EURO 2016:
Hotshot Wilshere lights way to 3 Lions win
Not convincing at right-back and gave the ball away with an awful throw-in for Slovenia’s first goal. Subbed at the break. Must take responsibility for trying to play offside when Slovenia scored but otherwise pretty sound. Hardly inspiring but deserves credit for making a good fist of it at right-back. Key role for England’s second. Plenty of movement and pace but lacked a bit of quality with some of his passing. Some sloppy finishing before taking advantage of a lucky break to stroke home the late winner.
(for Jones 46) Telling contribution from the Liverpool star, who was lively and direct – (for Townsend 84).
(for Delph 85). Green, Bertrand, Jagielka, Milner, Austin, Cleverley, Barkley, Vardy, Heaton. SLOVENIA: Handanovic 7; Brecko 6, Ilic 6, Cesar 5, Jokic 6, Mertelj 7, Kurtic 6 (Lazarevic 79); Ilicic 6 (Birsa 61, 6), Kampl 7, Kirm 6 (Pecnik 72); Novakovic 7.
Andelkovic, Samardzic, Beric, Oblak, Vidmar, Rotman, Milec, Verbic.
JACK WILSHERE was smoking for England – and they weren’t Lucky Strikes!
The Arsenal midfielder admitted in the build-up to this game that twice being caught puffing on cigarettes was his biggest mistake.
In Ljubljana the 23-year-old stopped this Euro 2016 becoming a drag for Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions.
His two superb goals and a late winner from Wayne Rooney ensured England ended the season with a 100 per cent record in Group E and qualification for France all but assured.
Wilshere really sparked up the team – and they needed it, conceding two sloppy goals to Slovenia.
Jack may be nimble, but he certainly hasn’t been quick to score for his country, taking 28 caps to do it.
Now, Hodgson’s dream of a perfect 10 from 10 in qualifying is still on.
But this was no easy ride and the two goals England conceded – the first to be scored by opposing players in qualifying – won’t have pleased the boss. Opting to keep faith with the controversial Raheem Sterling, the Liverpool star had a chance to repay Hodgson in the fourth minute.
Sent clean through on goal by Rooney, and just 10 yards out, all he had to do was lift a lob over Samir Handanovic, but his effort was a foot too high.
Inter Milan keeper Handanovic did really well in the 22nd minute to get his fingertips to a Rooney shot that was zooming into the bottom-left corner.
Then the unthinkable happened in the 37th minute.
After Phil Jones gave the ball away from a throw-in, England’s backline, in trying to play offside, allowed lone striker Milivoje Novakovic to go clean through after playing a simple one-two with Josip Ilicic.
Joe Hart had no option but to come off his line and although Novakovic scuffed his right-foot shot, it nestled inside the far corner.
At half-time Hodgson did something radical by taking off Phil Jones, bringing on Adam Lallana and moving Henderson to right-back.
And Lallana played his part in England’s 57th-minute equaliser. Trying to wriggle some room in the box, he was tackled.
But the ball broke to Wilshere on the edge of the area. He smacked it first time with his trusty left foot and even the excellent Handanovic could not keep it from flying high into the net.
Then Sterling teed-up Rooney, who blazed over from an offside position.
But he wasn’t in the 59th minute when Sterling picked him out again in the box. Rooney, though, was furious with himself for not keeping his shot down.
If Wilshere’s first was a cracker, his