San Marino 0 - England 6: Rooney equals goal record as Euro 2016 qualification secured

Wayne Rooney equalled Bobby Charlton's goal-scoring record

IN THE end, it seemed fitting Wayne Rooney should only match, rather than break, Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal-scoring record against a team containing a chemist, a painter and two bank workers.

 

Such a milestone is deserving of being set in more grandiose company than San Marino provided last night. The visit of Switzerland to Wembley on Tuesday awaits Rooney’s ascension.

Perhaps the striker will be irked that the saga will drag on into yet another fixture - he was replaced by Harry Kane after 61 minutes with the Swiss game in mind - but then England have only themselves to blame for that.

Qualification to Euro 2016 next summer was assured here, but it did not come with much of a swagger. Only when the hosts’ part-timers tired did the anticipated scoreline arrive.

A contentious early penalty saw Rooney draw level with Charlton on 49 goals. The symmetry extended by the fact he equalled the milestone on his 106th cap, the same number that Charlton won during his glittering career.

But England coach Roy Hodgson quickly reached the point where he wanted anyone to score, not just Rooney, as his side made the straight-forward initially more complicated than was necessary.

An own goal from Cristian Brolli after half an hour, Ross Barkley’s first international goal immediately after the restart and strikes from substitute Theo Walcott either side of a classy goal from Kane was the bare minimum the travelling fans would have expected.

It speaks volumes that against opponents ranked 193 in the world, nestled between the Seychelles and the Turks and Caicos Islands in Fifa’s rankings, England initially benefited from good fortune in establishing themselves.

England’s players looked as stunned as anyone when referee Leontios Trattou awarded a penalty, seemingly on the advice of the additional assistant referee behind the goal, in the 12th minute for pushing at a James Milner free-kick.

Marco Berardi was booked in the protests which followed during which Rooney calmed waited on the edge of the penalty area with the ball in his hands.

He then drew level with Charlton by dispatching the spot-kick with aplomb, sending goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini the wrong way, to equal the record. Of those 49 goals, this was only his fifth penalty.

That the early breakthrough did not lead to a procession will disappoint Hodgson. Rooney was denied in the 19th minute by a smart save from Simoncini, who then smothered Milners’ follow-up, but clear cut chances were few and far between.

While Jonjo Shelvey dictated from deep with an eye-catching range of passing, the Swansea midfielder’s performance a clear positive, England’s inability to translate their superiority produced an opening half of tedium.

That was punctuated just before the half-hour mark when Luke Shaw delivered an enticing cross from the left and although San Marino defender Brolli got his head to the ball first, it was all that he could do divert it into his own net.

Ironically, the number of own goals England have had scored for them over the years now also stands at 49.

Within seconds of the restart, the scoreline began to more accurately reflect proceedings. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dash down the wing ended with a cross which Barkley headed home, unmarked, from six yards.

Barkley played in a three-man midfield and, his goal and a late assist aside, would have hoped to have made a greater impression.

England’s fourth goal came in the 68th minute when Jamie Vardy, an industrious worker throughout on the left of an attacking triumvirate, crossed and Walcott touched home at the back post.

Then came two goals in two minutes to complete the scoring.

Shelvey picked out Kane with a clever pass and the Tottenham striker deftly dinked the ball over the advancing Simoncini for a confidence-boosting first goal of the season.

The sixth arrived when Barkley found the piercing run of Walcott and he kept his cool to score.

As for San Marino? Joe Hart was forced to make his only first save of note in the 83rd minute when Danilo Rinaldi found space and curled a shot from the edge of the area.

By then, Rooney’s thoughts had already turned to Tuesday.