At the home of comebacks, England matched anything Manchester United can produce in terms of incredible late drama as captain David Beckham unbelievably hauled his side into the World Cup finals.Sven-Goran Eriksson was in truth really indebted to Finland for securing a goalless draw away to Germany.However, his own side were on the verge of throwing it all away as they trailed group minnows Greece 2-1 at Old Trafford with only seconds of injury-time left.

The efforts of former Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham in making it 1-1 just 10 seconds after coming on as a second-half substitute looked to have been wasted as Themis Nikolaidis struck back a minute later.And as time was running out, that looked to be that, with a play-off against Ukraine seemingly looming large.

However, that was reckoning without the amazing depths of character in Beckham. With the referee's whistle poised, the England captain was given one last chance to redeem his side.Lining up a free-kick about 25 yards from goal, the penalty box was crowded but he had just one thing in his mind and he duly sent the ball spiralling into the top corner.The match had hardly restarted when the final whistle went but, for the players, there was still a nervous moment of extreme tension before the scoreline filtered through from Germany.

The Germans had needed to outperform England to go through and they, not Eriksson's side, were the ones who spectacularly slipped up at the final hurdle due to their 0-0 draw. How close it was to England being the ones to fail, however. Deprived of the spine of their side and with a collective hangover of a performance for 93 minutes, they were a shadow of their normal selves until Beckham's spectacular late intervention.

It marked the completion of a journey which encompassed two full-time bosses, two caretaker coaches and a whole range of emotions.From the woe of Wembley and frustration of Finland, with just one point from two games, the magnificence of Munich was finally capped by the late drama of Old Trafford.The build-up had been interspersed with off-pitch controversy amid talk of drinking and indiscretions, with Frank Lampard omitted from the squad and Steve Gerrard having to apologising for a late night out.

While this is hardly a young squad going off the rails en masse, they were certainly unsteady on their feet in the first-half at least.Beckham did test keeper Antonis Nikopolidis with a free-kick after seven minutes but that was the sum total of the home side's threats on goal in that opening period.While the movement of Robbie Fowler and Emile Heskey paled in comparison to that normally displayed by Michael Owen, it was in midfield that England really struggled, as if their unleaded tanks had been spiked with leaded petrol.

While Beckham's response was to double his workrate, effectively playing in the middle as well as the right, Gerrard was well below his influential best and Paul Scholes and Nicky Barmby were lightweight.It was not as if England did not have enough warning signs, as Nikolaidis' volley skimmed the bar, while Angelos Charisteas and Giorgis Karagounis also came close.On 36 minutes, the crowd's worst fears were realised. Ashley Cole missed his tackle on Christos Patsatzoglou and the ensuing cross caught England's defence flat-footed. Rio Ferdinand could only mishit his attempted clearance to the lurking, unmarked figure of Charisteas and his first-time effort sped into the far corner.

Eriksson's response came at half-time, with Andy Cole on for Barmby at his home ground and Heskey switching to the left flank.The effects were immediate as England, stung into action, reacted by dispensing with their patient build-up and instead adopting the high-tempo approach of Manchester United.After Beckham's free-kick was saved low down, Cole's first real touch came after being put through by Gerrard only for his shot from a tight angle to be well saved.Nigel Martyn had to match those reactions when Karagounis broke clear at the other end moments later and England were living on a knife-edge.Chances came and went to Scholes and Beckham, before the amazing twist of Sheringham's introduction for the ineffective Fowler.

The change was made at a free-kick and as Beckham's delivery swung into the box, Sheringham, after only 10 seconds on the pitch, rose highest to flick the ball into the net.

Some substitution.

However, just when England needed to display cool heads, they crumbled at the back again and Nikolaidis was left in far too much space, with Martyn unable to save his team against the odds another time.Another comeback was required as tensions rose.Still Germany were drawing 0-0 but still England failed to take their chances as Beckham struck the side-netting and saw a free-kick deflected wide.

By the end, it was desperate stuff, with Steve McManaman now on for Ashley Cole, and it looked all over until Beckham struck so memorably to herald a lap of honour.The drinks are on Beckham. For England are at the World Cup finals and they have their captain to thank for that.