England coach Fabio Capello lifted his boozed ban before their victory over Slovenia last night.

Capello revealed he had mellowed slightly after the team's stuttering start to the tournament in a bid to coax a performance from his players, with his efforts duly rewarded when Jermain Defoe scored the only goal of the game.

"They were allowed to drink beer before the game, you can ask them," said Capello. "It's true.

"I changed something and used my imagination."

Whether the offer of a pre-match beer now plays a part in England's preparations for the second round tie remains to be seen.

"The offer was there, but I'm not sure anyone took him up on it," Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard added. "A lot has been made about the boredom in the hotel, but you can't come away for a month and live like a monk. The manager is aware of that. Sometimes those things are on offer and it's up to you if you take them. You might have one or two beers - you don't have to have 10."