Teenager Wayne Rooney fired England to a 4-2 comeback win over Croatia and a place in the Euro 2004 football quarter-finals against hosts Portugal after an another astonishing two-goal performance on Monday.

France, who beat Switzerland 3-1 in their other match of the day, topped the group with England second.

With England struggling after Niko Kovac gave Croatia a fifth minute lead, Rooney set up Paul Scholes to score his first goal for his country in three years and then fired home a piledriver himself in first-half stoppage time.

The 18-year-old followed up with a superb run on the break to score his second on 68 minutes before Igor Tudor pulled one back for Croatia and Frank Lampard rounded off a fine victory.

Rooney's virtuoso performance came four days after he scored twice in a 3-0 win over Switzerland to transform England's Group B campaign after a 2-1 stoppage time defeat by France.

Rooney won a standing ovation at a Luz stadium dominated by England fans who chanted the youngster's name when he came off with 20 minutes to go.

England finished on a high after a calamitous start.

Defender Ashley Cole tried to clear Milan Rapaic's floated cross, keeper David James parried but the ball ran for Kovac to fire home from close range in a packed area.

England were quick to recover, with Rooney putting Scholes through to shoot tamely at Tomislav Butina as the midfielder drove forward, while James needed to make two smart saves to deny Kovac and Dado Prso as Croatia threatened on the break.

England were inspired by Rooney's running and deft lay-offs and it was only fitting the teenager provided the assist for Scholes' equaliser, nodding the ball on after a Michael Owen effort had been blocked.

Rooney had not finished with the Croatians yet, though.

The same trio did the damage with Owen feeding the ball wide for Scholes who touched it on for Rooney to crash an unstoppable 22-metre shot past Butina and put England ahead.

Owen had a glorious chance to end his four-match goal drought just after the re-start, put clean through by Rooney only for his lob over the keeper to sail over the bar.

Rooney made no mistake though when Owen put him through for a solo run and a cool finish to make it 3-1, while Tudor headed home a free kick on 73 minutes to fire up the Croatians.

But Lampard, whose first England goal came in a friendly win over Croatia last August, put the result beyond doubt.