ENGLAND BEAT SLOVENIA  AND CONTINUE PERFECT START

ENGLAND 3 SLOVENIA 1

By Ayodele Odumade at Wembley Stadium.

England continued their perfect start in the Euro 2016 qualifiers as they beat Slovenia 3-1 to make it four wins out of four, thanks to a brace from Danny Welbeck and the other by Wayne Rooney. 

Just after the quarter of an hour mark, Rooney played Raheem Sterling in but his shot lacked power and just went over.  Just before the hour mark, Sterling crossed from the right to Danny Welbeck but his tame header was wide of Samir Handanovic’s post.

The first half was dreadful, bereft of decent football and chances. Surely the second half could not be any worse.

In the 55^th minute Rooney twisted and turned in the Slovenian box and crossed to Phil Jagielka, whose header was comfortably saved by Handanovic.

The game suddenly came to life when Slovenia were awarded a free kick, which was floated into the box. Unfortunately, Jordan Henderson headed the ball backwards past his keeper Joe Hart to give Slovenia the lead. Minutes later though England were awarded a penalty after Rooney was brought down in the box.

Rooney, who earned his 100^th cap for his country, stepped forward and scored from the spot to bring England level. That was his 44^th international goal, as he moves ever closer to breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record, which has stood for many years.

In the 65^th minute Adam Lallana’s cross was palmed out by Handanovic and it eventually fell to Welbeck, whose scoffed shot had just about enough pace on it to take the ball past the keeper and into the net to give England the lead.

With a little under 20 minutes of the game left, England put some distance between themselves and the Slovenians. Sterling played a neat one-two with Welbeck in the box and the Arsenal forward calmly slotted the ball past Handanovic to give England a cushion. What a turnaround.

Right at the end Ales Mertlj fizzed a shot past Hart but the game was up for Slovenia.

England were not without their problems in this game but they had two of the best England strikers on the pitch who can get them goals out of nothing sometimes.  The qualifiers are becoming like a procession for England.   Apart from the Euro 2008 qualifiers, they have often coasted in qualifying. The main problem is when they come up against teams who retain the ball and make them chase shadows. That is probably the conundrum Roy Hodgson would need to solve between now and next year, when England will surely take their place in France.