England 4 Mexico 0

England produced an excellent first half display to lead 3-0 against Mexico but seven substitutions at the interval robbed the home team of their momentum with veteran striker Teddy Sheringham adding a fourth goal.

Sven Goran Eriksson's side were totally convincing in the first half but were up against a poor Mexican team that barely chased back or covered for their defenders and was not a true test of the new English team being led perhaps to 2002 World Cup qualification by excellent form from midfield star Steven Gerrard and striker Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen.

Owen's speed was badly missed by an England team of inexperienced second-stringers but the game was won long before in a first half of three great goals.

Captain David Beckham and Paul Scholes combined in only the second minute for Scholes to check his run into space and instead launch a booming drive from long range into the net.

England too their queue from that piece of magic and created majestic passing movements all over the pitch with defenders willing to help out midfield ball-playing and the switch play of strikers Fowler and Owen finding space and the angles for passes to hit them again and again.

The home side hit long range shots at will and Fowler was on hand to finish the best move of the game in the 14th minute when he met a cross with chopped and scuffed shot that bounced into the net and David Beckham hit a swerving free kick that dipped into the net in the 29th minute and it could have been more for England.

Debut striker Alan Smith wasted two late chances and by then Mexico had fluffed their only chance of the match after Jose Abundis hit a 65th minute penalty wide after Emile Heskey had produced a clumsy foul in the area.

Sheringham ended the scoring before his signing for Tottenham tomorrow when he duplicated Beckham's free kick effort from the first half to skip the ball into the net.

Mexico now move on to tour Japan in the Confederations Cup where they face France and Australia.

Pretty though this win was England know that showtime is over on June 6th when they face a hostile crowd in Athens and play Greece in a 2002 World Cup qualifier. England have to win to stand a chance of getting past Germany at the top of the group but the starting eleven in Derby tonight may give them a good chance.