VARDY LATE
JAMIE VARDY hasn’t exactly been having a party for England of late but last night had cause to celebrate.
The Leicester striker did not touch the ball after coming on as a 68th-minute substitute in the 1-0 win over Holland on Friday night.
And Monday marked a year since the 31-year-old last scored for the Three Lions, in the 2-0 defeat of Lithuania.
Icing
But with England on song against Italy in this Wembley friendly, Vardy ended his wait for his seventh international goal with a confident finish.
He is coming into form nicely for boss Gareth Southgate, with the World Cup beckoning – the strike was his eighth in his last 12 games.
Vardy’s goal was the icing on the cake of a really positive first half for England in which Raheem Sterling, in particular, shone for the England coach. The days of the Manchester City ace being the target of boo boys seems long gone.
Ably assisted by Jesse Lingard, and to a lesser degree Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the 23-year-old was ready, willing and able to drive straight through the middle of the Azzurri using his pace, and newfound strength, to full effect.
But England started tentatively. In the third minute, a dawdling John Stones was dispossessed just outside the box by Ciro Immobile and Italy looked set to strike an early blow.
But the Manchester City star got back well to hook away with his left foot.
In the 10th minute a sharp England move saw Lingard pick out Vardy’s run