Joe Cole struck a last-gasp winner as England came from behind to beat Uruguay at Anfield.
Cole (right) was the game's outstanding player
Substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips produced a perfect cross from the right for the outstanding Cole to beat keeper Sebastian Viera at the near post.
England held the upper hand throughout but Uruguay led at the break through Omar Pouso's sizzling 30-yard volley.
But Cole crossed for substitute Peter Crouch to head a deserved equaliser before the Chelsea man's late winner.
The finale, if not England's all-round performance, was reminiscent of their last outing, when Michael Owen's two late goals saw Sven-Goran Eriksson's side shock Argentina.
If Wayne Rooney was the star of the show on that occasion, against Uruguay the Manchester United striker had to play second fiddle to Cole.
And as Eriksson looks to finalise his 23-man squad for the World Cup, Michael Carrick probably enhanced his chances, while striker Darren Bent was a peripheral figure.
But until Cole's all-round display was rewarded with an assist and then the winner, it had looked like being a disappointing evening for the England coach.
His side largely controlled the first half until Pouso's bolt from the blue and they might have been ahead had David Beckham not chipped Cole's flighted pass over the bar with only the keeper to beat.
But then came a five-minute spell which took the wind out of England's sails.
John Terry looked to have seen off any immediate danger when he headed a corner clear but Pouso unleashed a fabulous volley which left Paul Robinson helpless.
Worse was to follow for Eriksson, who saw Wayne Bridge, a replacement for the injured Ashley Cole, stretchered off with an ankle injury.
Despite that, England had chances to equalise before the interval.
Terry made a surprise break but saw his shot deflected wide by keeper Fabian Carini and Bent had his first sight of goal when he won a tussle with two defenders and sent a snapshot just wide.
Bent was given a reprieve of sorts when Eriksson made just two changes at the break, replacing Terry and Steven Gerrard with Ledley King and Jermaine Jenas.
With 25 minutes remaining, Beckham flashed a free-kick wide and that was the Real Madrid midfielder's last contribution as he and Rooney were replaced by Wright-Phillips and Crouch.
The changes initially disrupted England's rhythm, but Cole continued to be the game's shining light and not surprisingly created the equaliser.
Jamie Carragher, on for Bridge, picked out the Chelsea midfielder's powering run down the left and Cole found Crouch with a superb cross.
Cole almost gave England the lead from the restart, jinking through and firing in a low shot, which Viera kept out with his legs.
The game looked to be heading for a draw but as against Argentina, England had other ideas.
Wright-Phillips, another of those looking to nail down a place in Eriksson's World Cup squad, crossed from the right and Cole timed his run perfectly to convert.
England: Robinson, Neville, Ferdinand, Terry (King 45), Bridge (Carragher 30), Beckham (Wright-Phillips 64), Gerrard (Jenas 45), Carrick, Cole, Rooney (Crouch 64), Bent (Defoe 82).
Subs Not Used: Young, James, Brown, Richardson, Green.
Booked: Beckham, Carragher.
Goals: Crouch 75, Cole 90.
Uruguay: Carini (Viera 45), Diogo, Lugano, Godin, Lima, Pouso, Perez (Gonzalez 88), Varela (Valdez 90), Vargas (Pereira 76), Regueiro (Martinez 83), Forlan (Medina 86).
Subs Not Used: Sarkissian, Salgueiro.
Booked: Lugano, Diogo, Forlan.
Goals: Pouso 26.
Ref: Stefano Farina (Italy).