Jermain Defoe justified his recall from the international wilderness by scoring the first goal as England ground out a laboured 2-0 win over Lithuania to stay on course for the World Cup finals at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Substitute Jamie Vardy was also on target for Gareth Southgate's side in a one-sided, dreary victory that kept England top of qualifying Group F with 13 points from five games. It took Defoe, back in an England shirt for the first time since November 2013, to inject some spark. The lively Defoe flashed another snap-shot just wide but England toiled away bluntly against Lithuania's yellow wall. Lithuania had a half-chance after the break when Vykintas Slivka's deflected shot was comfortably gathered by captain Hart.

Source: dna March 27, 2017 06:09 UTC