Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was in Roy Hodgson's starting line-up for England's win over Belgium at Wembley

International Friendly
ENGLAND 1, BELGIUM 0
By JOHN EVANS at Wembley

JUST nine days ahead of his side's Euro 2012 opener against France, new England manager Roy Hodgson's first Wembley game in charge handed him a solid but unspectacular 1-0 victory against Belgium – but one with much-needed information.

The only goal came in the 37th minute from Manchester United's Danny Welbeck who neatly chipped goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after being put clear on the left by Ashley Young.

Hodgson praised Welbeck's finish as the "obvious highlight", adding: "It was a good piece of work from the two front players – they worked very well together to pressurise the Belgian defence."

Hodgson also praised the efforts of Arsenal's young star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"He did quite well,” Hodgson said. “Today was slightly different. He started the game, he played almost 60 minutes. Again, we'll have to keep working on him in terms of his position out there when we have the ball.

"To be fair to him he's played quite a lot of his football in the centre of midfield anyway, so playing wide for us is something a little different for him.

"My ideas about a starting 11 get a bit clearer every day. The game against Norway last week and this game today, that's cleared up quite a few things in my mind and I think I'm a lot closer now to knowing how I'd like to start the game. But you'll understand I'm not going to talk about that even though I realise that trying to keep a team secret these days is a complete waste of time!

"Belgium are a good team and they gave us exactly the sort of test I thought they would."

On his players' general performance, he added: "I'm not prepared at this moment in time to be too critical because I am more than satisfied with what the players are trying to give the team and the country, and I admire the fact that they have shown such an awful lot of determination and concentration, which I think was encapsulated in a lot of the things Steven Gerrard did."

Gerrard, Hodgson's captain was, indeed, named man of the match and Hodgson said he thought that Spurs' Scott Parker and Gerrard could work well together.

Of Parker's immediate prospects, and in light of the injury crisis which has already robbed Hodgson of players of the quality of Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, and Jack Wilshere, he said: "Scott needs games, Scott needs training. If you say do I think he's at his sharpest, he obviously isn't. That sharpness has got to come.

"It would be nice if the competition was starting not Monday week, but perhaps two or three weeks on Monday. That would have been much better for us with one or two of our players – but it's not."

As Hodgson was speaking, defender Gary Cahill was undergoing a scan on his jaw following an ugly collision with Joe Hart, brought about by a push from Dries Mertens in the 17th minute. Hodgson said: "The referee gave him a yellow card – but unfortunately for us the consequences might be a lot worse than a yellow card."

The Belgians had a good first 30 minutes. They, too, had their selection worries before kick-off, as captain Vincent Kompany failed to make the start and was replaced by Timmy Simons. Thomas Vermaelen took over the captaincy.

England's goal obviously knocked the visitors back and the second half was closely fought but with few good chances. England's two lines of four kept the Belgian efforts largely from the edge of the box.

After the flurry of substitutions the game really opened up late on. Until that time neither goalkeeper had been too troubled and, apart from the goal, Joe Hart was, if anything, the busier. On 78 minutes, the England keeper was beaten by a long-range shot from Guillaume Gillet which just shaved the outside of his right-hand post.

Within four minutes, at the other end, Jermain Defoe also found the woodwork with his shot across goal from the right.

Belgium also could have scored and Everton's Marouane Fellaini, who had been difficult to contain all evening, had a good chance well saved on 93 minutes.

The Belgian manager Marc Wilmots said he was pleased with his team's effort and thought they deserved a draw, despite "gifting" England the only goal.

England: Hart, G Johnson, Cahill (Lescott 19), Terry (Jagielka 70), A Cole, Milner, Gerrard (Henderson 83), Parker, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Walcott 66), Welbeck (Rooney 53), Young (Defoe 66).

Goal: Danny Welbeck 37

Attendance 85,091

Referee: Peter Rasmussen (Denmark)