Match Summary

Slovenia Team

England Team

England were certainly indebted to Joe Hart for this very hard won point in Ljubljana against a spirited Slovenia side.  The home team had a definite plan to stop England and employed a pressing game that forced errors from the visitors.

England actually began well and in the first couple of minutes two half-chances were created.  First, when John Stones put a pass through for Daniel Sturridge, with the Liverpool striker not quite making full use of the position he was in.  Then Deli Alli also put Sturridge in, but the striker's first touch gave the goalkeeper, Jan Oblak the chance to get a hand to the ball and divert it for a corner.  A goal then would have made it very interesting, but alas it wasn't to be.  As Slovenia began to work themselves into the game Valter Birsa shot over after England failed to clear the danger.  The match was being played at a fast pace and the home team were looking to break quickly.  England's back four had to be alert and sharp on a number of occasions.

After Sturridge shot over from long range England almost gave their opponents a goal in the 10th minute.  Eric Dier played a dreadful back pass and Josip Illicic intercepted and ran at England's goal.  Thankfully Hart raced from his line and managed to spread himself to save with his feet.  The ball ran free and Jasmin Kurtic was so unlucky to see his curling shot strike a post before being cleared.  It was a great save by Hart, but also a lucky escape for England.  The visitors then settled down again and had a spell of possession with Stones looking really effective as he strode forward.  But there was little end product, and Dier's game took another downward turn when he was booked for a late tackle.  The Spurs man then had a better moment as he set up Theo Walcott for a good shot which flew just over.

It was a day when England produced a real mixed bag of a performance, one minute defending well, with good challenges, and then the next, giving the ball away or being caught in possession by the eager home players.  Sturridge, especially, was too lightweight at times and England were crying out for an Andy Carroll or even Harry Kane to put themselves about against the giant home defenders.  It was that sort of match.

The final action of a busy, but disappointing half came when Gary Cahill almost reached a Jordan Henderson free-kick.  As the players walked off at the interval there was much for Gareth Southgate to say, as too many players were again fairly anonymous, and that is no good at all from an England perspective.

Slovenia started the second half with all guns blazing, and England were rocking.  Illicic once again caused problems as he worked his way to the bye-line and pulled the ball back.  Luckily for England there were no home players running into the space and Walcott was there to clear the ball for a corner.  But from that corner Hart made a terrific save as a glancing header was sent goalwards, another corner.  From the second corner Hart excelled himself even more with a wonderful double save following another effort from Kurtic.  Hart somehow clawed the ball away from the top corner onto a post, and then had the presence of mind to push the ball clear of goal from the rebound.  It was a world class moment from a goalkeeper who had taken a fair bit of criticism both during and following the Euros in the summer.  This was Hart back to his best.

Slovenia belied their lowly rating in international football with a gutsy and determined performance, and they dominated that first ten minutes after the break.  But to their credit England weathered the storm and forced several corners as they fought their way back into things.  Alli tried a shot on 56 minutes but Oblak easily saved, and it was Illicic who again went close after more weak play by the England midfield.  On 62 minutes Andros Townsend came on for Walcott, after another ineffective display by the Arsenal man, and Townsend was soon in the action with a curling shot that was pushed away by Oblak.

England seemed determined to be the architects of their own demise, as once again they set up a home attack, this time with a poor back-header by Stones.  Cahill was alert and quick to see the danger though and he did well to clear the ball away.  Five minutes later, after Sturridge had a shot blocked, England were at it again.  This time skipper Henderson failed to spot the danger with yet another careless backpass.  Illicic was again the attacker through on goal, and surely this time he would make England pay.  But Hart was not to be beaten on this day as he once again made a terrific save to keep the home forward at bay.

Townsend made another strong break for England before being unceremoniously stopped by a no-nonsense defender, and then with 15 minutes to go Wayne Rooney was sent on for Alli.  Rooney's first contribution was to waste a corner, something the team had done all evening, but then Cahill found Daniel Rose with a fine pass and the full-back cut inside but dragged his shot wide of the near post.  That was as good a chance as England had fashioned in the half.

Sturridge shot tamely at goal after beating the offside trap, and then Jesse Lindgard set up Rooney, whose measured shot beat the keeper but went just wide.  What a story that would have made had the ball gone inside the post.  Kyle Walker was heavily involved in much of England's better attacking moves and he played well all evening.  With ten minutes left Southgate sent on Marcus Rashford for Sturridge and a minute later England almost stole victory when Lingard suddenly came to life to fire in a great shot which brought the best out of Oblak.

As the home side tired some hefty challenges came in against the England players and it stifled any chance of a late burst from England, although it must be said they did finish the stronger of the two sides.  All credit to Slovenia though, they were really up for this one and they worked their socks off from the first whistle.  They could consider themselves a little unfortunate not to win and but for Hart they probably would have.  For England several players played well, but too many were not on their 'A' game, and at this level that cannot happen.

Next up are Scotland.  On paper it looks almost as easy as Malta, but don't forget, the only internationals that a Scotland side ever really want to win are the ones they play against the Auld Enemy!  It will be a very different Scotland who turn up at Wembley, that's for sure.  Rumour has it that Gordon Strachan is playing Nicola Sturgeon at centre-forward!  England you have been warned!
    

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Mike Payne - football historian and contributor