Chris Smalling spared England boss Roy Hodgson's blushes with a late winner to dispatch stubborn Portugal 1-0 at Wembley tonight, in the final preparation match before the Euros 2016 start in earnest.
The visitors were down to 10 men from the 35-minute point when right-back Bruno Alves almost decapitated Harry Kane with a high boot.
But England failed to capitalise on the extra man's advantage until Smalling, who up to that point had a nightmare at centre-back, glanced home a Raheem Sterling cross on the 86 minute.
England's first effort on goal came on 11 minutes when Harry Kane put a slide-slide rule pass through to in-running Wayne Rooney.
But the Manchester United hit man was just a little too late to take full advantage, and Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio was on hand to smother the effort.
Following a period of play when England continued with possession despite Adiren staying down supposedly injured, Rooney, on 23 minutes, had a chance, but an angled header from close range went straight into the hands of Patricio.
A header by ex-Chelsea centre-back Ricardo Carvalho, from a deep free-kick, inched over Joe Hart's crossbar a on 28 minutes - the first serious attempt on the England goal by the visitors.
A blazing 20-yard shot by right-back Kyle Walker, looked impressive, but was always going wide of the Portuguese goal, and so it did.
Bruno Alves bizarrely and stupidity raised his boot in a scything fashion on Harry Kane, wide on the right wing and was rightly sent off by Italian referee Alessandro Costanzo with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.
Rafa was then substituted in a tactical change by Fernando Santos, with Jose Fonte coming on.
Gary Cahill was then booked two minute from the break for a needless foul, in midfield, on skipper Nani.
There were no changes from Roy Hodgson at half-time.
The Three Lions maintained copious amount of possession without troubling the Portugal rearguard.
A speculative long-range effort by Eric Dier, on 62 minutes the sole worthwhile effort of the second half to that point.
With Raheem Sterling and Jack Wilshere waiting to come on, England got a free-kick, on 65 minutes, on the edge of the Portugal area.
But nothing came of the Harry Kane effort.
Sterling then came on for ineffectual Sterling, with another disappointment James Milner being replaced by the Arsenal midfielder.
Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana then entered the fray on 78 minutes with Kane and Rooney leaving the field. Cahill took over the captaincy from Rooney.
A snatch shot. By Sturridge went feebly wide.
Ex-Chelsea player, albeit 4 loan appearances in 2009, Richardo Quaresma teased Walker on the right, and curled a fine effort that almost curled into the far corner of Hart's net, but just failed to curl sufficiently.
Eventually, England found a way though the Portugal defence and it was Manchester United's centre-back,, who up to that point had a nightmare at the back, found himself in the six-yard box and was on the receiving end of an excellent Sterling cross and he glanced the ball past Patricio with four minutes left.
It was a poor display by the Three Lions and it does not bode well for France.