IN one respect, it was mission accomplished last night as England secured the point they needed to avoid a second-round meeting with World Cup hosts Germany.

But, in so many others, it was catastrophe in Cologne as Sven-Goran Eriksson's side failed to break a 38-year wait for a win over Sweden, defended dreadfully during a second half dominated by their opponents and lost their leading goalscorer to injury.

And to think this was a game that was supposed to have nothing riding on it.

Joe Cole's sensational first-half volley - a strike as good as anything any of his predecessors had produced at a World Cup finals - was just reward for a first-half display that bristled with an intensity that had eluded England in their opening two games of the tournament.

But it was quickly forgotten as Marcus Allback's 51st-minute header preceded a second-half siege in which Sweden, who twice rattled the woodwork, could count themselves unfortunate not to have grabbed the lead.

Steven Gerrard looked to have given England something of an undeserved win when he headed home Joe Cole's cross five minutes from time, but some more disastrous defending culminated in Henrik Larsson levelling again in the final minute.

Given the panic that engulfed the England defence every time the ball entered their box during a succession of Swedish attacks in the second half, it is only to be hoped that Ecuador, who Eriksson's side will now face in the second round, are not so aerially adept.

After two matches that had exposed the paucity of England's attacking play, last night's 2-2 draw certainly exposed an unexpected Achilles heel in their defence.

Ultimately, though, it was a game that was overshadowed by the first-minute knee injury that could have ended Michael Owen's tournament.

The Newcastle striker, who missed half of last season after breaking his metatarsal on New Year's Eve, had barely touched the ball when he drifted to the left flank to receive a pass from Ashley Cole.

His knee appeared to give way as he laid the ball off, leaving him writhing on the ground with his leg buckled beneath him.

The sight of the 26-year-old crawling from the field was hardly encouraging, and every England supporters' worst fears were confirmed moments later as he was strapped to a stretcher and carried down the tunnel.

Early indications suggested he had damaged his medial knee ligaments, an injury that would sideline him for at least three months.

An FA spokesman later confirmed his knee had twisted in the turf before being strapped to a brace, but claimed the injury may not be as serious as first feared.

Either way, it would be a surprise if Owen, who will have a scan later today, played any further part in the tournament.

The significance of Owen's departure was underlined by the manner in which it even managed to overshadow both the return of Wayne Rooney and one of England's greatest ever World Cup goals.

Joe Cole has tended to be something of an enigma in an England shirt, flickering into life sporadically before drifting back into the shadows. Last night, though, he illuminated England's tournament.

There appeared to be nothing on when Swedish full-back Niclas Alexandersson cleared David Beckham's cross into the Chelsea midfielder's path shortly after the half-hour mark.

But, after controlling the ball on his chest, Cole unleashed a stunning 30-yard volley that sailed over goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson's head before dipping into the top right-hand corner of the net.

It was goal of almost breathtaking impudence and, for a breathless moment, it even meant that Owen's problems were forgotten.

Cole, who was England's brightest spark throughout, was assisted by the presence of Owen Hargreaves in the holding role.

The Bayern Munich midfielder started well before fading after the break, and also freed Frank Lampard to do more of the forward foraging which he has been his trademark in the Premiership.

Twice in the first half, Lampard made perfectly-timed runs at the heart of the Swedish defence. The first ended with a glanced header wide and the second culminated in a fizzing 20-yard strike that whistled narrowly over the crossbar. Neither would have been likely had he had Gerrard alongside him.

Rooney, making his first start for almost eight weeks, was equally effective. The Manchester United striker should have been at nothing like his peak but, for the 69 minutes he was involved, he bustled, harangued and charged his way around the pitch as if he had never been away.

One 25th-minute cameo was vintage Rooney, with the 20-year-old impudently flicking the ball over Teddy Lucic's head before stepping inside to dispatch a fierce low drive that was blocked by the retreating Swedish defender.

Rooney's effervescence meant England carried a far greater attacking threat than in either of their opening two wins, but Sweden continue to exert an unshakeable psychological hold over any team with the Three Lions on its chest.

Despite creating nothing before the break beyond a Freddie Ljungberg charge that was stopped by Rio Ferdinand, the Scandinavians were level within six minutes of the re-start.

Tobias Linderoth slung over a corner from the left and Allback, formerly of Aston Villa, stole ahead of Beckham to glance a near-post header into the net.

Conceding such a routine goal should have been bad enough, but Sweden's equaliser was merely the start of a ten-minute spell in which England's defence completely collapsed.

First, Larsson headed another Linderoth corner at Jamie Carragher's hand, only for Paul Robinson to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

And then, four minutes later, Lucic peeled off to the back post to meet Linderoth's third set-piece and Olof Mellberg steered the former Leeds defender's header against the bar.

England's defence, like the Rhein Energie Stadion woodwork, was shaking.

That it did not crack entirely was largely down to a magnificent goalline clearance from Gerrard that prevented Kim Kallstrom finding the target after England had failed to deal with yet another Swedish set-piece.

The Liverpool midfielder then made an equally significant impact at the other end, heading home Joe Cole's cross after peeling away to the back post.

But that was merely the prelude to another defensive disaster as both John Terry and Sol Campbell failed to reach Erik Edman's long throw, allowing Larsson to bundle the ball home from close range.

Result: England 2, Sweden 2,