Super-sub Jermain Defoe torpedoed Slovenia at Wembley as England warmed up for Wednesday's vital World Cup qualifier with Croatia with a worryingly difficult win.

• Capello unhappy about late lapse
• Tom Adams: Defoe flourish will make Capello think

• Harry Harris: England's No.1 problem

Defoe said earlier this week he would be content to make an impact from the

bench if Fabio Capello thought that was where he could do most damage.

And yet again, the Spurs forward immediately made an impact after replacing

Emile Heskey, driving home his fifth goal in the last three internationals, all

of which he has started among the substitutes.

Now Capello must decide whether to leave things as they are, or elevate Defoe

into his starting line-up at Wembley next week, when the Three Lions know

victory will book their place at South Africa 2010.

In fact, Capello has quite a lot of thinking to do. Robert Green suffered a

couple of early problems and £22million defender Joleon Lescott allowed Zlatan

Ljubijankic to escape his clutches near the end to bring Slovenia back into a

game in which England enjoyed dominant spells without giving the impression of

being in control.

In addition, Wayne Rooney failed to convert three fine chances to score in

front of England's Ashes-winning heroes, having one shot blocked, another hit a

post and a third booted off the line.

He could claim an assist for England's opener though as he was the man dragged

down in the box to allow Frank Lampard to drive home the penalty.

As Slovenia were hand-picked by Capello as opponents who most mirror Croatia in

both approach and style, the amount of time he spent at the edge of his

technical area must be a concern.

Too often the visitors' pacy forwards were able to run at exposed England

defenders, who in turn left Green vulnerable.

The England keeper may have been making his fourth consecutive start but in

international terms he is a rookie.

Much like David James in his 'Calamity' era, Green is prone to rushes of blood

and if referee Jonas Eriksson had spotted a deliberate handball outside the

area, England might have been playing with 10 men for 88 minutes.

If that wasn't enough, Green then came racing out of his goal to slide at the

feet of Milivoje Novakovic after the English rearguard had been pierced.

Thankfully, Novakovic chose to stay on his feet - and eventually curl a shot

over - rather than dangle out a leg and wait for the contact.

Capello's agitation was obvious. Thankfully, the Three Lions stirred before

their manager reached for his hairdryer.

That Rooney was at the centre of England's revival did not come as a surprise.

The Manchester United striker had already glanced a near-post header wide from

Glen Johnson's cross when he cut inside Miso Brecko and Cesar, then opened up

his angle for a shot that would have tested the Slovenian goal if Cesar had not

recovered his ground.

Terry thundered a header against the bar as a wave of confidence went coursing

through English veins.

Still, it needed the assistance of Eriksson for England to get their goal.

It did seem Rooney was beating the ground more in frustration than expectation

when he was sent tumbling by Cesar as the pair tussled to reach Steven Gerrard's

cross.

But Eriksson was well disposed to England and had spotted the shirt-pulling

that preceded it. Lampard drove home the spot-kick.

Rooney should really have scored himself on England's next decent attack when

Matthew Upson stooped low to flick on Lampard's corner.

Most of the goal was gaping as Rooney took aim. But he could only strike the

outside of a post.

In contrast to his fellow Merseysider, Gerrard had been slightly subdued. He

almost produced a moment of pure class before the break through.

After collecting Gareth Barry's pass, Gerrard advanced on the Slovenian goal

and let fly with a curling shot that nearly scraped the paint off a post so

close did it come to going in.

As promised, Capello made four changes at the interval, which led to a rather

disjointed opening to the second period.

But within 18 minutes of Defoe's arrival, he had taken his tally to five in

what constitutes three second-half substitute appearances.

Fellow new arrival Aaron Lennon returned a pass to his Tottenham team-mate.

Defoe still had plenty to do but found a shot which sliced through a gaggle of

Slovenian defenders and ended up in the bottom corner.

For Rooney though, there was no end to the frustration as the lively Lennon

darted into the box and cut a cross back the forward would normally have

buried.

Instead he found the only man who could keep it out and Matej Mavricrozic

bundled off the line.