ENGLAND ran riot against Ukraine to cruise into a Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley.
Harry Kane latched onto Raheem Sterling’s pass to give the Three Lions the lead after just three minutes.
And Harry Maguire and Harry Kane both headed home at the start of the second half before Jordan Henderson nodded in his first England goal.
England will now face Denmark, who edged out the Czech Republic to reach the semi-final.
Follow ALL the latest action as it happens with our live blog below…
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UNSUNG HEROES
Gareth Southgate has paid tribute to the England stars who have yet to feature at Euro 2020.
He said: “It’s enjoyable but immediately I’m thinking about the players that I didn’t get on the pitch because the likes of Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone, Ben White.
“We’ve had 21 on the pitch but those guys have been as important. The spirit that they’ve created, the togetherness.
“I regret not getting them on the field and I hate this thing of having to leave three out every match.
“It takes more energy from me than anything else because none of them deserve to be out of the 26.
“The fact that the guys have shown the respect that they’ve shown is why we’re in the position that we’re in.”
NOT DANE YET
England will need to be at their best to get past Denmark in the Euro 2020 semi-final, Gareth Southgate has said.
The Three Lions boss commented:
“They beat us in the autumn, we only drew to them in Copenhagen [in the Nations League]. They’re a very underestimated team.
“As a football nation they’ve done incredibly well, they’ve produced so many good players considering their population.
“This is going to be a really tough test and we’ll have to be at our best to get through it.”
SOUTHGATE PRAISE
England manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to all of his players, including the substitutes.
Southgate told BBC One: “The players have been fantastic. To play as well as they did in a game with so much resting on it was impressive.
“It’s a strange feeling. I’m thinking of the lads we didn’t get on the pitch – Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Sam Johnstone, Aaron Ramsdale, they’re the ones making this team successful. The spirit in the group is phenomenal.
“Whoever comes in does the job, wheoever isn’t in – it is really difficult to leave three out of the matchday squad – the squad mentality is fantastic. That’s uppermost in my mind, looking after those guys.
“I’m spending more energy worrying about the three I have to leave out because they’re all good players. None of them deserve to be left out. They’re all giving everything in training. None of it is because I don’t think they’re up to the level but we have to make the decisions. We have to make the right call for the right game with the right system. All of the players have been brilliant, tonight all the way through the group they’ve been fantastic”
GETTY IMAGES
SANCHO REACTS
Jadon Sancho is on his way to Manchester United but right now he is only focusing on England.
Sancho told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m feeling over the moon. Today was must-win and I’m just happy to have got an opportunity to play. This is a special moment for me.
“Every time I haven’t been playing I’ve been going back to training and been giving it everything.
“I’ve just been focusing on myself while I’ve been at England. I’ve always been ready if I needed to come on.
“We knew today was going to be a big game, Ukraine are a very good side. I’m delighted.
“To be fair, I don’t want to talk about Manchester United. Right now I just want to focus on England”
GETTY IMAGES KANE SPEAKS
England superstar Harry Kane admits the team is on the right path but insists the job is not yet done.
Kane told BBC One: “What a great performance in a big game.
“We were favourites, there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations. The performance was top-drawer. Another clean sheet, four goals, it was a perfect night for us.
“We’re building on [clean sheets]. We have a great unit here from front to back. It’s a vital part of winning games and tournaments.
“We’ve got a big semi-final coming up. We’re on the right path.
“It’s where we wanted to be. We set out a vision before the World Cup of what we want to achieve. We are knocking it off step by step. The World Cup was great but we fell short, we had a good run in the Nations League. We’re in another semi-final.
“Now it’s about getting over the line, the next step that we have got to do on Wednesday.
“We have more experience [than 2018]. We’ve been playing for our clubs in big games – Champions League finals, Premier League title races. We’re looking confident. Hopefully we can continue that.
“The job is not done yet. There’s a lot more football to play.
“It’s always nice to score early in a game. It’s a great feeling to help the team. There was a lot of talk about me and my performances. But I’m just ready for the next game and try to lead this team to the European final”
GETTY IMAGES SHEAR THING
Alan Shearer praised Harry Kane, who equalled him on international goals in major tournaments after scoring his ninth cracker.
Shearer is also impressed with England manager Gareth Southgate’s decisions.
The Premier League Hall of Famer told BBC: “It is incredible the difference in Harry Kane. You can see he has a spring in his step.
“In the first minute of this game he picked up the ball 40 or 50 yards and pinged it and you thought, yes that will do. Then he scored soon after.
“Another tick for Gareth Southgate – he has come up with another formation, he has put in Jadon Sancho and all his decisions again have worked perfectly.
“He is not influenced by what goes on outside the camp. He is making all of the decision and he is making all of the right decisions”
HENDERSON BUZZ
England star Jordan Henderson is ecstatic with the big win over Ukraine that sent the Three Lions through to the semi-finals.
But Henderson is also over the moon with the fact that he finally scored his first ever international goal after 62 attempts.
The midfielder netted the fourth goal of the night and had no doubt it would ultimately happen one day.
Find out what the Liverpool ace had to say:
FERDINAND REACTION
Rio Ferdinand hailed Manchester United star Harry Maguire’s performance and claimed he is a special centre-back.
Ferdinand told BBC: “Harry Maguire looks so comfortable at international football.
“In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain to me. He comes out with the ball and picks the right passes.
“He always tries to come out, bring someone to him and then play the ball and that is the difference, he wants to commit someone and that is the difference between him and other centre-backs”
MAD REACTION
Leicester star James Maddison didn’t make the England squad but that hasn’t stopped him from supporting his national team from afar.
Maddison claims Tottenham star Harry Kane is the “best centre-forward in the world” after tonight’s performance against Ukraine.
Kane scored twice on his second consecutive match for the Three Lions after a long goalless spell.
More below:
RICHARDS REACTS
Micah Richards sang England manager Gareth Southgate’s praises.
Richards claims a lot of the Three Lions’ current success comes down to Southgate’s worl.
He told BBC: “Gareth Southgate… What he’s done with this team, the belief and the way he’s changed the whole mentality.
“The belief he gives the players, it’s a joy to see, and they’re repaying him with performances like these”
MAGUIRE REACTS
England star Harry Maguire is ecstatic with tonight’s result but warns there’s still work to do.
Maguire told BBC: “It’s a great feeling, back-to-back semis is a great achievement. I don’t want to be a party pooper but we don’t stop here, we want to go further than we did at the World Cup. It’s big progress we’re making as a country, long may the improvement continue.
“We have great belief in the dressing room. The first half was tough, but I think the second goal settled us down a lot. We deserved the third and fourth on the night.
“We have to recover for another big one coming up. It’s hard to soak it all in when there’s another big one coming up. The dressing room will be great tonight, but tomorrow we’ll wake up and be focused again, because this group of players won’t settle for a semi-final”
GETTY IMAGES STATS
England dominated 51.5 per cent of possession after they slowed down during the dying minutes of the match.
The Three Lions registered a total of 10 shots, six of which were on target.
Ukraine, on the other hand, produced seven shots, two of which were on target.
Gareth Southgate’s men also dominated in the air having won 72.7 per cent of aerial duels
HAVE YOUR SAY
England face Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday and will be going into the game in the knowledge that they’re only one game away from their first ever final at the Euros… What outcome are YOU predicting?
FT: ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
England started the second half how they started the first. Incredibly fast.
Kane won England a free-kick in a promising position out wide on the left flank.
And Shaw delivered a deep cross towards the far post.
Maguire bullied his marker and powered England’s second into the back of the net.
Captain Kane got his second of the evening, after being picked out by Shaw.
And Henderson scored his first England goal, heading home from a corner.
England are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and they will face Denmark next Wednesday at WEMBLEY!
In the words of Michael Scott: “Oh my God it’s happening! Everybody stay calm. Stay f****** calm!”
GETTY IMAGES PEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE REFEREE DOESN’T ADD ANY TIME ON!
ENGLAND CRUISE THROUGH TO THE FINAL FOUR!
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
90. It doesn’t look like there will be any minutes added on.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Only a few minutes to go in Rome and it’s been an outstanding England performance overall, but do YOU think has been the key man for the Three Lions tonight?
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
88. Ukraine are controlling the ball in the late stages, as expected – but England are happy for them to have it!
England have thumped four past Ukraine in Rome tonight and they’re pretty much through to another semi-final.
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
86. England are cruising towards another clean sheet, their fifth of the tournament.
It’s been a professional performance, and yet again, England haven’t conceded…… yet!
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
84. England are getting an “ole! ooooooooooooooohhhhhhh……… ole!” every time a pass is completed.
And when Ukraine win the ball back, a loud boo goes up around the Stadio Olimpico.
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
82. Sancho shows some quick feet to get the beating of Mykolenko down the right-hand side.
But the winger takes an extra touch, allowing the wing-back to get back into position and win the ball back.
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
80. Southgate gets a lot of stick, and a lot of criticism for his line-ups.
But he’s guided England to back-to-back major international tournament semi-finals. Phenomenal achievement.
And he’s got an incredibly young side to work with. Bellingham, for example, just turned 18 the other day.
The likes of Rice, 22, Sancho, 21…. the list is endless!
GETTY IMAGES ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
79. Zinchenko works the ball out wide to Yarmolenko on the right-hand side.
The Ukrainian captain uncharacteristically shifts the ball onto his right foot and gets a shot off.
But his effort is blocked behind for a corner.
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
76. Ukraine are enjoying a good spell of possession inside England’s half.
But the Three Lions look incredibly comfortable to sit off the men in yellow, and wait for the right opportunity to win the ball back.
Maguire, in particular, has to stay disciplined for the final ten minutes or so.
He is one booking away from a suspension and he’s been pivotal for England at the back.
ENGLAND 4-0 UKRAINE
74. Henderson plays a lovely ball wide to Sancho on the right-hand side.
Sancho manages to deliver a late cross into the box.
But the ball is cleared out of play by Matviyenko for an England throw-in.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
