England claim friendly win

Captain John Terry helped England produce their most impressive performance of the Fabio Capello era with the opening goal in a 2-0 win against the United States at Wembley.

The Chelsea defender had something to smile about after his Champions League final penalty shoot-out agony when he headed Fabio Capello's side into a 38th-minute lead.

Steven Gerrard made sure of victory 14 minutes into the second half when he converted a slide-rule pass from substitute Gareth Barry.

The win was deserved and there is a general belief that Capello will get it right, that anything he does has to be an improvement on the Steve McClaren era - the true ghastliness of which will only really sink in when Euro 2008 kicks off while the Three Lions lick their wounds on an unscheduled summer off.

The visitors had already survived one lucky escape when Gerrard slotted home David Beckham's curling free-kick, only for the goal to be ruled out because England's newest centurion had not waited for the whistle.

When Beckham picked Gerrard out with another free-kick, the midfielder's shot seemed to be heading into the net until Clint Dempsey got his head to it, providing Frank Lampard with a chance from the rebound which he promptly volleyed wide.

Gerrard also set up Beckham and Jermain Defoe, eager to make an impression on his first England start for nearly two years, but neither man could locate the net.

Terry at least put a different complexion on proceedings, even if his fourth goal for his country could hardly make up for his misery at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Beckham's departure at half-time offered David Bentley some valuable time on the pitch, although clearly it is going to take a long time for the boo-boys in the stands to forget his decision to abandon the England Under-21 squad prior to last summer's European Championships.

Barry's arrival was equally noticeable due to the fact he almost immediately threaded Defoe's lay-off through a tiring USA defence for Gerrard to add a second just before the hour mark.