ENGLAND will be hot favourites as they take on Ukraine for a place in the Euro 2020 quarter-final.
But the Three Lions will have to be careful as the Ukrainians have given them a stern test in previous meetings.
And it will be a surreal atmosphere in Rome with fans from neither England or Ukraine able to travel for the match.
England vs Ukraine head-to-head
Given that Ukraine didn’t have a national football team until 1992, there are no meetings between the two sides before that date.
However, England and Ukraine have still played seven times with the Three Lions generally having the better of close encounters.
Their previous results are as follows:
England 2 Ukraine 0 – Old Wembley (1999)
Two set pieces were enough for Kevin Keegan’s men to triumph in their first meeting with the Ukrainians.
Robbie Fowler and Tony Adams netted the goals for the Three Lions in a friendly at the Old Wembley.
England 3 Ukraine 0 – St James’ Park (2004)
England were comfortable winners in a friendly at St James’ Park as David Beckham and Michael Owen netted for Sven Goran Eriksson’s side.
And most memorably, Shaun Wright-Phillips came off the bench to net on his England debut with his delighted adopted father Ian Wright watching on in the stands.
England 2 Ukraine 1 – Wembley (2009)
England ran out 2-1 winners as they sides met competitively for the first time in World Cup qualifying.
In a game where all the goals came from set pieces, Peter Crouch put England in front before current Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko equalised.
But then-captain John Terry popped up five minutes from time to give Fabio Capello’s men a crucial win.
Ukraine 1 England 0 – Dnipropetrovsk (2009)
England tasted World Cup qualifying defeat in their first ever trip to Ukraine in 2009.
Rob Green was sent off just 12 minutes into the game for the already-qualified Three Lions before Shevchenko hit the post from the resulting penalty.
But a wonderstrike from Serhiy Nazarenko on 29 minutes was enough to send Ukraine through with England and knock Croatia out.
Ukraine 0 England 1 – Donetsk (2012)
Donetsk is now under the control of pro-Russian separatists and no professional football has been played there since 2014.
But just nine years ago it hosted Euro 2012 with England needing a draw to go through at the expense of hosts Ukraine.
Wayne Rooney headed home the only goal as Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions won the group ahead of France.
But Ukraine were left fuming after Marko Devic’s goal wasn’t given despite replays showing the ball to have crossed the line.
England 1 Ukraine 1 – Wembley (2012)
Three months after England’s Euro 2012 win, Ukraine very nearly got revenge in World Cup qualifying at Wembley.
Yevhen Konoplyanka curled a brilliant strike into the top corner to give them the lead before the Three Lions were rescued by a late Frank Lampard penalty.
Ukraine 0 England 0 – Kiev (2013)
England held out for a crucial 0-0 draw on the way to the 2014 World Cup, and followed it up with home wins over Poland and Montenegro to qualify.
Ukraine would finish runners-up in the group and go down 3-2 to France in the play-off.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
