Hotspur Harry strikes home for England

Harry Kane scored in second half stoppage time to clinch a 1-0 victory for England over Slovenia at Wembley and book his country's berth at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

Harry Kane scored a last gasp winner for England against Slovenia at Wembley. Reuters/Dylan Martinez

Moments after the victory, England manager Gareth Southgate conceded that his team were a work in progress.

The home faithful appeared to have settled for a 0-0 draw and were entertaining themselves by launching paper aeroplanes towards the pitch by the time Kane stabbed in the winner.

The strike was a brief moment of joy in a general drama of pain.

With two 23-year-olds, 22-year-old Raheem Sterling and 19-year-old Marcus Rashford in his starting eleven, Southgate believes the team will have to endure more suffering.

"What the team have been through over 18 months and as a young team what they're having to deal with in terms of expectation and criticism of their performances, it's tough for them," Southgate said.

"They're young players that we have to try and get behind. They're giving absolutely everything they've got. They don't have Champions League or league championship winning medals throughout this group.

"They're a work in progress. But they will give everything they've got for the shirt and they are going to improve over the next few years.

"They're suffering the consequences of 25 years, 30 years, 40 years of underachievement. That isn't their fault. We have to give them the belief and the backing to go and achieve."

England have won seven and drawn two of their games in Group F. They advance with one game to spare.

After the victory, the English game's ruling body, the Football Association, announced England will play friendlies against Brazil and world champions Germany at Wembley in November.

Their next point of focus is a trip to Vilnius to play Lithuania on Sunday. Although there is nothing at stake, Southgate said he would not release any players from his squad.

"We're a squad. We stay together as a squad. There will be England supporters going to Lithuania and we have a duty to put in a performance. We want to stay unbeaten and win the game.

"There are one or two players we're definitely going to have a look at and it's one of few games we have now to build towards the World Cup."