How the match unfolded:

"Sven should replace Rooney with Crouch and go in with that team. He's in the squad so he can come on and change the game, but he's going to have to start with him and play him all the way through. Michael Owen cannot be left on his own in attack. England immediately looked more comfortable when they went to 4-4-2."
Graham Taylor, BBC Five Live

"I would be disappointed if I was Michael Carrick if Owen Hargreaves got in ahead of me. Hargreaves can't defend."
Ian Wright, BBC Sport

93 mins: FULL-TIME
Theo Walcott has the final touch of the game and on this evidence it is back to the drawing board in search of a Plan B without Wayne Rooney in the side, despite the vast improvement in the second half.

90 mins: We're into the first minute of injury time and the crowd are chanting "Football's Coming Home". Maybe not, but time will tell.

89 mins: David Beckham gets a late yellow card for a needless tackle from behind by the corner flag on Peter Halmosi.

88 mins: Owen Hargreaves threads a ball down the right channel and Theo Walcott races through and flashes a shot across goal.

83 mins: GOAL England 3-1 Hungary
Joe Cole plays in Peter Crouch on the edge of the box and the Liverpool forward pivots before unleashing a right-footed shot low into the corner of the net. The goal is far superior to his dubious robotics-inspired celebration.

82 mins: Pater Halmosi is all over Peter Crouch in the box under a high ball but the referee waves play on.

81 mins: Krisztian Vadocz replaces Balasz Molnar.

80 mins: Peter Crouch wins a towering header on the left but his knockdown evades Joe Cole and Theo Walcott. Since the changes England have lost momentum going forward.

77 mins: Sol Campbell's first active service of the night is a late tackle on Sandor Torghelle and he earns a yellow card for his troubles. The free-kick results with a fierce drive from Laszlo Eger which Paul Robinson tips over.

76 mins: Sol Campbell comes on as a direct replacement for John Terry. Hungary take advantage of the change and catch England napping before the Arsenal man is in the rearguard with a quick throw. Sandor Torghelle's shap shot flashes across the area.

73 mins: Another substitution. Hungary's Imre Szabics makes way for Attila Polonkai. England central defender Sol Campbell is warming up on the touchline.

70 mins: Theo Walcott races down the right flank but his low cross to Peter Crouch is ever so slightly under hit and Laszlo Eger slides in to block.

66 mins: Theo Walcott and Peter Crouch both get early touches in an intricate move that gifts Joe Cole space on the left. He works the ball to Frank Lampard but his shot on goal is blocked.

65 mins: Now it is England's turn to make a change. Theo Walcott becomes the youngest ever England international in replacing Michael Owen. Peter Crouch comes on for Steven Gerrard so the hosts have a little and large feel in attack.

60 mins: Hungary make a second change with former Crystal Palace man Sandor Torghelle coming on for Balazs Toth.

59 mins: David Beckham is causing chaos in the Hungarian rearguard with his dead-ball delivery. Substitute Vilmos Vanczak gets a header in just ahead of John Terry from a free-kick and from the resulting corner Gobor Kiraly paws away the ball.

55 mins: GOAL England 2-1 Hungary
What did the players have with their half-time cup of tea? The game has been transformed and Hungary are back in the game with a quite sensational strike from skipper Pal Dardai after England lose concentration at the back and gift their rivals too much space.

51 mins: GOAL England 2-0 Hungary
Gabor Kiraly flaps at a tempting David Beckham free-kick from the left and John Terry doubles the advantage with a header. In a doff of the cap to Bebeto's rocking the cradle celebration unveiled in the 1994 World Cup, Terry peels away to join his team-mates to honour his new-born twins on the touchline.

47 mins: GOAL England 1-0 Hungary
Birthday boy Steven Gerrard meets a high, looping David Beckham free-kick with a bullet header to break the deadlock.

2109 BST: There is an England change and Owen Hargreaves has been given the nod by Sven-Goran Eriksson. Jamie Carragher steps into right-back with Gary Neville going off as a precaution with a tight hamstring. England get the ball rolling for the second half.

"Steven Gerrard cannot make the runs or breaks we're used to seeing because he's playing too far in front of the ball. For Liverpool he can see the runs to make but here he's coming off Michael Owen and he doesn't really know where to go. After 45 minutes I'd say he can't play in that position."
Graham Taylor, BBC Five Live

"I wouldn't change it straight away as that's a sign of failure. But after 15 minutes I'd take off Beckham and play Gerrard on the right-hand side. He'll probably take off Carragher and go 4-4-2 with his tried-and-tested midfield four."
Terry Butcher, BBC Five Live

"For the first 40 minutes of the first half I thought it was the worst game I'd ever seen in my life. He should put Michael Carrick on now."
Alan Hansen, BBC Sport

"Michael Owen is not a lone striker - it's not Michael's game. You want him sniffing runs off somebody else. Better sides would be able to handle this much better than Hungary. It won't surprise me too see Peter Crouch come on."
Graham Taylor, BBC Five Live

"It's so boring when they pass it around at the back - but the Mexican wave was good."
Ian Wright, BBC Sport

45 mins: HALF-TIME
Frank Lampard wins a corner, so the half will finish as it began with England on the attack. As in the first minute, England fail to force Gabor Kiraly into a save.

44 mins: Another inviting David Beckham cross is glanced on by Joe Cole who peels away in premature celebration. His effort rebounds off the post and almost along the line before being clubbed clear by Laszlo Eger - via the crossbar.

41 mins: ENGLAND PENALTY MISS
Gabor Kiraly makes an excellent stop low to his right from Frank Lamaprd's effort. Joe Cole's follow up header loops over the bar. It was a dubious decision at best to give the spot-kick so justice has been served.

40 mins: David Beckham's cross from the right is met by Michael Owen but Gabor Kiraly makes a tremendous point-blank save from the Newcastle man's header. In the ensuing melee, neat foot work from Steven Gerrard wins a penalty.

39 mins: England break from defence with pace and the Hungarian defence is on the retreat until Joe Cole is up-ended by a tackle on the edge of the area. David Beckham's free-kick is off target.

37 mins: There's a crescendo of noise in the crowd but not because of any interest in the action on the pitch. It's time for a Mexican wave.

33 mins: Hungary are passing the ball better than England and win a corner after a quick break, but it is headed clear at the near post by David Beckham.

29 mins: Michael Owen almost turns a David Beckham cross on goal but his effort is smothered into touch. From the resulting corner John Terry meets the ball but his header is not on target.

27 mins: Frank Lampard wins a free-kick by the right corner flag. What can England produce? Not a lot. After a bit of head tennis it is that man Balazs Toth who shows more rugby-like attributes with a thumping clearance.

26 mins: There's a shot on goal and it's another Hungarian effort. If Hungary ever take up rugby Balazs Toth should take the conversions because he cracks his effort high over the crossbar.

22 mins: Hungary try their best to create some excitement among the crowd but Szabolcs Huszti's speculative long shot is wide of Paul Robinson's right post.

20 mins: When John Terry flashed a header over in the opening minute you would have got long odds on the subsequent 20 minutes of mediocrity that have had to be endured.

17 mins: Hungary are finding their feet and enjoying some prolonged possession but, for all their passing across the midfield, there is no end porduct

13 mins: It is all England and they work a cheeky short corner which is stabbed clear off Frank Lampard's toes. Play switches to the opposite flank but Gary Neville's cross is too close to keeper Gabor Kiraly.

12 mins: Csaba Feher clatters into Ashley Cole as the Arsenal man makes a raid down the left. David Beckham's free-kick to the near post is headed clear.

9 mins: There is an early change for Hungary as Vilmos Vanczak comes on for the injured Adam Komlosi in defence.

8 mins: Holding midfielder Jamie Carragher is anything but as he breaks up the right and loops an inviting cross into the box but Michael Owen cannot meet the pass from his former Liverpool team-mate.

6 mins: Frank Lampard releases Joe Cole down the left flank but he pulls his cross back behind Michael Owen and the ball is cleared.

3 mins: Steven Gerrard, bedecked in the number nine shirt, is furious at not receiving a free-kick deep in Hungarian territory on the right.

1 min: England are on the front foot from the off and David Beckham's outswinging corner is met by John Terry who powers a free header over.

2009 BST: Hungary, wearing red, get the ball rolling.

2005 BST: The teams line up for the pre-match formalities and the crowd, which is short of a sell-out, gives a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

2002 BST: The teams walk out and behind them, among all the backroom staff, is a certain Wayne Rooney who ambles along the touchline listening to his mp3.

Build-up to the match:

1950 BST:"I don't like to see Michael Owen isolated up front on his own. He's a goalscorer. He doesn't hold the ball up for other players. He's a box player."
Former England manager Graham Taylor, BBC Five Live

Hungary team

1934 BST: The Hungary team is confirmed and features Crystal Palace goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly and West Brom's Zoltan Gera.

1920 BST: World Cup fever has hit Manchester big time, with hundreds of fans swarming round the city centre all afternoon, wearing German-style helmets and drinking from World Cup trophy-shaped cans of beer.

Meanwhile in the ground, there are some murmurs of disbelief at rumours that Jamie Carragher is set to get the nod as the holding midfielder ahead of Michael Carrick.

England team

That is matched in the Radio Five Live commentary team when the England XI is confirmed.

"I'm so surprised. Sven has been consistent and has been criticised for it but he's handled that well. But now, within two weeks of starting the World Cup, because one man is injured we have this."
Former England manager Graham Taylor, BBC Five Live

Michael Owen shrugged off doubts over his fitness to be named as the sole forward.

"You'll get everything from Jamie Carragher in terms of effort and enthusiasm but if it's not exactly desperation, it smacks of experimentation late in the day. And Michael Owen up front on his own doesn't inspire me with confidence."
Ex-England international Terry Butcher, BBC Five Live

England: Robinson, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole, Carragher, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Joe Cole, Owen.
Subs: Bridge, James, Phil Neville, Dawson, Campbell, Hargreaves, Carrick, Jenas, Lennon, Downing, Carson, Walcott, Crouch, Defoe, Johnson, Foster.

Hungary: Kiraly, Feher, Komlosi, Halmosi, Eger, Molnar, Huszti, Dardai, Gera, Toth, Szabics.
Subs: Vegh, Low, Torghelle, Rajczi, Vanczak, Polonkai, Vadocz.

Referee: Pieter Vink (Holland).