Montenegro coach Zlatko Kranjcar says silencing Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was key to last night's 0-0 draw with England.

Kranjcar feels his side deserve credit for an effective plan to neutralise Rooney's talents.

"England didn't play poorly offensively. They played as well as we allowed them to," Kranjcar said. "We knew how to stop Rooney in that playmaking position when he comes in between the two centre-halves.

"Our defensive midfielder (Elsad Zverotic) knew how to stop him. Everyone could see how we did it.

"I know English football very well. I usually watch Premier League games and I saw the World Cup too.

"I also watched the games England played against Croatia in qualifying for the World Cup, when they destroyed opponents with two very quick wide players.

"So I filled up the gaps on the flanks. That made England far less efficient. That is the only way to keep them down."