LATE GOALS FROM PETER CROUCH AND STEVEN GERRARD WERE A DESERVED REWARD FOR THE PRESSURE ENGLAND EXERTED IN THURSDAY'S 2-0 WORLD CUP WIN OVER TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. ENGLAND STRUGGLED TO GET ANOTHER GROUP B VICTORY THAT PUT THEM THROUGH TO THE SECOND ROUND FOLLOWING A 1-0 WIN OVER PARAGUAY AND IT LOOKED AS THOUGH MORE THAN 80 MINUTES OF POOR FINISHING WOULD CATCH UP WITH THEM. EVEN THE LONG-AWAITED ARRIVAL JUST BEFORE THE HOUR MARK OF STRIKER WAYNE ROONEY, LESS THAN SEVEN WEEKS AFTER SUFFERING A BROKEN FOOT, FAILED TO PROVIDE A BREAKTHROUGH. BUT THE TOWERING CROUCH, WHO HAD BEEN GUILTY OF A STRING OF EMBARRASSING MISSES, FINALLY CAME GOOD BY NODDING IN DAVID BECKHAM'S CROSS AND GERRARD LASHED IN THE SECOND DURING STOPPAGE TIME FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA. THEY WERE ENGLAND'S FIRST SECOND-HALF GOALS AT A WORLD CUP UNDER SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON, FOLLOWING THEIR BLANKS IN 2002, AND THE COACH WILL HAVE BREATHED A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF.
