England 2 Slovakia 1
Marcus Rashford went from sinner to match-winner as England took control of the their World Cup destiny with a tense 2-1 win over Slovakia at Wembley.
Rashford’s ill-conceived run from the defence gifted the visitors the chance they needed to take a shock third-minute lead through Stanislav Lobotka but as England were flirting with calamity the 19-year-old embraced the opportunity to make amends.
He delivered the corner for Eric Dier’s near-post equaliser before half-time and won it for the hosts with a dipping 20-yard strike with the hour mark approaching, interventions which handed England a five-point lead in Group F with two games remaining.
England were effectively in control of the game, the group and their passage to Russia but this was not a night where comfort came into the equation. Hart's short pass from the back left Jones in a tight spot and, when he settled for allowing the ball to roll out for a throw, the Manchester United defender yelled his frustration.
Jones, absent for so long, had been hailed by Southgate as the country’s best defender on form and showed the requisite composure to scurry in behind and quell a Slovakian raid to keep the lead intact.
Southgate left it until the 83rd minute to go to his bench, sending for Sterling and Danny Welbeck in place of Oxlade-Chamberlain and man-of-the-match Rashford.
Jake Livermore joined the fray in the closing seconds and, after a nail-biter of a night, England reached the final whistle with all three points and 90 gruelling minutes under their belt.
