This video sums up just about everything that needs to be said about Gary Cahill. Beaten by a clever, if perhaps slightly offside run by young Josip Drmić -- mind you, the Chelsea man was not only hung out to dry by the rash Phil Jones (#6), but one must wonder if John Stones (#2) made even a peep in Gary's direction about the runner cutting across diagonally -- Cahill turns his body, then turns on the jets, then turns out the lights on Switzerland's hopes of an equalizer. Everybody else stops or jogs nonchalantly just hoping for the offside flag, but EBG(LDT)C is cut not only from a different cloth, but one that has been heavily mercerized over the last few years in the John Terry factory of giving it all for the shirt.
Cahill's tackle preserved a slender 1-0 England advantage over hosts Switzerland. Arsenal's marquee center forward Danny Welbeck's goal in stoppage time -- his and England's second on the night -- ensured that Roy Hodgson and his Three Lions began their Euro 2016 qualification with three points against all expectation.
Elsewhere, Spain made short work of Macedonia, winning 5-1 and even finding time to blood 19-year-old Munir El Haddadi before he had found time to declare for his father's native Morocco instead. Barcelona's latest greatest hype has played at U19, U21, and now senior level for Spain, all in the last few months. He only made his U21 debut four days ago! In a hurry much? Cesc Fabregas survived the full 90 on the pitch while Cesar Azpilicueta twiddled his thumbs on the bench for the same amount of time.
There was action at the U21 and U19 levels as well, though none of Ake, Van Ginkel, Zouma, Colkett, Kiwomya, Loftus-Cheek, or Aina emerged victorious.