It was the test that Sven-Goran Eriksson must have dreaded being forced to contemplate: just how good are England without Wayne Rooney?

The answer, at the end of an absorbing, exhausting, tantalising and ultimately agonising match is: still good but not that good, not as good as Portugal and certainly not European Championship contenders.

The conundrum must have exercised Eriksson's mind during quiet moments in the team hotel because the Everton teenager has become much more than just a scorer of crucial goals, he has been the link man between attack and midfield.

Rooney's injury changed the course of the match. Had he been on the pitch for most of the game England should have won convincingly instead of suffering once more with penalties.

With Darius Vassell alongside Michael Owen, the gap between the strikers and midfield was immediately noticeable as England changed their whole style of play.

The results were not satisfactory, though it was a fantastic display of effort and willpower. Gone were Steven Gerrard's drilled passes to Rooney's feet, stretching the Portuguese and planting uncertainty in their minds.

Instead, England looked to quick balls over the top, England B.R. in effect: Before Rooney.

There were chances still - Owen struck a tremendous volley, well-saved by Ricardo, after Vassell had headed on another long kick by David James, the route by which the Liverpool striker had given England a third-minute lead.

The change forced on England meant that they now surrendered possession quicker than they would have liked as neither Owen nor Vassell can bring other players into the game in the way that Rooney has been doing.

The inevitable increase in the predictability of England's attacking play did not neutralise Owen and Vassell completely but it did take the pressure off the Portuguese back four.

As a side-effect it led to the hosts finding the confidence to press forward in greater numbers, Deco and, to a lesser extent, Luis Figo beginning to rule the roost in midfield.

Fortunately for Eriksson's men, the defence with Sol Campbell and particularly Ashley Cole outstanding, held firm until the end of the first half - Portugal's three appalling direct free-kicks not helping their cause, and they looked severely hindered by the lack of a natural goalscorer.

Having survived until then, England appeared for the second half looking more resilient as the midfield refused to allow themselves to be pushed too deep, something they had been guilty of in the 20 minutes after Rooney had departed the field of play.

Owen and Vassell also dropped more into defensive duties, the flip-side being that their attacking options were reduced even further.

Eriksson's decision to bring on Phil Neville for the final 28 minutes also cut England's options going forward but the departure of Paul Scholes at least meant that there was more steel to thwart Figo and Deco.

Bringing on the younger Neville might have smacked of a lack of ambition but it was undoubtedly the right tactic for the time, the sort of gamble that a careful but successful poker player, or a professor of mathematics, might make. The odds favoured such a switch even if they did not work out this time.

As Portugal's desperation increased England needed someone with tackling ability to try to put up the shutters in the knowledge that as the minutes ticked away the hosts would have to sacrifice some defensively-minded players.

Almost immediately, Luis Felipe Scolari did just that, bringing on Simao for Costinha, a move that nearly paid off when, after a darting run, he flashed a shot just past David James' left-hand post.

It just needed the introduction of an extra cutting edge - Figo had faded and Helder Postiga has been that in the past for Porto if not Tottenham - and the defences were breached, Simao being the creator.

Campbell's disallowed goal came via a David Beckham free-kick, perhaps the only way that England were going to score again - as it proved when, after Rui Costa's brilliant extra-time strike, Frank Lampard struck from a corner to send the game to penalties and yet another glorious failure.