Rooney header sends England through
Reuters - Tuesday 19 June 2012, 21:22
A Wayne Rooney header and a
slice of luck when Ukraine were controversially denied an
equaliser gave England a 1-0 win over the co-hosts and a place
in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 on Tuesday.
Rooney headed home a Steven Gerrard cross when he was left
unmarked at the far post after 48 minutes to celebrate his
return to the side after serving a two-match ban.
That was enough to give England first place in Group D and
secure a clash with Italy in Kiev on Sunday.
Ukraine, who dominated possession for most of the match,
thought they had levelled just past the hour mark when Marco
Devic's shot was initially parried by goalkeeper Joe Hart.
The ball looped back towards goal before it was hacked away
by defender John Terry, although television replays suggested
the ball may have crossed the line.
If it did, England had a huge helping hand from the soccer
gods who looked the other way in Bloemfontein two years ago when
Frank Lampard scored a 'goal' against Germany in the World Cup.
That effort in South Africa definitely did go over the line
although it was inexplicably missed by the referee and linesmen.
England coach Roy Hodgson said Devic's shot on Tuesday had
probably crossed the line but told reporters it was about time
England's luck turned after they also had a 'goal' harshly
disallowed against hosts Portugal in Euro 2004.
"We've suffered with bad luck in the past, against Portugal
and Germany, maybe it was a case of if there was going to be
luck, we were going to get it."
As if to emphasise that perhaps England's fortunes are
turning, they held on to win against the host nation in a major
tournament for the first time in six attempts since they beat
Switzerland in the 1954 World Cup finals.
Ukraine had to beat England to stay in the tournament but,
despite dominating possession for most of the first half, the
co-hosts allowed their opponents back into the game after the
break just as they had done against France on Friday.
POINT BLANK
They did go close to scoring in the second half though,
first when Artem Milevskiy somehow missed a header from
point-blank range and then when Devic's shot was cleared off the
line.
Despite the introduction of talismanic striker Andriy
Shevchenko, who has called time on his international career,
Ukraine could not score and joined co-hosts Poland on the
sidelines with almost two weeks of the tournament left.
What Ukraine lacked was a player with the driving force and
determination of England skipper Steven Gerrard who had at least
as big a part in the win as Rooney, who took his England tally
to 29 goals on his 75th appearance for his country.
Gerrard, earning his 95th cap, set up Rooney's goal with a
cross that via two deflections bamboozled Ukraine's defenders
and goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. England have scored five goals in
the tournament so far and Gerrard has created three of them.
He is also playing with the kind of freedom and confidence
that has been a feature of his game throughout his long career.
With the debate about whether Gerrard can play in the same
midfield as the absent and injured Frank Lampard seemingly over,
he defended well, crafted openings and inspired England.
Hodgson's side are now playing more like a club team than
the band of disparates England have often seemed in the past.
Coming into this tournament unfancied and with expectations
at an all time low because the manager has only been in charge
for six weeks, the weight is clearly off their backs.
They may not win this tournament but after their comeback
win over Sweden and victory against Ukraine, no-one should bet
against them.
Tuesday's hosts have still never won in Donetsk after seven
attempts - five at the Donbass Arena - and ended up
second-bottom of the group. But they have little time to
rebuild.
Ukraine meet England again in a World Cup qualifier in
September and the outcome is likely to be much the same, whether
the luck stays with Hodgson's team or not.