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Rooney: England must up game for Swiss clash

AFP
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Rooney: England must up game for Swiss clash
Rooney takes the penalty against Norway in Wednesday's game. Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP

England captain Wayne Rooney admits his team will have to improve on their lacklustre performance against Norway if they are to avoid a dispiriting start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign in Switzerland next week.

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Rooney marked his first game as England's permanent captain with the winning goal as he drove home an 68th minute penalty to seal a 1-0 victory over Norway in Wednesday's friendly.
   
But that was virtually the Manchester United striker's only memorable contribution to a desultory England display in front of a sullen crowd at half-empty Wembley for the team's return to action after their miserable World Cup campaign.
   
Given the chance to chase away the World Cup blues, Roy Hodgson's side instead registered only two shots on target against a distinctly average Norway team, with Rooney often guilty of trying too hard to make something out of nothing.
   
It was an unconvincing dress rehearsal for the Switzerland test and Rooney conceded England will need significant improvements in all departments to avoid a defeat against their only serious Group E rivals in Basel next week.
   
"Yeah, we have to (step it up). We know Switzerland are a good team," Rooney said.
   
"We know we have to be better than we were tonight to get a good result against a good team like Switzerland.
   
"We have four days to prepare. We will work hard to prepare and we'll be ready. Hopefully we can come back with a victory."

Switzerland and England meet in Basel on Monday September 8th at 8.45pm local time.

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