After being forced to defend against a vastly-improved German team for much of the first half, England launched a rare attacking raid eight minutes before the break.

Phil Neville provided the left wing cross, Owen climbed highest and powered a header towards goal which Oliver Kahn was at full strength to tip onto the post.

It was the prelude to England's best spell of the match, with Kahn saving a half-volley from Paul Scholes to keep the scores level.

England were looking to end 34 years of football misery at the hands of Germany - and the stakes could hardly be higher.

Kevin Keegan's side were hoping to succeed where everyone else had failed by toppling the "old enemy" in a competitive match for the first time since the 1966 World Cup final.

Skipper Alan Shearer and Co were aware that more heartbreak in the tiny Belgian town would end their hopes of going through to the quarter finals.

The omens were good for Keegan's side. They were wearing the same red coloured shirts as when Geoff Hurst scored his hat-trick in July 1966.

Stories of unrest and a German side lacking the strength of its predecessors would not have fooled Keegan.

But he will be looking to expose the frailties now being shown by 39-year-old Lothar Matthaus who made his first appearance in the European Championships 20 years ago.

Owen was aiming to re establish himself as a major world force after an injury wrecked season and being substituted at half-time in Monday's 3-2 defeat by Portugal.

There were no surprises when Keegan finally announced his side 45 minutes before the kick-off with Dennis Wise and Martin Keown both in the starting line-up.

Keown came in for Tony Adams (back) while Wise replaced Steve McManaman (knee).

Keegan looked as if he had decided to persevere with a 4-4-2 system with Wise expected to give England more stability alongside Paul Ince in the centre of the park.

Under-fire skipper Shearer charged into the left-hand corner to pressurise Liverpool-bound Markus Babbel in the opening seconds as England looked for a start similar to the one they enjoyed against Portugal on Monday.

New-boy Dennis Wise clattered into Ulf Kirsten in midfield, with the German coming off worst in the full-blooded challenge, the Chelsea man instantly adding steel which was sadly missing when the Portuguese ran riot.

David Seaman punted into touch after Phil Neville had laid a backpass into his path but as England countered again, veteran German sweeper Lothar Matthaus was fortunate to escape a booking when his body-check flattened Shearer on the half-way line.

Both sides looked what they were, teams lacking in confidence and desperate not to lose, and neither advanced with any great degree of assuredness.

Sol Campbell fouled Carsten Jancker just outside the England area, only for Middlesbrough's Christian Ziege to float a the free-kick harmlessly over the bar.

Jancker's imposing physique was a problem for the English central defenders and Martin Keown was the next to wrestle him to the ground with an untidy challenge.

David Beckham's first right-wing corner came to nothing, with Campbell unable to create a goalscoring opportunity at the far post.

Sebastian Deisler launched a wild shot wide as Germany pressed, although Kirsten's foray down the English left was more of a worry with Phil Neville caught out of position.

But there was little fluidity in a contest in which midfield space was at a premium.

England again looked most dangerous at set-pieces, Gary Neville's long throw into the penalty area creating confusion.

Shearer won the flick-on, with Scholes hooking the ball back across goal where Shearer waited in anticipation, only for Ziege to head behind.

The corner came to nothing, as did another from Mehmet Scholl, although Dietmar Hamann did bring a save from Seaman with a whipped in cross-shot the Arsenal keeper dived forward to collect.

Wise and Shearer exchanged passes inside the England half, only for the Chelsea skipper to hoof the ball into touch instead of launching Owen away down the middle.

England coach Keegan had clearly abandoned the attacking philosophy he had taken into the opening game.

But, although his team looked more solid, Germany were starting to take control in midfield.

Owen was unfortunate to be flagged offside when Shearer sent him clear with a superb ball from midfield but the attacking momentum continued towards the English goal.

Scholl nipped inside Phil Neville and into the penalty area but his near-post effort - the clearest chance of the game - was easily saved by Seaman.

Ziege cut in from the left wing but didn't connect properly with the shot and again Seaman saved.

But England were starting to live dangerously at the back, Campbell forcing his goalkeeper to make a hurried clearance with a close-range back pass.

Paul Ince brought Scholl down in a central position, only for Hamann to crash his free-kick straight into the England wall.

As the defending European Champions continued to press, England's attacking forays were becoming increasingly rare.

But proof that their strikers were still awake came when Owen climbed high at the far post to get a firm header onto Phil Neville's far post cross from the left.

The Liverpool man was ready to celebrate another international goal, only to see Kahn fling himself across his line and palm the ball onto a post.

The deflection rebounded into the penalty area but it was a German defender who managed to clear.

Paul Scholes rifled a long range shot over the bar and Matthaus rushed a Shearer pass away from Ince as England visibly grew in confidence.

David Beckham - a muted force in attack - was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Kirsten - and Jens Jeremies followed him into referee Pierluigi Collina's book for a trip on Ince.

Scholes took a cross from Manchester United team-mate Beckham on his chest and unleashed a left-foot volley that was beaten away by Kahn.

The last chance of the half fell to Hamann, who flashed a shot wide of the target under pressure from Campbell.