England 2-0 Lithuania - BBC Sport
Jermain Defoe scores his first international goal since 2013 as England edge closer to World Cup 2018 qualification with victory over Lithuania.
Last updated on .From the section Football

Jermain Defoe scored in his first international appearance since 2013 as England took another comfortable step in their qualifying campaign for next year's World Cup with victory over Lithuania.

Gareth Southgate's first game at Wembley since succeeding Sam Allardyce on a permanent basis provided few alarms as England remain firmly in control at the top of Group F.

Sunderland striker Defoe, 34, justified his call-up with a typically clinical finish after 21 minutes and a lively performance that suggested he still has a part to play under this manager.

And when Southgate needed someone to break Lithuania's stubborn resistance after the break, substitute Jamie Vardy obliged from close-range in the 66th minute, converting a subtle touch from Liverpool's Adam Lallana inside the area.

Before kick-off there was a minute's silence inside the stadium for the victims of last week's London attack. There was also a tribute paid to former England manager Graham Taylor, who died in January.
• None Quiz: Can you name England's oldest goalscorers?
• None What is Southgate's best England XI? Pick your own side

Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when Southgate recalled Defoe to the squad having last represented his country against Chile at Wembley in November 2013.

Defoe's inclusion, however, represented perfect sense with a record of 14 Premier League goals and two assists in a Sunderland side propping up the table and England's main striker Harry Kane out injured.

And so it proved as he pounced in trademark fashion for his first England goal in four years and four days since scoring in an easy win against San Marino, clipping a clinical finish high beyond Lithuania keeper Ernestas Setkus after 21 minutes from Raheem Sterling's delivery.

Defoe had already brought one crucial block from the keeper earlier as he stole in on Lallana's pass. He looks like a player full of hunger who has lost none of his predatory, goalscoring instincts.

England will face stubborn opposition again before this World Cup qualifying campaign is over and a poacher like Defoe may well come in very handy for Southgate as he plots his route to Russia next summer.

England's friendly against Germany in Dortmund on Wednesday was effectively a testimonial for veteran striker Lukas Podolski on his international farewell - with an atmosphere to match in the normally thunderous Signal Iduna Park.

Wembley was also on the subdued side because World Cup Qualifying Group F is a hard-sell in terms of excitement for England's fans, who understandably expect Southgate's side to dismiss opposition such as Lithuania with the minimum of fuss.

England fulfilled those requirements comfortably in the face of stubborn opponents who sat back and invited them on in the early phases, then seemed intent on damage limitation and no more as any hope of getting a return from this qualifier evaporated.

There may be more of the same in the remaining home qualifiers against Slovakia and Slovenia but England, once again, are getting the job done as they move closer to reaching the World Cup.

The old lingering fear remains that the real measure of how far England are progressing under Southgate will come at a major tournaments, where their limitations have been exposed regularly.

Southgate can be satisfied from what he has got from England's international double header, with a creditable performance in defeat against World Cup holders Germany and victory here against Lithuania.

If he has a complaint, it could be that England need to be more ruthless in front of goal, paying for wasted opportunities in Dortmund and also missing chances to make this a more convincing margin of victory.

England will not find this failing too expensive in a friendly or against mediocre opposition - but it could cost them if the flaws are on show against higher-class in a competitive environment.

It is why Defoe's marksmanship is currently required and why the return of a fit and in-form Harry Kane will be so welcome.

"I thought it was one of those afternoons where it's job done.

"I am not going to eulogise over the performance, but the overall week I think has been really positive in setting the tone of how we want to work.

"The players have got a good feel about them, a spirit and they see the direction we want to head. For sure, we'll play better than we did today."

"I am very proud of my team because we have been tested by a tremendously strong team - probably the strongest team we have faced until now.

"We will take a lot of positives from this loss, to see what targets can be set because what we witnessed today in the first half was unbelievable how skilful all those attacking players are and what amount of pressure we were put under."
• None England are the only team to have kept a clean sheet in each 2018 World Cup qualification game so far.
• None Vardy's goal was his first touch of the match.
• None Lallana has been directly involved in four goals in his last five England appearances (three goals; one assist).
• None Defoe is the 22nd player to reach the 20 goal landmark for England.

England next qualifier is against Scotland at Hampden Park on Saturday, 10 June.
• None Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• None Delay in match Arturas Zulpa (Lithuania) because of an injury.
• None Attempt missed. Ryan Bertrand (England) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
• None Attempt saved. Marcus Rashford (England) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dele Alli.
• None Attempt missed. Dele Alli (England) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marcus Rashford with a cross.
• None Attempt saved. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (England) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
• None Attempt blocked. Dele Alli (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
• None Attempt missed. Eric Dier (England) header from very close range is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Marcus Rashford with a cross following a corner.
• None Attempt blocked. Dele Alli (England) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
• None Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (England) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Marcus Rashford with a through ball. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page