By Derek Miller at Wembley Stadium © Derek Miller (October 9th 2014
ENGLAND v SAN MARINO. GROUP E. Wembley 9.10.14.
With really only Daniel Sturridge missing, a pretty much full England squad eased to a comfortable win over San Marino in England’s second qualifier in Group E at Wembley last night.
With just under 56 000 in attendance, Everton left back, Phil Jagielka, opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in neatly from within ten yards via a well taken James Milner corner kick.
Shortly before the break, in the 42nd minute, Wayne Rooney made it 2-0, from the penalty spot, after attracting a foul in the area, while trying to connect with a corner kick, following an excellent stop from an equally well taken Danny Welbeck effort.
Four minutes into the second half, the new Arsenal striker, Welbeck opened his account with a neat tap-in inside the keeper’s five yard box to make it 3-0.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, introduced for the second half, could consider himself slightly unlucky to have had a low shot, struck from outside the area, disallowed, in the 61st minute, because Adam Lallana deflected it in while offside.
Both players got a good reception when Andros Townsend came on for scorer Welbeck after 66 minutes. And six minutes later, Townsend fired in a well struck low shot into the corner from narrowly outside the penalty box, to make it 4-0 just when San Marino keeper, Aldo Simoncini Jnr had made a couple of good saves. Rooney helped make it 5-0, with a deflected shot after 76 minutes. And that’s how it ended.
Despite the opposition, overall, Roy Hodgson and the team could consider it a good night at the office.
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