Group Elimination D: Tuesday, 19 June 2012 - Donetsk - Donbass Arena

The English and the Ukrainians go at it on the 19th in Donetsk for the finale

England

After winning the game against the Swedes 2-1, the “Three-Lions” are back for a finale and this time against the Ukraine team. The previous game against Sweden was a rollercoaster ride with Sweden being allowed to take a 2-1 lead at first but salvation came in the form of Theo Walcott and the English was able to exploit Sweden’s defensive weakness. Another plus on the English side for this coming match-up is the return of Wayne Rooney, England’s answer to Ronaldo or something of the like.

Roy Hodgson is face with a dilemma however and it involves Rooney’s return and Andy Caroll’s cull due to the return. Carroll showed excellent performance during the two previous games during Rooney’s absence and removing him will surely be detrimental for the English side. Defense is another potential issue, John Terry seemed winded and beaten up by Ibrahomovic’s barrage of attacks.

Ukraine

After a thrilling victory against Sweden and an agonizing defeat against France, Ukraine is at it final game of make or break, this time against England. Andriy Schevchenko has the burden of driving his team to victory, the burden being the team’s weak defense and faltering attack formation.

Changes on formation need to be made for the Euro 2012 Co-hosts the attack line must elarn to work together and act quickly for the English offensive is strong and persistent.

Predictions: England 2-1

England is surely the favorites on this math-up and the return of Rooney will become a huge gap filler within the team. As long as they retain Carroll, England will become a force to be reckon with.

Euro Cup 2012 Highlights: England Advances 1-0 Win Over Ukraine

Striker Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the match at the 48th minute to give England a 1-0 victory over Ukraine to advance to the Euro Cup quarter finals.

England clinched Group D and will play Italy next Sunday in Kiev.

Ukraine looked like they tied the game at the 62nd minute when Marko Devic's looping shot crossed the line before it was hooked clear by John Terry. But the goal was missed by the referee and his extra assistant behind the goal.

The disputed play will likely add to the pressure on UEFA President Michel Platini to reverse his opposition to goal-line technology.

"I was sad because the ball was in the goal by one meter," Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said.

Rooney, who sat out his team's first two matches at Euro 2012, returned from suspension Tuesday and headed in the goal in the 48th.

Steven Gerrard whipped a dangerous cross into the penalty area that went past two defenders before Pyatov let it slip through his hands as he crouched to collect the ball. Rooney was at the far post and put England ahead.

"There was a lot of pressure on Wayne," Gerrard said. "But he stood up and when we needed him he was there."

It was Rooney's first goal at a major tournament since scoring four at Euro 2004 as an 18-year-old kid. He failed to find the net at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and England failed to even qualify for Euro 2008.

With the victory, England won Group D and will next face Italy in Kiev on Sunday. France also advanced, despite losing to Sweden 2-0 in the other group match. Ukraine, however, will have to watch the rest of the tournament as spectators, just like co-host Poland.

"No one believed in us at the start but we're gaining momentum at the right time," Gerrard said. "I don't think tonight's performance was fantastic, but we stuck together, got the job done and won 1-0 against a good team.

"We've been criticized in the past maybe for not turning up, underperforming, and we can take that. We're man enough. But you saw a reaction. When you get criticized it's not nice and you have to react by playing better and I think that's what we did."

England is now unbeaten in five matches under Roy Hodgson, who took over the team last month following Fabio Capello's resignation in February.

"Most people didn't think we'd get out of the group," Hodgson said. "We've won it on points instead of goal difference as well. This was an away game with a capital 'A'

"There were (50,000) people in and only 4,000 brave England fans. When we needed a bit of luck, when the ball may have crossed the line, we got a bit of luck and went on to win the match."

A draw wouldn't have helped Ukraine advance, but it would have given the team hope knowing that a victory was enough to put the co-hosts through to the quarterfinals.

Ukraine had never won at the Donbass Arena on four previous occasions, and failed to seize on its advantage when it mattered most.

With their fans dominating the crowd, the Ukrainians were in control from the outset, far more confident on the ball and containing England inside its own half, even with captain Andriy Shevchenko on the bench at the start due to a left knee injury.

But early efforts were from distance, with Denys Garmash and Yaroslav Rakitskiy striking over, while England midfielder Scott Parker had to throw his body into the path of Devic's low shot.

They were getting closer, though, and looking more even menacing going forward with Oleh Gusev getting into the penalty area and sending in a shot that just creep over Joe Hart's goal.

Before Rooney scored, England came close to testing Pyatov when Ashley Young sent in a low cross that was easily dealt with in the 11th minute.

As Ukraine attacked the England goal, Rooney was quiet in the first half of his first competitive match in more than a month until he sent a free header wide in the 28th from Young's cross.

At the 2010 World Cup, England midfielder Frank Lampard was denied a goal that would have leveled the match against Germany at 2-2. England ended up losing 4-1.

"To be successful you need a bit of luck," Gerrard said. "Two years ago we were unlucky with Frank Lampard and we had to pack our bags."

EURO 2012: Ukraine vs England Timeline

• 90+3' - Viktor Kassai blows to end the match. The final score is 1-0.
• 90' - In Donetsk Ukraine attack through Andrey Yarmolenko. The finish is off target, however.
• 90' - 3 minutes of injury time will be added to the Second half.
• 87' - Roy Hodgson (England) is making a Third substitution, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Wayne Rooney.
• 86' - Andrej Shevchenko (Ukraine) has received a yellow card from Viktor Kassai.
• 85' - Viktor Kassai has awarded Ukraine a corner. Sergey Nazarenko takes the kick from the Right .
• 84' - Corner awarded to Ukraine.
• 82' - Andy Carroll is on a sub for Danny Welbeck for England.
• 81' - Ukraine's Sergey Nazarenko misses with an attempt on goal.
• 78' - Ashley Cole (England) has received a first yellow card.
• 78' - Ukraine make their Third substitution with Sergey Nazarenko replacing Denys Garmash.
• 77' - Bogdan Butko is on a sub for Artem Milevskiy for Ukraine.
• 77' - Yevgen Konoplyanka for Ukraine gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
• 75' - England push forward at Donbass Arena and Wayne Rooney gets in a great header. The attempt is cleared by the Ukraine defence.
• 75' - In Donetsk Steven Gerrard for England takes a corner from the Left-hand flag.
• 74' - Ukraine's Yaroslav Rakitskiy has been booked in Donetsk.
• 74' - Ukraine's Yevgen Konoplyanka gets in a shot on goal at Donbass Arena. But the effort is unsuccessful.
• 73' - Steven Gerrard (England) has been booked and must now be careful not to get a second yellow card.
• 72' - At Donbass Arena Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Ukraine) takes a corner from the Right.
• 70' - Oleg Blokhin is making the team's First substitution at Donbass Arena with Andrej Shevchenko replacing Marko Devic.
• 70' - England make their First substitution with Theo Walcott replacing James Milner.
• 69' - Steven Gerrard (England) gets in a strike but the shot is blocked by a defender.
• 68' - Viktor Kassai has awarded England a corner. Ashley Young takes the kick from the Left .
• 68' - Ashley Cole gets his shot on target but fails to score for England.
• 64' - England's Wayne Rooney breaks free at Donbass Arena. But the strike goes wide of the post.
• 63' - Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Ukraine) has been booked and will miss the next match due to a suspension.
• 62' - Ukraine push forward at Donbass Arena and Marko Devic gets in a strike. This is blocked, however, by a determined England defence.
• 61' - Ukraine's Artem Milevskiy attacks the ball with his head but his effort fails to hit the target.
• 61' - Ukraine have been awarded a corner by Viktor Kassai. Yevgen Konoplyanka steps up to take it.
• 55' - Yevgen Konoplyanka of Ukraine gets in a strike, but is off target.
• 54' - England drive upfield and James Milner gets in a shot. The strike is blocked by a Ukraine defender.
• 53' - In Donetsk Yevgen Konoplyanka for Ukraine takes a corner from the Right-hand flag.
• 52' - Viktor Kassai has awarded Ukraine a corner. Yevgen Konoplyanka takes the kick from the Right .
• 52' - At Donbass Arena Yevgen Konoplyanka (Ukraine) takes a corner from the Right.
• 52' - Ukraine drive forward and Oleh Gusev gets in a shot. Without netting, however.
• 50' - Ukraine have been awarded a corner by Viktor Kassai. Yevgen Konoplyanka steps up to take it.
• 49' - Corner awarded to Ukraine.
• 48' - Great play from Steven Gerrard to set up the goal.
• 48' - Goal! A Wayne Rooney header gives England a 1-0 lead in Donetsk.
• 47' - England have been awarded a corner by Viktor Kassai. Steven Gerrard steps up to take it.
• 46' - Viktor Kassai has blown to start the second-half.
• 45' - The whistle has gone to end the first-half.
• 42' - Viktor Kassai has awarded Ukraine a corner. Yevgen Konoplyanka takes the kick from the Right .
• 41' - England are pushing forward but Scott Parker's finish is wide of the goal.
• 36' - Ukraine are coming forward and Denys Garmash gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
• 32' - In Donetsk, John Terry (England) misses the target with a header.
• 32' - At Donbass Arena Steven Gerrard (England) takes a corner from the Right.
• 32' - Ashley Young (England) is given an opening but the shot is blocked by a defender.
• 30' - Ukraine's Andrey Yarmolenko is on target but unsuccessful.
• 28' - Wayne Rooney (England) is first to the ball but his header is off-target.
• 24' - Corner awarded to England.
• 22' - Oleh Gusev of Ukraine gets in a strike, but is off target.
• 18' - Ukraine's Anatoliy Tymoshchuk misses with an attempt on goal.
• 18' - Yevgen Konoplyanka (Ukraine) goes for goal but the shot is blocked by an alert defence.
• 15' - Ukraine's Yaroslav Rakitskiy gets his shot away but it misses the target.
• 14' - In Donetsk Steven Gerrard for England takes a corner from the Left-hand flag.
• 13' - In Donetsk, Marko Devic of Ukraine is presented with a shooting opportunity. But the strike is blocked by the covering defence.
• 7' - In Donetsk Ukraine attack through Denys Garmash. The finish is off target, however.
• 2' - Yevgen Konoplyanka for Ukraine gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
• 1' - The first-half is just kicking off.

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