International Friendly – England 2-1 Brazil:
Team Manager Hodgson reacts:
“It’s my first crack at Brazil as a manager and I’m delighted to have been able to oversee a victory.
“It was an all-round performance from the team, there were some very very good moments and I thought we were good value for two goals to one.”
Arsenal pair Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott, who both played a key role in Rooney’s opener, earned special praise from their boss.
Hodgson admits he has tried to shield man-of-the-match Wilshere from any pre-match hype but if he can continue with that sort form, there’s little he can do.
He added: “If he can keep up that level of performance he will soon justify all the expectations and hopes because he was very, very good.
“As was Theo Walcott, he terrorised the left side of their defence and was involved in the first goal and there were so many other occasions when he was within a hair’s breadth of scoring or creating a chance.”
Ashley Cole won his 100th international cap but was replaced by Leighton Baines at half-time, with Hodgson revealing the change was due to a minor injury.
He explained: “I wasn’t intending to take Ashley off at half time but he was feeling a problem in his hamstring, which may actually be coming from his back.
“He would have soldiered on if it was a qualifier but I didn’t want to send him back to Chelsea any more injured.”
