England 3 Colombia 2
Michael Owen scored a hattrick as England signed off for the season with a victory over Colombia at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
The Real Madrid striker ended a fruitful campaign for club and country with three goals but an inexperienced England were tested to the limit by their South American opponents.
Sven-G^ran Eriksson's men led on 35 minutes when Cole cut in from the left and slipped a pass to Owen. He appeared to be offside when the ball was played but continued to lift his shot over the advancing goalkeeper Farid Mondragon.
Three minutes later he scored a second goal, his 31st at senior international level, when debutant Peter Crouch played a smart ball through and Owen slotted a low shot under the Colombian goalkeeper.
The South Americans, who again believed Owen was offside, replied on half time as centre-back Mario Yepes' header from a left-wing corner somehow eluded two England defenders and a statuesque David James and found the corner.
David Beckham almost added a third two minutes into the second half from a free kick but Mondragon saved well down to his right.
On 58 minutes Owen volleyed in at the near post after a trademark Beckham cross.
Substitute goalkeeper Robert Green almost put through his own goal inadvertently when Luis Gabriel Rey's shot ricocheted on to the bar and back towards goal off the goalkeeper's back but the Norwich man held on to the ball as it trickled towards the goalline.
Colombia made the score 3-2 as Jair Benitez's scooped pass into the penalty area caused confusion and Aldo Leao Ramirez drilled in a low left-foot shot.
Reinaldo Rueda's team applied late pressure in search of an equaliser but England held on to end their tour of the United States with two wins from two matches.
