England 2 Slovakia 1

Having seen off Slovakia, Gareth Southgate’s side need just two points from next month’s matches against Slovenia and Lithuania to confirm top spot in Group F. Trailing to a third-minute goal from Stanislav Lobotka that owed much to a defensive error from Marcus Rashford, England turned things around when the Manchester United striker followed up Eric Dier’s equaliser with a superb second-half finish.

Rashford deserves credit for not allowing his early mishap to unsettle him, just as his team-mates should be praised for digging themselves out of a hole when for the best part of half-an-hour they looked incapable of completing a ten-yard pass. Facing by far the biggest test of this qualifying campaign, Southgate’s side did not crumble.

Even so, though, this was hardly a display that will have had the world’s leading sides quaking. Slovakia, ranked 22 in the world, are not Malta, but nor are they a France, Brazil or Germany. Shaky at the back and ragged in the attacking third, England rarely looked comfortable. They got the job done, but never looked like a side capable of controlling a key knock-out game in Russia.

Dele Alli sparked sporadically, and Rashford’s pace and enthusiasm more than justified his inclusion ahead of Raheem Sterling, whose international days are surely numbered despite his late introduction from the bench. But for every positive piece of play, there was the sight of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain passing to no one or Gary Cahill falling flat on his back. Perhaps that is simply the reality of where England currently find themselves.

At least Southgate avoided his own ‘Steve McClaren’ moment, with last night’s game coming almost ten years after England’s last competitive defeat at Wembley against Croatia. Three minutes in, and all that was missing was the rain.

Rashford was making his third England start, and while the 19-year-old’s night would eventually take a turn for the better, he was badly at fault as Slovakia broke the deadlock.

Dawdling on the ball in his own half, Rashford was dispossessed by Lobotka. He could have raced back after the Slovakian midfielder, but instead stood motionless as Lobotka played a neat one-two with Adam Nemec, advanced into the area, and lofted a deft finish past an advancing Joe Hart, who also might have done better.

England’s defence had been sliced open by the first Slovakian attack. So much for Southgate having solved a problem that has plagued so many of his predecessors.

It was a night when many of England’s age-old failings reappeared. Possession was squandered cheaply, with Oxlade-Chamberlain repeatedly culpable, as exemplified by a moment midway through the first half when the Arsenal midfielder squandered a three-on-two opportunity by shooting wastefully over from distance.

England lost their shape repeatedly, and whereas Slovakia counter-attacked fluently, there was a raggedness to much of what England were trying to do in the final third. As had been the case in last summer’s ill-fated knock-out game with Iceland, composure was conspicuously lacking for long spells.

Nevertheless, with Slovakia content to sit back in an attempt to defend their lead, England gradually built up a head of steam as half-time approached.

Harry Kane dribbled towards the box despite the attention of two Slovakian defenders, but his shot deflected wide. Alli controlled Rashford’s right-wing cross in the area, but his shot also deflected off an opposition boot. Alli fed Rashford, but the youngster scuffed a poor strike wide.

It was pretty chaotic stuff, but with Alli pulling the strings, at least England were starting to make an impact in the final third. Still, though, they needed an inspired set-piece to restore parity eight minutes before the break.

Rashford had watched a succession of first-half corners fail to find their target, but when he spotted Dier ghosting past his marker at the front post, he successfully floated the ball into the Spurs midfielder’s path.

There was still plenty for Dier to do at that stage, but he caressed a deft first-time finish past Martin Dubravka’s left hand. It was Dier’s third England goal, and for all that he once scored the winner in a friendly in Germany, surely the most important.

It sparked England’s most fluent spell of the game, and Dubravka had to produce two fine saves to prevent the hosts claiming the lead before the break. The Sparta Prague goalkeeper tipped Ryan Bertrand’s shot around the post, and then produced an even better save to keep out Rashford’s long-range daisy-cutter.

England’s players deserve credit for the way in which they hauled themselves back into the game late in the first half, but for every positive point, there was a negative to accompany it. Gary Cahill’s error on the stroke of half-time would have been disastrous had Kyle Walker not slid in to prevent Vladimir Weiss from shooting. Even then, though, a less lenient referee might have penalised the Spurs defender, who appeared to catch Weiss’ standing leg. A strict one might even have issued a straight red card.

It was a let-off for England, who started the second half as if they intended to capitalise on it. Alli and Rashford produced some neat combination play on the edge of the box, but the latter shot straight at Dubravka after a dribble past two defenders and Oxlade-Chamberlain also found the goalkeeper’s midriff after Alli’s slide-rule pass released him into the area.

Dubravka made his best save of the night shortly before the hour mark, parrying Kane’s low shot, and deserved his fortune when Alli was unable to control the rebound.

Slovakia’s defenders spent most of the second half camped on their own 18-yard box, but the visitors continued to produce some slick interplay at the opposite end of the field, and Hart came to England’s rescue when he parried Nemec’s shot after the striker had peeled off to meet Marek Hamsik’s cross.

It was a crucial save, as within three minutes of Hart making it, England claimed the lead as Rashford’s night turned full circle.

This time it was the teenager profiting from a sloppy loss of possession as Slovakia ceded the ball to Alli in their own half. Alli fed Henderson, he played the ball into Rashford, and without breaking stride, the Manchester United forward arrowed a low 25-yard finish into the bottom corner.