Ashley Young scored an early goal as England beat Norway 1-0 in Roy Hodgson's first game in charge of the national side in Oslo.
Young earned England their first win over the Norwegians since 1980 with a clinical finish after only nine minutes.
But it was worrying to see half-time substitute Gareth Barry last
only 26 minutes before making way for stand-by player Jordan Henderson.
Barry had been part of the 2010 World Cup squad when not fully fit and failed to show his best form.
The line-up selected by Hodgson is likely to bear little resemblance
to the side which will face France in the Euro 2012 opener in 17 days
time.
Only Andy Carroll, skipper Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker and Ashley
Young are near certainties to play in Donetsk, and the entire back five
will probably change.
But there were still encouraging signs for Hodgson, who maintained
the record of no England manager having been beaten in their opening
game since Alf Ramsey in 1963.
Young looked sharp and confident in the second striker role and showed encouraging signs in tandem with Carroll.
Parker looked to be suffering no ill-effects from his Achilles
problem and dictated and bossed the midfield in his 55 minutes of
action.
Centre-back Joleon Lescott also staked his claim to have a major
role in Hodgson's plans in Poland and Ukraine with a commanding
performance.
Carroll made his first England start for 14 months in a line-up
which showed seven changes from the side which started against Holland
at Wembley in February.
Gerrard skippered the side for the 16th time - but the first as official England captain.
Carroll threatened the first moment of danger when he got on the end
of a left-wing cross from Stewart Downing but headed wide under
pressure from Brede Hangeland.
After nine minutes the sharp-looking Young broke the deadlock.
Carroll played the ball to the Manchester United winger, who turned
past Hangeland before firing a low shot past Rune Almenning Jarstein
into the far corner of the net.
Norway retaliated and Robert Green reacted well to parry aside a
rising shot from Markus Henriksen which deflected off Leighton Baines.
But the West Ham keeper was relieved when the resulting inswinging
corner from Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen struck the near
post.
England looked the more dangerous and Norway were again stretched
when James Milner broke down the right and, after cutting inside, he
forced Jarstein to save at his near post.
Gerrard was spoken to by German referee Michael Weiner shortly
before half-time after showing his studs in a challenge on Tom Hogli,
who tried to resume after treatment but was substituted and replaced by
Espen Ruud.
The Liverpool player was booed by Norway fans for the remainder of
the half and did not start the second half - as indicated by Hodgson on
Friday. Barry came on and took over the armband - until his early exit.
Young was quickly back into his stride after the break and earned a
free-kick on the edge of the box after being fouled by Vadim Demidov.
Baines' free-kick flew right through the defensive wall and forced a fine low save by Jarstein away to his left.
Riise continued to look Norway's most dangerous player and he
skipped past substitute Theo Walcott before forcing Green to parry out
a near post drive.
Ruud made good contact on a 20-yard volley but it flew straight at Green.
Hodgson gave debuts to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martin Kelly in
the closing stages - as replacements for Young and Phil Jones
respectively - as England held on with relative ease for the victory in
warm conditions.
football365.com
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