By Andrew McKenzie

John Terry put aside his Champions League troubles to help England to a routine friendly win over a disappointing USA side at Wembley.

Terry headed England in front from a pinpoint David Beckham cross shortly before the end of a poor first half.

Gareth Barry came off the bench to set up team-mate Steven Gerrard to sidefoot home the second goal.

The USA's best chance fell to Eddie Johnson but he lashed past the post on a difficult evening for the visitors.

England returned to winning ways in Fabio Capello's third game in charge of the national side, but it was another largely uninspiring and forgettable friendly.

It will take more than a win over the Americans before Terry forgets his penalty miss that cost Chelsea the Champions League final.

But the goal clearly provided a bit of welcome relief for the Chelsea skipper, who was handed the captaincy as coach Fabio Capello again rotated the armband.

Former skipper Beckham was presented with a golden cap from England's record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton prior to the game and followed it with a energetic 45 minutes on the right side.

Beckham was first to threaten a goal with a free-kick that whistled past the post.

The LA Galaxy midfielder offered a scoring opportunity for Gerrard to break the deadlock from a cleverly worked set-piece, but the Liverpool star's shot was blocked by Clint Dempsey.

Jermain Defoe was handed a first start for 20 months up front to provide some swift legs alongside Wayne Rooney.

The Portsmouth player offered the pace but wasted several opportunities to show he is the man with the finishing touch that England have been lacking.

With the USA mustering little in attack it was a matter of whether England could convert their ample possession into goals.

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Defoe should have finished off a neat move involving Gerrard and Rooney but he sidefooted past the post in front of goal.

Just before the interval England got the breakthrough when Beckham swung in a trademark cross from the right and Terry, standing almost on the penalty spot, powered a low header past Tim Howard.

The goal awoke the England fans from their friendly slumber and England began to dominate with Owen Hargreaves and Defoe threatening to add a second before the interval.

USA could have thrown a spanner in the works a minute of the restart with their best chance of the game, but Johnson smacked just wide of the upright with an otherwise-untroubled England defence standing back.

Both sides began to make use of their considerable substitute benches and Barry, who replaced an ineffective Frank Lampard, made an instant contribution.

The Aston Villa midfielder produced a deft pass to lay on the second goal for a breaking Gerrard to run on and slot home comfortably.

With the USA looking dead and buried the game was effectively over, which was all-but-confirmed when the crowd began the Mexican waves with 20 minutes still to go.

England: James, Brown (Johnson 57), Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole (Bridge 82), Beckham (Bentley 46), Hargreaves, Lampard (Barry 57), Gerrard, Defoe (Crouch 68), Rooney (Joe Cole 78).
Subs not used: Hart, Lewis, Warnock, Woodgate, Jagielka, Wheater, Huddlestone, Downing, Young, Ashton, Walcott, Agbonlahor.

Goals: Terry 38, Gerrard 59

USA : Howard (Guzan 46), Cherundolo (Hejduk 46), Onyewu, Bocanegra, Pearce, Dempsey, Bradley, Clark, Beasley (Lewis 68), Johnson (Jaqua 89), Wolff (Adu 68).
Subs not used: Califf, Edu.

Att: 71,233

Referee : Kyros Vassaras (Greece).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: England's Steven Gerrard (7.46 on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.