Slovakia 1 England 2
Michael Owen spared England's blushes with a two-goal blast to enable them to get their European Championship campaign off to a winning start in Slovakia.
On a surface drenched by days of rain, the visitors looked to be heading for a dismal defeat when Middlesbrough striker Szilard Nemeth pounced to net a deserved first-half opener for the home side.
But, with his private life set to be blasted across the nation, England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson had his professional blushes spared by the diminutive Liverpool hit-man who got the faintest of touches to a David Beckham free-kick before nodding home the winner eight minutes from time.
England could barely claim to have deserved their glory but with group rivals Turkey opening their European Championship campaign with successive victories, the three points will be welcomed nonetheless.
However, the result was marred by crowd disturbances involving visiting supporters which required the intervention of baton-wielding local police to restore order.
On a bog-like pitch England looked ill at ease almost from the first whistle. Their intricate passing came to a grinding halt on the sodden surface, with Slovakia's more forceful approach reaping greater rewards.
For the visitors, only Steven Gerrard rose defiantly to the challenge.
However, Gerrard's single first half mistake contributed largely to Nemeth's stunning opener. Clearly believing the ball was rolling beyond the by-line, Gerrard gave up the chase, allowing Vladimir Janocko space to pull his cross back after salvaging what looked like a lost cause.
Attila Pinte rose above Ashley Cole and nodded the ball into the six-yard area where Nemeth found space among three England defenders to lash his first-time shot past David Seaman.
By the interval, Eriksson's team should have been level but contrived to blow two glorious opportunities. Gareth Southgate was the biggest culprit, finding himself free in the area as Gerrard floated his cross into the box but unable to find the power or direction with his header to trouble Miroslav Konig.
Within 60 seconds, Beckham had another chance but ambitiously elected to chip Konig rather than blast a shot from a decent angle which might have troubled the Slovakian keeper.
Although the balance of play did not change too much after the interval, England did manage to carve out more chances and the breakthrough was made Beckham floated in a 35-yard free-kick which left Konig stranded as Owen raced in to get the faintest touch.
Sensing victory, England continued their forward push, although Scholes became the second visiting player booked when he clashed with Pinte.
With time ticking down, the Liverpool striker was afforded one more chance. Scholes seized on Hlinke's mistake and pulled a cross back which should have been cleared by Peter Dzurik.
However, the Slovakian defender allowed the ball to deflect downwards of the sole of his boot and when it looped back up, Owen dived among the flying feet to nod home the winner.
Slovakia: 1-Miroslav Konig; 5-Peter Dzurik, 9-Vladimir Leitner, 2-Martin Petras, 4-Peter Hlinka; 10-Vladimir Janocko (14-Marek Mintal 89), 6-Marian Zeman, 7-Attila Pinte (18-Jozep Kozlej 89), 3-Miroslav Karhan; 11-Robert Vittek (17-Lubos Reiter 81), 8-Szilard Nemeth
England: 1-David Seaman; 2-Gary Neville, 5-Jonathan Woodgate, 6-Gareth Southgate, 3-Ashley Cole; 7-David Beckham, 4-Steven Gerrard (16-Kieron Dyer 77), 11-Nicky Butt, 8-Paul Scholes; 9-Emile Heskey (18-Alan Smith 90), 10-Michael Owen (15-Owen Hargreaves 87)
Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy)