That's more like it. That's what we wanted to see. That's what we feared they had lost.

And while the path to Soccer City, by way of Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Durban has got harder, at least England will take the first step on Sunday looking like they mean it.

In Port Elizabeth last night, it was Jermain Defoe who took his chance in the manner he always promised he would, the vital moment that made a world of difference.

Yes, it ended tight and twitchy, the nerves jangling, as the whole of England wondered if Fabio Capello and his men would pay for the openings that went begging.

But there was no way the footballing gods would allow Steven Gerrard not to be rewarded for a true captain's performance, or John Terry for showing, after all he has gone through this week, that he is a leader of men irrespective of the armband or a public slapping down.

Sometimes it's not about pressure, not about tension, not even about intensity.

It is about courage. The courage to play. The courage to take risks. The courage to make mistakes.

When it mattered in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, when they stared into the abyss, faced the prospect of joining France in the ranks of the home and humiliated, England did respond, justifying the manager by digging into their own collective souls.

Capello, too, will feel vindicated, for not bowing to the wishes of the players and instead picking the side and shape he wanted.

Defoe was what Defoe always is, sniping and running in behind, while England knew they had to play short rather than hoofing towards Emile Heskey.

And that, too, made them look like a proper footballing side for the first time in the tournament.

If you can pass and move, then you should, and where Gerrard and Wayne Rooney had cut isolated, frustrated and distracted figures against Algeria, last night they began to look like themselves.

The link play was there, the intelligence to use it too and while the lead chiseled out by James Milner's flank delivery and Defoe's predatory instincts mid-way through the first half was fragile, it was enough.

What cannot be denied, either, was that England deserved far, far more, especially once they got over the initial nerves and settled to their task.

Frank Lampard, mature and calm even if he is still not quite there, got things going with a long-ranger saved by Samir Handanovic, Rooney, breaking into space, had a shot deflected wide and Glen Johnson forced the keeper into action.

And then, at last, the goal. Terry took a quick free-kick and instantly the Slovenians were on the back foot as the ball was transferred to Milner on the right.

Up to that point, the Aston Villa man had appeared out of his depth, but this time the cross was where it needed to be, between the keeper and the centre-half, where the lurking Defoe's volley off his shin was through Handanovic before he could react.

There should have been more before the interval. Another Milner cross was batted away to Lampard, who blasted over from 18 yards before Gerrard's determination saw Defoe escape for a snap-shot.

The keeper parried but Gerrard linked brilliantly with Rooney inside the box before trying to find the bottom corner as Handanovic fumbled but snatched before it crossed the line.

Even so, England kept on coming. Within seconds of the restart Defoe poked wide as the Slovenian defence disappeared and then Rooney was flagged fractionally offside after beautiful passing allow him to feed Defoe in front of the vacant net.

Terry's header was repelled before Rooney, played in by Lampard's clever ball as the flag stayed down just before the hour, saw Handanovic defy him by tipping against the post.

So many chances missed ensured the Slovenians sensed redemption, all the more so after ankle victim Rooney was withdrawn to give Joe Cole the chance the nation has called for.

But now the defence, marshalled by the impeccable Terry, came into its own, even as Gareth Barry's lack of match-sharpness showed, as Gerrard and Milner seemed to have run themselves into the ground.

Terry and Johnson - as Terry literally dived headlong a foot above the ground - blocked Milivoje Novakovic as he threatened to end it all and in the final moment Upson, just, got his foot in as substitute Zlatko Dedic drew back his foot.

At the final whistle, as Capello high-fived David Beckham, the players, every single one of them, gathered in a huddle on half-way, sharing delight and relief.

That was the sign. Finally, at last, a team has emerged. A desire has emerged. A bond has emerged. Now we will see how far it can take them.