Malta 0 England 4: Harry Kane, Ryan Bertrand and Danny Welbeck strike as Three Lions labour

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James Olley1 September 2017

England supporters defy perennial disappointment to follow their team far and wide but the steady stream of fans drifting out of the ground well before the end was the most poignant commentary on this 4-0 win over Malta.

Some were undoubtedly locals bolstering the travelling army. Some left early given the remote nature of the Ta’ Qali National Stadium in relation to the main towns on the island.

Others were presumably heading off in search of the nearest bar, keen to rescue a night out after witnessing another England performance which takes them closer to qualifying for next summer’s World Cup but further away from looking like seriously competing in it.

The biggest cheer, aside from Harry Kane’s 53rd minute goal, was for a second-half pitch invader who embraced Marcus Rashford and Kane, comfortably outsprinted a slow-to-rise steward before taking off his shirt, waving it around his head and then admitting defeat.

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“Sign him up,” chanted a section of those 3,500 fans still left inside the ground. It was more good-natured than some of the chanting which without ever turning hostile – it was far too balmy an evening to get that worked up – will leave Gareth Southgate under no illusions about the unconvincing and, frankly, turgid performance.

“We’re f***ing s***,” they sang as England laboured. A few chanted for Wayne Rooney. Some greeted Kane’s goal with a burst of irony: “We’ve had a shot.”

The good news is that England maintained their lead at the top of Group F and remain on course for Russia. A flurry of late goals – three in the final five minutes – gave this a one-sided feel England not reflected in the overall quality of England’s play.

Southgate was true to his word and recycled the captaincy once again. Kane had the armband for England’s last two outings in June against Scotland and France but despite the Tottenham striker starting once again here, Jordan Henderson was given the honour.

Since taking permanent charge, Southgate has chosen four captains – Gary Cahill and Joe Hart make up the quartet – with an aim of diluting the focus on one individual and encouraging an environment of collective responsibility.

The other missive tonight was injecting tempo in their play from the outset to see off limited opposition early on and England started brightly enough.

Kane slipped a pass through for Raheem Sterling in the opening moments of the game but goalkeeper Andrew Hogg – born in Kingston upon Thames but now plying his trade at club level with Maltese side Hibernians – rushed out smartly to snuff out the threat.

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Hogg then made a superb save from point blank range to deny Kane’s header as it appeared Malta would be overrun.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may have moved to Liverpool to play in central midfield but here he was deployed on the right of a 4-2-3-1 system but he showed signs of what Anfield can expect by making inroads down the right before pulling the ball back to Henderson on the edge of the box.

He helped the ball on to Dele Alli, who fired his shot over from 12 yards out under pressure. Phil Jones had a header ruled out for a foul on Hogg with 20 minutes played but by that stage England were already beginning to lose their way.

Sterling’s touch deserted him, passes were increasingly misplaced and the confidence drained from the visitors.

The away crowd let them know it with a string of frustrated invective which climaxed with loud boos at the half-time interval, unabated by a rare moment of quality just before as Kane’s crossfield pass found Oxlade-Chamberlain, who controlled instantly, worked the ball onto his left foot but could not beat Hogg from inside the box.

Southgate responded by introducing Rashford for Sterling at the break but Malta almost caused an almighty shock five minutes after the restart as captain Andre Schembri collected a driven pass, turned and fired a low shot which had Hart sprawling to his right but the ball veered narrowly off target. It would have been only Malta’s third goal in their seventh qualifier.

Instead, England took the lead. Alli twisted and turned in a central position just inside the box and as the Maltese defence retreated, space opened up for a pass through to Kane. And, given August is now over, Kane slotted coolly past Hogg to settle England’s jitters. At least, theoretically.

Samuel Magri almost installed fresh panic by flashing another shot near Hart’s goal before Kane forced Hogg to beat away a 25-yard effort. Tiring perhaps in the heat, England struggled to play with much purpose beyond retaining possession. Fans began to fold up their flags and head for the exits.

Bertrand scored his first England goal in 85th-minute – a powerful 25-yard drive – before substitute Danny Welbeck added a third with a well-taken finish. Kane struck a fourth but by that stage, England fans had already passed judgement.