Joe Cole makes mark with stunning goal

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COLOGNE, June 21 (Reuters) Joe Cole, who has solved England's perennial problem on the left of midfield, used his right foot to do the damage in a 2-2 draw with Sweden.

Cole began the Group B match in lively fashion, scuttling up and down the left, showing quick feet and regularly leaving stand-in right back Niclas Alexandersson struggling in his wake as he clipped in a succession of crosses.

He then made an indelible mark on the tournament with a memorable goal in the 34th minute.

Alexandersson headed a clearance out to Cole standing 30 metres from goal. He chested the ball down, connected on the volley and sent the ball curving into the top corner past goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson to put England 1-0 up.

''It was quite early in the game still, I wanted to test the keeper and luckily for us it went it,'' said Cole, who was in the squad for the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 without seeing much action.

Now, having been an integral part of Chelsea's back-to-back Premier League-winning teams, he has blossomed into an England regular and is revelling in being part of a big tournament.

Cole turned provider for England's second in the 85th minute after collecting a Peter Crouch flick.

He set up to shoot but, finding his way blocked, instead went wide before sending over a pin-point cross for Steven Gerrard to head home.

Poor defending allowed Sweden to grab their second equaliser but it could not prevent England topping the group and setting up a second-round clash with Ecuador on Sunday.

''We played well in the first half and should have killed it,'' said Cole, named man of the match by FIFA.

''But it's knockout now, the business starts now.''

REUTERS