FOOTBALL: SLOVAKIA v ENGLAND: ACE MICHAEL'S THE HEAD BOY

MICHAEL OWEN struck a late winner to ease England's nerves as they opened their European Championship campaign with an unconvincing win over Slovakia.

Middlesbrough striker Szilard Nemeth gave the home side a shock first-half lead that threatened to heap further hum-iliation on Sven Goran Eriksson, whose private life has come under intense scrutiny.

And Nemeth would have grabbed more goals but for heroic goalkeeping by David Seaman and desperate defending by England's back four.

David Beckham eased England's nerves with a bizarre goal in the 65th minute, which was initially credited to Owen.

But there was no doubt about who got the winner. Owen ended any lingering fears of a humiliation when he capitalised on a defensive blunder to head home in the 82nd minute.

As storm clouds of controversy gathered around the England coach we also had the real thing - 24 hours of torrential rain that initially threatened to bring proceedings to a premature end at the Slovan Stadium.

Not surprisingly, prior to kick-off all talk revolved around the imminent serialisation of Ulrika Jonsson's book, with rumours claiming its contents, following her affair with Eriksson, could be damaging enough to cost him his job.

The football invariably played second fiddle to the hype. But with injuries hampering Eriksson's plans he was forced to address more immediate problems by making numerous changes.

With his key central defenders Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand missing, Gareth Southgate, Jonathan Woodgate and Gary Neville - having recuperated from a foot injury that forced him to miss the World Cup - came into the side. And with Emile Heskey restored to the attack at the expense of Alan Smith, Eriksson sprang a tactical surprise by playing Paul Scholes, making his 50th appearance for England, on the left side of midfield.

Fortunately the rain had subsided by the time the two teams took to the field, but the pitch had cut up significantly enough to warrant concern.

It was difficult for the players to keep on their feet, let alone find a telling pass, and the home side adjusted much better to the conditions.

Slovakia were presented with a golden opportunity to take an early lead in the sixth minute. Nemeth's telling ball put Robert Vittek through on goal and only his inability to keep on his feet, rather than the late intervention of Southgate, prevented the hosts from opening the scoring.

Presented with a trademark free-kick following a dubious foul on Scholes, Beckham found the wall rather than the net.

The conditions continued to hamper England's progress and in the 24th minute the unthinkable happened.

The Slovakians broke swiftly down the England left and when Vladamir Janocko crossed the ball to Attila Pinte. He headed the ball down into the path of Nemeth, who shot home from close range.

The Middlesbrough striker gleefully milked the home applause with a celebratory dance near the corner flag.

Beckham's second free-kick of the evening brought a telling save out of Miroslav Konig and Nicky Butt saw his shot go narrowly wide of the post as England pushed forward with greater conviction.

Six minutes from the break England should have drawn level. Scholes crossed from left and when a poor clearance came straight to Southgate, his header was saved at point-blank range by Konig.

Eriksson resisted the temptation to make changes at the break with England kicking off in the direction of their own fans, who were involved in sporadic fighting just before the interval.

England pressed for an equaliser and Beckham was denied at the near post in the 57th minute following Heskey's probing run and cross by the alertness of Konig in the home goale.

England finally drew level through Beckham's 65th-minute free- kick, which sailed in at the far post as Owen ran across the ball seeking to get a vital touch.

Then Owen was on target for real with eight minutes to go.

Scholes crossed from the right, Marian Dzurike made a complete hash of the clearance and Owen headed home his 19th goal in 33 starts for his country to spare the blushes of his countrymen - and coach Eriksson.

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