FORMER Cherries loan man Jermain Defoe was the hero this afternoon as he fired England into the World Cup knockout stages.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, who scored 19 times in 31 appearances during his spell at Dean Court, bagged the only goal of the match as England defeated Slovenia 1-0.

Drafted into the team by boss Fabio Capello, Defoe marked his first start in the tournament by converting a James Milner cross before the break.

England will this evening discover their last 16 opponents, with Germany the most likely side to meet the Three Lions on Sunday afternoon.

Prior to the World Cup, Cherries legend Steve Fletcher tipped his old strike partner to shine.

Fletcher, who played up front with Defoe during the 2000-01 season, told the Echo: “Whether he starts or whether he doesn’t, I think he’s going to be a big player for England.

“Jermain has been one of the best strikers in the Premier League for the past few seasons.

“He gets all types of goals and maybe the World Cup stage is set for someone like Jermain, like it was for Michael Owen a few World Cups ago.

“I think he’s fulfilled his potential and more, and I just hope he gets his opportunity in the World Cup and proves his quality on the world stage.”

FOR MORE WORLD CUP COVERAGE, SEE TOMORROW'S ECHO.