Stevie's Lions edge Scotland battle
Steven Gerrard skippered England for an hour on Wednesday night as the Three Lions were 3-2 winners in a hot-tempered friendly clash against Scotland at Wembley.
Gerrard provided the assist for England's second goal and was dominant in the middle of the park before being replaced; however, it was another Scouser who stole the headlines on the night.
Kirkby-born Rickie Lambert, who bagged 15 in the league for Southampton last year, headed the decisive goal in the 70th minute with his first touch as an international player.
Scotland led twice in the game - and they went ahead in the 11th minute. Neither Danny Welbeck nor Theo Walcott could clear England's lines from a corner and James Morrison scooped the ball on the edge of the box, took two touches and rifled past Joe Hart.
The first clear-cut chance of the game for the home side came on 26 minutes when Walcott and Wayne Rooney combined to free-up space for Tom Cleverley; however, Russell Martin hurled his body in front of the ball to block bravely.
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Two minutes later though, Scotland were undone by an incisive Cleverley pass in between the lines, and Walcott finished past Allan McGregor to level the scores.
Gerrard sat in the central, deep-lying position in England's midfield three - and the skipper looked comfortable. He scythed Scotland's defence apart with a sumptuous, looping pass into the path of Rooney on 43 minutes, but the linesman wrongly signalled offside.
Scotland restored their lead within minutes of play after the interval. Kenny Miller, with his back to goal, dropped the shoulder on the edge of the box before pirouetting away from Gary Cahill and sweeping the ball beyond Hart for 2-1.
England were level four minutes later - and it was Gerrard who provided the assist, when he curled a superb cross onto the head of Welbeck, who tucked the ball away for 2-2.
Gerrard's night was brought to a close just after the hour mark when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took to the field to replace him.
On 68 minutes there was an England debut for 31-year-old Scouser Lambert - and within two minutes of being on the pitch, he lost his man to thump a classy header past McGregor and clinch the winner.
Reds full-back Glen Johnson was an unused substitute on the night.
Elsewhere, Luis Suarez was on the scoresheet for Uruguay as they beat Japan 4-2 earlier in the day. Suarez added his side's third after a brace from Diego Forlan handed La Celeste a comfortable lead.
Joe Allen played 86 minutes as Chris Coleman's Wales were held to a goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium.
Simon Mignolet was an unused substitute as Belgium drew 0-0 with France in their friendly in Brussels, while young stopper Danny Ward was between the sticks as Wales U21s lost 5-1 to Finland.