England 3 - 0 Estonia

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Saturday Oct 13 2007 03:00

England cruised to a 3-0 victory over Estonia at Wembley, with Wayne Rooney scoring his first competitive goal for his country since the European Championships in 2004.

Steve McClaren opted to retain Gareth Barry in midfield alongside Steven Gerrard, who was captain in the absence of the injured John Terry, while Rooney replaced Emile Heskey in attack.

England took just 11 minutes to break the deadlock, as Micah Richards and Shaun Wright-Phillips exchanged passes on the right before the latter fired a shot low between Mart Poom's legs at his near post.

Seven minutes later it was almost 2-0 as Rooney floated an audacious chip just over the crossbar from 20 yards, with Poom struggling to get back to cover.

Just after the half-hour mark Rooney got his name on the scoresheet, as he latched onto Joe Cole's ball in from the left and his left-foot effort was deflected past the stranded Poom.

Within a minute it was 3-0 to England as Poom was gain left helpless by one of his own defenders.

This time Ashley Cole swung the ball in from the left and Taavi Rahn's header from the edge of the area directed the ball into the corner of the net as Poom tried to get across to cover.

The second half started badly for England, with Ashley Cole going down after a challenge in his own area and eventually being taken from the arena on a stretcher with a nasty looking ankle injury.Joel Lindpere drove a shot wide of the target from the edge of the area as Estonia pushed forward and soon after the same player forced one of few saves from Paul Robinson.Frank Lampard took over from Michael Owen with 20 minutes to play, with his arrival greeted by boos from some home fans.Ragnar Klavan then rifled a shot high and wide from 20 yards as Estonia continued to push forward.

Late on Gerrard and Joe Cole broke the offside trap, but the England skipper tried to cut inside the last defender and the chance went begging.

Joe Cole then sliced a shot wide with just Poom to beat as England had to settle for another 3-0 victory, with their next test a much tougher one in Russia on Wednesday night.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    Full-time: ENGLAND 3-0 ESTONIA.
  • 90
    Three minutes of added time to be played.
  • 90
    Joe Cole should have added a fourth, but he slices his shot wide with just Poom to beat.
  • 90
    Gerrard has had a shocker, although Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is probably happy to see his player putting in such little effort for his country.
  • 89
    Gerrard and Joe Cole break the offside trap, but the England captain tries to cut inside the last defender and the chance goes begging.
  • 88
    A couple of minutes to go with Wembley looking half full already.
  • 86
    Neville plays the ball in to Rooney and he has strayed offside this time.
  • 85
    Lampard misplaces a pass to Lescott and again gets the bird from some of the home fans.
  • 83
    It's going to be another step taken towards qualification for the Euro 2008 finals, but it's been an insipid display.
  • 80
    Klavan rifles a shot high and wide from 20 yards as Estonia for once push forward.
  • 79
    It's all England possession at the moment, but there's no purpose to the play at all.
  • 76
    Fifteen minutes to go and thoughts can turn to Russia on Wednesday night now.
  • 74
    The second half has been a damp squib so far, with England content to sit on their lead.
  • 72
    Lindpere blocks the run of Rooney and goes into the book.
  • 71
    Estonia win a succession of corners, but manage little danger from any of them.
  • 70
    Owen jogs off and Lampard gets his chance, with some booing being heard as he runs on.
  • 69
    It's an action replay from earlier, with Owen failing to beat the offside trap yet again.
  • 69
    Gerrard's 25-yard free-kick is just like a backpass and Poom gathers with no trouble at all.
  • 67
    Rooney wins a free-kick after a tussle with Lindpere, the England man was just getting ready to lose his rag.
  • 65
    Lampard looks like he's getting ready to come on.
  • 63
    Robinson is well placed to grab a Lindpere drive from 25 yards, after good play by Estonia.
  • 62
    Estonia replace Tarmo Kink with Kristen Viikmae.
  • 61
    Gerrard plays in Owen, Poom makes a fine save but the offside flag is up again.
  • 60
    Rooney lifts the ball high across the face of goal and Poom palms it out for a corner, which he plucks from the air with ease.
  • 59
    Lescott has gone across to left-back, with Neville on the right and Richards now in the centre.
  • 57
    Joe Cole again drifts past his marker, but he's crowded out as he cuts inside.
  • 55
    Joe Cole tricks his way past his marker, but his cross drifts over the crossbar with Poom watching on.
  • 53
    Lindpere tricks his way past Joe Cole and shoots just wide of the far post from the edge of the area.
  • 53
    Ashley Cole is going to leave the arena on a stretcher, another major injury blow for Steve McClaren.
  • 51
    Robinson can only parry a long-range drive from Ragnar Klavan, hardly the most convincing of saves.
  • 50
    Cole has to be replaced and Phil Neville comes on to fill in at left-back.
  • 48
    Ashley Cole is down after a mix-up in the England defence, it looks like a nasty one.
  • 47
    Owen is clattered by Rahn, who's already been booked.
  • 46
    Joleon Lescott has come on for Rio Ferdinand.
  • 46
    England start the second period.
  • 45
    Half-time: ENGLAND 3-0 ESTONIA.
  • 44
    Half-time's nearly here, two minutes of added time to be played.
  • 42
    Joe Cole takes the ball and passes backwards for the umpteenth time.
  • 40
    The game has dropped in tempo now, before Aleksandr Dmitrijev fires a 20-yard shot straight at Robinson.
  • 36
    Gerrard again wastes possession, maybe he thinks England are playing in blue this afternoon.
  • 34
    Well that's game over, with England having barely got out of third or fourth gear.
  • 33
    ENGLAND 3-0 ESTONIA, Ashley Cole plays the ball in from the left and Rahn's superb header nestles in the corner of the net, the wrong one as far as he's concerned.
  • 33
    That's Rooney's first competitive goal for England since Euro 2004.
  • 32
    ENGLAND 2-0 ESTONIA, Joe Cole get the ball in from the left and Rooney's deflected effort leaves Poom with no chance.
  • 31
    Half an hour gone and Estonia have offered little threat to Paul Robinson.
  • 28
    Rajo Piiroja crashes into Rooney after earlier being caught late by the England forward. The resulting free-kick is easily gathered by Poom.
  • 27
    Gerrard again mis-controls as he runs onto a Rooney pass, he's having a poor time at the moment.
  • 25
    It's not quite a capacity crowd at Wembley, but there's still plenty of noise.
  • 23
    It's all England at the moment, before Estonia win a corner that comes to nothing.
  • 21
    Michael Owen thinks he's through for England goal number 41, but the offside flag is up.
  • 20
    Gerrard races through onto a Rooney flick, but knocks the ball straight out for another goal-kick.
  • 18
    England have begun to dominate possession and Rooney floats an audacious chip just over the crossbar from 20 yards.
  • 14
    England haven't really threatened that much, but at least they have the lead.
  • 13
    A massive early boost for England, but a bad mistake by Poom.
  • 12
    Taavi Rahn is cautioned straight after England's goal goes in.
  • 11
    ENGLAND 1-0 ESTONIA, Richards and Shaun Wright-Phillips exchange passes and the latter fires a shot low between Mart Poom's legs at his near post.
  • 8
    Gerrard intercepts in midfield, but his attempted pass to Rooney is much too hard and goes out for a goal-kick.
  • 6
    Richards is getting ready to come back on and is fit to resume.
  • 5
    Phil Neville is warming up just in case.
  • 4
    Micah Richards goes in for a high cross into the box and is down with a head injury.
  • 3
    Estonia have a bit of possession to enjoy, with England dropping off in defence.
  • 2
    Joel Lindpere is allowed room in midfield and drives forward before shooting wide from 30 yards with his left foot.
  • 1
    Estonia get the game underway.
  • 0
    Gareth Barry retains his place in midfield alongside Steven Gerrard, who is captain in the absence of the injured John Terry.
  • 0
    England face Estonia at Wembley needing a victory to stay on track for qualification for next year's European Championship finals.

Statistics

England
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 5
Offsides 7
Corners 3

Estonia
Shots on target 3
Shots off target 3
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 12
Offsides 1
Corners 6

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