International Friendlies
EnglandEngland1NorwayNorway0

England 1-0 Norway

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at Wembley
Wayne Rooney scores from the penalty spot for England
Rooney scores from the penalty spot for England
  • Rooney becomes England's fourth-highest goalscorer
  • Lowest attendance at the new Wembley for England game
  • England give debuts to Chambers and Delph

Wayne Rooney celebrated his appointment as England captain with the winner against Norway on a night when fans turned their back on the team following their dismal World Cup exit.

Only 40,181 turned out at Wembley for England's first game since they were eliminated after two group-stage defeats by Italy and Uruguay in Brazil.

Rooney's penalty at least enabled manager Roy Hodgson to enjoy the taste of victory after a winless summer in South America - but the lowest turn-out for an England international at the new Wembley underlined the extent to which England have lost the public's imagination.

Norway are hardly the most glamorous of opponents, but on a balmy night such a meagre attendance is a reflection on the apathy that currently surrounds the England team after the World Cup.

This game was designed as preparation for Monday's testing Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in Basel and it was an uninspiring affair played out in front of vast swathes of empty seats, with Wembley's top tier deserted and the one below hardly populated.

Former England defender Phil Neville on BBC Radio 5 live
"Forget the result. You have to learn things about your team from friendlies like this and the first system England used (4-4-2) was a bit slow.
"When they changed it to three in midfield it was more exciting and that's the system I'd like to see on Monday."

If there were positives to take from England's display it was the vibrant performance from Liverpool's young attacker Raheem Sterling and Rooney's goal, which was his 41st for his country, taking him to fourth in the all-time listings and only eight behind record-holder Sir Bobby Charlton.

Sterling won the 68th-minute penalty that proved decisive when he was fouled by Omar Elabdellaoui, allowing Rooney to comprehensively beat Norway keeper Orjan Haskold Nyland.

Liverpool team-mates Sterling and Daniel Sturridge were lively in partnership in the first half but Norway were given some encouragement when they put England under pressure after the break, keeper Joe Hart saving brilliantly from Joshua King, who also almost took advantage of a slip by Gary Cahill.

England striker Wayne Rooney

Cahill provided a late worry for Hodgson when he limped off after a knock and had his ankle encased in ice.

Hodgson tried Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson as his new central midfield partnership, with former captain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard now retired and Everton's Ross Barkley injured.

Both were busy but in such an atmosphere, more akin to a testimonial than an England international, it seemed the players had trouble raising their own game.

A new low for England
The lowest attendance for an England match at Wembley since 2007, before the game against Norway, was the friendly against Sweden in November 2011, when 48,876 turned up

Hodgson will have been satisfied by a solid performance at right-back from Everton's John Stones while Arsenal new boy Danny Welbeck, signed from Manchester United in a £16m deadline day deal, looked lively as a substitute.

There were also England debuts for Arsenal's summer signing Calum Chambers and Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph.

Switzerland will provide a much sterner test, as they proved with their own performances in Brazil, and Hodgson will at least hope England's confidence has been bolstered by the victory, if not the performance in an almost surreal Wembley atmosphere.

Wembley Stadium
Wembley was less than half full for England first match since their disappointing World Cup
England striker Wayne Rooney (left)
New England captain Wayne Rooney did not have a shot on goal in the first half
England squad members get a team-talk from England coach Roy Hodgson
England coach Roy Hodgson (right) gives his players a team-talk during a frustrating first half for his team
Wayne Rooney scores from the spot
Rooney moved to fourth on the all-time England goalscorers list with his penalty
Danny Welbeck
New Arsenal signing Danny Welbeck impressed when he came on and went close with a late effort

Line-ups

England

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Hart
  • 2StonesSubstituted forChambersat 81'minutes
  • 5CahillSubstituted forJagielkaat 84'minutes
  • 6Jones
  • 3Baines
  • 8Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forDelphat 69'minutes
  • 4Henderson
  • 7WilshereSubstituted forMilnerat 69'minutes
  • 11Sterling
  • 9SturridgeSubstituted forLambertat 89'minutes
  • 10RooneySubstituted forWelbeckat 70'minutes

Substitutes

  • 12Rose
  • 13Forster
  • 14Jagielka
  • 15Chambers
  • 16Milner
  • 17Delph
  • 18Townsend
  • 19Welbeck
  • 20Lambert

Norway

Formation 4-3-3

  • 12Nyland
  • 16Elabdellaoui
  • 8Nordtveit
  • 23Forren
  • 17LinnesSubstituted forFloat 36'minutes
  • 15SkjelbredSubstituted forElyounoussiat 69'minutes
  • 6Johansen
  • 19JenssenSubstituted forPedersenat 87'minutes
  • 20Möller DaehliSubstituted forKonradsenat 57'minutes
  • 7KingSubstituted forNielsenat 76'minutes
  • 10ElyounoussiSubstituted forKamaraat 78'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Jarstein
  • 3Semb Berge
  • 4Hagen
  • 5Flo
  • 9Samuelsen
  • 11Pedersen
  • 14Konradsen
  • 18Nielsen
  • 21Tettey
  • 22Hansen
  • 24Elyounoussi
  • 25Kamara
Referee:
Manuel Jorge Sousa
Attendance:
40,181

Match Stats

Home TeamEnglandAway TeamNorway
Possession
Home63%
Away37%
Shots
Home14
Away2
Shots on Target
Home2
Away2
Corners
Home7
Away3
Fouls
Home13
Away15

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, England 1, Norway 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, England 1, Norway 0.

  3. Post update

    Offside, Norway. Vegard Forren tries a through ball, but Ola Kamara is caught offside.

  4. Post update

    Corner, England. Conceded by Omar Elabdellaoui.

  5. Post update

    Danny Welbeck (England) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Stefan Johansen (Norway).

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, England. Rickie Lambert replaces Daniel Sturridge.

  8. Post update

    Corner, England. Conceded by Stefan Johansen.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. James Milner (England) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.

  10. Post update

    Corner, Norway. Conceded by Danny Welbeck.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Norway. Morten Gamst Pedersen replaces Ruben Jenssen.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Danny Welbeck (England).

  13. Post update

    Per Egil Flo (Norway) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, England. Phil Jagielka replaces Gary Cahill.

  15. Post update

    Phil Jones (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Ola Kamara (Norway).

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, England. Calum Chambers replaces John Stones.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Norway. Ola Kamara replaces Tarik Elyounoussi.

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jordan Henderson (England) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Phil Jones (England) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by James Milner with a cross following a corner.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Wednesday 3rd September 2014