Wayne Rooney became England’s all-time leading goalscorer as he scored his 50th international goal in a 2-0 win over Switzerland at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night.
By Tom McKeown
Rooney fired in a late penalty to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s record and prompt emotional celebrations, after Harry Kane had earlier come off the bench to put England in front during an even European Qualifier.
Manchester United striker Rooney had shot wide early on before seeing two efforts saved by the goalkeeper, while at the other end Granit Xhaka was denied by Joe Hart and Stoke’s Xherdan Shaqiri also could not best the England shot-stopper.
The 2-0 win gives England an unassailable lead at the top of Group E and keeps up their 100 per cent record during the campaign to reach Euro 2016.
The hosts had an early blow as Fabian Delph – making his first start of the season – pulled a hamstring within the first 30 seconds and had to be withdrawn for Ross Barkley.
Chances were rarely forthcoming in a slow-paced start to the encounter, but England were enjoying far more possession than their counterparts, and they created a good opening as Luke Shaw pushed forward and fired in a low cross which Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could only flick way over.
Rooney looked sharp and keen to run early on, and he went close as he latched on to a James Milner pass before firing wide from a tight angle.
But Switzerland ended the first half strongly, with Stoke man Shaqiri providing the greatest threat, first firing over from distance before being denied by Joe Hart after being played clean through on goal.
England came out from the break with more intent, though, and Barkley went close after good work by Rooney and Sterling, seeing his 20-yard curling effort headed away by Timm Klose.
Rooney then finally registered his first effort on target after excellent work from Oxlade-Chamberlain down the right flank, but he could not generate enough power on his header from the cross and it was a simple stop for Yann Sommer.
Soon after that, Rooney had another chance, turning well before hammering an effort from 25 yards which wobbled in the air, forcing Sommer to parry it away.
The game had certainly opened up, and the visitors went close themselves as Ricardo Rodriguez’s low corner was met by Xhaka at the near post, but Hart parried his flicked header wide.
Hodgson changed the shape just before the hour, introducing Kane to the fold, and the Tottenham man made his mark within 10 minutes of coming on.
Shaw again got forward down the left as Rooney found him out wide, and the full-back’s low ball missed the players in the middle of the box but fell for Kane, who hammered a low finish in at the far post to break the deadlock.
Klose had a good chance to equalise at the other end as he went on one of his many runs forward from defence, but as the ball broke to him in the box, he could not get it under control properly and Hart easily saved his tame effort.
Shaqiri fired wide from distance for Switzerland before the historic moment came when Raheem Sterling was felled in the box, and Rooney stepped up to fire the resulting spot-kick high into the net to register his 50th international goal and seal top spot in the group for England.
Source: Skysports
