Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill took the armband during England’s 1-0 friendly loss in Germany on Wednesday but was suspended as recalled striker Jermain Defoe and substitute Jamie Vardy got the goals to strengthen the Three Lions’ position at the top of Group F on Sunday.
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When Bradley was first invited, Mrs Lowery had warned her son that Defoe would not be in the England squad, so he would have to walk on to the pitch with another player.
The 30-year-old Vardy scored with his first touch, carrying his resurgent form for Leicester into worldwide duty.
Gareth Southgate’s side are top of UEFA Group F as they hope to qualify with the minimum fuss for the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation.
Defoe said: “I enjoyed it”. His goal game from just his fourth touch of the match. I can not say any bad words about them.
“I just want to keep trying to perform to the best level”.
Defoe returned to the England team for the first time since November 2013 as Southgate made four changes for his side’s World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley.
Defoe has scored 14 Premier League goals this season for relegation-threatened Sunderland, leading to his call-up in the absence of Rooney, Kane and Sturridge. England didn’t need young legs to press for the ball against Lithuania.
Vardy could have added a third when the Liverpool player sent him on one of the foot races he likes, through on the goalkeeper whose attentions were enough to see him clip the ball over the bar.
Defoe’s 20th global goal arrived in the 22nd minute as he directed a side-foot shot past Ernestas Setkus following a burst down the left by Raheem Sterling. “We know we play against top, top players, representing the best league in the world”, Jankauskas said. Just like England vs. Germany.
Valskis, despite being stood at least three yards offside when reacting to a towering header from Linas Limavicius, was allowed to play on and beat Hart to the bouncing ball only for Stones to avert the danger by clearing inside the six-yard box.
The game had been back under way less than two minutes when Bertrand whipped a cross in from the left, finding Sterling at the far post.
Short of an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain curler that Setkus parried, England were offering little in attack and in the 59th minute Southgate turned to his bench, sending on Vardy and Rashford.
Jamie Vardy, a second-half substitute, added England’s second goal against Lithuania with Southgate also praising Raheem Sterling’s impact over nearly an hour on the pitch.
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The Leicester City striker and Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford provided the lively cameos requested by boss Gareth Southgate as Lithuania flagged during the closing stages.
