Trevor Brooking
Former England midfielder at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

That is absolutely devastating. It is so ridiculous. Simeone and Beckham were involved in the initial incident and the referee has dealt with it, showing a yellow to Simeone. Why get involved?

He can't have just gone for the red card on that little incident. It must be something he said.

I feel I have to detach myself from this 'I'm in 1998' ruse to describe this. It is too big a moment in English football history, too iconic. Beckham is charged over by Simeone and then flicks out his leg to take the Argentine player down.

What is astounding about it even now is how innocuous it all looked, how out of nowhere the red card felt. The camera angles don't help, focusing on the flat-out Beckham and missing his flicked leg that caught Simeone.

The Argentine player (who clearly makes an absolute meal of the contact) actually gets booked before Beckham's whole world comes crumbling down. He doesn't protest, though. He takes it, turns and walks off, knowing the stupidity of what he has done.

What you maybe can't replicate, though, is just how shocking it was at the time, when we were all so wrapped up in such an absorbing game and so invested in England's campaign.

So, 22 years on, I'll ask the question again... should Beckham have been sent off?

And we are back under way in Saint-Etienne. The half of the tournament so far, is how our commentary team described that first 45 minutes. The second 45 has a big job on its hands, following it...

I wouldn't go running off to make a brew, not unless you're happy to miss one of the most controversial incidents in English football history?!

With this being originally an ITV live game, we don't have any studio chat to offer you (I miss Des), so we'll be diving straight into the second half.

So steel yourself. Things are about to get raw.

It is the last meaningful kick of what has been a truly brilliant half of football. You don't always get these in World Cups, but when they do come along, you need to treasure them. A proper rollercoaster.

Graeme Le Saux
Speaking to the Quickly Kevin; Will He Score? podcast

It wasn’t a free-kick we were expecting… they hadn’t done it before so we couldn’t do anything about it. I was playing a bit of cat and mouse between the edge of the wall and the Argentine player.

I’m doing my job and if he makes a run, it is up to whoever he is marking him to go with him.

Trevor Brooking
Former England midfielder at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

A crestfallen England but it is a very well-worked free-kick. Went for power with the first one and shaped as if he was going for it again but Zanetti just came off the wall to be behind it. No-one has picked him up... great finish.

Trevor Brooking
Former England midfielder at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

It would favour a left-footer. Last time Batistuta went for power and it didn't get him very far on that occasion. Let's see what he does this time...

Danger for England now. They've given away a free-kick near the edge of their own box with Campbell adjudged to have taken down Lopez.

We're just about to creep into one minute of added time at the end of this half.

Trevor Brooking
Former England midfielder at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

As we're coming up to half-time you have to say England's performance has been outstanding. There hasn't been a weakness wherever you look. Everyone has done brilliantly. Sol Campbell has been superb at the back and Michael Owen... what can you say about him? Eighteen years of age! I was asked by a Hungarian journalist before the game: 'What can you tell me about Michael Owen?' I think a few more will be asking questions like that now.

Veron into the book, much to the delight of the England fans.

F: It’s still a travesty that Hoddle didn’t pick Paul Gascoigne for the 1998 World Cup. It was a great squad that played great football but Gazza would’ve added quality

The England fans are doing their entire repertoire tonight. We've had 'Three Lions', 'Rule Britannia' and a bit of 'The Great Escape'. Now we've got 'The Dambusters'.

Must be saving 'Come on Eileen' for the encore?

Meanwhile, on the pitch, England get a reprieve after allowing Batistuta a sight of goal on the edge of the box. The long-haired striker hits it fiercely but well off target.

The build-up involved a peach of a nutmeg from Ortega on Scholes.

Trevor Brooking
Former England midfielder at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

I don't think you'll get many better chances than that? 3-1 at the interval would be very healthy.

You're killing me here, Trev.

Image source, Getty Images

Well, I think we'll all agree that England should be 3-1 up here. Paul Scholes is forging a career out of ghosting into the box and finishing for club and country. He does the first part with aplomb, getting beyond his marker to latch on to Alan Shearer's superb nod-on. But the finish deserts him as he puts it past the far post.

Should have scored. And what a huge goal it would have been as well. Just imagine? Sliding doors.

Nice little period of pressure from England. They really are a useful team under Glenn Hoddle aren't they?

A corner is swung in and half-cleared but falls to Darren Anderton, who goes for a spectacular volley but doesn't quite catch it, allowing Argentina to clear.

Argentina absolutely brick themselves whenever Owen gets the ball. It is a testimony to just how quickly he has stamped his authority not just on this game but this World Cup. He collects the ball on halfway again, this time spinning away from his marker and into space, before charging to within 30 yards of goal and unleashing a shot that deflects wide.

Michael Davis: By far the greatest England goal I’ve ever seen scored. Owen was unreal that night, Argentina sat a sweeper on the edge of their box they were that scared