Will Unwin 

England 3-0 Ukraine: Women’s World Cup qualifier – as it happened

England will need to go through the playoffs after finishing second in the group despite easing their way past Ukraine
  
  

Beth Mead curls a free-kick into the Ukraine net to extend England’s lead.
Beth Mead curls a free-kick into the Ukraine net to extend England’s lead. Photograph: Naomi Baker/The FA/Getty Images

Thank you very much for joining me.

Here is Tom Garry’s report from Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Georgia Stanway: “Mixed feelings. We are disappointed with the way game but it is rare you get 15 points and don’t get out of the group. We needed a reaction today and I think we got that. We can be disappointed that we did not score more today, we need to be more ruthless. Three-nil was not enough.”

She does not want reveal her next move after leaving Bayern.

Over in the men’s World Cup, why not read Luke Entwistle’s interview with Didier Deschamps?

The England players are gathered in a huddle, presumably not surprised to learn that Spain have won 6-1. The Lionesses will be seeded for 18 June’s draw for the play-offs, which begin in October. The Ukraine players, meanwhile, are lapping up the applause from their proud fans in the corner. They performed respectably in that second half.

Updated

Full time: England 3-0 Ukraine

It was all gloriously straightforward for England as Carter, Stanway and Mead led them to victory. Inevitably they finish second in the group to Spain and will need to go through the playoffs to reach the World Cup.

90 mins: Two minutes added on.

88 mins: Mead goes straight through on goal and takes aim from 18 yards but Boklach is equal to it with a fine save diving to her right.

England have had 24 shots with 10 on target.

Kendall is cleaned out and Molodiuk is booked.

86 mins: Considering how easy this has all been for England, I would have liked to see a few more risks being taken on the pitch. It feels a very conservative performance overall.

Park hears my calls and fires a shot from 25 yards after cutting in from the left but it is straight at the goalkeeper.

84 mins: Kelly keeps slipping on the pitch. I am not sure what boots she selected for tonight.

82 mins: Mead breaks down the left and then sends a pass to Kelly on the right. The attack soon slows down as England look to rebuild but they go backwards.

Walsh off, Kendall on.

80 mins: A bit of panto in and around the Ukraine box ends with Russo’s pull-back evading everyone.

The Arsenal striker has a chance of her own soon after but her shot is a weak one and the goalkeeper drops on the ball.

Spain are 5-1 up in Iceland.

78 mins: More than 30,000 tickets had been issued for this game but the attendance has been confirmed as 26,065, so that’s at least 4,000 no-shows. It’s becoming a common occurrence for Lionesses games, even those that are sellouts, for thousands not to take up their tickets.

Updated

77 mins: Hlushchenko dribbles into the England box and has the chance to shoot but unselfishly crosses instead and the ball goes just behind her teammate.

76 mins: A smart pass through the Ukraine defence almost reaches Kelly but a last-ditch challenge prevents a chance for the winger.

Le Tissier realises the futility of short corners and sends one deep but defeats everyone.

74 mins: Park has looked lively since coming on, eager to beat players one-on-one.

72 mins: I would send on Beever-Jones at this point but that’s just me.

70 mins: Hemp drives down the left and her reward is a corner. I think Wiegman needs to ban the short corner because they are utter rubbish as England repeatedly lose the advantage.

68 mins: That is a 40th England goal for Mead, which ain’t bad.

GOAL! England 3-0 Ukraine (Mead, 67)

Greenwood walks away and Mead bends the ball into the bottom corner, as the goalkeeper barely moves.

Beth Mead curls a free-kick into the Ukraine net to extend England’s lead.
Beth Mead curls a free-kick into the Ukraine net to extend England’s lead. Photograph: Naomi Baker/The FA/Getty Images

Updated

66 mins: Kelly almost has an immediately impact but her cross is deflected away.

On the opposite flank, Hemp cuts in and wins a free-kick after being pulled back. Greenwood wanders over to take …

Updated

64 mins: Stanway wins a corner on the right after her cross is diverted behind. Le Tissier is once again given the honours and takes it short to Mead. It isn’t the most dynamic corner and the ball ends up back with Hampton.

Kelly is on for Charles, which is bold, and Park for Stanway.

62 mins: TWO BALLS ON THE PITCH! WHEN WILL THE MADNESS END?!

Kelly and Park are getting ready to enter the fray. Hopefully it will inject some energy into the forward line.

60 mins: Hemp finds space inside the box and has a chance to cross but her effort is too close to the goalkeeper and repelled.

Russo is the next to have a chance but her rising drive from 18 yards is straight at the goalkeeper.

Updated

58 mins: Not much in the way of rhythm in this second half performance from England. A few too many disconnects across the pitch.

56 mins: There are still plenty of yellow shirts defending the edge of the Ukraine box, making it very difficult for England to break through. Hemp is the latest to be crowded out.

54 mins: Ukraine reach the England box and Hlushchenko fires wide. At least it was a vague indication of intent.

52 mins: England have a corner on the right. What will Le Tissier do without James to play it short to? Lumps it into the box and finds Charles who flashes a header wide.

Boklach takes a bizarrely long time on the ball and is chased down by Mead but the mistake is not capitalised on.

Updated

50 mins: Russo has a snapshot from inside the box but it is blocked.

Moments later Greenwood lines up a free-kick from the other side of 30 yards but it is straight at the wall.

48 mins: No surprise but it is all England at the moment. I will predict five second half goals.

46 mins: Some half times changes …

Hlushchenko and Radionova are on for Ukraine. Kohut and Kunina off.

Mead and Greenwood enter the pitch for England, Morgan and James off.

Second half

Here we go again!

Updated

Spain are winning 3-0 in Iceland. No concerns of any shocks tonight.

It’s been one-way traffic. If you think this game is one-sided, just wait for October’s play-off first round tie against a League C team! The fans at the Hill Dickinson seem to be enjoying it, nonetheless. There are two little pockets of Ukraine fans who are also in good voice, too, as the sun sets to my left over the Mersey.

Tony Mason emails: “I must take issue with your statement that the cost of tickets to see England at Wembley was “incredibly expensive”. This is a misconception. The cheapest England tickets at Wembley are and have been since the “new” Wembley opened are about the same price as a League 1 fixture. Slightly more than I pay to see Notts County. There are also many of the cheapest tickets so you don’t even need to be waiting on a Ticketmaster queue to get them.

“Also, although Wembley isn’t the best positioned ground in the country it isn’t that hard to get to from much of the country. From Nottingham I would get home after an evening kick-off at about 00:30. My mate travels in from Bristol and it is about the same. Granted, we drive but coaches do run from the major cities.

“Having said that, it is always nice to see them around the country.”

I’ve just put in for the best available ticket for the Czechia game in October and it’s £120. You can, in fairness, get tickets for £35 but I really wouldn’t want to travel three hours to then sit at the top in the corner. That’s just me.

Half time: England 2-0 Ukraine

This has not been much of a contest, well any contest whatsoever. The main surprise is that England have not managed to get more than two but ahead very much out of sight thanks to Carter and Stanway.

45 mins: One minute added on.

44 mins: Hemp receives the ball around 20 yards out, spins a defender and fires a shot but flies over the bar.

43 mins: James curls a free-kick from the edge of the box just over the bar.

41 mins: A band is trying to whip the crowd up with Sweet Caroline, the most overplayed song in history.

39 mins: With confidence renewed, Hemp whips in a cross from the right into a dangerous position but no one is there to get on the end of it.

GOAL! England 2-0 Ukraine (Stanway, 37)

The Lionesses needed that. Russo sneaks around the back and slides the ball across to Stanway who slides home at the back post.

Updated

36 mins: James loops in a cross from the left which Boklach comes to claim but it takes her two attempts to get the ball under control.

England and the atmosphere have gone quite flat.

34 mins: England have a corner on the right. Le Tissier and James combine once more but it is a slow burner, with the ball belatedly being sent into the box by Walsh, only to be easily collected by the goalkeeper.

32 mins: England are too casual at the back and it gifts Boychuk a first chance of the match but her shot from the edge of the box is scuffed.

30 mins: England will be disappointed they have not got a second but, in truth, they have not come that close to adding to the tally.

The ball goes into the box again but Charles is penalised for something or other.

28 mins: Hemp crashes into the hoardings after a challenge in the box. After brushing herself down, she is up and ready to go again.

Blindkilde Brown has not got into the game much thus far. I would like to see more of her. Just as I write that, she gets in a good position in the box but is tackled before she can shoot. Not to worry, as the ball lands at Russo’s feet but she lashes over.

26 mins: Same old story without England being able to penetrate.

24 mins: Le Tissier should do better from a Charles pull-back but the defender is leaning back and whacks her shot from 12 yards well over.

England currently enjoying more than 86% possession.

22 mins: Hampton’s only involvement thus far has been with her feet. I am not sure she will be kept occupied by shots here.

Russo’s shirt is held when 30 yards out with her back to goal. England take it quickly but Hemp is pushed backwards.

Hemp then thinks she has a great chance to score but Shaynyuk puts in a perfect tackle in the nick of time.

20 mins: The free-kick is tapped to Hemp who fires a shot from 20 yards but Boklach moves quickly to her left to save.

The goalkeeper is tested soon after when Russo meets a cross but her header lacks power and Boklach collects.

18 mins: Stanway and Hemp combine well, allowing the latter to pick out James inside the box but her shot is blocked.

England have a free-kick in a dangerous position after James is bundled over …

17 mins: That feels like it’ll be the first of many. Lauren James’ cross was sumptuous. But Ukraine can’t even get close to her. It could be a long night for the visitors. The home fans here really enjoyed that goal and they’re all on their feet but England can’t get too excited to be ahead - Spain are already winning in Iceland.

16 mins: I think it is fair to say the goal was coming.

Russo is the next to have a chance but her header loops well wide.

GOAL! England 1-0 Ukraine (Carter, 14)

Hemp wins another corner. Le Tissier decides to take another one short to James. This forward shows some trickery before chipping a cross to the back post from where Carter nods home across the goalkeeper.

Updated

12 mins: England have a corner on the right. Le Tissier takes it short to James who pings it towards the far top corner, only to see her shot bounce off bar and post into the goalkeeper’s arms.

10 mins: The free-kick comes to nothing but England continue to attack.

The space is outwide for England, may I suggest James drifts further over to the left. She would be more dangerous than Charles out there.

8 mins: Hemp aims for Russo in the box but a Ukrainian head meets the cross. I will guess the possession stats as being Eng 98%-2% Ukraine.

Le Tissier is crudely taken down by Boychuk just outside the box.

Spain are ahead in Iceland. No surprise there.

6 mins: Charles is starting very high on the left and being allowed to push forward from full-back. England will have plenty of freedom to attack considering the lack of ambition among the Ukrainians.

4 mins: Ukraine try to break but Le Tissier is there to tidy up.

England start again from the back from move up the pitch in a composed manner. Hemp has a cross blocked but the ball is recycled and ends up back with the City winger, who shoots from 20 yards only to hit it straight at the goalkeeper.

2 mins: A positive start from England as they pushed forward to put pressure on the Ukrainian backline. The visitors are keen to defend as deep as humanly possible.

Hemp puts in a dangerous cross from the right but it drifts over everyone inside the box.

Kick off

Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!

Smoke fills the air as fireworks jet out from the side of the pitch as the players emerge to a crowd of around 30,000. The upper tier is mostly empty, but the lower bowl is busy. Ukraine’s players each have their national flag wrapped around them as they sing their anthem, which receives a generous round of applause from the home fans.

The Ukraine players, each clad in a national flag, sing the national anthem.

ITV are not particularly interested in this game, they have spoken about Friday night for about 15 mins. Look forward, folks.

Sarina Wiegman: “Every game you don’t win, it hurts. Friday was a hard one because we didn’t create any momentum.

“Of course you want to win but always when we lose, win or draw we look at things we can do better but when you lose it makes it more urgent.

“We want to have some freshness and some other players. We expect very tight spaces and she [Blindkilde Brown] position herself really well, she finds the ball and that’s why we brought her in.”

Gordon emails in: “After the debacle of last Friday, and, let us not forget, a poor performance in Iceland, many were calling for changes in the England XI, and, indeed, I am pleased to see Le Tissier, Charles, and Blindkilde Brown starting tonight.

“But, to me, it is inexplicable that Walsh and Stanway retain their spots. These two were embarrassingly poor against Spain last Friday - they had rings run round them by Putellas and co. Their inclusion tonight begs the question - how poor do they have to be to get dropped? Lucia Kendall and Jess Park should be playing in their place.

“I have belatedly realised that Sarina Wiegman has been without her long-time assistant Arjan Veurink since last year’s Euros triumph - he is now the head coach of the Netherlands Women. I am beginning to think that he was the brains of the outfit.”

Will England bounce back or will they be pulped?

It is only four changes for Wiegman tonight, so not as many as some anticipated but will freshen things up.

Not just about England tonight. There will be a decent amount in the away end.

It is great to see England playing away from Wembley. The only time I had much interest in the national side was when they were travelling around during the construction of the new stadium. Getting to Wembley from pretty much anywhere outside London is a massive pain and it is incredibly expensive for tickets, as a general rule.

Starting lineups

England (4-3-3): Hampton; Le Tissier, Carter, Morgan, Charles; Walsh, Stanway, Blindkilde Brown; Hemp, Russo, James.

Subs: Bronze, Moorhouse, Toone, Wubben-Moy, Greenwood, Kelly, Kendall, Mead, Park, Baggaley, Beever-Jones, Fisk

Ukraine (4-2-3-1): Boklach; Savka, Olkhova, Shmatko, Shaynyuk; Kotyk, Zaborovets; Molodiuk, Kohut, Kunina; Boychuk.

Subs: Basanska, Hlushchenko, Holovach, Keliushyk, Khrystiuk, Kotiash, Podolska, Radionova, Samson, Semkiv

Updated

Preamble

This will almost certainly not be the end of England’s World Cup qualifying campaign because, barring a strange set of results tonight, they will be heading into the playoffs later this year. The Lionesses are level of points with Spain but sit second thanks to an inferior head-to-head records having been thrashed on Friday in Mallorca.

Sarina Wiegman is set to make changes at Hill Dickinson Stadium tonight. The dreadful result in Spain may have influenced the decision but after a lengthy season, some players will need a rest. England are strong favourites in Liverpool, so rotation is unlikely to harm their chances.

Kick-off: 8pm BST.

Updated

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*