Wayne Rooney netted his first England goal for a year as Fabio Capello's side overcame 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in their Euro 2012 qualifier in Basle.

The Manchester United striker ended an 11-game drought for his country after 10 minutes.

Switzerland had Stephan Lichtsteiner sent off before Adam Johnson made it 2-0 and, although Xherdan Shaqiri reduced the arrears, Darren Bent wrapped up the points two minutes from time.

Rooney had reassured manager Fabio Capello he would be fully focused on the match, so the Italian started with the 24-year-old up front. And, just as ordered, after 12 months and 11 games without a goal for his country, Rooney was in the right place to apply the neat finish to Glen Johnson's cut-back after three minutes.

Strike partner Jermain Defoe, hat-trick hero against Bulgaria at Wembley on Friday, was unable to add to his tally as he first failed to control a looping Steven Gerrard cross when Switzerland had played a diabolical offside trap that left the Tottenham man totally on his own inside the area.

David Degen did eventually fire an angled effort over as the home side roused themselves but it was the kind of efficient, effective eye-catching English performance that made you wonder how and why what happened in South Africa took place.

The loss of Walcott with what could turn out to be a bad ankle injury sustained in an accidental collision with Steve von Bergen as Rooney was hitting the net will bring a groan from Arsene Wenger. For Adam Johnson it was the opening he has been craving.

One of six City players to finish the game, the winger whistled a long-range effort over and was a menacing presence for the Switzerland defence every time he collected possession. He volleyed another decent chance wide at the start of the second period, when Benaglio also produced a fine fingertip save to deny Glen Johnson.

Two dropped crosses by Joe Hart and a run by Alexander Frei which caused English hearts to miss a beat, before Gerrard booted clear, brought nervousness that the dismissal of Lichtsteiner for chopping down James Milner should really have eased.

Adam Johnson then skipped round Benaglio to slot home a second, which the Swiss seemed to think should have been ruled out because Defoe was lying in agony with an injury that forced him off. Shaqiri shook England out of their comfort zone with a 30-yard thunderbolt but, after Wright-Phillips had failed to provide Bent with a tap-in, the Sunderland man finally got his long-awaited England goal when he drove home at the death.