KYLE WALKER’S maiden international goal, in his 77th England appearance, kept Gareth Southgate’s side on course for next summer’s Euros.
A stunning assist from skipper Harry Kane allowed the outstanding Manchester City full-back to equalise just before half-time after Oleksandr Zinchenko had fired Ukraine into a shock lead.
But this was England’s most disappointing performance since the World Cup group-stage draw with the United States, as they gave up their 100 per cent record in this qualifying campaign.
Despite a host of in-form attacking players, Southgate’s team lacked their usual fluency and failed to create enough clear-cut chances despite dominating possession at the Tarczynski Arena in the Polish city of Ukraine.
A passionate crowd of displaced Ukrainian fans, exiled from their war-torn homeland, roared on Sergiy Rebrov’s side, who defended stoutly and were threatening on the counter-attack.
England will now have to wait until next month’s Wembley clash with Italy, at the earliest, before they clinch qualification for the finals in Germany.
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The Three Lions now face an in-form Scotland in a Hampden Park ‘friendly’ on Tuesday and Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army will have little to fear on the basis of this sloppy display.
Southgate could call on a clutch of players inspired by summer moves – Kane, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Maddison.
But his most controversial selection was that of Jordan Henderson, whose switch to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq has caused a storm with LGBT fans, while also casting doubt on his international future in footballing terms.
Ukraine’s players were draped in their national flag for the anthems and there was a feverish atmosphere before kick-off among the thousands of Ukrainian fans living here in Poland.
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England were utterly dominant early on – with Bellingham full of confidence and invention – but they were unable to carve out a decent scoring opportunity.
Bukayo Saka appeared to be inhibited by an early knock and Ukraine, having defended assuredly, began to grow as an attacking force.
There were a few shaky moments for the English defence before Ukraine seized the lead on 26 minutes.
Their right-back Yukhym Konoplia surged down the right past Ben Chilwell and cut back for Zinchenko to drill home – England’s midfield having failed to pick up the Arsenal man’s run and Jordan Pickford diving the wrong way.
England were provoked into a renewed sense of urgency but Henderson skied a shot and Southgate’s side were beginning to show frustration – Maddison booked for a foul on Illia Zabarnyi.
Bellingham carved open the Ukraine defence with a diagonal pass but Maddison failed to capitalise with a poor first touch.
The place was rocking and England appeared to be wilting. They needed something out of the ordinary to equalise – and that’s what they produced.
Kane had dropped so deep he was standing next to his central defenders, to the side of the centre circle, when he conjured a visionary diagonal pass all of 40 yards towards Walker.
The City defender chested down, rifled past Georgiy Bushchan and survived a VAR check for offside to break his duck after 12 years as an international footballer.
After the break Maguire headed on to the roof of the net from a Walker cross and a Henderson centre had Bushchan sprawling.
But a sloppy Bellingham pass afforded Ukraine a half-chance but Georgiy Sudakov screwed his shot well wide.
England had been struggling for fluency, on a difficult playing surface, but they clicked into gear when Maddison fed Kane, who held it up and slipped a pass to Saka, the Arsenal man leathering a shot which Bushchan tipped on to the bar.
Saka exchanged passes with Maddison, wriggled past a defender but had a shot blocked.
Midway through the second half, Southgate introduced Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden in place of Bellingham and Maddison, neither of whom had truly sparked.
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Rashford had an angled drive pushed out by Bushchan, who then saved a close-range effort from a lunging Maguire.
Walker capped a fine personal display with a couple of excellent late challenges to dispossess Mykhailo Mudryk as Ukraine broke menacingly.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
