Rooney helps perfect England pass Estonia test

• Wayne Rooney scores free-kick winner on 99th England appearance
• Estonia's Ragnar Klavan also appears for 99th time but is sent off
• Win maintains Three Lions' perfect record from three Group E games
• Hosts suffer second 1-0 loss in four days
• Next games: San Marino v Estonia, England v Slovenia (15 November)

A Wayne Rooney free-kick maintained England's perfect record in Group E after ten-man Estonia were eventually ground down by the Three Lions in Tallinn.

Expected to be on the back foot throughout, Estonia refused to play to expectations and did not waste time in getting on the attack, with both Sergei Zenjov and Henri Anier having chances in the first two minutes. The visitors soon took the control, however, and Rooney went close twice within a minute. The hosts were prepared and defended resolutely, setting themselves up to counter, which they did with regularity.

England retained the initiative throughout the first half but were given minimal space and failed to test Sergei Pareiko in the Estonian goal on more than a couple of occasions. Estonia's expertly marshalled defence suffered a huge blow three minutes after the restart as captain Ragnar Klavan brought down Fabian Delph to pick up a second yellow card. That allowed England even more scope to push on and the introduction of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling began to stretch Estonia.

The latter played a big hand in the goal, his neat feet on the edge of the area drawing a foul, and Rooney bent the resulting free-kick over the wall and into the corner. Goalkeeper Pareiko got a hand to the dipping effort but failed to prevent it crossing the line, as England made it a maximum of nine points from three games to take control of the section.