Football: Ruthless England smash eight past San Marino
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SERRAVALLE, San Marino (AFP) - England strolled to an embarrassingly one-sided 8-0 win at minnows San Marino on Friday in an ideal warm-up for Tuesday's key World Cup qualifier away to Montenegro.
After an own goal by Alessandro Della Valle gave them the lead, England rammed home their advantage and scored through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jermain Defoe, Ashley Young and Frank Lampard to take a 5-0 lead into half-time.
Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge deepened the hosts' woe early in the second half, before Defoe claimed his second goal to complete England's biggest win since an 8-0 thrashing of Turkey in 1987.
England manager Roy Hodgson could hardly have asked for a more straightforward evening, but a far sterner test awaits in Podgorica on Tuesday, when defeat would leave his side five points adrift in Group H.
