London--Wayne Rooney and debutant Harry Kane scored as England sank Lithuania 4-0 at Wembley on Friday to claim a fifth consecutive win in qualifying for the 2016 European Championship.
Rooney's early header took him to 47 England goals -- two shy of Bobby Charlton's record -- and Tottenham Hotspur breakthrough star Kane netted with his second touch after coming on as a substitute to mark his first international appearance with a goal.
Raheem Sterling also claimed his first goal in an England shirt, while Danny Welbeck capped a man-of-the-match performance with his sixth strike of the qualifying campaign.
The victory preserved England's six-point lead at the top of Group E and means Roy Hodgson's side will travel to Italy for next week's friendly with a place at next year's tournament in France already in sight.
There had been conjecture prior to kick-off as to whether Kane would start the game, but Hodgson's decision to keep faith with Welbeck quickly bore fruit in the first ever meeting between the teams.
Adopting a roving role on one side of Rooney, with Sterling his counterpart on the other side, the Arsenal man immediately forced Igoris Pankratjevas's men back with his directness and sinewy running.
Rooney squandered a chance to open the deadlock in the fourth minute, steering the ball against the post from Fabian Delph's flick, but he did not require a second invitation.
Two minutes later, Welbeck nutmegged Tadas Kijanskas before forcing Giedrius Arlauskis to save and Rooney followed in to head home his 47th international goal.
AFP
