Magnificent Michael does the trick

Germany 1 England 5

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Staggering, swaggering and beyond our wildest dreams

Owen does a Hurst as hat-trick puts England back on route 66

Don't mention the score!

Munich rain helps to keep hooligans at bay

We had to believe it, because we were there. Otherwise we might have fancied we had been victims of an elaborate hoax. Like those people who believed that man never actually reached the moon. Last night England achieved something that happens as rarely as a blue moon as David Beckham's celebrated groin withstood the test, and his team came through what had promised to be their most exacting examination in the grandest of manners. Long before the end, the sheer impudence of the victory was almost becoming an insult to their hosts.

A hat-trick for Michael Owen – the striker, remember, whom Kevin Keegan found all manner of reasons for not using in Euro 2000, but who emulated the 1966 feat of Sir Geoff Hurst with the verve and confidence of a Jimmy Greaves at his most impish – was just reward from a contest in which, one or two defensive lapses apart, England humiliated their hosts on home territory. It will take the Germans years to recover the pride stripped from them by Sven Goran Eriksson's men.

Amid the proliferation of superfluous bulletins being published and broadcast back home regarding distractions from rowdy bierkellers and oompah bands, the reality was that England quietly got on with the task of undermining that famous German self-belief . They did so with the cold indifference of a pathologist stripping a corpse. "A great game, great result," reflected a phlegmatic Eriksson, a man whose idea of hysteria is raising a fist to acclaim a goal. "Down 1-0, we came back in a brilliant way and I thought the goal before half-time gave us mental strength."

That goal was Steven Gerrard's, the first for his country from the majestic midfielder. A third of his career for Emile Heskey completed the scoring and ensured that the contest for automatic qualification to next year's World Cup finals will almost certainly progress to the last game. A draw would not have been calamitous, far from it, with England drawn against Belarus or Ukraine in a possible play-off.

Now that may not be necessary, with England only three points adrift and tugging at the German shirt-tails. Long before the end, the home supporters, looking utterly bewildered were wending their way out of the stadium as England rolled the ball around seeking further profit, and, if not, to subject their opponents to yet more embarrassment.

England did not just overwhelm Germany, they conquered history. Although statistics do not win matches, they do encourage inner doubts and Germany's remarkable record of one defeat in 60 qualifying games might well have played on the minds of these players. Six points ahead of England at the start of play, triumph would have put the home team in the embarkation hall for next year's tournament. England in contrast would still be queuing at the check-out, awaiting the call for stand-bys.

In Euro 2000, the grave concern was the battle of Alan Shearer's Wounded Knee. This time the question was: would Beckham withstand 90 minutes' attrition? In a week of more bulletins than are normally afforded the Royal Family, those much discussed and dwelt-over loins were present to inspire a victory which confirmed the rebirth of English football under Eriksson.

But although the captain was his typically inspirational self, this was a rich team effort, in which Gerrard proved quite irresistible in midfield with his covering and penetrating passing, Gary Neville recaptured the kind of attacking élan down the right flank that epitomised his performances earlier in his career and Owen's unerring accuracy made Oliver Kahn, arguably the world's finest goalkeeper, appear, at times, transfixed by the diminutive Liverpool striker.

England began with some circumspection, but were not, it transpired, cautious enough. It was only the sixth minute when Sebastian Deisler chipped forward for the alert Oliver Neuville to beat Sol Campbell to the ball and lay on a facile chance for Carsten Jancker which he accepted gratefully.

England's rearguard had been badly exposed and even their most vociferous follower must have experienced huge anxiety. It lasted just seven minutes. Eriksson's men had begun to attack with venom when Owen was fouled out on the left flank. Beckham's free-kick was not effectively cleared, allowing Neville to turn the ball back in, for Barmby to knock the ball on, and Owen to slide the ball into an unprotected net for his 11th England goal directly in front of the England supporters.

Owen was in his element on such an evening, operating primarily down the left channel, against a vulnerable-looking three-man defence. He rode a challenge from Christian Wörns in the area when he might have gone down, and was then denied by Kahn. Seconds later, the striker burst through again on the left but drove wide.

However, it remained a surprisingly free-flowing contest and during that England pressure, Eriksson's team were fortunate to survive when Deisler failed to convert a chance fashioned by Neuville.

But it was evident that nerves were more strained in the German defence, and after the increasingly influential Gerrard had prompted more uncertainty with a long ball forward, Deisler's back pass brought England a free-kick 10 yards out. Beckham struck it against Marko Rehmer, and Neville lashed the rebound over.

As half-time beckoned, England were forced to repel a series of corners. After one such assault, Deisler was just wide from outside the area. Then Jancker laid on an opportunity for Jorg Böhme, which produced an excellent save from David Seaman.

But the moment to savour was reserved for added time. Beckham's free-kick was not cleared and when the ball was returned to him he found Rio Ferdinand, whose header set up Gerrard to steady himself before striking a brute of a shot past the astonished Kahn from fully 25 yards. Eriksson's main problem as the interval whistle blew would be how to return the England players to earth.

They didn't. They were on a high and determined to stay there. Within three minutes of the restart Beckham's deft cross found Heskey, who laid on Owen to force the ball home past a desperate Kahn: 3-1 and, though Germany responded briefly, it was game over.

Then Gerrard's astute pass found Owen for the umpteenth time and the forward left Kahn flailing with a raking shot. His Anfield team-mate Emile Heskey must have been aching to join the score-sheet and he duly did so when Paul Scholes laid on the kind of chance he relishes. Kahn stood no chance as Heskey easily converted the opening.

England, resurgent after the Holland débâcle, move on to St James' Park and Albania on Wednesday. As for the Germans, just don't mention Munich in September.

'It was brilliant for the nation'

Michael Owen: It is great on a personal note to score a hat-trick but I do not want to take all the credit. Everyone will get 10 out of 10 in the papers for this performance. You can dream about scoring a hat-trick but you don't think it is going to come true.

Sven Goran Eriksson: We were not afraid. After they scored 1­0, we played better and better.

Germany's assistant coach Michael Skibbe: We had just as good a start as England. But we conceded two unnecessary goals in the first half. Until 4­1 we were able to put on some pressure, but after that it was all over.

David Beckham: Wembley was so disappointing, but we've done it out there, we've played our football.

Alan Shearer: They can achieve what they want to achieve. The ability is there and the attitude is there. They could have been happy at 5-1, but they wanted more goals.

Eriksson: I think we have a very good team ­ I always said that. But I don't think we are as good as the goals show: 5-1 may be too much.

England outcast Chris Powell: Beyond anyone's wildest dream. It was a great victory, and it was brilliant for the nation.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn: That was a magnificent performance from a side totally rejuvenated over the last 12 months by Sven Goran Eriksson.

Owen: No one would have predicted this scoreline but some of us might have predicted the victory.

Tom Finney: That's the best performance we have seen from an England team in a very long time. They are going to get better, like Gerrard, Scholes, Owen and Ferdinand. They have not really reached their prime yet and it looks very promising indeed.

German defender Marko Rehmer: Humiliating.

Germany 1 England 5

Jancker 5

Owen 13, 48, 66, Gerrard 45, Heskey 74

Half-time: 1-2 Attendance: 67,000