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Ukraine 0-1 England (FT)
France 0-2 Sweden (FT)
Hello, and welcome to this evening’s liveblog.
England require only a draw to progress to the quarter-finals tonight. Surely they can do it, against the less than formidable opponents of Ukraine, can’t they?
Here are the teams for tonight’s games:
England v Ukraine
England: Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young, Rooney, Welbeck. Subs: Green, Kelly, Walcott, Henderson, Carroll, Baines, Jones, Jagielka, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe, Butland.
Ukraine: Pyatov, Gusev, Khacheridi, Selin, Rakitskiy, Yarmolenko, Tymoschuk, Konoplianka, Garmash, Devic, Milevskiy. Subs: Koval, Kucher, Shevchenko, Aliev, Voronin, Shevchuk, Rotan, Seleznyov, Mykhalyk, Nazarenko, Butko, Goryainov.
Sweden v France
Sweden: Isaksson, Granqvist, Mellberg, Jonas Olsson, Martin Olsson, Svensson, Kallstrom, Larsson, Ibrahimovic, Bajrami, Toivonen. Subs: Wiland, Lustig, Elm, Elmander, Hysen, Antonsson, Wernbloom, Safari, Holmen, Wilhelmsson, Rosenberg, Hansson.
France: Lloris, Debuchy, Rami, Mexes, Clichy, Nasri, Diarra, M’Vila, Ben Arfa, Ribery, Benzema. Subs: Mandanda, Evra, Cabaye, Valbuena, Giroud, Matuidi, Reveillere, Menez, Malouda, Martin, Koscielny, Carrasso.
I should mention that we’ll be focusing primarily on the England game, while providing updates of all the major incidents in the France-Sweden clash.
Of course, England only need a draw to progress to the quarters, but will probably need to win by two goals more than France beat Sweden (provided they do) in order to top the group.
Should Roy Hodgson’s men finish second of course, they’ll have the daunting task of playing Spain in the next round.
Is there anything Henry Winter doesn’t analyse?
Buoyed presumably by the large support behind them, Ukraine have started this game relatively well. They certainly don’t seem in awe of their more eminent opponents, enjoying the majority of possession and showing a willingness to attack in numbers.
Nevertheless, they’ve yet to carve out a clear-cut opening against a rather conservative-looking England side.
However, as I type, Garmash has a shot from at least 30 yards out that only goes narrowly over.
Rooney’s been rather anonymous so far, save for one woeful moment, where he failed to properly control a routine bouncing ball, epitomising England’s sluggish start in the process.
A cross falls to that man again – Garmash – whose shot requires a desperate lunge from Scott Parker to prevent it hitting the target.
Down the other end, a dangerous cross marginally eludes Rooney, who managed to ghost in unmarked between two Ukraine defenders.
(EMPICS Sport/EMPICS Sport)
Ukraine continue to look the better side, showing some decent technique on occasion.
England, meanwhile, are very much adopting the solid-but-unspectacular approach that has worked relatively well for them in the tournament so far, snuffing out any potential chances whenever their opponents look to make headway in the final third.
Gusev has gone close, making a positive run forward, before producing a powerful shot from the edge of the box that goes just over.
England are adopting a very risky strategy if they’re playing for a draw, which they appear to be.
One advantage Roy Hodgson’s men have is the Ukraine goalkeeper, who has looked dodgy on more than one occasion tonight, and has just spilled an ostensibly weak Steven Gerrard free kick.
Ukraine, for all their attacking threat, do look susceptible to set pieces.
Rooney has just missed a sitter from a header following Ashley Young’s inch-perfect cross into the box.
I never though I’d say this but England are missing Andy Carroll.
A swift Ukraine counter-attack ends with Yarmolenko forcing Joe Hart to dive down to his left to produce a reasonable save.
Ukraine could do with Shevchenko who, like Walcott, is only fit enough to make the bench, as they seem to lack a cutting edge in attack at the moment.
Garmash drags a shot well wide from distance following some nice build-up play. Are Ukraine running out of ideas already?
Meanwhile, Young’s dangerous cross is well intercepted by the Ukraine defender at the near post.
Both sides are beginning to look quite tired even at this early stage.
No doubt there’ll be the usual calls for a winter break in English football should they exit the tournament tonight.
The ball brushes off Scott Parker’s hand as his opponent weaves past him in the box. It would’ve been harsh if it had been given, but England are continuing to play with with fire this evening.
At half-time, England have played in a similar manner to their previous performances in the tournament – uninspired, but just about good enough.
Ukraine, on the other hand, have been impressive with the ball, but lack incision in the final third.
If only they had a legendary goal poacher waiting to be introduced from the bench… Oh wait.
ITV’s Adrian Chiles has just said suggested tonight could be good practice for Wayne Rooney “before the big game in the quarters”. Patronising towards Ukraine much?
What was that I was saying about the Ukraine goalkeeper being dodgy earlier? He fails to hold a deflected Gerrard cross and Rooney is on hand to tap the ball into the empty net.
So as it stands, England will top the group, and face Italy rather than Spain in the quarters.
That will all change, of course, if France score.
Ukraine responded reasonably well to that England goal, winning two quick corners in succession.
However, Rooney subsequently almost punished them again, finding himself through on goal, but lacking the pace to escape the defender, who is unlucky the referee doesn’t spot the handful he has of the striker’s shirt.
Moment of controversy there. A shot from Milevskiy appears to cross the line (judging from replays) but the referees and the extra officials indicate play on.
All I’ll say is the referee is definitely not a homer.
Meanwhile, to the delight of the Ukrainian crowd, Shevchenko is preparing to come on.
Twitter is in uproar…
That Ukraine goal that never was also should’ve been ruled offside judging by replays, so justice has been served in a peculiar way.
Meanwhile, Joe Hart does well to parry a powerful Konoplianka shot away from goal.
Rooney celebrates his goal (EMPICS Sport/EMPICS Sport).
Nazarenko has just blasted a shot well over the bar from distance. Ukraine no longer seem to believe they can score, and have resorted to pot shots.
This England performance has been uncannily reminiscent of Ireland under Trap before everything fell apart at the Euros.
Ukraine have undoubtedly played the better football of the two sides, but England’s defensive solidity and strong work ethic appears to be enough for them to win this game.
Anyway, Oxlade-Chamberlain has just replaced Wayne Rooney, as ITV’s Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend show admirable restraint in refraining from using the ‘money in the bank’ cliché.
3 minutes of added time to be played.
Barring a miracle, England will play Italy in the quarters, while France will meet Spain.
Seb Larsson has just doubled Sweden’s lead, as France are dragged kicking and screaming into the quarters.
So in the end, England make the quarters in somewhat fortuitous circumstances.
Ukraine will feel aggrieved, given that they demonstrated superior technical ability, had greater possession and wasted one or two glorious chances, not to mention the dodgy decision that went against them.
However, the co-hosts failed to show the type of solidity at the back which their opponents demonstrated, as emphasised by their goalkeeper’s lacklustre attempts to collect that cross for the goal – a factor that ultimately proved the difference between the two sides.
Here’s a look at the second Swedish goal, with Seb Larsson nearly breaking the net with his venomous shot in the process of scoring.
YouTube credit: kashif Shah
When asked how far England can go in this competition, Steven Gerrard diplomatically says: “We’ll see.”
RTE’s Liam Brady says England will have to “do a Greece” in order to win the Euros.
Lol all the muppets saying c’mon ukraine and yet they support liverpool united ect… Come on England!!
You sure your not English….
It’d be nice to see the home team do well but considering I follow the Premier League Id like to see England win. (I’m well aware that apparently Irish ppl aren’t meant to want England win; I’d like to think we can be mature enough to get past all that though)
Would like to see Gerrard & Rooney play to their potential and see some good goals. The three goals England got last Friday were cracking.
I should add that my maturity doesn’t extend to France; I’d like them to get hammered!!
Agree about England,hope they do well wife is English.Would like to see France win overall,stand to make €150 in a work pool if they do.Allez les bleu!
Me too
What a farce!! The entire FIFA and UEFA have a lot to answer for. What’s the point of a 4th and 5th official? Rubbish! Bring in video replays NOW!!!!
Saddo.
Maybe he is rooting for the underdog? I know I am.
Come on Ukraine!!!
irish prattriot is secretly england’s secret weapon
And what English team do u support, get over it, it was a hundred years ago
Come on England and Ashley Young. First goal scorer please. ; )
What were the odds?
Went with paddy power 10/1. Money back if lost if rooney scores anytime in the game.
Jesus Ger Canning should stick to the GAA
I am backing England for the rest of the tournament but that was over the line. To make matters worse there was a lines man looking at it only yards away!
Ten quid on a 3-0 victory, which I won’t be seeing again, but as long as we win.
C’Mon England!
Maybe with rooneys magic hair
I really can’t staaaaaand John Terry!
Come on France!!!!
Come on England!
England v Italy should be interesting, hmmmm hope Spain put plenty past France !!!!!!
That’s some comb-over Shrek had on his head !
the two teams i hate most france nd england cos im irish!!!!!!!!!! but up for france cos of a bet
cause i’m Irish I tells ya and I do what me fawda tells me to do
Terrible game. Hopefully the second half will be as good as the second half of the England Sweden game.
At least that wily old rascal Ger Canning managed to stay on in UKraine , where would we be with out his soothing tones and melodic voice
Does anyone know if the Italian goal last night was the first in history to be awarded after consultation with a fifth official? After all our campaigning for an extra official behind the goal since Henry’s handball, what a bitter irony. Not that it mattered much, but insult to injury and all that.
Rooney looks like shreck with a dead squirrel on his head
You have to laugh. The irony of Rooney spending all those thousands on expensive hair plug transplants, only to end up looking like some desperate sixty year old with a glued on mail order toupee costing fifty quid.
Did theo Walcott touch the ball at all
Better for France politically
france r wayyyy to cocky losing to sweden n its noh part of a game plan
was that in Engliash??? couldn’t understand a word of it
Job done
@ mark, nice one haha but for Terry that was a ‘Bridge’ too far !
The last tin
the last time john terry reacted that quickly was when he heard Wayne bridges car door slam