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European Championship | Qualifiers
Oct 12, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
EN

0-3

 
FT(HT: 0-2)
Barkley (29'), Arlauskis (35' og.), Oxlade-Chamberlain (62')

Match Analysis: Lithuania 0-3 England

:Headline: Match Analysis: Lithuania 0-3 England: ID:252110: from db_amp
Sports Mole reviews the action from Vilnius as England round off their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win in Lithuania to make it 10 in a row.

England finished their Euro 2016 qualification campaign with a 100% record after beating Lithuania 3-0 in Vilnius tonight for their 10th successive win in Group E.

Ross Barkley fired the Three Lions into the lead on 29 minutes, before an own goal from goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis saw them double the advantage prior to the break.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain added a slick third on 62 minutes as Roy Hodgson's side became the sixth team in history to win every single European Championship qualifier.

Here, Sports Mole analyses how England made it 10 on the bounce.

Match statistics

LITHUANIA
Shots: 8
On target: 2
Possession: 20%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 10

ENGLAND
Shots: 24
On target: 18
Possession: 80%
Corners: 7
Fouls: 6

Was the result fair?

Statistics do occasionally lie and provide an inaccurate account of a match. Not this time. Despite fielding an under-strength XI, England were head and shoulders above their Lithuanian counterparts in both halves. They initially struggled on the artificial surface, but even still they were in total command of the ball and the goals were always coming. The hosts had one or two moments, but nothing that would suggest they deserved anything other than the heavy defeat which they received.

Lithuania's performance

England were not the only team bereft of motivation tonight. Lithuania's elimination from Group E was confirmed by their 1-1 draw in Slovenia on Friday, and tonight, they resembled a team who could not wait for this campaign to finish. They did not care, nor did coach Igoris Pankratjevas, who set his team up defensively when so many of the home fans would have wanted to see them end the campaign with a flourish. That never looked like being the case.

Lukas Spalvis forced England stopper Jack Butland into a tidy save at 2-0 down but that was as close as they came to a goal all night. At the other end, the performance of keeper Arlauskis was a positive, even if he was beaten at his near post twice, but it would have been far worse if not for him. Overall Lithuania bowed out with a whimper and their fans would be within their rights to request a refund.

England's performance

With qualification secure, Hodgson, whose side were vying to become only the sixth team in history to win all 10 of their qualifiers, had the luxury of naming eight changes as a watered-down England took to the watered-down artificial pitch in Vilnius. The local fire brigade had soaked the field in an effort to soften the surface. Some also expected a dampened enthusiasm from the visitors, given that incentive was very much at a premium, and they did struggle early doors.

The Three Lions had an abundance of possession, but there was a distinct lack of urgency and cutting edge in the final third. Nobody seemed up for it, but Barkley, who was exceptional in the win over Estonia on Friday, opened the scoring when his deflected effort left Arlauskis with no chance. Harry Kane forced the own goal on 35 minutes as a slick one-two with Adam Lallana gave the Spurs man space, before his left-footed effort cannoned off the near post and ricocheted off Arlauskis.

At the other end, Butland, who was as much of a spectator as the 1,000 travelling fans, was finally forced into action as his finger-tip save kept out Spalvis before the break. Despite the goals, it was a first half lacking in chances, atmosphere and quality - and the second period did not prove much better. However, an otherwise poor Oxlade-Chamberlain finished it off with a thumping near-post finish on 62 minutes. England never reached top gear, but they never needed to.

Friendlies with Spain and France next month ensure that bigger tests lie ahead, but 10 successive qualification wins is hugely impressive - even if the quality of the opposition left something to be desired.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Jonjo Shelvey: Nobody stood out for England, but the Swansea City man deserves it as much as anybody. He replaced James Milner in the first XI and looked excellent at the base of the visitors' midfield. Shelvey was arguably the stand-out candidate on a night of few glittering individual displays from the English forwards.

Biggest gaffe

It has to be Watford goalkeeper Arlauskis; not for the fact that he scored an own goal, but for the simple reason that he was beaten at his near post by Kane in the shot which led to his own goal. He had some good moments, to his credit, but no keeper, irrespective of the standard, should be beaten at their near post.

Referee performance

Kenn Hansen had a quiet game, booking Jonjo Shelvey and Jamie Vardy for encroachment in separate incidents but for the same free kick. Other than that the Dane had very little to do.

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