European Qualifiers: Wayne Rooney free-kick helps England edge Estonia 1-0 in Tallinn

England needed a late Wayne Rooney free-kick to secure a 1-0 victory over the 10 men of Estonia in Euro 2016 qualifying Group E.

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On a frustrating night in Tallinn, the visiting captain endured some moments to forget in front of goal aside from the 73rd minute, when his set-piece bagged Roy Hodgson's side the points and maintained the perfect start to the campaign.

Slovenia's 2-0 victory in Lithuania later in the evening resulted in a three-point cushion for England at the top of Group E.

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It was Estonia who crafted the game's first opening - Sergey Zenyov finding himself in a worrying amount of space in the very first minute before dragging wastefully into the side-netting from 12 yards.

England gradually asserted themselves in possession and Rooney passed up two opportunities in the space of two minutes - first volleying over from a sweetly-lofted Jack Wilshere pass and then failing to connect with an inviting Leighton Baines delivery when well placed.

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Zenyov was the victim of an ugly follow-through by Cahill in the 18th minute but England were soon back in possession and creating chances - Fabian Delph lashing over from the edge of the area and Danny Welbeck's cross-shot forcing Sergey Pareiko to tip the ball agonisingly out of Adam Lallana's reach.

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Rooney headed a Delph cross wide of the mark before the break but the visitors were handed fresh impetus after it when home captain Ragnar Klavan, booked for a crude barge on Welbeck in the first period, hauled down Delph in full flight and was duly dismissed for a second yellow card.

England failed to seize the initiative as Estonia withdrew further into their own half and defended their goal manfully - prompting Hodgson to throw on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling either side of the hour-mark.

It was the former who should have opened the scoring in the 69th minute when he rose all alone six yards out to meet a pacy cross from Calum Chambers, mis-timing his jump and seeing the ball spin off his back to safety.

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Relief arrived in the 73th minute when Sterling was fouled right on the edge of the home box and Rooney, who had launched an earlier set-piece horribly high and wide, whipped the ball home at the near post via the bundling dive of Pareiko.

England showed little inclination to commit men forward in search of a second - instead opting to keep possession, although Rooney should have done better than fire a masterful injury-time pass from Wilshere straight at Pareiko when clean through.