After the disappointing performance against Norway, England were looking to bounce back to form with the first match in their European Championship Group, away in Switzerland.  It was to be a difficult task, as the Swiss are a good home side, but, at last, England produced something like the form that the young players in the team are capable of.  It was to prove a happy night.

Manager Roy Hodgson sprang a surprise by including Fabian Delph in the starting line-up having been impressed by his energy as a substitute against Norway.  And in fact it was the Aston Villa player who featured in the first major incident.  The referee had to have a stern warning with the youngster after a wild challenge.  Sadly Delph didn't heed the warning and was booked a couple of minutes later for another reckless challenge.  Not a good start, but to the player's credit, he then settled down and contributed well to the rest of the game.  From the free-kick given away, Joe Hart made a good catch and then produced the pass of the night with a kick out of his hands that sent Raheem Sterling sprinting down the left-wing.  Sterling's cross was blocked but the ball ran to Jack Wilshere and his fine deep cross found Wayne Rooney, with a volley a real possibility.  Unfortunately the skipper took an extra touch and the chance was lost.

By the 12th minute England were looking pacey and determined and one excellent combination between the lively Danny Welbeck and Rooney, teed up Sterling again, but his shot went weakly wide of a post.  By this time you certainly sensed that England were growing in confidence, and the whole side looked comfortable, with Switzerland looking mystified by England's positive approach.

The first clear chance came on 15 minutes when Sterling picked the ball up in space through the middle and ran at the back-peddling defence.  With Welbeck to the right and Rooney to his left Sterling had options, he chose Rooney but the pass was poor and bobbled as Rooney got his shot away.  Yann Sommer made an easy save, but it was a good sign.  Rooney already looked as though he was much more his old self and the skipper was full of running and energy.

Two minutes later though, a mistake by Leighton Baines almost led to a Swiss strike at goal.  Baines lost possession on the halfway line and two quick passes gave Haris Seferovic a chance to run at goal.  There was a coming together between the number nine and Phil Jones as the England player tried to defend and both players went down to screams for a penalty from the crowd, but that would have been very harsh on Jones.  Just afterwards Baines made up for his lapse with a vital interception which stopped another Swiss attack.

On 27 minutes Baines was involved again as he and Welbeck combined well down the left.  The full-back's cross was met too full on by Rooney and his header went wide when a glancing effort might have produced more, but it was a good attack and more evidence of the growing England confidence.  Two minutes later and England's best chance so far, as a brilliant interception and run by Welbeck saw him scampering down the right before trying to set up the onrushing Sterling.  Alas the final pass was again not quite right and the ball flew wide, much to the disgust of Sterling and Rooney, who was at the far post waiting for a tap-in.

Switzerland then had a clear chance on 32 minutes when a corner was only half cleared and Stephan Lichtsteiner had a free shot at goal from 20 yards.  Luckily for England the ball flew over the bar.  A minute later and the home side had their best chance so far.  Jones gave away possession with a poor pass and Xherdan Shaqiri's quick touch sent Seferovic in.  Hart was down brilliantly though, spread himself well and blocked the shot with his outstretched leg.  After that incident England came back strongly with Baines and Rooney prominent, and then Baines and Delph gave the ball to Rooney who cut inside and hit a good shot which Sommer somehow scooped away.  From the resultant corner by Rooney, Jones came charging in to meet the ball with a fine downwards header.  It looked a goal until Sommer produced a fine diving save to thwart the Manchester United defender.  Shortly afterwards the half-time whistle blew and the only worry for Hodgson was in the number of chances England had missed.

Early on, after the restart, Wilshere ventured forward to hit a deflected shot wide and then Jordan Henderson played a lovely one, two with Sterling, but the latter shot wide.  That was another clear chance and these misses were mounting up.  Sterling's miskick almost brought an own goal as the ball deflected off Shaqiri's shins for a corner.  At the other end Gary Cahill was in fine form and England were generally comfortable in defence.  But that doesn't mean that Switzerland did not create chances and from one lay-off by Granit Xhaka, Seferovic fired in a volley which Hart did really well to tip over.  The goalkeeper had been really sharp throughout, and that was another excellent moment for him.  At this point Switzerland were showing signs of increasing momentum, but England came up with the perfect answer to that.

Welbeck forced an error and the ball dropped to Rooney on the halfway line.  Welbeck, Rooney and Sterling burst forward at top speed and Rooney fed the ball for Sterling to run onto down the left-wing.  A first time low cross to the far post and there was Welbeck to, at last, convert an England chance.  It went in off his shin but no-one really cared as the ball nestled in the back of the Swiss net.  The look of joy on the faces of the England players said it all.

That visibly knocked the stuffing out of the home side and there was only one further scare for England.  On 70 minutes substitute Josip Drmic was clean through.  He rounded Hart and a goal seemed certain, but from nowhere Cahill made a brilliant clearance away for a corner.  There was a hint of handball from the Chelsea man, but justice was done because replays clearly showed that Drmic was offside anyway.  To be honest, it's about time England had a bit of good luck for a change!

Hodgson decided to send on James Milner for Wilshere, just to try and shore up the middle, and shortly afterwards Phil Jagielka came on for Jones who had taken a knock.  There was a danger that England would sit back too far at this stage but Switzerland had started to run out of ideas, so it was actually quite a comfortable last ten minutes for England.  On 81 minutes a great break saw Henderson gallop down the right and his cross was pawed out by the keeper, but only to Delph just inside the box.  As he tried to adjust his feet for a shot, a lunge by defender Johan Djourou took him and the ball out.  Penalties have been given for far less than that challenge, that is for sure.  Other chances came and went at both ends, with Hart saving well from a deflected shot and Sterling shooting over from another good burst.  The final substitution saw Lambert sent on for Rooney and in the fourth minute of added time the Liverpool striker made his mark.  England cleared a corner and Sterling gained possession and ran at speed towards the Swiss goal.  He found Lambert and the big man cleverly held possession before laying the ball off to Welbeck.  This time the new Arsenal striker stayed cool, took aim, and buried the ball beyond Sommer!!

This was a fine start to England's Euro campaign, it wasn't perfect by any means, but there were so many positives and lots of fine individual performances.  The players looked really determined for each other and for once, and this was great to see, the England lads looked as though they really enjoyed the match, and there were more smiles after this game than there has been for a very long time.  A terrific win and an excellent performance, which now sets up the group table nicely as we move on.