Defoe scores again as England ease past Slovenia
Defoe will be hoping to start against Croatia after scoring his third goal in two games for Capello
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Saturday, 05, Sep 2009 07:32
By Matt Hallam.
England beat Slovenia 2-1 at Wembley as they prepared for their World Cup qualifier against Croatia next week.
A first half penalty from Frank Lampard and another goal for half-time substitute Jermain Defoe gave England a 2-0 lead before Zlatan Ljubijankic scored a late goal for the visitors.
Slovenia had started brightly but will feel hard done by after England were awarded a soft penalty which Lampard stepped up to convert.
Jermain Defoe made it 2-0 and Fabio Capello will surely be considering handing the Spurs striker a starting role after his terrific start to the season.
Robert Green kept his place in goal ahead of Manchester United's Ben Foster whilst Shaun Wright-Phillips began on the right and Steven Gerrard returned to the starting line-up after missing the friendly against the Netherlands through injury.
England started confidently, keeping possession with quick passing however Green was lucky not to be penalised when he appeared to catch the ball outside his area as he came to meet a Slovakian clearance.
Slovenia soon threatened England's goal when the ball was played through to Millivoje Novakovic who took the ball round Green but lifted the ball over the bar from a tight angle.
England quickly found their rhythm though and Wayne Rooney and Gerrard exchanged a neat one-two on the left before the Liverpool captain slid in a low cross intended for Emile Heskey which the Slovakians were able to clear.
However the Slovenians were unfazed in their first appearance at Wembley, and looked dangerous on the counter attack with slick one-touch passing allowing Bojan Jokic to get in behind Johnson, only for the Slovakian to waste the opportunity with a poor cross.
Rooney soon tested the visitors' defence again when he was first to Heskey's flick-on. The Manchester United striker cut inside and released a shot which was deflected over the bar by Miso Brecko.
John Terry hit the bar from the resulting corner and was unlucky not to hit the target with an athletic overhead kick as the ball rebounded back to him.
The captain's Chelsea teammate Lampard opened the scoring from the penalty spot with half an hour gone.
Bostjan Cesar was adjudged to have pulled down Rooney in the box, although replays showed the referee's decision was a poor one.
Capello's team hit the woodwork again minutes later when Lampard's corner was glanced toward the back post by Matthew Upson where Rooney was lurking to hit a shot with his left foot against the post.
Capello made four changes at half-time bringing on Michael Carrick, James Milner, Aaron Lennon and Defoe for Lampard, Gerrard, Wright-Phillips and Heskey.
Defoe was presented with the first chance of the second half from Johnson's cross from the right, but was unable to hit the target under pressure.
Green was forced to make a good save from Robert Koren's curling free kick with the West Ham keeper punching the ball to safety.
Defoe continued to press his case for a place in the starting line-up when he scored England's second with half an hour remaining. The Spurs striker received the ball from Lennon and hit the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Lennon was the provider again as England threatened to score a third.
The Spurs winger picked the ball up in midfield and sped past two Slovenian defenders before crossing for Rooney whose shot was cleared off the line by Matej Mavric.
Slovenia's best chance came minutes later when Valter Birsa crossed for Zlatko Dedic who should have done better with a header he put wide.
Carlton Cole replaced Rooney for the final ten minutes and was unlucky not to reach two crosses in succession from Milner on the left.
Slovenia grabbed a consolation goal with six minutes remaining.
Nejc Pecnik did well on the left to work space and cross for Ljubijankic who beat substitute Joleon Lescott to the ball at the front post and head past Green.