England World Cup qualifier with Ukraine and Kiev the game played unbeaten by Gary Cahill.

Roy Hodgson’s side created very few clear cut chances and often failed to keep hold of the ball in attacking positions despite dominating possession for large portions of the match.

Indeed, Ukraine will probably feel that they were the more likely of the two sides to take something from the match roared on by a raucous home crowd.

The home side could have had a penalty as early as the first minute when Yevhen Konoplianka’s cross deflected off Kyle Walker and Joe Hart clumsily upended Roman Zozulya, only for referee Pedro Proenca to instead award a corner.

England spent much of the early part of the game under pressure and resorted to trying to hit Ukraine on the break, with Theo Walcott forcing a save from Andriy Pyatov and Gary Cahill sending a deflected header over the bar.

But it wasn’t long before Ukraine were back on the attack with Hart once again looking indecisive.

Oleg Gusev nearly snuck in following a lack of communication between Hart and Cahill, and the Manchester City custodian once again looked nervous as he juggled the ball while attempting a clearance.

Soon after Artem Fedetskiy wasted a free header at Hart’s back post after Steven Gerrard misjudged a cross-field pass.

As the first half wore on Ukraine’s enthusiasm started to wane, giving England more time on the ball, with Gerrard working particularly hard in midfield.

And Gerrard almost got his reward sending a 25-yard curler marginally over the bar.

Just before the break Lampard lined up a free-kick from similar range, only to deflect off the wall and end up well wide of the goal.

Ukraine started the second half the brighter of the two teams but it wasn’t long before England started to assert themselves again, albeit in the form of an increasingly scrappy midfield battle.

Ukraine were once again unlucky to be denied a penalty in the 71st minute when Kyle Walker bundled Zozulya over right on the edge of the box, and the resulting free kick deflected wide off the wall.

England broke through Theo Walcott from the corner but were once again badly let down by poor passing from the Arsenal forward with Ukraine stretched at the back.

Ukraine continued to threaten at corners and set-pieces but Joe Hart, looking more assured in the second half, dealt comfortably with the only attempt on target.

Ukraine looked the more determined to chase the win in the closing minutes aside from a late Frank Lampard chance from a long throw, but Hodgson will no doubt be pleased with the result, if not the way in which it was achieved, as it keeps England on track to qualify top of their group for next summer’s World Cup with two qualifiers still to play.

Ukraine vs England Match Stats

Ukraine: Pyatov, Fedetskiy, Khacheridi, Kucher, Shevchuk, Stepanenko, Edmar, Gusev (Bezus 68), Yarmolenko (Khomchenovskiy 90), Konoplianka, Zozulya (Seleznyov 90). Subs:Koval, Dedechko, Tymoschuk, Mandzyuk, Grechyshkin, Morozyuk, Rakitskiy, Devic,
Khudzamov.

Booked: Kucher.

England: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, Wilshere (Young 68), Walcott (Cleverley 89), Lambert, Milner. Subs:Ruddy, Smalling, Baines, Caulker, Carrick, Barkley, Defoe, Sterling, Townsend, Forster.

Booked: Walker.

Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal).

Attendance: 69,890.

Ukraine 0 England 0 Match Video

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