Fabio Capello's men had entered the match third in Group C after draws with USA and Algeria but they ended the day second following a victory secured by Jermain Defoe's first-half volley. Slovenia, by contrast, suffered heartbreak as they slipped from first place to nowhere as Landon Donovan's late goal for USA in Pretoria condemned them to elimination. 

England's campaign up to this point had been played out against a backdrop of negative headlines but not for the first time at the FIFA World Cup, they delivered a result when it mattered in their final group game. They may have been wearing an unfamiliar all-red kit but Capello's men looked much more like themselves than in their previous two outings. 

With a cool breeze blowing in off the Indian Ocean, they stirred to life in a Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium awash with the white and red of England. After 14 minutes Frank Lampard tested Samir Handanovic with a long-range free-kick and their desire to make things happen appeared evident when central defender Matthew Upson ? in for the suspended Jamie Carragher ? won a tackle outside the Slovenia box, allowing Rooney to get in a shot that was deflected behind. 

As the game took shape, Slovenia showed the self-belief that had brought them four points already. James had already saved one early drive by Valter Birsa when Ashley Cole's misdirected clearance set Zlatan Ljubijankic on a run down the right, halted only by a fine John Terry tackle. When the ensuing corner was only half-cleared, Milivoje Novakovic drove in a shot that Bostjan Cesar flicked goalwards but without the pace to trouble James. 

In the 23rd minute England got their goal. James Milner, restored to the team in the place of Aaron Lennon, swung in a ball from the right and Defoe got there ahead of Marko Suler to fire in a volley that found the roof of the net via the palms of Samir Handanovic. Coincidentally, it was his first England goal since he scored in a 2-1 friendly win against Slovenia last September. 

Suddenly England’s confidence came flooding back and they had chances to add to their advantage. Another Milner cross unnerved Slovenia’s defence, Handanovic’s attempted clearance only reaching Lampard who drove over. On the half-hour, Defoe drew a fingertip save from Handanovic who then needed two attempts to keep out Steven Gerrard’s low shot, after Wayne Rooney had teed up his captain. 

England continue to set the pace entering the second half. When Gerrard headed a half-cleared corner back into the six-yard box, Defoe hooked wide of an inviting net. The Tottenham Hotspur striker then converted a Rooney cross but the offside flag was raised. 

If Rooney had had to apologise to England’s supporters for his angry words into a TV camera in response to boos that accompanied the team off the pitch against Algeria, now they were chanting his name. Yet he should really have given them a second goal to celebrate in the 58th minute when Terry’s pass put him in the clear. However, Handanovic, who had only just kept out a Terry header just before, reacted well once more to tip his shot on to the post. 

Slovenia had barely troubled England’s defence but they provided a scare after 68 minutes when Novakovic and substitute Zlatko Dedic both got in shots blocked by Terry and Glen Johnson, before Birsa dragged a third attempt past the post. Matjaz Kek’s men came close again in the dying moments only for Upson to deny Tim Matavz with a last-ditch challenge and the USA's late winner up in Pretoria sealed their unhappy fate. For England, by contrast, the show goes on. 
 
 
 

• A조 (남아공,멕시코,우루과이,프랑스)

• B조 (아르헨티나,나이지리아,대한민국,그리스)

• C조 (잉글랜드,미국,알제리,슬로베니아)

• D조 (독일,호주,세르비아,가나)

• E조 (네덜란드,덴마크,일본,카메룬)

• F조 (이탈리아,파라과이,뉴질랜드,슬로바키아)

• G조 (브라질,북한,코트디부아르,포르투칼)

• H조 (스페인,스위스,온두라스,칠레)

Then everything changed in the blink of an eye as Landon Donovan led one last attack. Jozy Altidore squared the ball into the danger zone, where M'Bolhi beat it away, but Donovan was able to latch onto the loose ball and passed it into an empty net, before being submerged among a sea of white shirts. It was the least Bob Bradley's team deserved, having also had a 'goal' disallowed for offside, struck a post and seen Jozy Altidore pass up a glorious opening. 

Algeria, who also needed to win to give themselves a chance of going through, made the more positive start with Karim Matmour unleashing an attempt on goal in the opening seconds before Rafik Djebbour aiming a hooked shot against the crossbar. It was a decent attempt from the centre-forward, who took the ball on his chest, but the woodwork came to USA's rescue. 

Djebbour tried again shortly after, from a wider angle, but his drive was always heading wide. The Americans answered in kind, with Clint Dempsey and Herculez Gomez - one of three changes in Bradley's line-up - failing to keep their efforts on target. 

It was an open, entertaining tussle, reflecting both sides' need to win the game. Gradually, USA were beginning to dominate possession and create openings. In the 21st minute, they had the ball in the back of the net but their joy was quickly extinguished when Dempsey was ruled offside, as he applied the final touch after Gomez's shot was diverted to him. 

That, at least, encouraged Bradley's team to think a breakthrough might not be far away, and they kept pouring forward. Donovan slid a lovely ball into Dempsey but Rais Bolhi did well to smother it. Two minutes later, the Americans were back to cause more panic in the Algeria penalty area. Bradley set up Donovan and when he couldn't turn it home the ball fell nicely for Jozy Altidore, but a heavy swing of his right boot sent the ball careering into the seats behind the goal. 

For their part, the African side carried the greatest threat whenever Nadir Belhadj or Karim Ziani were on the ball. At the end of the first half, Ziani cut in from the left to position himself for the shot but was unable to keep it on target. 

USA were cursing their luck again in the second half as Dempsey followed up after Altidore had made ground with a strong run. The Fulham forward shaped a bending shot with his right that came back off the post, then gathered the rebound, only to shoot wild and wide with his left foot. 

Both sides had let-offs in the 68th minute. Bolhi came to Algeria's rescue again, parrying a close-range header from substitute Edson Buddle before jumping on the loose ball. The Africans immediately went down the other end, where a decent scoring chance for Ziani went the wrong side of the upright. Chances kept coming at either end and it came down to Donovan to at last make one count.