England qualified for the Euro 2016 finals, with Wayne Rooney equalling Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time scoring record.
|||England qualified for the Euro 2016 finals after crushing San Marino 6-0 on Saturday night, with Wayne Rooney equalling Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time scoring record of 49 goals for his country, which has stood since 1970.
The visitors outclassed San Marino’s part-timers as they chalked up a seventh successive Group E win to seal their place in France next year.
Rooney equalled Charlton’s record when he scored with a 13th-minute penalty, sending goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini the wrong way. It was his fifth goal against San Marino.
Cristian Brolli headed into his own net after 30 minutes before Ross Barkley nodded home seconds after halftime with his first goal for England.
Substitute Theo Walcott made it 4-0 with a tap-in at the far post in the 68th minute.
Harry Kane, who replaced Rooney in the 57th minute, scored England’s fifth with an exquisite chip before Walcott slid in the sixth goal in the 76th.
Meanwhile, Iceland’s ascent to the brink of qualifying for their first major tournament has been increasingly on the cards, says co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson as an expectant country anticipates achieving that goal on Sunday.
One win from their last three Group A qualifiers will ensure a place at Euro 2016 in France for the Nordic nation.
“Some might think we have been a little naive but always it has always been our target and aim to qualify Iceland. In the past maybe it would have seemed strange to think we could come and beat a strong football power like Holland,” Hallgrimsson said after Thursday’s 1-0 win over the Dutch.
“But going so close in the playoffs against Croatia gave the players the belief we can achieve it,” he added, referring to Iceland reaching the 2014 World Cup qualification playoffs where Croatia beat them 2-0 on aggregate over two legs.
“We could smell going to Brazil. It gave everyone the belief that has never been there before.”
Iceland’s victory in Amsterdam completed a double over the Netherlands and kept them two points ahead of the Czech Republic at the top of the standings.
A home win on Sunday against Kazakhstan, who have lost six of their seven qualifiers, will take Iceland to 21 points and confirm a top-two finish and a trip to France next year.
“Let’s hope we can do it. We are not there that yet but in a very good position in the group,” said Hallgrimsson.
Iceland must still play second-bottom Latvia at home in October and away to Turkey.
Iceland’s newspapers on Friday encouraged supporters to begin booking their trips to next year’s finals.
In Amsterdam on Thursday, 3 000 traveling fans (about one percent of the north Atlantic island nation’s population), roared their players to victory.
* Nigeria were held to a goalless draw away to Tanzania on Saturday night in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in a disappointing start for new coach Sunday Oliseh.
The Super Eagles, who reached the last 16 at last year’s World Cup, were dominated by their hosts through much of the match as a new-look line-up, much changed from the side under previous coach Stephen Keshi, made little impact.
“We struggled in the first half. The second half we were a little better. But we lacked quality in certain areas,” said Oliseh.
Nigeria are in a tough qualifying group including Egypt, who play in Chad on Sunday.
Egypt and Nigeria both won their opening qualifiers in June and meet each other in two successive matches next March.
Reuters
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