England 2 Switzerland 0: Wayne Rooney becomes England's all-time leading goalscorer

Record breaker: Rooney smashes home his 50th England goal
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James Olley8 September 2015

Wayne Rooney converted a second-half penalty to become England’s all-time leading goalscorer as Roy Hodgson’s side ensured they will head to Euro 2016 as Group E winners with a 2-0 win over Switzerland.

The 29-year-old scored his 50th international goal by smashing an 81st-minute spot-kick high into the net to earn a rousing ovation from 75,751 fans inside Wembley.

Rooney is now out clear on his own after netting in seven consecutive competitive games - a post-war record in itself - after surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s tally, which has stood unsurpassed for 49 years.

Substitute Harry Kane netted the opening goal 17 minutes earlier to lift a performance that was turgid for long spells but England left the pitch with their 100 per cent record in qualifying extending to eight matches ahead of next month’s double-header against Estonia and Lithuania.

England were forced into a reshuffle with the match just nine seconds old as Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph stretched to reach a high ball and pulled his left hamstring.

Delph limped off to be replaced by Ross Barkley - one of England’s goalscorers in Saturday’s 6-0 drubbing of San Marino - but both sides struggled to find any tempo to their play during a drab first half.

Kane and able: Spurs striker came off the bench to score his third for the Three Lions

Rooney fed Luke Shaw down the left flank and crossed for the onrushing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but the Arsenal winger could only steep his volley high over the crossbar.

James Milner then fed Rooney, who curled a shot tamely past Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s left-hand post from 12 yards. Rooney turned provider just three minutes later as Milner raced into the box but he could not beat Sommer to complete a quick England counter-attack.

Switzerland offered a sporadic threat at the other end with Joe Hart required to be sharp off his line to dive at Xherdan Shaqiri’s feet as the Stoke forward burst into the box from Granit Xhaka’s smart pass.

Josip Drmic fired wide from just inside the box on the stroke of half-time, which could not come soon enough for many inside the ground.

England struggled to rouse themselves after the break - Rooney headed Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross straight at Sommer before the United striker had a 20-yard drive comfortably saved - but they required Kane’s intervention to break the deadlock.

Shaw provided the extra man down the left flank and he collected Rooney’s pass before firing a cross back across goal which Kane met sweetly first time with a low, left-foot finish to score his second goal in as many matches.

However, Rooney would have the last word. Raheem Sterling was brought down in the box and the stage was set for Rooney to etch his name into the history books.

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