Sports NEWS

Net loss : Ukraine 1 England 0

Published by Waleed Fakhroo on October 10, 2009

ENGLAND suffered a net loss as their first ever match screened online ended in defeat to Ukraine.

Robert Green saw red on 14 minutes, and while Andriy Shevchenko missed the spot-kick, the Eastern Europeans were not to be denied.

TUMBLE FLYER … Robert Green was sent off for bringing down Artem Milevskiy

Sergiy Nazarenko’s first-half deflected shot decided the match, heaping pressure on Croatia for the runners-up berth in Group Six.

Ukraine 1 0 England HQ Goal Nazarenko World Cup Qualifiers – Watch more amazing videos here

While the result ended England’s 100 per cent record in qualifying, Fabio Capello’s men at least got the test he had hoped for.

Having already booked their place at next summer’s finals, the Italian was loathed to make changes to the side that walloped Croatia 5-1 last month.

Michael Carrick came into the holding midfield berth for Gareth Barry, while Rio Ferdinand started alongside John Terry in central defence.

But despite a return to fitness for David James, Capello decided to stick with Robert Green in goal.

The West Ham keeper may not have been thanking him early on though, with a shower of flares from the bristling home support bringing a delay soon after kick-off.

And his mood wasn’t improved when he was dismissed with just 14 minutes on the clock, bringing down Artem Milevskiy when he was through on goal.

Green’s blushes were spared to an extent, when Shevchenko’s spot-kick struck the post and flew wide.

But with James brought on for Aaron Lennon, England were forced to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

And while Capello’s men battled manfully in the first half, the hosts eventually got they goal they were denied by Green’s misjudged lunge.

Ashley Cole lost possession in sloppy fashion, before an excellent sliding tackle from Glen Johnson on the edge of the area.

But the ball fell to Nazarenko, who blasted the ball past James in ferocious fashion, albeit via a deflection off Cole’s head.

Frank Lampard almost levelled immediately, beating the offside trap before screwing his shot just past the far post.

And then straight back down the other end, Milevskiy came close to doubling the lead as a sweetly struck volley from outside the area smashed off the upright.

The first-half, which was dominated by the flares being lobbed from the stands and Green’s dismissal, ended with Vasil Kobin was yellow-carded for a challenge on Steven Gerrard.

The interval saw Capello forced into one change, with a thigh injury to Steven Gerrard seeing James Milner brought on.

England looked more composed after being given time to regroup by the interval.

But James did his World Cup hopes no harm with an acrobatic save at full stretch to keep out Yaroslav Rakitskiy’s 35 yard thunderbolt on 53 minutes.

It was the first of two great saves by the Pompey stopper, who also denied Andriy Yarmolenko at the near post when he had the goal at his mercy.

England by that stage were pressing for an equaliser, but despite the late arrival of sub Carlton Cole, the deficit in numbers on the pitch meant it was too big a challenge.

Wayne Rooney came closest in the dying minutes, with a sweet strike that flew past the post.

But Ukraine held on, with the win taking them one point clear of Croatia in qualifying with one game remaining and eyeing a pla-off against another second-ranked European side. ( source : thesun)

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