The same team that started at Wembley apart from the injured Dawson who was replaced by Lescott. Once more England showed their intent from the start and this time, the crowd had to wait only 10 minutes for a goal from under-pressure Wayne Rooney. The ball was cut back from the byline from Glen Johnson, Defoe and Walcott let it run to Rooney who neatly slotted it away. Walcott got his right ankle turned in the move and had to be taken off to be replaced by Adam Johnson.
England got into their domination groove and bossed the game for large portions of the first half. On 22 minutes, Defoe had a chance from an Adam Johnson cut-back, but skied the ball. This was followed by two more chances for Defoe five minutes later, the first from an Ashley Cole cross from the left flank (ball behind Defoe), the second from Milner as Defoe arrived a fraction of a second too late to get a contact.
After a brief flurry of possession from the Swiss, Rooney shoots from distance on 30 mins, but his shot loops lazily over the bar. Five minutes later, Adam Johnson inspired by his goal on Friday, takes a shot from distance, narrowly missing the target. On 42 mins, Defoe jigs left and right on the edge of the box, and shoots - it's a comfortable height for the keeper who punches away. A little later, Adam Johnson brings the ball a long way towards the goal, he looked like he might take it on his favoured left, but instead he slid it in for Rooney who couldn't find a way past the keeper - he turned and crossed for Defoe, but the little man was out-jumped by a defender.
The first half ended with England leading by Rooney's goal, looking in charge, but as we know, this team is more than capable of giving the opposition a chance to score at some point in the match. Hart had little to do, but needs to stay sharp and alert for the second half.
England start the second half well with Rooney setting up Adam Johnson for an ambitious volley which goes wide. A little later namesake Glen Johnson cuts onto his left and has a well-struck shot is pushed around the far post by the keeper. However England appear determined to let the Swiss back into the game and Hart has a nervy few minutes before Lichtsteiner takes Milner clean off the ball for a second yellow to get himself sent off. Challenges are getting harder as the Swiss try physical force to change the game and the English players reply in kind. Fouls and free-kicks are flying in and whilst Defoe limps towards the sidelines, Adam Johnson is released superbly by Gerrard and takes the ball round the keeper before scoring his second international goal in a matter of days. Defoe is stretchered off whilst England celebrate scoring two away goals. Only minutes later, 17 year old Swiss player Xherdan Shaquiri gets one back hammering the ball past Hart as Bent comes on to replace Defoe.
There is little more than 15 minutes left, the Swiss are down a goal and a player, but tails are up having just scored. It is up to England to establish control and re-establish a commanding lead. With 10 minutes to go, Wright-Phillips replaces Rooney, as England try to get a grip on the game. Wright Phillips gets a cross in from the left, the ball is left for Adam Johnson who shoots high and wide. Despite superiority in numbers, England are hanging on at this stage and failing to press home the advantage. Wright-Phillips had a chance running free on the right, but failed to get his cross to an unmarked Bent on the left for what would have been a tap-in.
Bent gets his chance on 87 minutes picking up on the left from a Wright-Phillips pass and firing home with his left, 1-3 to England. Wright-Phillips is again involved crossing for Milner who is narrowly beaten to the ball by the keeper. Right to the end, England are now pushing for more goals whilst the Swiss know the game is up.
Over-all, England have to be happy with the way they dominated the first half and the amount of chances they created, Capello is surely resting a little easier as England start to repeat their valiant efforts of their World Cup qualification run last year.
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