England duly beat San Marino 5-0 to maintain their perfect start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign but laboured for long periods against the joint-worst team in the world at a half-full Wembley on Thursday.
England went ahead when Phil Jagielka headed home a corner after 24 minutes, doubled their lead when Wayne Rooney scored his 42nd England goal from a 43rd-minute penalty and added a third in the 49th minute when Danny Welbeck smashed home a cross from his Arsenal team mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Andros Townsend, who replaced Welbeck on 66 minutes made it 4-0 six minutes after coming on, scoring with a fierce shot that bounced in between goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini and his near post.
The fifth was an own goal from Alessandro Della Valle who deflected a cross shot from Rooney into his own net after 77 minutes.
While the result was convincing, it did not reflect how poor England were in the first half or how they were frustrated for much of the match by a blanket San Marino defence and by Simoncini, who made one superb save from Welbeck in the 42nd minute and several other good stops in the second half.
San Marino spent most of the match in their own half and despite England having to work hard for the win, there was never any doubt the visitors were heading for their 66th successive defeat in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers.
England, who beat Switzerland 2-0 in their opening qualifier last month, now have six points in Group E and play in Estonia on Sunday.
There was a major shock elsewhere as holders Spain crashed to a shock defeat after substitute Miroslav Stoch nodded a late goal to earn Slovakia a 2-1 victory in Group C.
A powerful, swerving free kick from Juraj Kucka in the 17th minute that deceived goalkeeper Iker Casillas put the hosts ahead and Spain struggled to find a way past inspired home goalkeeper Matus Kozacik despite dominating possession.
Substitute Paco Alcacer levelled eight minutes from time but any hopes the visitors had of snatching a winner were shattered when Stoch headed past Casillas in the 87th.
Slovakia, who won 1-0 in Ukraine in their opening qualifier last month, top the group on a maximum six points and Spain have three after they began their campaign with a 5-1 win at home to Macedonia.
In Stockholm, Ola Toivonen’s second-half goal crowned a gutsy fight back to give Sweden a 1-1 draw with Russia in their Group G qualifier at the Friends Arena.
Russia took the lead in the 10th minute when Alexsandr Kokorin surged through the middle before cutting back onto his right foot and rolling the ball tantalisingly through the legs of a defender and past the despairing dive of Andreas Isaksson.
Sweden wasted the perfect opportunity to equalise three minutes later when Jimmy Durmazwas upended in the box by Igor Smolnikov, but keeper Igor Akinfeev threw himself to his right to push away Sebastian Larsson’s well-struck penalty.
In for the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Toivonen pulled Sweden level in the 49th minute, turning home Durmaz’s low cross before being replaced by Johan Elmander eight minutes later after injuring a hamstring.
Euro 2016 Qualifying results:
England 5-0 San Marino
Lithuania 1-0 Estonia
Slovenia 1-0 Switzerland
Belarus 0-2 Ukraine
Macedonia 3-2 Luxembourg
Slovakia 2-1 Spain
Liechtenstein 0-0 Montenegro
Moldova 1-2 Austria
Sweden 1-1 Russia
