England captain David Beckham, uncertain of playing any part in the World Cup two weeks ago, exorcised the demons of St Etienne in dramatic style yesterday with the winning goal against Argentina.

His nerveless penalty at the end of the first half sealed a 1-0 victory for England over their arch-rivals and tournament favourites. It also gave the midfielder ample revenge for the low point of his career when he was sent off after kicking out at Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone and England were eliminated in the second round of the 1998 World Cup in France. Asked how it felt, Beckham said: "Better than four years ago. It's just unbelievable. This just tops it all off. A lot has happened in my career and a lot happened four years ago, and it's just nice that finally I can hopefully lay it to rest."

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