Fortunately for England, Steven Gerrard dismissed those
thoughts of international retirement as quickly as they entered his
mind in the wake of the World Cup.
Because here at Wembley came yet more evidence of why this
brilliant Liverpool midfielder will be central to England's
recovery after the bitter disappointment of South
Africa.
Two goals in four second-half minutes arrived like a
resuscitation trolley in England's emergency ward, not least
because of the manner in which Hungary had seized the lead and the
storm brewing over Fabio Capello's untimely dumping of David
Beckham.
Make mine a double: Gerrard celebrates his second
goal at Wembley
After what had happened in Bloemfontein little more than a
month ago, it was extraordinary. Another goal-line decision that
again went against Capello's side because of FIFA's refusal to
employ modern technology.
England (4-1-4-1)
Hart 6; G Johnson 6, Jagielka 6, Terry 6
(Dawson 46min, 6), A Cole 6 (Gibbs 46, 6); Barry 6; Walcott 7
(Young 46, 6), Gerrard 8 (Wilshere 83), Lampard 6 (Zamora 46, 7), A
Johnson 7; Rooney 6 (Milner 67, 5).
Hungary (4-4-1-1)
Kiraly 5; Szelesi 6, Liptak 5 (Komlosi 53, 6), Juhasz 6, Vanczak 6
(Laczko 46, 5);
Dzsudzsak 6 (Koman 46, 6), Vadocz 6,
Elek (Toth 60), Huszti 6 (Hajnal 46, 5);
Gera; Rudolf (Priskin 83).
Booked: Laczko, Koman.
Man of the
match: Steven Gerrard.
Referee: Stephane
Lannoy (France).
Against Germany, Frank Lampard was denied a goal that was.
Against Hungary Phil Jagielka was credited with an own goal that
wasn't, the French officials failing to see that Michael Dawson had
made a brilliant clearance.
When that moment came in the 61st minute, England were in
serious danger of sliding into a deeper, darker depression. After
the goal came the sight of Wayne Rooney waving sarcastically to the
fans booing him as he left the field.
But then up stepped Gerrard, so often the courageous
captain of Liverpool and now England's skipper and saviour with the
kind of goals that only players of his quality score. A trademark
effort from 20 yards and then something even more
special.
After receiving the ball from Ashley Young, Gerrard turned
and accelerated away from three defenders before guiding his
close-range effort past Gabor Kiraly. Brilliant.
The 30-year-old had invited England's supporters to boo
but it was an altogether more positive response when the stadium
announcer then declared that he had quite rightly been voted the
man of the match.
Eye for goal: Gerrard shoots past Gabor Kiraly for
England's winner
Jeers gave way to cheers and nobody was smiling more than
Gerrard who, unlike some of his former international team-mates,
recognises that representing England is a privilege rather than a
right.
Capello must understand that, even if his response to his
captain's goals was strangely passive. A sign of his nerves
perhaps, probably after seeing Hungary celebrate that controversial
opening goal. As Beckham discovered, Capello was keen to make a
fresh start. A case of out with the old, in with the new, the new
on this occasion being the system England's manager has finally
returned to for his stuttering team.
Fantastic strike: Steven Gerrard fires home
England's equaliser at Wembley
Whether he could have deployed Rooney as a lone striker at
the World Cup when the Manchester United forward was so clearly
short of fitness is something that continues to divide opinion. But
Capello opted for such an approach, handing Rooney the role he so
enjoys performing at club level and selecting a midfield boasting
width and pace as well as a position more suited to the
considerable quality of Gerrard.
No longer England's wide man on the left, he was much
happier joining Lampard and Gareth Barry in a central trio and
happier still, dare it be said, when the Chelsea man went
off.
As the Italian quite rightly stressed earlier this week,
England are not a team that can be cured of their many ailments
overnight. But this was a tentative step in the right direction,
and a reason to be more optimistic than we were after the World
Cup.
Capello still has much to learn, however. That he only
gave his players 45 minutes before reverting to good old 4-4-2 with
Bobby Zamora as partner to Rooney would have been a frustration for
all but the Fulham striker making his debut.
First blood|: Hungary players celebrate Phil
Jagielka's own goal
And in a week when the national coach has suffered one
setback after another, the manner in which he chose to call time on
Beckham's international career once again raised questions about
his judgment.
After 115 caps the former England skipper, and someone who
gave his time to assist Capello in South Africa as a member of the
backroom staff, deserved better than to be publicly dumped during a
television interview. Especially when Beckham remains so central to
England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Marked man: Wayne Rooney wasn't short of attention
from the visitors at Wembley
Had Capello contacted the 35-year-old prior to making the
announcement? He said he had tried. Sorry, not good enough. With
Beckham's representatives then announcing that their client had no
intention of retiring, it all amounted to something of a mess. Yet
another PR blunder for the FA to contend with.
After a relatively promising, if goalless, first half came
the changes that marked the start of the second. Dawson for John
Terry, Kieran Gibbs for Ashley Cole, Young for a lively Theo
Walcott and Zamora for Lampard.
Plenty of empty seats: The fans stayed away in
numbers after England's woeful World Cup campaign
It did not exactly improve the way England played, and
when Jagielka's interception of a ball that was delivered by Tamas
Hajnal flew towards England's goal Dawson made a clearance that
referee Stephane Lannoy mistakenly thought was a fraction too
late.
But two minutes later and Gerrard made the most of a fine
run from Gibbs with that thumping 20-yard finish before scoring
from closer range after receiving a neat pass from Young. Only then
did Gerrard leave the field for Jack Wilshere, but it will be some
time before the young Arsenal midf ielder replaces England's
skipper permanently.