Source: Eurosport
Ukraine hand England first World Cup qualifying defeat
DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine (AFP) - England lost their 100 percent World Cup qualifying record as Serhiy Nazarenko gave Ukraine a 1-0 win over Fabio Capello's 10-men here on Saturday.
Capello's team had already booked their place at next year's World Cup after winning all eight of their qualifiers, but that impressive run came to a halt in chaotic circumstances at the Dnipro Stadium.
Ukraine wasted a chance to take the lead when Andriy Shevchenko missed a first half penalty after England goalkeeper Robert Green was sent off for a professional foul following a mistake by Rio Ferdinand.
But Nazarenko gave Ukraine a victory that puts them in pole position to finish second in the group when his first-half shot deflected home off Ashley Cole.
However, Ukraine could face sanction from football's governing bodies after flares were repeatedly thrown into the England penalty area during the first half.
With England's spot in South Africa safely secured, Capello had opted to take a closer look at Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, who replaced Gareth Barry for his first competitive international start since October 2006.
Capello also kept faith with West Ham goalkeeper Green despite David James's return from injury, while David Beckham didn't even make the substitutes bench.
Although England had nothing to play for, their opponents desperately needed a victory to move ahead of Croatia in the race for a play-off place.
Capello's team were greeted by a hostile atmosphere, with the match briefly halted straight after kick-off when Ukraine fans behind Green's goal threw flares onto the pitch - shrouding his penalty area in smoke for several minutes.
The smoke soon cleared but England appeared to be lost in a fog of confusion in the first half.
In the 13th minute, Manchester United star Ferdinand carelessly allowed the ball to bounce through to Artem Milevskiy, who surged into the penalty area before being brought down by Green's despairing attempt to save.
Referee Damir Skomina immediately dismissed Green and Capello sent on Portsmouth goalkeeper James in place of Aaron Lennon.
James's first task was to face former Chelsea striker Shevchenko's penalty. He dived the wrong way but watched in relief as Shevchenko's shot went wide via a post.
Ferdinand could breathe again after the kind of sloppy error that has creeped into his England displays far too often for Capello's liking in recent months.
But Shevchenko's miss prompted more flares to be thrown onto the pitch as the Ukraine fans let their frustration show and riot police moved in to try to quell the disturbance.
Capello adjusted to England's numerical disadvantage by sending Wayne Rooney to the left wing and leaving Emile Heskey as the lone striker.
The Italian's changes couldn't spark England into life and Ukraine took the lead in the 29th minute. Nazarenko pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and his shot deflected off Cole and past James.
Frank Lampard was close to equalising from a tight angle moments later, but the Chelsea midfielder's shot from Rooney's cross flashed just wide of the far post.
That brief attacking response from England quickly gave way to more desperate defending as Milevskiy smashed a volley against the crossbar before half-time.
England's cause wasn't helped when Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard was forced to come off at half-time, with Aston Villa's James Milner his replacement.
A tannoy announcement at half-time warned that the match would be stopped if any more flares were thrown. Abandonment seemed England's only hope for long periods as Ukraine dominated possession.
It took a superb save from James to keep England in the match as he turned away Yaroslev Rakitskiy's ferocious long-range strike.
Only Rooney, giving a typically tenacious display, offered hope of an England goal. He curled an effort wide and then went closer with another shot on the turn before Capello sent on Carlton Cole for Heskey.
