Match Summary

England Team

Switzerland Team

When the European Championship group fixtures came out, everyone assumed that this match could be the crunch game to see who qualifies from the group, and who actually wins it.  As it has turned out England have already qualified with ease and this match at Wembley had just two further points to decide.  One was to see if England could keep their 100% record intact and the other was to see if Wayne Rooney could score the one goal he needed to break Bobby Charlton's long-standing goalscoring record.  In the end both missions were accomplished.

The match began with both sides feeling each other out, although England's pre-match game plan was immediately altered when, after his first sprint, Fabian Delph unluckily pulled up with a Hamstring injury.  Ross Barkley was sent on and England passed the ball around at a leisurely pace.  A corner taken by James Milner saw Gary Cahill have a free downward header in the 6th minute, and Rooney nearly managed to flick the ball in.  Apart from that most of the play was confined to the midfield, although Luke Shaw made some good runs down the left.  From one good cross Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shot over.  The next chance came from Rooney as Milner sent the striker away.  Rooney only had one thought in mind and tried to curl a shot in at the far post, unfortunately not quite executing it properly and sending it wide.

Switzerland seem to have a plan to shut down England's right hand side, and they particularly closed down on Nathaniel Clyne, catching the full-back in possession a couple of times.  But the cover was there and Chris Smalling looked especially sharp and he cut out any danger with some good interceptions.

On the 20 minute mark England fashioned their best chance to date.  A long clearance by Smalling found the marauding Rooney moving forward at pace.  He laid the ball into the path of the supporting Milner and his left-foot shot was well saved by Yann Sommer.  In the main England's defenders coped well with the weak attacking threat posed by the Swiss and Joe Hart was untroubled in the first half hour.  Milner was booked for an untidy challenge after his control let him down and then Hart was finally called into action, swiftly moving off his line to save at Xherdan Shaqiri's feet as the 'dead ringer for Harry Enfield' threatened to pounce.

The game then meandered along for a while before Switzerland created their best chance of the match.  Josip Drmic found himself away on the right on the edge of the box and with a clear sight of goal.  Unfortunately he messed up his shot and the ball was dragged wide, but it was a warning to England.  Overall it had been a poor half with both sides below par and not really extending themselves.  0-0 suited the Swiss but the crowd wanted a little more from England.

Barkley forced an early corner after the restart and straightaway you sensed a little more purpose about England's play.  A lovely turn of pace from Oxlade-Chamberlain took him past Ricardo Rodrigues and the winger's clipped ball back from the bye-line was met by a looping header from Rooney.  It was a routine save for Sommer although England continued to press.  Clyne, who had recovered from his slightly shaky start, sent in another good cross into the box, which was cleared, and all the home players were showing just a little more urgency about their game.

Switzerland, meanwhile, were looking to break quickly when the opportunity arose, but the England defence coped well and snuffed out any danger with some good tackling and interceptions.  But a Swiss corner almost broke the deadlock on 56 minutes when a firm, glancing header by Granit Xhaka was blocked by a scrambling Hart at his near post.  After that near miss manager Roy Hodgson decided to bring on Harry Kane for  the slightly subdued Jonjo Shelvey, to try and pep up the attack.  The Tottenham striker soon made his intentions clear when he fired in a long range shot that brought Sommer to his knees to save.  Finally, on 67 minutes, Kane's introduction made the difference.

A lovely through ball by the impressive Milner found Kane out wide on the right.  He pulled the ball back inside to Barkley who quickly shifted it on to Rooney.  The skipper spotted theer-willing run of Shaw on his left and fed the ball to him.  Shaw's cross was clever as he pulled it back a bit further away from the back-pedalling defenders, and there was Kane coming in from the right to hit a super left-foot shot wide of the flat-footed Sommer.  It was a terrific goal by England, and who said Harry Kane was out of form?  That's two from two for him in an England shirt this season and it was a goal to be really proud of.

Hodgson then made another substitution, bringing on John Stones for Clyne, before Smalling was unluckily booked when Shaqiri was leaning all over him and then went down in a heap.  Shaquiri's resultant free-kick was blocked before good work by Milner and Stones cleared the danger.  The Swiss did up their tempo for a while and forced a few corners and from one Shaqiri shot wide from a good position.  But England were coping well at the back with Smalling excellent and Cahill his usual composed self.  With just seven minutes to go England not only clinched the result but also gave the crowd the moment they had all been waiting for.

A good flicked pass by Oxlade-Chamberlain gave Raheem Sterling possession and the speedy winger darted between two defenders.  Xhaka stuck out a foot and it was a clear trip on the Manchester City winger.  Penalty!  Again, there was never any doubt as to who would take the spot-kick, but it was noticeable how Rooney composed himself just a little longer than usual for what was to be a momentus kick.  Sommer managed a touch but the crowd erupted when they saw the ball nestle safely in the back of the net for a truly remarkable 50th time from the England captain.  Unsurprisingly there was more than a hint of emotion in Rooney's face as he looked to the heavens and realised just what he had achieved.  For 45 years Bobby Charlton has been the proud holder of the wonderful goalscoring record for England, but not anymore.  I wonder how many years it will be before Rooney's eventual total (he's certainly not finished yet) will be eclipsed?

In the remaining minutes Hart saved from a free-kick, but the Swiss were a spent force by now and in the end it was a comfortable three points for England.  It was not a game that will live long in the memory for the excitement, but, of course, it will always be remembered for that one moment that changed the history of English international football.  Well done Wazza, for a magnificent achievement!
  

Source Notes