SIX years after Michael Owen caught the world’s eye at a leading tournament, Wayne Rooney is threatening to make a similar impact as a teenage striker. The frighteningly precocious forward was a double goalscorer and man of the match yesterday as England beat Switzerland 3-0 in the European Championship finals to recover from their opening defeat to France.

Rooney’s six-yard header stood no comparison with Owen’s searing run in the 1998 World Cup finals and the opposition were not in Argentina’s class. The teenager’s talent is, though, unquestionable and he was applauded into the England dressing-room after setting yet another record by becoming the youngest scorer in 44 years of European Championship finals.

The Everton striker even managed to be credited with England’s second goal, though it ricocheted off the post and the back of the Switzerland goalkeeper’s head. Nothing, it appears, will be denied the Scouse prodigy, who had also looked England’s most threatening player against France.

“He’s a fantastic football player, a fantastic talent,” Sven-Göran Eriksson, the head coach, said. “I am not sure he is (an emerging) talent any more because he is ready for any stage. He played very well against France and he was even better today. One goal was more beautiful than the other, but to do that at 18 years old is fantastic, absolutely incredible.”

At 18 years and 236 days, Rooney beat Dragan Stojkovic’s record by eight months when he headed in a cross from Owen. “Michael put the ball on my head,” Rooney said. “I couldn’t miss. It is always great to break a record. The second goal was the most important of my career because it killed the game off.”

His second was his seventh international goal in only 15 appearances and yet his professional career is less than two years old. His touch can still let him down but, in that failing, he was in good company yesterday on an afternoon when the margin of victory flattered England.

Anxious after the shock of conceding two late goals to France on Sunday, England took time even to take advantage of the dismissal of Bernt Haas after an hour for two bookable offences. Eriksson admitted that his players had not retained possession well in the heat of Coimbra, but the Swede was relieved to record a victory that has left England needing only a draw against Croatia on Monday night to reach the quarter-finals, although that may not be such an easy task. Croatia can still qualify themselves after a 2-2 draw against France last night that might easily have been a victory.

“We have to make a great performance or we will not go through,” Eriksson said. “I am very happy because when we lost the first game, and in the way we lost it, you never know how the players will react mentally. We started so-and-so. It was very difficult to keep the ball. They had more possession and were more aggressive.

“If you see our four midfield players and the two attackers, we should keep the ball better. Especially in the heat, it was important to do that. The only explanation is that we didn’t move well off the ball and were a bit nervous. We knew this was a must-win game. We weren’t as relaxed as we should be, but hopefully we will be better in the next game.”

At least England are off the bottom of group B, but Eriksson has some important decisions to make before Monday night. First, he must decide his best tactics after allowing the players to change his mind. Eriksson had rehearsed a midfield diamond in training on Wednesday and had believed for months that it would be the best strategy against Switzerland. More comfortable as a flat four, the players had aired their reservations between themselves over dinner. David Beckham and Steven Gerrard, the scorer of England’s third goal yesterday, are understood to have made representations and Eriksson altered his configuration on the morning of the match.

After a victory, Eriksson could argue that it was democracy at work, but there will need to be improvement for the meeting with Croatia if England are to reach the last eight. Their inability to dominate inferior teams continues to afflict them whatever the formation. Eriksson is unlikely to make changes to his starting XI, but, after more than three years without an international goal, Paul Scholes has developed a worsening habit of snatching at chances.

Owen, meanwhile, is even more out of sorts. “He was much better today than against France and he will be even better on Monday,” Eriksson said, but the coaching staff are known to be concerned at the Liverpool forward’s demeanour. He does not look like he is enjoying playing for England just as, last season, he was frustrated by the crudeness of Liverpool’s football.

Like all class acts, Owen will bounce back with a goal or three, but England need him back to his best sooner rather than later. As they showed against France yesterday, Croatia may prove troublesome on Monday night.

REMAINING GROUP B FIXTURES

Monday June 21

Croatia v England (7.45, in Lisbon)
Switzerland v France (7.45, in Coimbra)

TEENAGE KICKS

Youngest goalscorers in European Championship finals

Wayne Rooney — 18 years, 236 days, for England v Switzerland, June 2004

Dragan Stojkovic — 19 years, 108 days, for Yugoslavia against France, June 1984

Cristiano Ronaldo — 19 years, 128 days, for Portugal v Greece, June 2004

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