Thursday 5 October 2017

England 1 Slovenia 0: Harry Kane grabs late winner

THE fans at Wembley were so bored they tried to amuse themselves by making paper aeroplanes land on the pitch.


It was that type of night. England are certain to be on a plane to Russia next summer, but this was a tedious clashed glossed by Harry Kane's close-range winner four minutes into injury time.
Kane has been outstanding for Spurs but, despite now employing a chef at home, was left to feed off scraps.
Marcus Rashford looked sharp in the first half and Raheem Sterling improved in the second period, but it was not exciting.
With 18 minutes left, the game’s first flashpoint saw John Stones raise his hands on Slovenian captain Bostjan Cesar who tumbled to the floor.
There were angry exchanges but Stones avoided a second yellow.
England’s first chance of the match came midway inside the first half and it was Jan Oblak who proved why he is one of the world’s top keepers. The Atletico Madrid number one, who has twice earned the accolade as the best keeper in La Liga, got down low to his left to keep out a decent strike from Jordan Henderson.
Despite enjoying 71 per cent possession in the first half, England were ponderous going forward.
And bizarrely when they were awarded a free-kick in a good position – and with Kane and Rashford on the pitch – Kyle Walker was allowed to boot an effort wide of the post. Just a few minutes before half-time, Kane got the ball into the net but Sterling had already been penalised of fouling a defender.
Rashford was one of the few England players showing any sort of spark and a quickly-taken free-kick forced Oblak to push the ball around the post but it was not going into the net.
We had to wait 17 minutes into what was a dull second half for another decent England attack. Sterling released Rashford but he tried to be too clipped, tried to chip the ball over Oblak although Rajko Rotman cleared.
Ale Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has suffered a poor start to the season with Liverpool, was replaced by Jesse Lingard.
Sterling then went close but his goal-bound effort was brilliantly blocked by Cesar.
The just as fans were streaming out of the exits, Kane showed his predatory instincts to convert Walker's right-wing cross from close range.

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