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England national football team
European Championship | Qualifiers
Mar 27, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Lithuania national football team

4-0

Rooney (7'), Welbeck (45'), Sterling (58'), Kane (73')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Preview: England vs. Lithuania

Sports Mole runs the rule over Friday night's Group E Euro 2016 qualifier as England look to extend their 100% record with victory over Lithuania.

Group E runaway leaders England can make it five wins out of five in Euro 2016 qualifying if they see off Lithuania at Wembley on Friday evening.

Roy Hodgson's side have a six-point lead at the top of their group - no other side in qualifying has a margin as big - following victories over Switzerland, San Marino, Estonia and Slovenia last year.

They are one of only four teams still boasting a 100% record in qualifying, along with Slovakia, Israel and the Czech Republic, and now host Lithuania in a first senior meeting between the two sides.

After naming his initial squad for Friday's visit of Lithuania and the trip to Turin to face Italy on Tuesday, Hodgson has lost Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Fraser Forster and Daniel Sturridge to injury.

Sturridge's withdrawal increases the chance of in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane making his senior debut in the starting lineup, while Lallana's absence could see Michael Carrick start in midfield.

If Kane is to start, Hodgson might have to drop Danny Welbeck, even though the Arsenal man is the top-scorer in qualifying with five goals in four games.

Raheem Sterling is nursing a slight knock, but should start in two days' time before being given a rest for the friendly against Italy on Tuesday.

Fabian Delph has been struggling slightly with an illness and might have to take a place on the bench if James Milner is preferred in midfield.

Lithuania, meanwhile, are one of three teams on six points behind England.

After winning their first two qualifiers without conceding, Igoris Pankratjevas's side have lost their last two without scoring against Slovenia and Switzerland.

They did, however, hold Ukraine to a goalless draw in their last friendly match in Kiev.

England:

Form in Euro 2016 qualifying: WWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Hart; Clyne, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Henderson, Carrick, Milner; Sterling; Rooney, Kane

Lithuania:

Form in Euro 2016 qualifying: WWLL
Form in all competitions: DWWLLD

Possible starting lineup: Arlauskis, Vicius, Freidgeimas, Kijanskas, Zulpa, Vaitkunas, Matulevicius, Panka, Chvedukas, Cernych, Andriuskeviciu

Sports Mole says: 3-0


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England manager Roy Hodgson (L) talks to midfielder Raheem Sterling at the A.Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia on October 11, 2014
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Germany Germany00000
2 Hungary Hungary00000
3 Scotland flag Scotland00000
4 Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Albania national flag Albania00000
2 Croatia Croatia00000
3 Italy Italy00000
4 Spain Spain00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Denmark Denmark00000
2 England flag England00000
3 Serbia Serbia00000
4 Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Austria Austria00000
2 France France00000
3 Netherlands Netherlands00000
4 Poland Poland00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Belgium Belgium00000
2 Romania Romania00000
3 Slovakia Slovakia00000
4 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Portugal Portugal00000
4 Turkey Turkey00000


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