’ legs.

Sakiri continued to look the most dangerous man on the pitch but England ought to have levelled two minutes before the break.

David Beckham sent Owen scampering through but Macedonian keeper Petar Milosevski reacted well with a fine low save at the Liverpool man’s feet and Goran Stavrevski cleared.

Heskey’s introduction paid dividends when he headed on Beckham’s intelligent ball and gave Rooney the chance to make history.

England’s comeback was complete in the 62nd minute when Terry found himself in the corner of the Macedonian box where he was hacked down by substitute De Jesus Braga.

The ever-influential Beckham continued to lead by example with his confident penalty but despite later chances for Rooney and Owen to increase the advantage England still looked shaky.

Braga almost atoned for his rash challenge earlier with a 71st minute drive which deflected off Campbell and landed on the roof of the net.

Rooney was replaced by Phil Neville in the 74th minute as Eriksson opted for caution to ensure that another valuable but unconvincing victory remained in the bag.