England six points clear at top of Group E after Lithuania win

England 4 Lithuania 0

England six points clear at top of Group E after Lithuania win

England 4 Lithuania 0

Harry Kane took just 80 seconds to make his mark on international football as he enjoyed a fairytale debut in England’s 4-0 win over Lithuania at Wembley.

Kane entered the pitch in the 71st minute and he nodded the ball in less than two minutes later to round off a simple victory in the Euro 2016 qualifier.

Wayne Rooney moved to within two goals of Sir Bobby Charlton’s England scoring record with an early opener.

He would have moved level with the England great inside 19 minutes had he not rattled the woodwork on two occasions.

But once Rooney made way for Kane, the script was written for the Tottenham striker to score on his debut and he did not disappoint.

Man of the match Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling had given England a comfortable cushion against dire opposition and then Kane pounced with just his third touch to put the icing on the cake.

Four years ago Kane was playing in front of 4,581 supporters while on loan for Leyton Orient against Dagenham & Redbridge.

On Friday night, 83,671 witnessed the first of what they hope will be many an England goal for Kane.

He now has 30 to his name this season – a remarkable statistic when you consider he started the campaign as third-choice striker at Spurs.

Manager Roy Hodgson could not be happier at the final whistle. Yes, Lithuania, ranked 94th in the world, proved to be easy opposition. Italy will put up much more resistance in Turin on Tuesday.

But England got the job done. They played with width, flair and potency at the start of the first half and never looked like conceding.

England remain six points clear at the top of Group E and they have now won seven straight matches for the first time since 2006.

more courts articles

Man admits killing Irish pensioner (87) on mobility scooter in London Man admits killing Irish pensioner (87) on mobility scooter in London
Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at court to face sex charges Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at court to face sex charges
Case against Jeffrey Donaldson to be heard in court Case against Jeffrey Donaldson to be heard in court

More in this section

Aleksander Ceferin File Photo Uefa president backs FAI call for state funding for football facilities
Albania v Republic of Ireland - UEFA Women's Nations League Sinéad Farrelly quits Ireland but no reason given for 'difficult decision'
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ‘More mature’: Spurs admit Arsenal’s mentality made the difference in derby
Sport Push Notifications

By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser.

Sign Up
Sport
Newsletter

Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers

Sign up
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited