Owen goal means England hold lead at break

Portugal 0-1 England

Michael Owen scored his first goal of Euro 2004 to give England a slender half-time advantage in a pulsating quarter-final with hosts Portugal in the Estadio da Luz.

The Liverpool striker struck after only three minutes after Costinha had only been able to back head a long clearance from David James.

But England suffered a setback when their four-goal hero Wayne Rooney had to be substituted after 26 minutes with an injury to his right foot.

Owen looked sharp but the Portuguese were also a constant threat and the England goal led a charmed life on several occasions.

An early reverse ball from Wayne Rooney almost played in Michael Owen but the Liverpool striker had strayed just offside.

But, after three minutes, England went ahead through Owen’s first goal of the tournament after a long clearance from David James flicked off the back of Costinha’s head.

The ball fell to Owen and he instinctively flicked the ball over Ricardo into the roof of the net for his 26th goal for England – and a place in the top 10 of his country’s all-time goal-scorers.

Portugal tried to rally from this early blow and it needed the combined efforts of Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell to block a shot on the turn from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Then James reacted well to tip over a long range 30-yard effort from Maniche.

It needed Steven Gerrard to then make an important block on Gomes' near-post flick from Figo's low cross at the expense of a corner.

The game was being played at a blistering pace and Ricardo had to parry away a shot on the turn from a narrow angle by Rooney after a David Beckham free-kick had deflected off the defensive wall.

Ashley Cole brought down Ronaldo to the right of the England penalty area but John Terry was first to the centre from Deco.

Luis Figo managed to get in a left-wing cross despite the attention of Gary Neville and Beckham but it was too close to James.

It was noticeable that England were quick to send two players to police Figo and Ronaldo whenever they received the ball.

But Owen was also looking sharp and he was only just too high after beating the offside trap to meet a pass from Gerrard.

The game was flowing from end to end with Costinha only just too high with a header for the home side and then Sol Campbell had a great chance to double England's lead.

The centre-back got on the end of a far-post cross from Gary Neville and should have at least tested Ricardo but he instead sent his header over the top.

Rooney then needed treatment to his foot after a bizarre incident in which it was stood on by Jorge Andrade after the 18-year-old had lost his boot.

He tried to continue but after 26 minutes Rooney disconsolately left the pitch to be replaced by Darius Vassell.

Portugal were continuing to look menacing and Gomes sent a header just wide from a Nuno Valente centre.

Portugal were doing most of the pressing but it needed a superb reflex save from Ricardo to turn another effort from the livewire Owen around the post.

Owen had a header deflected over the bar from a Neville centre and, from Beckham’s resulting corner, Vassell was unable to keep his header down.

Gerrard became the first player to be yellow-carded after 37 minutes for a lunge at the dangerous Deco but the resulting free-kick from Figo was a poor effort which flew high over James’ goal.

Neville followed Gerrard into the book after a foul on Ronaldo on the edge of the area but again Figo’s attempt at goal curled well over the top.