Despite a second-half rally from Finland, including an 89th minute equaliser which looked to have broken English hearts, Carney, who was awesome all night, turned the game on its head capitalising on a loose ball inside the box to give Hope Powell’s team the win.

The nail-biting finish simply added to what was not only a great night for England, but for Women’s football in this country, as a European record crowd of over 29,000 turned up to show their support.

Fans young and old poured into the impressive City of Manchester Stadium to offer England vocal encouragement as they looked to take their first step in qualification from Group A.

Finland were perhaps looked upon as the underdogs, with Denmark and Sweden - who drew 1-1 earlier in the afternoon - making up the group, but they weren’t here to simply make up the numbers – like their large following, who were also in fine voice throughout the game adding to the lively atmosphere.

With so much at stake for England, a team playing in their first competitive game for over two and a half years, they began cautiously as Finland looked for an upset. But the hosts had some shining stars, along with match-winner Carney, who were causing concern for their opponents; Rachel Yankey, Kelly Smith and Alex Scott all stood out.

In fact it was thanks to Carney on 18 minutes that England went in front. The 17-year-old Birmingham City winger, popping up on the left, swung in a free-kick after being unceremoniously up-ended and the ball squeezed under ‘keeper Satu Kunnas' body. A deflection off Valkonen’s foot was enough to send the ball, for Finland at least, rolling agonisingly over the line and raise a massive roar all around the stadium.

The fans were treated to another goal just before the break, Amanda Barr finishing off Kelly Smith’s fine strike and, not since Crackerjack in 1981, the final seconds of the half were counted down by the boisterous audience.

England couldn’t rest on their laurels, though, and were soon pegged back to two-one by a well-taken Rantanen effort.

Hope’s team now needed to get hold of the ball to re-assert themselves on the match. When another of our young talents, Eniola Aluko, entered the field as a sub for Barr with little of 15 minutes left, Finland had another problem to ponder.

The Charlton forward, whose goal won The FA Cup for the south Londoners in May, had two glorious chances in the closing minutes, but on both occasions Kunnas was equal to her; first snatching a one-on-one chance from Aluko’s feet, then turning another effort around the post after the 18-year-old had out-stripped the defence.

When Laura Kalmari’s late leveller appeared to be the sucker punch that would spoil England’s night, Aluko had one more try. This one was too hot for the Finnish number one and as time slowed down and the ball rolled free inside the 18-yard area, the impish figure of Carney arrived to win it for the Three Lions.

Only for the fact that there were so many voices inside the ground cheering the goal could we not hear Carney’s screams of delight.

England 3-2 Finland, Women's Euro 2005, Manchester, 05 June 2005

England: Jo Fletcher - Birmingham City; Alex Scott - Birmingham City, Faye White - Arsenal (Lindsay Johnson - Everton, 85), Mary Phillip - Arsenal, Rachel Unitt - Everton; Katie Chapman - Charlton Athletic, Kelly Smith - Arsenal (Emily Westwood - Wolves, 45), Fara Williams - Everton; Karen Carney - Birmingham City, Amanda Barr - Birmingham City (Eniola Aluko - Charlton Athletic), Rachel Yankey - Birmingham City.
Subs not used: Jody Handley - Everton, Rachel Brown - Everton, Casey Stoney - Charlton Athletic, Vicky Exley - Doncaster Rovers Belles, Anita Asante - Arsenal, Leanne Hall - Fulham.

Finland: Satu Kunnas; Evelina Sarapaa, Tina Salmen, Sanna Valkonen, Petra Vaelma; Jessica Thorn (Minna Mustonen 74), Jessica Julin, Anne Makinen, Anna-Kaisa Rantanen; Laura Kalmari, Heidi Kackur (Sanna Talonen 81).
Subs not used: Virva Junkarri, Heidi Ahonen, Sanna Malaska, Terhi Uusi-Luomalahti, Linda Lindqvist, Heidi Lindstrom, Noora Hannele Matikainen.

Referee: Gyöngyi Gaal (Hungary)
Assistant referee: Blazenka Logarusic (Croatia) and Irina Mirt (Romania)
Fourth official: Dagmar Damkova (Czech Rep.)

Attendance: 29,092