SEVEN days too late for Chelsea's liking, John Terry was presented with an opportunity to score and duly obliged.

There were no tears at Wembley last night but in putting England on the road to beating the United States at Wembley, Terry exorcised a few demons created by his shoot-out miss that cost victory for the Londoners in the match that so crushingly ended in defeat to Manchester United.

And the warm celebrations that followed ensure that while the tough-tackling defender may spend a summer in purgatory, personally tormented by the moment that will scar his career, he need have no fear of the reaction which awaits him next season.

There could have been no more fitting scorer in a game which marks the halfway point of Fabio Capello's five-match run of friendlies prior to England's opening World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona on September 6.

Steven Gerrard added a second, in a very impressive introduction to the left-wing role, to leave the rump of Capello's squad heading off for a goodwill meeting with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in a contented mood, and the Italian believing improvement is being maintained.

Certainly, the win was deserved and there is a general belief that Capello will get it right, that anything he does has to be an improvement on the Steve Mc- Claren era, the true ghastliness of which will only really sink in when Euro 2008 kicks off while the Three Lions lick their wounds on an unscheduled summer off.

Yet, despite boasting seven men involved in last week's Champions League final, England enthused no-one until Terry did what he so wishes he could have done in Moscow a week ago.

Yes, there were moments that caught the eye, most of which involved man-of-the-match Gerrard, but nothing that had a 70,000 crowd on the edge of their rain-sodden seats.

Gerrard has been asked to do a few jobs in his international career.

Nothing really prepared him for a left-wing berth, though, and predictably, the Liverpool captain kept leaving it.

However, when he did so, it usually meant danger for the United States.

The visitors had already survived one lucky escape when Gerrard slotted home David Beckham's curling free-kick, only for the goal to be ruled out because England's newest centurion had not waited for the whistle.

When Beckham picked Gerrard out with another free-kick, the midfielder's shot seemed to be heading into the net until Clint Dempsey got his head to it, providing Frank Lampard with a chance from the rebound which he volleyed wide.

Gerrard also set up Beckham and Jermain Defoe, eager to make an impression on his first England start for nearly two years, but neither man could locate the net.

Terry at least put a different complexion on proceedings, even if his fourth goal for his country could hardly make up for his misery at the Luzhniki Stadium.

It might have got Capello thinking though. With one more potential captain - probably Gareth Barry - to see in Trinidad on Sunday, this was Terry's opportunity to salvage a job given to him by McClaren and which he holds with a passion.

And Terry's goal was a reminder he is capable of leading from the front in a manner Rio Ferdinand, his central defensive partner and favourite for the job when it is officially handed out prior to the August 20 meeting with the Czech Republic, is not.

Beckham's departure at halftime offered David Bentley some valuable time on the pitch, and Barry's arrival was equally noticeable due to the fact he almost immediately threaded Defoe's lay-off through a tiring USA defence for Gerrard to add a second just before the hour mark.

With Gerrard performing so well on the left, maybe he, like Terry and England, can look to the future with confidence.

TERRY CLOCKWATCH

20 minutes: Fails to control David Beckham's free-kick into the USA penalty area when it bounces off his leg.

32: Concedes a free-kick outside the box on the right flank by fouling Eddie Johnson.

33: Tackles Josh Wolff expertly on the edge of the area.

37: Heads England's opening goal brilliantly, stretching to divert Beckham's curling freekick beyond Tim Howard from deep.

52: Launches free-kick forward from the half-way line which finds Jermain Defoe, but the striker's shot is saved by Brad Guzan 73: Blocks Ricardo Clark's 20-yard shot.

84: Clears Freddy Adu's free-kick with a strong header.

86: Concedes free-kick after tussling with his marker in United States penalty area.