Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier: Czech Republic v Northern Ireland

Summary

Northern Ireland begin qualifying with dull draw
England win 1-0 in Slovakia
Lallana scores deep into injury time
Allardyce's first game as England boss

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance

Rooney moves into secondpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 4 September 2016
Slovakia v England (17:00 BST)
Image source, PA
Captain Wayne Rooney will become the outright leader for appearances made by an outfield player today (currently tied with David Beckham on 115).
He will be just nine caps behind Peter Shilton's record of 125. A formality.
Today's actionpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 4 September 2016
Nine World Cup qualifiers split across two kick-off times. Who says the international break is dull?
San Marino v Azerbaijan - 17:00 BST
Denmark v Armenia - 17:00 BST
Kazakhstan v Poland - 17:00 BST
Lithuania v Slovenia - 17:00 BST
Slovakia v England - 17:00 BST
Czech Republic v Northern Ireland - 19:45 BST
Norway v Germany - 19:45 BST
Romania v Montenegro - 19:45 BST
Malta v Scotland - 19:45 BST
Team newspublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 4 September 2016
Breaking
Slovakia v England (17:00 BST)
The England team is as expected. Wayne Rooney wins his 116th cap, Jordan Henderson starts in midfield.
England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Stones, Rose; Dier, Henderson; Lallana, Rooney, Sterling; Kane
The impossible job?published at 15:37 British Summer Time 4 September 2016
Slovakia v England (17:00 BST)
Image source, Reuters
There was a time when Sam Allardyce's claims that he should be managing Real Madrid, Barcelona or England were laughed at by most of the footballing world.
But this afternoon it becomes a reality. He inherits an England side embarrassed by Iceland during the summer but still fancied - expected - to win every qualifier before the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
A new dawn...published at 15:30
Slovakia v England (17:00 BST)
“I should have got [the England job in 2006] and I’m a better manager now than I was then."
Image source, Getty Images
"All this tippy-tappy stuff – everybody keeps on going about the right way to play football – is all a load of b******s sometimes."
Image source, Getty Images
"Getting the ball into the opposition box as quickly as you can with quality is definitely sometimes the best way forward."
Image source, Getty Images
“We have a sorry history of marginalising flair players. It’s been going on for decades. Alan Hudson, Rodney Marsh, Worthy (Frank Worthington), Stan Bowles, Matt Le Tissier, to name a few – not one of them made it to double figures in England appearances. That’s a scandal."
Just a few choice words from the new England manager, all before he was finally - eventually - given the top job.
Big Sam has got the Big Job and he could do with a Big Performance to go with it.
Can his opening night go without a hitch?