Goals:

0-1: Henderson (og, 57, glanced a header into his own goal after Kirm whipped in a free-kick from the left)

1-1: Rooney (pen, 59, drilled home the spot-kick after his dribble into the area was halted by a foul from Cesar)

2-1: Welbeck (65, scruffily hooked home the loose ball after Handanovic had parried Lallana’s deflected strike)

3-1: Welbeck (72, neatly side-footed home after a slick one-two with Sterling in the penalty area)

Bookings: Gibbs (53, foul), Clyne (79, foul), Sterling (82, dissent), Jagielka (87, foul)

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal ) – Was decisive with the award of the penalty and generally controlled the game fairly well 6

Attendance: 82,305

Entertainment: ***

 

                                England               Slovenia

Shots On             6                              0

Shots Off             5                              3

Fouls                   9                              7

Corners               7                              2

Offsides               1                              2             

 

ENGLAND (4-1-2-1-2):

7 Hart: Was beaten for the first time in the qualifying campaign, but couldn’t have done anything about Henderson’s errant header

7 Clyne: Finally got his reward for a fine start to the season with Southampton – it was nice to see England with a natural right-back for once

6 Cahill: Did the simple things effectively, but his distribution remains a concern and he played Jagielka into trouble late on

6 Jagielka: Conceded possession in a dangerous area when the score was 1-1 – Cahill’s tackle saved him – and isn’t always as secure as he should be

7 Gibbs: A late replacement for the injured Baines, and an effective one given the quality of his overlapping runs down the left

6 Wilshere: Controlled the tempo of the game reasonably effectively, but remained very deep despite not really having anyone to cover

4 Henderson: Has been out of sorts for Liverpool this season – and it showed. The own goal set the seal on a markedly below-par display

5 Lallana: Still hasn’t fired at international level. Offered nothing at all in the first half, but at least drilled in the shot that led to Welbeck’s first goal

5 Sterling: Continues to frustrate in an England shirt, with the occasional burst of pace failing to mask a lack of end product. Nice pass for Welbeck’s second though

6 Rooney: Celebrated his 100th cap with a goal, but this wasn’t a performance that will linger in the memory. Remains a player without a defined role

8 WELBECK: Played a pivotal role with his two goals in the second half. Has benefited from Sturridge’s absence, and has seized his chance to play centrally

 

Subs:

Milner (for Lallana, 79)

Oxlade-Chamberlain (for Sterling, 84)

Smalling (for Jagielka, 89)

(not used): Foster (gk), Forster (gk), Chambers, Barkley, Walcott, Downing, Berahino, Lambert.

 

SLOVENIA (4-5-1):

HANDANOVIC 7; Brecko 6, Ilic 6, Cesar 4, Struna 5; Birsa 5 (Lazarevic 63, 5), Mertelj 6, Kurtic 5 (Rotman 75), Kirm 6 (Ljubijankic 77); Kampl 4; Novakovic 5.

Subs (not used): Oblak (gk), Belec (gk), Filipovic, Stevanovic, Pecnik, Andjelkovic, Maroh, Milec, Samardzic.

 

Man Of The Match: DANNY WELBECK – The Arsenal striker has been England’s most influential player during the first four qualifiers, and his attacking prowess made a major difference again.