LONDON (AP) — England stayed in contention for a spot in the European soccer championship by beating Israel 3-0 in a qualifying match Saturday.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, Michael Owen and Micah Richards scored for England, which was in fourth place in Group E before the match.
Wright-Phillips scored his first competitive international goal in the 20th minute. Steven Gerrard, playing despite a broken toe, began a slick move that ended with Joe Cole crossing to Wright-Phillips in the box, who volleyed into goal.
Owen made it 2-0 in the 49th, swivelling on the edge of the penalty box and scoring with a half volley. It was his 38th goal in his 85th international appearance.
Midfielder Gareth Barry, playing for the injured Owen Hargreaves, set up the goal in his first England start since 2000.
Richards, a defender, scored his first international goal in the 66th minute, jumping to head in a corner from Barry to secure England’s first win at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.
"It was important to win," England coach Steve McClaren said. "It does our goal difference a world of good.
"The performance was just the icing on the cake. We made Israel look ordinary."
England has 17 points from eight games and Israel has 17 from nine. England plays at home against Russia on Wednesday.
Israel played without injured striker Roberto Colautti, and the visitors barely troubled England goalkeeper Paul Robinson. The two teams drew 0-0 in Israel in March but Israel coach Dror Kashtan said there was a gulf in ability.
"There’s obvious gaps between us and the England side, and it was a well-known fact," Kashtan said. "These are not excuses, these are plain, simple facts."
Still, Kashtan said Wright-Phillips was offside and Richards’ goal should not have been allowed because of a foul on Israel’s goalkeeper Dudu Aouate.
He also said referee Pieter Vink had said words to his captain Yossi Benayoun in the second half that "were not worthy of an international referee." He did not elaborate.
England was missing Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Frank Lampard through injury, and Peter Crouch was suspended.
That prompted England coach Steve McClaren to call up Emile Heskey for the first time since 2004 to start the game with Owen. Heskey regularly partnered Owen in England games until the emergence of Rooney.
Heskey had a couple of early chances — sending a shot over the bar in the 10th and heading wide from a corner from Gerrard in the 17th. England had forced the corner when Gerrard sent a free kick wide.
"He’s a handful, we knew that from the beginning," McClaren said of Heskey. "He did his job, he made openings, he made life difficult for the Israeli defenders and we profited from it.
"He is more mature now and put in a good performance."
Owen also had several attempts on goal. In the 38th, Cole crossed to an unmarked Owen, but his attempt went straight into the body of Aouate. The ball rebounded back to him, and Owen sent it over the bar.
Owen also had a chance in the 44th but he was stopped by a tackle from Yuval Shpungin. He missed a chance to add to his goal tally in the 88th when his angled close-range shot was blocked by Israel defender Yoav Ziv.
Gerrard, who had a long-range shot saved by Aouate in the 64th, came off in the 71st, along with Heskey. They were replaced by Phil Neville and Andy Johnson.
David Bentley made his first international appearance as a 83rd-minute substitute for Wright-Phillips and was jeered by the crowd.
Bentley had turned down the chance to play for England in the under-21 European championship in the off=season, saying he was tired.