YOU just knew that it was going to be a special afternoon when Gary Lineker pointed out to John Motson that Saporro is twinned with Munich, the scene of our country's most famous recent victory.

Motty enjoyed that one, but his mind was elsewhere.

He rocked about from foot to foot as he chatted to those in the studio, the commentator seemed as nervous about his performance as a player in the dressing room.

There was of course a great deal of excitement about, particularly as England battled towards the end of the game, and nowhere less than in the commentary box.

Motson, usually cool as a cucumber, lost his tongue. Ashley Cole became Andy Cole, then he became Sol Campbell. It was very confusing under the famous Sapporo roof.

Even Sven had a fair amount of sweat on his brow. "I'm very pleased," said the Swede.

But things went a bit too far back in the BBC's London studio, where Ian Wright commenting on a particularly creative England move said that Alan Hansen "would have been creaming if Brazil had done that".

"You did say 'dreaming' then, didn't you, Ian?", said the quick-thinking boy Lineker.

But we were not dreaming, this was a great afternoon for English football.