BUHLERTAL, Germany, June 11 - Winger Joe Cole backed Michael Owen to come good for England at the World Cup on Sunday after changing roles to cover for the toiling striker against Paraguay.

Owen, looking off the pace and isolated up front, lasted only 55 minutes of Saturday's 1-0 victory in Group B as he continued his search for peak fitness after long-term injury.

Defending a striker who has scored 36 goals in 78 appearances for his country, Cole told a news conference: "His record speaks for itself and his performances do. And his goals.

"I think he'll score lots of goals in this tournament. He's fit."

Cole, who coach Sven-Goran Eriksson successfully moved in from the left to support towering striker Peter Crouch added: "I think it was obviously a tactical thing.

"We needed someone to try and get hold of the ball and probe with a few passes. I wasn't surprised, the boss knows that I can do it. It gives us another option, which is what it's all about."

Though the various options change the way Cole plays as a support striker, the creative 24-year-old was confident with either partner.

"I think you have to adjust," he said. "They both have different qualities. Peter you can run off and be a bit more mobile and Michael maybe you can drop off a bit more because he makes fantastic runs.

"If you are an intelligent player you can play with both of them."

Cole was one of the bright spots in a scrappy victory, which the players put down to temperatures at Frankfurt's Waldstadion which soared to 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit).

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"Without sounding like we are making excuses, the conditions played a massive part," he said.

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