England earn 2-0 win over Malta in Football World Cup qualifiers

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LONDON: First-half goals by Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli earned England a laboured 2-0 win over minnows Malta on Sunday in interim manager Gareth Southgate s first game in charge.
Southgate has stepped into the breach following the departure of Sam Allardyce, who was brought down by a newspaper sting, and saw his side secure a successive World Cup qualifying victory.
Sturridge and Alli struck within nine minutes of each other at a nearly full but subdued Wembley, but England were unable to swell their lead despite monopolising possession and they were jeered late on as they ran out of ideas.
“I thought first half we played well. We could and should have scored more goals,” Southgate said.
“Their goalkeeper made some good saves and subconsciously I think some of our players looked after themselves physically in the second half.
“We missed a couple of good chances, but given where we were 10 days ago, I am pleased with the result.”
Southgate, who handed a debut to Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard, also lost left-back Ryan Bertrand to injury.
It increases the likelihood the former England Under-21s coach will call up reinforcements ahead of Tuesday s next Group F match in Slovenia.
Southgate will also preside over November s qualifier against Scotland and friendly with Spain before the Football Association decides who will succeed Allardyce on a full-time basis.
Malta s goalkeeper, Andrew Hogg, hails from London and it was no surprise he was a central figure on his return to the city of his birth.
He was called into action for the first time in the eighth minute, plunging to his right to palm away a curling effort from Wayne Rooney.
Rooney, deployed in central midfield, was upstaged by his midfield partner Jordan Henderson, whose enterprising running and incisive passing kept Malta on the back foot in the first half.
His lofted pass freed Lingard, whose mishit half-volley flashed over, and he teed up Alli for a header that was parried by Hogg, with Sturridge wastefully blazing the rebound over.