Ukraine 0 England 0: England refuse to yield in Kiev and return with valuable point

Ukraine fed off a booming atmosphere inside the Olympic Stadium, applying pressure to Roy Hodgson’s shell-shocked team, but they could not get the decisive goal that would have put them top of Group H with two games left.

Hodgson had compared England’s mission in the former Soviet Republic to the one that Glenn Hoddle undertook in Rome 16 years ago when the Three Lions drew 0-0 to make it to France ‘98.

It was certainly a case of backs to the wall again last night as the home side launched a barrage on the England box from the start.

Joe Hart almost gifted the hosts the chance to take a first-minute lead when he brought down Roman Zozulya, but luckily for England and their out-of-form No 1 a penalty was not given.

It was pretty much all Ukraine from then on.

Buoyed by a sizzling atmosphere inside the sold-out 70,000-seat arena, the Ukrainians created chance after chance, but they did not take any of them.

The impressive Yevgen Konoplianka set up a number of opportunities and Artem Fedetskiy wasted two fantastic openings with his head.

Although the draw moves England one point clear at the top of Group H with two matches left, this performance will have done little to satisfy those who agree with Greg Dyke’s claim that the Three Lions have little chance of lifting the World Cup in Rio next year, assuming they get there.

The defence performed strongly, but there was a distinct lack of creativity in midfield and England sorely missed the drive of Wayne Rooney, who would have proved a perfect foil for the isolated Rickie Lambert.

England have tricky home fixtures against Montenegro and Poland to come and the fact remains that Hodgson’s only qualifying victories have come against world No 123 Moldova and Group H punchbags San Marino.

It was clear from before the kick-off that Ukraine were going to make it tough for England in every way possible.

Four burly Ukrainians in traditional dress pounded a huge drum to help create a hostile atmosphere prior to kick-off while there was a booming call to arms from the local man on the PA system.

Hodgson admitted such was the unpredictability of international football that Hart could let a goal in through his legs in the first minute. The England goalkeeper did not do that last night, but his start was hardly that befitting of an international goalkeeper often touted as world class.

Just 50 seconds had gone when England’s No 1 chopped down Zozulya while diving for a deflected cross, but luckily for England no penalty was given.

The penalty shout was the starting pistol for a helter skelter opening 10 minutes.

Buoyed by the booming beat of the drum, Ukraine took aim at the England area.

Hart flapped again as he failed to communicate with Gary Cahill properly.

Ukraine camped out on the edge of the England box, probing the back four, but Cahill and Phil Jagielka held strong.

Ukraine’s drive forward left them vulnerable at the back and Theo Walcott exploited the space in a rare England attack when he raced into the box and tested 
Andriy Pyatov before Cahill sent a header over soon after.

Steven Gerrard then misjudged a cross-field pass to allow Fedetskiy a free header at the back post, but he wasted the opportunity and England breathed again.

Ukraine’s early enthusiasm started to wane, allowing England more time on the ball, but the visitors failed to test Pyatov.

Gerrard sent a 25-yard curler just over and Frank Lampard – in his 100th senior appearance for his country – crashed a long-range free-kick well over.

Booming chants of “Ukraina, Ukraina” came through the PA system at half-time and the hosts bombed forward early on after the break through the crafty Konoplianka. He found Fedetskiy at the back post with a curling cross, but the defender’s header was poor. Konoplianka fired another cross over to find Andriy Yarmolenko, but the forward tried to play a clever one-two with Gusiev that did not come off.

The Ukraine players demanded a penalty when Kyle Walker barged over Zozulya, but luckily for England the foul occurred just outside the box.

Fedetskiy had a brilliant chance to put Ukraine ahead when he jumped clear of his marker in the box, but he miscued his header.

Several flares lit up one end of the stadium and a number of firecrackers went off as the home support tried to cajole their team into one more attack before the final whistle, but they had run out of energy and ended up settling for a draw.

Gerrard conceded: “I don’t think it was a top-class performance. Defensively we were solid and the result never looked in doubt.

“Before the game the challenge from the manager was ‘let’s keep it in our hands, let’s make the two final games at Wembley – if we win them then we’re through’.” He added: “We’d like to create more, but sometimes if you’re too risky at places like this you can get undone at the back. It’s important to be defensively right first and foremost.”

Manager Roy Hodgson felt it was a fair result and admitted his side had hardly set pulses racing.

“I don’t think we were that adventurous,” he said. “But it was for them to be adventurous, not us.”

Ukraine: Pyatov, Fedetskiy, Khacheridi, Kucher, Shevchuk, Stepanenko, Edmar, Gusev (Bezus 68), Yarmolenko (Khomchenovskiy 90),

Konoplianka, Zozulya (Seleznyov 90). Unused substitutes: Koval,Dedechko,Tymoschuk,Mandzyuk,Grechyshkin, Morozyuk, Rakitskiy, Devic, Khudzamov.

England: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, Wilshere (Young 67), Walcott (Cleverley 87), Lambert, Milner. Unused substitutes: Ruddy, Smalling, Baines, Caulker, Carrick, Barkley, Defoe, Sterling, Townsend, Forster.

Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal).